Lost the passion? Not making enough money? It's decision time
Jen’s business was on the rocks but I was a bit surprised when she came into my office and told me she had just taken a job. Jen’s business was 18 months old, and she had been referred to us for business development to help her capture a new market. Our previous two meetings had…
Find your zone, connect to the world, tune into your purpose and then get specific
I once had the fabulous opportunity to chat with a group of executive administrative assistants on their final day of a national conference. They had spent a few days exploring what it takes to create positive energy for themselves and their organizations. When I met with them, they were elated, excited and maybe even a…
The differences between angels and VCs are no longer quite so clearly visible as they once were
The start-up is going well and now it’s time to pursue capital. The friends and family networks are running thin. Who are you going to call? Angel groups exist across the country and there are VCs (venture capitalists) you might want to see. The rule of thumb is to call them all: both angels and…
Ten ways you might be cheated and what you can do to reduce your risk
James and John came into my office one day and were noticeably shaken. James had just come from the accountant and learned that his business had lost $400,000 in the previous year. In obvious disbelief, he asked if I could help him figure out what the problem was. In our discussion it came out that…
Focus on being honest and ask for help, consider a sabbatical and trust yourself
I bumped into Julie’s father at the grocery store and asked how his daughter’s business was doing. He told me she was going through a rough patch, so I called Julie. The first thing I noticed was Julie’s voice: the excitement was gone, and her energy seemed depleted. She told me about everything that was…
Here are a few warning signs that you may be falling into the clutches of a bad investor
In an ideal scenario, your deal has attracted such interest that you have the luxury of choosing your investor. Most entrepreneurs are not afforded this luxury and will often need to take the investment dollar that is offered. This I understand. Raising money for emerging companies can be incredibly difficult so, when money is offered,…
What would happen to your business if you were unable to continue?
My father had a stroke last week. Thankfully, at almost 83, this is one of the first serious ailments he has had in an otherwise healthy life. However, observing the debilitating effects and chaos that a serious illness can have on a person and family made me understand the need for leaders to have plans…
Get what you want by stressing less about outcomes
Some of the biggest conflicts we face are about the frustration we feel when we don’t follow through and achieve what we’ve set our minds on. This causes us to become prickly in our relationships and take our irritation out on others. When I first started working in law enforcement, there were all kinds of…
Get rid of the negative thoughts and distractions and focus on what's important to you
The news is filled with folks complaining. From politics to economics and everything in between, people are focused on what we don’t have rather than what we do. It’s such a deeply-rooted problem that it makes me wonder if our focus is the primary culprit for all the unhappiness we perceive. When we imagine ourselves…
Here's what you can do about it
If you’ve ever been in a leadership position, you’ve probably gone through a time when you didn’t feel very effective. Perhaps you were sitting at your desk wondering what to do next. Maybe you felt overwhelmed with the tasks at hand and wanted to give up. This might have happened when you had staff who…
Many business owners are struggling to survive. These grants could help
With the changes in the economy, many business owners are struggling to get a foothold on what they need to do to ensure their business is stable now and into the future. As a business coach, I’ve seen some tremendous transformations when businesses have had the opportunity to hire outside help to guide them towards…
Don't stumble on the road to success
Mike and James had a big plan to sell more of their widgets. The widgets they built were wonderful. They had numerous testimonials that these widgets changed people's lives. Mike wanted to grow this aspect of their business and James agreed. They came up with a plan, built the brochures and sales materials, started down…
When we slow down, look for options and are creative in our thinking, we save money, time and energy
It was my lucky day when Emile told me he had some roadkill in his freezer that he would trade for a couple cases of beer. Not so lucky for the cow that had been hit by the semi on the highway, I guess. Emile told me he had lots of steaks in the boxes…
It’s up to you to bring in clients. The buck stops with you if your employees fail to perform
Starting your own business teaches you things you’ll never learn in a job. Here are three of them: Where the money comes from As an employee, you can expect your paycheque to arrive every week or two without fail, even if you’re sick or on vacation. At one level, you realize the money comes from…
Real value does not come from the idea alone. Great ideas without execution are empty roadside soda cans
There were nearly 900 people seated at round tables alternating small talk with bites of chicken. The ballroom was glamorous, the chicken was dry and few paid attention to the joke-telling emcee. "My wife says that if I don't give up golf, she's going to leave me. I'm really going to miss her! Har har!…