In a 2004 article for Wired magazine, Chris Anderson took a statistical term and made it cool. Mentioning the long tail strategy in relation to the success of popular companies like Amazon and Apple moved this concept into the mainstream and gave…
Client Calls…3 Ways To Win the Game of Service
The truth is, as a business owner, regardless of the industry you’re in, you are first and foremost in the people business. It’s those people you encounter, be it in person or through social media, that you hope to win…
A Couple Thoughts on Leadership…
Let’s say you’re sitting in a room of familiar business owners. I walk in and give each of them a slip of paper and ask them to write one word on it that describes you best. What would they write?…
Are you productive or just busy?
This morning I did something I have never done. While rushing into the gym, I left my smart phone, my lifeline, in the car. I didn’t even notice it until I climbed onto the elliptical, jammed my ear buds in…
Three Lessons I Learned From Christian Grey… Business Ones!
As women, regardless of our various levels of success, either working within the home, running a small business, or climbing the corporate ladder, one truth became very clear to me while chatting with my fellow gal pals during our daughters’…
Racing to the Finish Line…
Last night, I saw the shell of a broken man. As I looked into the eyes of Lance Armstrong as he spoke with Oprah, the words liar or cheat, never came to mind. All I saw was regret. To have…
In My Happy Place… Starbucks
Starbucks. Finally. Crap, the parking lot is full! No..wait, there’s a spot. I almost missed it..I’ll just back in. After I park, I cut the engine and trip out of my car. I try not to run, but can’t help…
The Courage to Try: A Few Good Businesses
If you’ve ever had a conversation with a small business owner, you can’t help but walk away changed. Their enthusiasm and determination is infectious and to some, delusional. But, when I think of the long list of delusional people who have gone on to create…
From the Heart of Small Businesses…Thank You
It can be argued that small businesses are the backbone of America, the ultimate expression of the American Dream. Many companies, though large today, started as a mom and pop store in the middle of Smalltown, USA but grew into the…
Preparing for Change – 3 Ways To Find More Cheese
About ten years ago, I was working at an affinity marketing firm. From time to time, management would get all associates together in a large banquet hall for the all-employee meeting. You’ve been to those…free coffee and poppy seed muffins. Well, these…
Developing Strong Ties: Blue and Red Make Purple…
It’s fascinating to me to watch people network. The smiles and firm handshakes. The warm introductions and business card exchanges. All a necessary part of growing your business and getting your name out there. But I’ve also witnessed the other side of that. The whispers and eye rolls….
Entrepreneurship: A Cautionary Tale
Being good at something will automatically make you successful in business, right? Well, not so but we’d all like to think that. Many of us go into business for ourselves with a particular skill set that we have nurtured and…