One of the most difficult things about running a business is dealing with clients. An often-heard complaint is that “this would be a great job if it wasn’t for all of these damn clients!” And yes, I know that our customers are the whole reason that we are in business, but (sometimes) dealing with them can cause a business owner …
Jumping Off a Cliff
Unless you have completely given up all hope, which unfortunately happens to some of us, we are all driven to succeed in our lives and in our businesses. And that drive for success pushes us to make improvements in our processes. We usually make those improvements in small, incremental steps. We study the data, looking to see what has served …
Opportunity vs. Decision
What do we do when faced with an opportunity? How do we decide what’s our best course of action? What happens if we can’t make the hard decision?
What Can I Do to Grow My Business Faster? Crawling Before You Walk
I consider myself to be extremely fortunate. I (somehow) ended up in a career that I really enjoy, that allows me to help others and that helps me to provide for my family. I started doing home inspections professionally in 2001, and soon thereafter started teaching other home inspectors (and Realtors) about the industry. In addition to being certified to …
What Will You Do? Dealing With an Argument
You may be right, but that doesn’t mean that people will care. Or pay attention. Or take action. Just because you’re right, doesn’t mean they’re going to listen. It takes more than being right to earn attention and action. Seth Godin The above blog post by Seth Godin really got me thinking. It sums up one of the biggest problems …
7 Things That Can Influence Your Business Success
In my position as an educator, I often find myself speaking with people about the home inspection business. Whether its inspectors that are brand new to the industry or individuals who are interested in becoming an inspector, the questions they ask are usually quite similar, and the answers apply to all types of new businesses. How hard is it …
Power On
We all fall into the same trap. We start something new: a new diet, a new relationship, a new job, or a new business venture, thinking that it’s going to be easy. Yes, we know that everyone else struggles with these same challenges; we hear about the failures from our friends, coworkers, and random associates on our social media channels. …
What Happens vs. What I Want to Happen. What’s The Difference?
Think about that appointment that’s on your schedule for tomorrow. The inspection that’s been on there for the past five days. You know, the one with the big, nasty house that you’ve been dreading. Yeah, that’s the one. What if, instead of being that P.O.S. house, that appointment was the final interview for a really great job. A …
I’m Doing Fine. Why Should I Change?
Most of us have a good thing going. Whether it’s our job, our daily routine or our relationships, we’ve all been doing the same thing for quite a while. It’s all a well-worn routine; muscle-memory at its finest. I’ve been doing home inspections since 2001 and have it down to a science. I know my job, my software and my …
Learning Lessons in the Most Improbable Places
I always find it amusing when I discover something in my personal life that correlates to my professional life. It’s almost as if the experiences in one part of my life are attempting to prepare me for the trials and tribulations that lie ahead in other areas. Now, if I would only start paying more attention… I’m currently …