Without the right tools, we can’t build a house. Without the right people, things will get broken
“You are fired!” John yelled at me as I was lying on the ground after falling off the roof of the house. John was mad because his sawhorses had been broken in half because of my stupidity. I was stunned and just wondering if I had broken anything in my body as a result of…
Always be raising, always be closing, always be talking about the business
Being a startup CEO is tough. Work life balance, as nice as it is, is not easy. Many leadership gurus – who invest in or mentor startup founders – often find CEOs struggle with the pace. One of the biggest challenges startup founders faces is balancing the continuous need to raise capital while running the…
While timing is important, action is more important. From action comes the fundamentals of success
Peter told me about his latest and greatest idea to improve his business. He was so excited because this new revenue stream was going to ensure his organization had stable income and would thrive again. This particular business seemed to have had its glory days 40 years ago. But this new leader was adamant that…
Its impact on the overall economy means everyone will suffer
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is eyeing a wealth tax to pay for his government’s spending spree. Heavily redacted documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation show Trudeau asked for an analysis of a $60-billion wealth tax. With indefinite deficits looming, it must be tempting to grab that cash. But a wealth tax would inflict economic…
Getting more of your ideal customers is key
Jerry reached out to us because he wanted to get out of his business. The business, he said, was “too stressful,” and he “was tired of struggling.” During our discussions with Jerry, we discovered that while the business was doing several million dollars in sales, it was only marginally profitable. Jerry had to work extra…
Running a business is much like coaching a team
Al Erricson was my basketball coach in 1982 – he’s learned a lot about coaching since then. If only Al knew then what he knows now, we might have won a game or two. What Al knows, and every business owner and manager should know, is that being successful is not all about skills. It…
... if you want them to succeed
The great resignation is being talked about by people around the world. Not only are baby boomers retiring, but many people who have suffered from pandemic burnout are also changing their positions, selling their businesses and moving on to follow their passions. However, having invested time and energy into our positions, organizations and companies, we…
We’ve learned a great deal. Now we can start to put our new knowledge to use
Thoughtful executives will prioritize planning for fully reopening their organizations now that the COVID-19 pandemic is subsiding. The new normal won’t be the old normal. The differences go well beyond customer and staff expectations for personal safety in places of business. Successful organizations in the post-COVID-19 world will proactively think through what: continuing work will…
Do nothing? Fire the staff member? Throw in the towel and sell the business?
George has a small manufacturing plant he bought six months ago because it had good revenue and came with some real estate. However, he didn’t know much, if anything, about the industry. The previous owners kept everything in their heads and had very little documentation. George quickly realized that customer orders were being lost, there…
Building your team the right way is essential for your company's long-term success
The three most common reasons startups fail are having the wrong product, running out of capital and having the wrong team. Today, I will focus on building your startup team. How do you attract, build, and expand your team as a startup? How do you keep them engaged, creative, and focused on tasks? How do…
Here are my top four strategies
Because I’ve trained them to do so, I know that many negotiators have learned how to read body language and use the resulting insights to their advantage. But I also know that other negotiators miss valuable opportunities simply because they don’t pay attention. They get so wrapped up in what’s being said or in the…
High inflation distorts the application of the capital gains taxes that many of us pay
By Valentin Petkantchin and Olivier Rancourt Montreal Economic Institute The 5.7 per cent year-on-year inflation Canada registered in February has not been seen since the early 1990s. Expansionary monetary policies and the economic sanctions accompanying the Russia-Ukraine war suggest that significant inflation is here for a while. High inflation not only erodes our purchasing power,…
Many owners are traumatized by insistent bankers, creditors, suppliers and landlords
Jim was visibly upset when he sat down for our coaching session. He told me that, the previous day, one of his staff had yelled at him during a meeting with his team members. He, too, lost his cool when the staff member “freaked out at him,” but he eventually walked away. This wasn’t the…
Is yours a yawner? Or is it snappy – with empty words?
Raise your hand if your organization has a mission statement. When I do that survey during leadership/culture presentations, almost every hand goes up. Mission statements are as common as a logo, website, or budget. Everybody has one. BUT...does it... Define the soul of your organization? Energize and engage? Align with leaders’ and employees’ personal purpose?…
Never operate a computer without anti-virus software
Recent ransomware attacks highlight how appealing and lucrative these raids are to hackers. Ransomware is malicious software that installs itself on the computers on your network and encrypts all the files, making them inaccessible to your staff. On payment of the ransom, you typically receive a key consisting of a string of letters and numbers…