Over 30 years of business insight in one place.
Business Model
Better Pricing for Higher Profits
November 5, 2010
Pricing is a hard topic to deal with systematically. Especially for small companies without a lot of data to crunch. I'm preparing for a pricing session with a client, and thought I'd share a little with you here. We're using…
Productivity
What Time Do You Quit Work?
October 29, 2010
If the answer is NEVER then you're doing it wrong. Seriously. Check this out: Time Management: How an MIT postdoc writes 3 books, a PhD defence, and 6+ peer-reviews papers. And finishes by 5:30pm. You see you can't really manage…
Community, Personal
In the 1800’s America Became an Economic Force
October 13, 2010
Bill Bryson says it was done in large part by utilizing innovations and technologies that were invented in Europe. These were then scaled and perfected in America and the products sold back to the Europeans. Does that remind anyone else…
CEO Mindset
You’re Being Lied To
October 5, 2010
If you ever read anything about starting or running a business in the press; or if you go to hear people speak about the topic, in all likelihood you'll find they're probably not telling you the unvarnished truth. The Close…
HR, Leadership, People
How to Have Happy Employees aka The Best Employee Retention Program Ever
September 8, 2010
It's simple: Give them what they want! Hey, just because it's simple doesn't mean it's easy. If you don't have happy employees this will change everything. I mean EVERYTHING. The good news is it works. And the better news is…
Information & Communication, Organizational Design, Work Flows
Down The Organization
August 31, 2010
The title of this post is a play on the title of one of the best business books I know: Up The Organization by Robert Townsend. Townsend was president of Avis Car Rental in its prime and has some witty…
CEO Mindset
Are You Feeling Lucky?
August 31, 2010
Then click on Lucky Day for a two and a half minute video of some of the luckiest people on earth - pedestrians, drivers, even bank robbers. Stay for the last one - I laughed out loud. On a serious…
CEO Mindset
The Good News about Bad News
August 18, 2010
I just asked for a meeting with the CEO of a start-up I've invested in. The reason? I just got their half-year report and there's no bad news! Andy, if you're reading this, I'm talking about you. Why is no…
Customers, Marketing
Treat Your Customers Right – Free Drugs?
August 1, 2010
Wow. That title ought to get me some hits on the Google - doncha think? But really this post is about ... How to Treat Your Customers Right. And about how I got get free drugs from people who are…
Personal
Guide to the New US Health Care Bill
July 19, 2010
UPDATE: Tom Cooper has pointed me to this TED TALK by Eric Dishman. One of the most innovative ideas in health care that I've heard about. Spend 17 minutes and watch it. If you run an American business, check out…