Dear Ellen, My friend has a business plan that "passed muster" with her bank and she got a loan. How about if I just take her plan and customize it for my business? Sounds like a good short cut. What do you think? Sincerely, Vera Dear Vera, I like and don't like that idea. While [...]
I love April, John and the Watermark Plumbing Team! I especially love April’s and John’s four daughters. They are smart and hilarious and their parents totally appreciate them. (Become April’s FB friend and you’ll see what I mean.) I appreciate what it takes to manage 4 young girls, and [...]
As a small business expert, I have learned a few things. Here are my latest, greatest insights… There is information and implementation. You probably have PLENTY of information already. You are short on time and energy. Ergo, you get behind on implementation. Your front line team members can get things done for you. They will [...]
Recently, I chatted with Monaica Ledell of MommyBreadwinner.com about what it takes to be successful in business. We agreed that a winning business of your own can expand peace, prosperity and freedom. It can also help make the house payment and pay for dance lessons. Here’s the interview. Lots of tips and a few rarely shared [...]
Recently, Mike Rowe, the Dirty Jobs Dude, was a guest on Bill Maher’s HBO show Real Time. He was talking about his latest adventure, Profoundly Disconnected, a program to help connect those looking for great careers with real, albeit sometimes dirty, jobs. I was on the edge of my couch! I love dirty jobs! I cheered [...]
Wow. It is the 10th annual A.G.E. Business Planning Retreat. Al Levi, Gail Gudell and I have met every year since 2004 to review our respective business plans. It’s our time to reflect and recommit to our highest intentions. This year we met at Al’s place in Scottsdale, [...]
What a year for gardening! Just when it threatens to get too hot, a thunderstorm shows up and showers the sun-soaked flowers and vegetables. My garden loves it! But elsewhere in town, the heavy rains have submerged tomatoes and petunias…a soggy end to this year’s crop. That’s the thing [...]
Does it make you cringe to think about imposing the formal structure of an Organization Chart on your small shop? Fear not! The Organization Chart can be a wonderful tool. Recalling my many, many jobs, I can count on three fingers the number of times I actually knew for what I was responsible and to [...]
Sob! My favorite thing to do is Ride Along with team members. I love to put on the Super Hero costume and hop in the truck. I am not very technically skilled – massive understatement! – however, I try to help by carrying things and being entertaining on the job. Recently, I was all dressed [...]
Business is not a complicated mystery. There is not a book or seminar that holds the cryptic message, if only you were clever enough to figure it out. There is no mentor who is withholding the secret formula until you say the magic word. Business is easy. Consider what you want and why, and take [...]
