In my years of working with struggling companies, I have found most
managers do reasonably well with things they know about.  They can see,
evaluate and formulate a plan of action relative to those things that
is generally effective.  Businesses that are in trouble almost always
got blindsided by something they didn’t see coming.  Often, those
things had been coming [...]

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The old cliche is that by doing what you’ve always done, you’ll get
what you’ve always got.  My experience in business is that doing what
you’ve always done will get you a little less than you’ve always got. 
I remember one business man who had a model that always worked.  He
would tell me over and over, “This is [...]

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For the last 15 years I have been a huge fan of “work from home”
programs.  They are good for the employee, good for the employer and
good for business.  I remember the first time I really considered
having / letting employees work from home.  Our business was growing
like a weed, and we were cramped for office space.  [...]

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I saw an interview on the news last night with a local business
owner whose business had been the target of vandals (grafitti in this
case.)  He was saying that the cost of the cleanup (required by city
ordinance) might be enough to put him out of business.  While it makes
me incredibly angry that some insensitive slug could  [...]

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I got a call from a young man I know well this weekend asking me why
it is I routinely recommend business as a career for young people. 
Like most people, my opinions are forged by my experiences and after
awhile, they become the “truth” to me.
Here’s why I like business.
1.  I get an opportunity to help people. [...]

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Have you ever heard anyone say, “I’ll be happy when I get get out of
school (or when I get a job or a promotion, or a when I get a new car,
house, etc. or when the kids are out of diapers, or when when the kids
are grown and gone and it’s just my wife and [...]

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One of my sons is a professional horse trainer.  We were at the
lumber yard the other day and the guy there asked him, “My horse does
this and that and the other thing, can you tell me how to fix it?”  My
son thought about it for a minute, and replied, “What you need to do is
make [...]

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Penelope Trunk over at the Brazen Careerist blog has done a great piece
on whether you need an advanced degree to succeed in life (in
business.)  She doesn’t think so.  I tend to agree.  Take a look at
this one and see what you think.  In reading the comments to the post,
it seems those who don’t already have [...]

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First, let me say that I have never worked for / with Krispy Creme. 
My observations are those of one on the outside, but I think they are
fascinating.  I don’t know if you have Krispy Creme donuts where you
live, but  in the Western states, they have a cult following.  My wife
can’t go to Utah (the closest [...]

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My mind wandered today onto a company I worked with years ago.  They
had always done business in the “gray” area.  Employees were paid in
“green” to avoid any record of their earnings (to avoid a tax
consequence.)  They were hired regardless of their immigration status
(presumably so they would be more interested in accepting cash for
their work.)  In [...]

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