Do you ever reach the end of a day and have no idea where the time went? Have a to-do list that’s longer than your arm? Once you cross something off the list, you pile 3 things on? (That last one is DEFINITELY me. Just ask my husband.). If so, you’re in good company. Great … Read More
Preparing for a rush of clients
My client, Cate, runs a graphic and web design firm. On a recent consulting call she complained, I feel like an accordion. When clients pour in and I need to ramp up, I’m stretched. When times are thin and I need to pare down, I’m squeezed. And it seems like I never have the right … Read More
What keeps customers coming back?
A customer comes to your business. They engage your services to solve their problem. What keeps them coming back, though, is the experience they have while you’re solving their problem. I tell you that to tell you this (indulge me): Between ages 5-8, I had a piano teacher I loved. Dorothy Jonas. She was petite, … Read More
What do open invoices say about your business?
What do open invoices say about your business? Brian Tracy once said, All business is people business. That’s because businesses are built on relationships—whether you build those relationships online or offline. But when your clients don’t pay, what does that say about the value they place on that relationship? And when you let them not … Read More
When short-term decisions conflict with long-term values
At a recent networking event, I spoke about the importance of strategic planning. How it keeps you focused on your deeper, long-term goals. The very goals that often get pushed aside when faced with conflicting temptations and urgencies of the day. For example: If you complain your kids are growing up too fast, but insist … Read More
The black hole of most strategic plans
As Seen In … My client, Mike, is a busy entrepreneur. Whirling around like a Tasmanian devil traveling to client sites. Putting out fires. Encouraging employees. There’s barely enough time to handle strategic planning, much less the kind of “what if” planning should his airplane crash. Or car veer off the road on the way to … Read More
How to run a successful business
I was sitting with my client Miriam over cocktails, a couple of weeks ago. She was having challenges growing her corporate training business and we were coming up with a game plan. (Sometimes, wine helps). Out of frustration she asked, What’s the secret? If there’s one thing—one magic bullet to running a successful business—what do … Read More
Missing the boat
It’s zero five hundred. I’m waiting for a prearranged taxi to chauffeur me to Command Naval Surface Forces Headquarters on Coronado Island, near San Diego. No, I’m not in trouble; just part of the U.S. Navy’s Leaders to Sea program, where business influencers get to experience Navy operations and training in real time on board … Read More
This one tactic can make you wealthy …
I’m too busy. Clients come first. It’s too tedious. I’m intuitively creative—I don’t have a process. What’s your excuse for not writing down your business systems? (C’mon, everyone has them). But what if I told you that written procedures could make you wealthy? Does that make them more enticing? Here’s how: 1. Returning clients. Clients … Read More
Clever people and grocers …
As Seen In … … they weigh everything. ~ Zorba the Greek So do my clients when it comes to growing their business. Do I want more? they ask. Of course! they reply. There’s the mortgage. The kids’ college fund. Mom’s medical expenses. And that bucket list trip to Tahiti! Yet surely as the sun sets … Read More
Buttercream icing
It’s my birthday week, so naturally, my thoughts turn to cake. (I love cake.) As a kid, I got to choose what kind of cake I wanted for my birthday. Not there was such a wide selection in those days. You got Duncan Hines® chocolate cake or golden cake. Chocolate icing or vanilla icing. Fruit filling … Read More
What can you STOP doing?
The best strategic plan addresses what you can stop doing. That’s counterintuitive, especially for small businesses who grasp at any shiny object to bring in revenue. But it’s not until you simplify and focus that you gain the clarity and strength to leverage your time, talent, and treasure. My ‘stop doing’ list became a lifeline. … Read More