As a business expert, I am expected to offer advice. The danger is that I become so committed to what I know works that I am no longer teachable. Attending seminars and webinars, listening to great speakers, is one of the habits I have developed that helps me stay teachable. Teachable means willing [...]
Aren't we always looking to get more done in less time? So we show up early and work late and it never seems to be enough. Is the answer multitasking? Unfortunately, no. According to a report from the University of London, multitasking makes you less intelligent. They found that levels in IQ dropped as test participants [...]
"Got a Minute?" That question can suck every minute out of your day. You want to be helpful and open. But when you become "at the effect" of everyone else, you may get frustrated. Maybe even snap at them? That's the opposite of being helpful and open. Here are a couple of tips to deal [...]
Ready to go...UN-solo? Perhaps you've been thinking about adding a new team member. Maybe your first? It can be a bit UN-nerving! Once upon a time, I hired phenomenal Shauna, and committed to TWO hours...a month! If you want to grow your company, or buy a bit of time off, bringing on a team member can [...]
Years ago, when I first started with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, John Nicholson asked if he could become a franchisee. I said, "No! You only do new construction work. This is a conversion service franchise. That means, you need to do service work with at least two truck to be eligible." Two months later he called me, "Ellen, [...]
Every day, you walk into the office, and have a little routine. Maybe you put your jacket there and your coffee cup there. Perhaps you click on email or check voice messages. Perhaps you spend the next 45 minutes on Facebook? That may be a bad business habit for you. Working with clients, most of [...]
A friend and client of mine reminded me about this video. I recorded it a few (many?) years ago and my friend, Jack, told me he watches this video several times a week. A WEEK? Wow. I'm honored to have made that kind of impression on him. It's called "How To Make Running Your Business [...]
I graduated at the top of my class with a degree in Business Administration. I took Accounting 101 and 102 and got "A"s in both. My professors drilled this into my head: "Find a good accountant." Alas. That was a disastrously incomplete lesson. What I wish I'd learned sooner: My money is my responsibility. If it's my money, [...]
I got into the family plumbing business when my husband's partner died. My husband, Hotrod, and his best friend, Richard Yox, started the company together. They had been friends since they were 8 and 9 years old. While Hotrod is a laid back guy, Yox could get wound up. His health, while not great to [...]
"Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is to raise your standards. When people ask me what really changed my life eight years ago, I tell them that absolutely the most important thing was changing what I demanded of myself. I wrote down all the things I [...]
