An agency owner asked me this question recently. I reviewed the pricing options with my client last week, but I haven’t heard back from them. How long do I wait before I send a follow-up email? The short answer is, you’ve driven into a cul-de-sac; there’s no good way out but to go back to…
In August, my family and I are going to a dude ranch. It’s a place I’ve been to before, and I have fond memories of the times I spent there with my parents and my older kids. But it’s been 20 years since I went, and none of the people I’m going with this time…
Very few things give you the same improvement in physical and mental health as a good dose of nature! If you follow the thread and look at the studies, you’ll find Two hours per week outside in nature significantly improve physical and mental health. As little as 10 – 20 minutes of sitting or walking…
There’s a Japanese white pine bonsai in the National Arboretum in Washington DC that is 391 years old. It was planted in 1625, and it survived the bombing of Hiroshima. Six generations of the Yamaki family have cared for it. When I think about that tree, I have tremendous respect for the commitment, skill, and…
I was talking with a friend who owns his own business. I often tell him that he’s my business hero – he makes a terrific living for his family and significantly impacts his clients – and does it all in less than 20 hours a week. But that’s a story for another day… Anyway, He…
One of the keys to maintaining momentum when progress is slow is having people who are ready and willing to cheer for you. Celebrating small wins doesn’t come naturally for most founder-types, and we need folks who will cheer with us. When I first started my business I realized I needed someone who would cheer…
Part of what makes it hard to give things time and to be patient when results are slow is that we keep raising the stakes on ourselves. We start something new; maybe we start doing more consistent outreach. In the first week, we see 1 – 2 leads, and the second week the same. Now…
I’ve made a solid plan, considered every angle, and committed myself to the actions I need to take to execute the plan. I’m seeing progress, and there are signs of hope, but I haven’t seen things “turn the corner.” It will get really stressful around here if things don’t improve soon. I need to see…
Before you read this I want you to know, I’m not advocating for a position — this is a problem I’m trying to solve. And I’m asking the hive brain (you) to help me. An owner of a 10-person consulting firm is very vocal about their politics on social media – they post pictures of…
We’ve been talking about the importance of building your business development muscle. If you don’t want your business to slow down when the economy slows down, you will likely need to be more aggressively reaching out to prospects to find the ones willing to invest in your services. The hardest part of outreach is the…