Small Business

Expectations are an important part of business. A CEO sets expectations for growth over time. Your sales department outlines product and service expectations for potential clients. But can expectations be harmful to your business? Inherently working to exceed expectations isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, if you’re setting expectations too high and consistently underperforming, that […]

As a business owner, you’ve likely heard about creating company core values at least once. In fact, you’ve probably got a list of a few core values tucked away somewhere. But operating a values-based organization requires more than writing a few inspirational words and inserting them into your company handbook. In this entry, I’m discussing

As business owners, we have many unique skills and talents. But did you know you also have the ability to tell the future? Okay, so, you’re not likely to predict the next winning lottery numbers. However, you can predict (or project) your company’s financials over the next few years with pro forma. You see, knowing

Have you ever wondered why some leaders are more effective than others? The extreme ownership principles taught by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, both in their book and consulting firm, shine a light on the necessary traits of effective leaders. But how do you take battle-tested (literally) leadership principles and apply them to your business

Business owners have to be adaptable. As much as we like to plan and strategize to reach our goals, sometimes things occur outside of our control, making it necessary to change course. It’s as much a part of business as it is life. So, when it’s time to change direction, how do you develop a

Recession. More than likely, the mere mention of that word elicits an emotional response. It could bring up feelings of dread and panic, as it does in most people. However, for the savvy business owner, the thought of uncertainty in the economy should signal opportunity. As Warren Buffett once said, “Be fearful when others are

As entrepreneurs, we understand the need for marketing. However, we don’t always understand how we should market our businesses. Marketing is a different animal than the other areas of business. It operates by a different set of rules that can seem like they have no rhyme or reason. As a result, we’re often left frustrated

Pricing is a delicate subject. If you set your pricing too low, your margins will suffer, and the business won’t flourish. Conversely, customers might choose to look for more affordable options if they’re too high. How you set your pricing can ultimately, influence every part of your business. But sometimes it’s necessary to increase your