“Get the facts before the facts get you.” That is precisely what a business mentor said to me a few years ago, and it stuck ever since. Once this wise statement sank in, I never went into a decision without using research and analytics, and from that, I would develop a pretty good argument. Not only did it provide the confidence to move forward with the decision I had to make, but it made it tough for anyone to second guess it, and gave the decision more credence. The advice become a sort of mantra that I live by in my business, and a crucial piece of advice I pass along to my clients. [Read more…]
Key Management Strategies for Small Business Owners
Is management too busy fighting the alligators to clean the swamp?
Are you too busy fighting the alligators to clean the swamp? In other words, regarding management, are you so busy minding the details of your business that you seldom if ever have a chance to look at “the big picture,” about where you are heading, and how you are best going to get there? How do you know what to do each day to improve your company’s prospects for success if you are constantly “fighting the alligators?”
Famous American basketball player and coach John Wooden offered the following advice to his players:
“When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur. Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made… and when it happens, it lasts.” [Read more…]
Which Comes First: the Chicken or the Egg?
Startup and small business clients are notorious for taking two different and equally lousy approaches to three key parts of creating a business: the idea, the financing, and the business plan. So what’s more important in this business version of “chicken or the egg ,” the idea, the financing or the business plan? The real answer is YES!!!
Watch this video to learn more.
Making Sense of Passion and Reality in Startup Businesses
Startup business expert, Bert Shlensky, helps break down how entrepreneurs and startup businesses need to harness their passion when running their business, all the while tempering it with a healthy dose of reality. Passion and reality in startup businesses is frequently overlooked and misunderstood by entrepreneurs.
Watch this video to learn more.
Understanding Excellence: A Must-Have for Entrepreneurs
I’ll get right to it: an understanding of the kind of people your business needs and the willingness to do whatever it takes to bring out the best in them.
Despite all the factors required for successful business management, including product marketing, operations and finance, if you don’t have the right people in place, it’s like a new captain in charge of a ship with a sketchy crew. Doomed to failure? Not necessarily, but there will be a lot of scary near-misses, and a high risk of sailing into a disastrous storm that could’ve been avoided. [Read more…]
Happy holidays and best wishes from Startup Connection!
