One of the key ingredients to running a successful business is having a sell-able product, something ready for public consumption. It is impossible to have business success without a product to sell to your clients. To have the best shot at running a productive business, your product must meet a few requirements: it must be something that not only is …
The Four-Letter Word
Code. It’s considered a “four-letter word” by some home inspectors, and the reason why we have building codes is often misunderstood. Code refers to the set of rules that specify the standards intended to (hopefully) guide the contractors who built the structure that you are now inspecting. The main purpose of codes is to provide construction guidelines that help to …
Guidelines for Dating Your Clients
Before we begin, let me explain that, no, this post is not about how to get dates with your clients. Unless you are running some sort of escort agency, for the vast majority of business owners, dating your clients is always a bad idea. In this post we will examine the similarities between how we learned the ropes when we …
Learning the Lessons You Don’t Want to Learn
Funny thing about being a home inspector: you can never be 100% certain what’s going to happen on an inspection. Just when you think it’s shaping up to be a perfectly normal day, and you’re looking forward to a relaxing weekend; BAM! You get blindsided by a hay-maker. And you’re down for the count. That’s exactly what happened to me …
Defendability
Wouldn’t it be great if everyone you dealt with in your businesses (and your life) saw things from your point of view? Whenever there was a problem, you would talk it out, they would quickly see things your way and the issue would miraculously disappear! Unfortunately, that’s not the way that things work in the real world. You are certain …
Diffusing Adversity
Adversity. It’s not a word that we often use in our everyday conversations. And yet, adversity, and how we deal with it, often plays an over-sized role in determining the level of success that we attain in our business (and personal) lives. Adversity can be defined as a state of adverse conditions, where someone or something is actively opposing or …
A Shock to the System. How Starting a New Business Can Drive You Crazy
Starting a new business can be a shock to your system. We all think that we’re ready for this new adventure. We’ve read some books, talked to some experts and watched some YouTube videos; how difficult could it be? After all, if (insert name of a despised competitor here) can do it, it must be really simple. The reality is …
Lawsuits
Lawsuits. It’s an unfortunate reality of being a business owner in today’s marketplace. No matter what industry you’re working in, the simple fact that you own a business places a target squarely on your back. And while some businesses may seem like a better target than others, every business owner must prepare themselves for the eventuality of facing a lawsuit. …
Setting Yourself Up for Success. What Does that Mean?
Setting yourself up for success. It’s a well-worn phrase that you’ve probably heard hundreds of times. In fact, you’ve probably heard it so many times that it hardly even registers anymore. And it can mean so many different things at the same time, what are we even to make of this saying? It can mean different things to different people, …
How to Fail Faster
Everyone starts out their new business with certain goals. Maybe they want to become successful enough to quit their current job. Maybe they want to make enough money to pay for their family vacation, a new vehicle or their children’s college tuition. Or maybe they are saving for their eventual retirement. Regardless of their long term goals, most business owners …