We have a friend in Chicago who uses a self-styled word to define the quick moves a person uses to accomplish the task at hand. He calls it “hustlative.” It stuck with us as a great descriptor for this critical attribute. It can be the difference between success and failure, especially in a start up. It can save the bottom line with the proverbial “stitch in time.”
We used to interview people to try to get a feel for… Read More
Hire a Person with a Sense of Urgency
Landing the Perfect Job Applicant Requires Seasoned Piloting Skills
When we owned Barefoot Cellars and were recognized for our success, we had our excellent staff to thank. So, it is not surprising that people ask us how we found such good people. Probably the most stressful part of hiring is, as Forrest Gump’s mom said, “You never know what you’re going to get!” Hiring anxiety is well founded.
Suddenly you are faced with the loss of productivity caused by the vacancy and the urgency… Read More
Successful Hiring takes Preparation, Permission and Patience
No matter what business you think you are in, you wind up in the personnel management business. Your first hires will require a great deal of your time and energy with no guarantees. Your way may conflict with their previous way of doing things.
For the most part, great employees are not found, they’re made. In order to delegate and allow your company to grow, you really have no choice.
All this takes time, energy, preparation… Read More
Grow Your Business Faster by Sharing the Wealth
Henry Ford used to say he’d rather have 1% of what a hundred others made working for him, than 100% of what he made by himself. Some business owners want to have it all, but in the process, cut off the very folks they need to get what they want.
Our business colleagues have chastised us for “overpaying” our sales people. They’d say, “Aren’t you afraid they will make more than you?” Actually, we had several sales… Read More
Discover Your Strengths and Weaknesses Before You Start Your Business
The right business for you is a combination of opportunity, preparation and resources. It’s more of a discovery than a choice. You will not have the world of all possibilities to choose from, but if you analyze your strengths and weaknesses, you can identify the opportunities that are plausible.
The key to success is to understand what you have an abundance of and what you need more of. We all have a tendency to think we… Read More
B2B or Not to Be? That is the Question!
We often hear, “Oh, we’re B2B (business-to-business), so we don’t have to worry about customers at the general public level.” The fact is, you do.
It is an erroneous assumption that B2B is somehow insulated from the source of most income, the general public. If your client goes out of business, your B2B loses that account, and you lose an income source. Of course you need to worry!
The more your company understands… Read More
Job Descriptions – A Portrait or Snapshot
Job descriptions seem to have a certain amount of authority built into them. They can describe the job for the new hire and be a reference for the last word in duties.
The problem is that nothing remains the same for very long. Constant operational changes and market pressures can make even new job descriptions obsolete within months. Job descriptions should be seen as living documents that require frequent updating.… Read More
