Blog
Are you stuck in Stage 2 of business growth?
Many companies flat-line after a growth spurt, as the organization, faces new issues to handle the increased customers and orders and complexity. To explain why this happens, I have included part of an article that appeared on the Growth Institute Blog-- "4...
7 LEVERS FOR HIGHER PROFITABILITY
Let's talk about CASH and profits.... Sometimes we think our business finances are linear... if we raise revenues 1% or cut expenses 1% then this will impact our profit 1%. However, they are not linear. Did you know that a 1% price increase could increase your profit...
Benefits of “Big Data” for Your Business
According to W. Edwards Deming, "the fundamental job of a leader is prediction." To do this, you need data-- the right data presented in the right way so you can make the right decisions. Mid-sized and large corporations are hiring and training an army of "business...
Why Every Employee Needs an Individual Scorecard
As we look to finish the year strong, today I am talking about report cards. Kids may not enjoy getting them in school, but as a parent, I find them a valuable tool to monitor progress, compare their results to their peers, get feedback when results are not...
Book Summary: Measure What Matters by John Doerr
I had lunch yesterday with my now-retired business partner and mentor, Dr. Jerry Newman. Since 1977 he has been teaching CEO's and business managers that their People systems and Pay need to align with business goals, and that all should be objectively measured....
Are you dragging your team along as you grow?
“The only way to grow a company is to grow the people first.” Verne Harnish, in his book Scaling Up. As I told you in numerous articles, People are essential to your company’s growth and success. But… do you have the Right People doing the Right Things, with...
PEOPLE summary from the book Scaling Up
When we say "People"-- there are three levels that are all important to get right as you build your team of A-Players: For each of the 3 levels, there are three elements to "get right" as part of an aligned team for growth. 1. LEADERS- define clear accountability...
Does Your Strategy Focus on Finding & Keeping Ideal Customers?
You may have heard this quote: "The purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer" -Peter Drucker One of the best presentations I attended at the Scaling Up Summit in October was by Christo Popov, a coach for fast-growing businesses in Europe. He started...
7 “Strata” of Strategic Thinking– There is More to Strategy Than Just Revenue Growth
When people talk about having a "strategy," they often consider this just one thing-- usually a revenue growth target. While it's important to have a clear and focused one-phase strategy,there are actually 7 "Strata" [layers] of strategic thinking, from the Scaling...
Do you have these 4 growing pains?
Not everyone has the determination and stamina to grow their company. It’s not for quitters or the faint of heart. Maybe this describes your life today: I know many owners who have reached overwhelm or burnout – they actually dread adding another customer or...