How do we, as a business community, respond to the current state of affairs concerning the pandemic COVID-19 health threat, while protecting our businesses from the potential fallout? It is a question that is very relevant and all-consuming for business owners across our nation and the world. With so much invested and so much [...]
Of the many responsibilities we are called to every day in the construction business, one stands out as underserved and neglected – inspiration. At its core, leadership is inspiration. It’s taking people somewhere on purpose; moving them to act of their own volition, to follow, support and devote themselves to the mission at [...]
Author Jim Collins has elegantly noted that in business, “Good is the enemy of Great”[1]. In his fascinating study of “Great”[2] companies compared to “Good” companies, those defined as “Good” found it too easy to settle for mediocrity and failed to produce consistent profit. “Great” companies however, stood out from good by virtue [...]
How does your business need to change? Every business, after all, is in some state of flux at any given moment, reaching for new levels of success while struggling against the common challenges of varying opinions, behaviors, attitudes, customs and competencies of its most valuable resource – its people. Intentional change is the departure from [...]
“Help! I can’t find enough good people.” That’s a common phrase among builders, remodelers and trades people around our country these days. It seems our labor force has taken some serious hits since the recession, and left us begging, borrowing and stealing to come up with enough good people to get the work done. This [...]
Over the years I’ve witnessed many business owners struggling with frustration, stress and self-doubt, all of which takes a very real toll on them both personally and professionally. I know what it’s like because I was one of those business owners for many years. The physical, emotional and financial fallout can be exponential when left [...]
No one goes into business with the intention of losing money. Yet a preoccupation with busyness often short circuits our decision making ability and prevents us from capturing small opportunities that can make a big difference on the bottom line. The inclination to stay busy is natural, but adopting the daily discipline to seek only the most productive activities is wisdom; the [...]
I received an encouraging phone call from a client this morning who had been struggling for most of his business life with a challenge that plagues many (if not most) small business owners. Though his product is excellent, and there is clearly a demand for it in the marketplace, his success ratio for capturing more [...]
“It’s not what you think it is,” I commented. My client had just re-visited a chronic issue that has plagued their company for years. In fact it’s become the Achilles heel of their business. The challenge I’m referring to is consistently driving more business to their door; in other words, marketing effectively. Most of the [...]
This past month I met with a business owner client of mine who told me that his ratio for closing sales leads is less than 10%. Now, to put this issue into context, this owner has invested thousands building a new kitchen showroom/design studio with beautiful, up-to date design and product displays, and hired a [...]
