We all have important things to do in our lives, both in our business and our personal lives. Some of these things are very important to us, like renewing a business license, getting exercise or visiting a sick relative/friend. And some things are much less important, but much more desirable, such as going to a sporting event or binge-watching our …
All the Luck in the World
We’ve all been there: at the start of something new. Whether it’s starting a new business idea, starting a new relationship or starting a new exercise program, we’ve all been at the beginning. The beginning is always an exciting time, filled with wonder and expectations. There are an unlimited number of possibilities; anything and everything can happen to us at …
The Pig Farm
One of the things that we constantly discuss in these articles is the need to continually educate yourself. Arguably, the worst thing that a business owner can do is to assume that they know everything there is to know about their business. Our world is constantly changing, and business and industry are no exception. Certainly, it’s in our best interest …
The School of Hard Knocks
As I sit down to write this, it’s about a week before New Year, and like every other year, we’re overwhelmed with information about prepping ourselves to make the upcoming year our best ever! And who wouldn’t want to have their best year ever? The season always ushers in more commentary about how we should approach our lives (personal as …
Is There a Shortcut to Success?
Practice makes perfect. We’ve all heard that old axiom. As a child, we probably heard it enough from our parents to make us sick. But, like most old sayings, it was grounded in truth. Think back to your childhood, to any skill that your parents forced you to learn. Would you have ever achieved any level of proficiency without the …
Just Give Me a Chance
When starting a new business, you’ve got plenty of things to worry about. There are lots of technical details to work out, from getting your tax id number to starting a bank account. But, often the most difficult thing to tackle is how to actually get the creative part going. Figuring out what you’re going to do, how you’re going …
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 …
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 …
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 …