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As a business owner, you know what it’s like to lie awake at 2 a.m. Maybe it has happened when you are excited and full of new ideas for your business. More often, it’s because you are worried about issues you will face the next day. Sometimes, it’s because you just woke up with the solution to a problem. I’ve experienced all those emotions about my businesses over the years. Awake at 2 o’clock? is where I share them with you, and hopefully help with answers that will let you sleep.
John F. Dini, CExP, CEPA
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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. Are you a Hunter or a Farmer?
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How prepared are you to exit your company?
The Assessment breaks down the four major categories of exit readiness; Finance, Planning, Operations and Revenue/Profit.
Tag Archives: small business advice
Small Business and BIG Taxes – Timing is Everything
This column typically focuses on the issues of running a business, especially those that revolve around leading employees and growing profits. When I am consulting on issues that include tax planning, I am supposed to include a “Circular 230 Disclaimer”, … Continue reading
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Leaner and Meaner (Part 4): Beating the Big Guys
If your small business depends on excellent employees, how can you attract and retain them against the resources of larger corporations? In our previous installments of this Leaner and Meaner series, we’ve talked about how the pressures of running a business today … Continue reading
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Leaner and Meaner (Part 3): Investing in Employees
Employees are free agents. As a business owner you wouldn’t sell your customers at a loss because in past years you made a profit. Neither should we expect employees to get better at their jobs without expecting compensation commensurate with their current … Continue reading
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Leaner and Meaner (Part 2): Retaining Good Employees
Last week we discussed the post-recession challenges that face business owners, and the economic and demographic shifts that mean we need to run our companies better than we ever have before. Between 2008 and 2010 many business owners faced a task they had … Continue reading
One Response to Leaner and Meaner (Part 2): Retaining Good Employees
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Recruiting, retention, and downsizing should be done within the context of an overall succession plan designed not only for ownership transitions, but also “bench strength.”
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Does Your Business Need to be Leaner and Meaner? (Part 1)
I’ve been surprised by the tone of my clients’ conversations since the beginning of the year. They want to get tougher. They want to plan more. They want to find the chinks in their armor, and sharpen their weapons. These … Continue reading
3 Responses to Does Your Business Need to be Leaner and Meaner? (Part 1)
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Excellent overall assessment… looking forward to the details.
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Thanks for the post. Time to put this into action instead of
just bookmarking it. -
you know john, the ever present threat to small business will, as it now seems, never reduce in size. it is a constant effort to keep one step ahead of all of the negatives, including our government and the world. Looking forward to your continued input on this matter.
I enjoyed the article, we have worked hard to bring our small business to the size and profitability to retain our top performers. Although we think of ourselves as a family we do cull the family to make room for new family members. Most of the time “family members” who are repeatable passed up will leave on their own: At times We need to let them know their future is not with us. When this happens we need to step back and rebuild the team, though recently we have the new member work for a week at a time with one trainer in their work related areas. after a month we confer with the trainers and see where their strengths are, should any of the managers feel the time investment will not pay off the individual is let go. the longer it takes to make that decision the more difficult it is to let them go–part of the family dilemma I suspect.