The following article was shared with me by Vistage speaker Dr. Balaji Krishnamurphy. It is a masterpiece on organizational culture. In a world of a “Great Resignation” and a pending economic recession, managing a strong company culture is quite necessary. Inherent in that strategy is to be very intentional about what type of culture you Read more about Is Your Company a Pool or a Stream?[…]
My SBM Mastermind group just finished reading this book, and I had forgotten how well it helps small business owners start thinking about an exit. I wrote this book review in February 2009.) Remember how much time and thought went into starting your business? For most small business owners, it takes at least six months Read more about Book Review: Dance in the End Zone[…]
Do you remember the game show “The Price is Right”? Contestants were asked to guess the prices of various retail products. The closer their guesses were to the actual sales prices, the better their chances of winning prizes. It was a fun game to play and watch. I like to simulate this game in the SBM Read more about How Much is Your Hot Sauce?[…]
Pricing is often one of the most overlooked — yet most powerful — levers in a small business. In Fearless Pricing, author and pricing expert Casey Brown delivers a clear, actionable guide for business owners who want to stop leaving money on the table and start pricing with confidence. Why This Book Matters to Small Read more about Book Review: Fearless Pricing[…]
In Never Lead Alone, bestselling author and leadership futurist Keith Ferrazzi challenges the myth of the solo visionary leader and makes the compelling case for “co-elevation”—a style of leadership rooted in collaboration, trust, and shared accountability. Key Takeaways: Leadership is a Team Sport Ferrazzi argues that the most successful leaders today don’t climb the ladder Read more about Book Review: Never Lead Alone[…]
Best-selling author Will Guidara shared the following story recently in his newsletter “Pre-Meal”. “Pixie Dusting” A friend spent spring break at Disneyland with his kids. The most fun thing that happened while they were there, the event his kids couldn’t stop talking about? Not their visit to Pixie Hollow, or the new Tiana ride which Read more about Pixie Dusting[…]
Each of my Vistage Advancing Leader groups, as well as my SBM Mastermind group, is reading Decisive by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. It’s a great book on making better decisions. Here is my original book review on the book. How many decisions do you make on any given day? Ten? Twenty? Probably many Read more about Book Review: Decisive[…]
I am preparing to take my annual one-month sabbatical. This will be my 14th year taking a month off—maybe one of my best decisions ever. I wrote the article below several years after my first sabbatical. This is what I am suggesting to all my members this year. Shocked? Don’t be. It may be Read more about Take a Month Off[…]
This is an article I first wrote 28 years ago about customer service, my son, and the national pastime. It is the best example of “Unreasonable Hospitality” I have ever experienced. As baseball season is now upon us, I am pleased to republish the article once again this month. I often receive my best Read more about Lessons Learned at the Ballpark[…]
If you’ve ever thought, “If only my team could read my mind,” then The Business Playbook by Chris Ronzio was written for you. Ronzio, the founder of Trainual, makes a compelling case for why documenting your business processes isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a must-have if you want to scale, step away from day-to-day operations, or Read more about Book Review: The Business Playbook[…]