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John F. Dini CMBA, CExP, CBI
President, MPN Incorporated
I live with the ups, the downs, the peaks, the valleys, and the gratification and occasionally the sheer numbing terror of being a business owner; and I experience all of it, EVERY SINGLE DAY!
As a coach, facilitator and consultant to hundreds of entrepreneurs, the operator of a dozen peer groups and a business owner myself, I spend almost every waking moment discussing the challenges and rewards of owning a business. I eat, sleep and breathe business ownership. I don’t hunt. I don’t fish. I don’t even play golf. Business ownership is both my vocation and my recreation. I think owning a business is the most interesting thing anyone can do.
View John's full profile and don't forget to check out his baby boomer business owner exit planning seminar:
"BEATING THE BOOMER BUST"
A unique seminar combining the iconic moments of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s with a statistical look at the social, economic, and business impacts that Baby Boomers made on each decade. More info...
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Small business owners are the Hunters of the 21st century. We are 3% of the US population, and yet we create over half of all American jobs. As Hunters, we may not be inclined to manage by the numbers or stick to systems. If we were, we'd be working for someone else! If you lie awake at 2 AM because you are worried about your business, or just because you are excited about what you will be doing when the rest of the world wakes up, then this is the place for you!
Category Archives: Managing Employees
Turning Plans into Realities
We’ve discussed some simple steps to getting started on your annual business plan. (see previous post: The Seven Questions of Simple Planning). Once you have the questions answered, you can begin moving towards the actions that transform your plans into … Continue reading
One Response to Turning Plans into Realities
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The Seven Questions of Simple Planning
The Creation In the beginning was the plan And it sprang from the assumptions And the assumptions were without form So the plan was void of substance And darkness fell upon the face of the workers And the workers … Continue reading
One Response to The Seven Questions of Simple Planning
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Excellent advice, John. I offer my clients a less rigorous first step, not nearly as good as yours. It too is designed to get their toe in the water, in hopes they will engage in the process and expand upon it. On one page they list the two or three most important accomplishments for the year; then the two or three shortfalls for the year; then the two or three most important goals for the upcoming year.
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Getting Smart about SMART
It is approaching 2012, and (hopefully) most of us are finalizing our plans for the upcoming year. In our groups of The Alternative Board, we are asking each member to state their sales and revenue objectives. We all know that … Continue reading
Posted in Leadership, Strategy and Planning
Tagged business ownership, leadership, management
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When is a Bonus not a Bonus?
“And yet, you don’t think me ill-used, when I pay a day’s wages for no work.” That statement by Ebenezer Scrooge to Bob Cratchett in 1843 recognized the then relatively new custom of letting wage-earners have a day off for … Continue reading
Posted in Incentives, Leadership, Managing Employees
Tagged business ownership, employee performance, employees
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Three Circles of Family Business
What is a “Family Business?” A large percentage of small companies have some family involved. For most, it is simple a case of providing employment to family members. If the founder of the company is also the principle revenue generator, … Continue reading
2 Responses to Three Circles of Family Business
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Julie Herrington says:
Ouch, I am living this situation. Vision and leadership is the challenging issue. There is not one right way to run company. I learned from you that each business reflects business owner’s personal values and style. Great article and if others respond too, hopefully you will share more on this topic and transitioning family business.
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Additional Information,
Actually the most stable relationship system is a three party system where the third party acts as a calming, reasonable voice that facilitates constructive communication and decision making. In family business succession work we have long advocated a three system view: Family, Business and Board. In the latter we work toward a balance of participants between family representatives and respected, independent outsiders with experience and expertise relevant to the current and future work of the business. We typically do not recommend professionals – lawyers, accountants, consultants… who are aligned and indebted financially to the business. The challenge is to start this process long before succession – through family education and involvement of key family members in learning about and appreciating the complexities of running and growing a successful family business. The earlier the better…
Bill Seelig,
bill@seeligs.comBill Seelig
These are great tips, I really like that one about thinking of prospective customers. I’ll have to make a list like this, it is the new year after all!