In September of 1930, at the start of the Great Depression, business people and politicians gathered in Cape Charles, Va. to perform a mock burial. Caskets containing “Old Man Business Depression,” his wife “Mrs. Pessimism” and his daughter “Miss Misfortune” were unceremoniously dumped in a watery grave in the Chesapeake Bay. Unfortunately, while temporarily lifting […]

Believe it or not, there are still business owners out there who do not have a consistent way to reach out to their previous clients and others who can refer business to the company. I recommend that you reach out to this valuable group at least once a month with something — a call, a […]

Thompson Remodeling, Inc., has a strong presence in its Grand Rapids, Mich., market— and beyond. The company’s reach and image are augmented by a top-notch Web site (http://www.thompsonremodeling.com/). With its scrolling photos, prominent company logo and contact information, and regular updates about the firm’s doings, the eye-pleasing site is informative and never static. Company president […]

If you need some extra help in your office but don’t have the budget—or enough work—to hire an employee, consider bringing in a part-time unpaid intern from a local college or high school. Len McAdams, founder and president of McAdams Builders in Kirkland, Wash., posted an ad for non-salaried internship on craigslist (www. craigslist.com) and […]

Now that the dust is settling, we can all see that our business world has changed and will never go back to the way it was. So it’s up to us to learn how to function in this new world and it’s lots easier when you’re learning along with a group of your peers. One […]

This book is written by two of my favorites from Inc. magazine, Norm Brodsky and Bo Burlingham, who totally understand the challenges faced by owners of small business.  As we see regularly with our consulting clients, people building a business look for a silver bullet, a step-by-step formula or set of rules to help them […]