Almost every owner I talk to wants their business to grow. That’s especially true when you are under $2M in annual sales – where growth is imperative for survival (for you and the business)! Some owners are amazing at this. They are spotting growth opportunities all the time! They tend to have a “glass-half-full” approach…
Saying no to our pet projects or marketing tactics that attract our eyes is one thing, but saying no to clients; that’s something else. I’ve thought of four times when you absolutely need to say “no” to a client or opportunity. 1. When it moves you off of your mission or values This one is…
I had lunch with a friend this week who’s been attending to his father, whose health is failing. During lunch, he told me that his father’s big advice to him during this time has been to “not wait.” If there’s something you’ve been meaning to do, something that you want to accomplish, do it now!…
The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say “no” to almost everything. ~ Warren Buffet If there’s anyone who knows a thing or two about being really successful it’s Warren Buffet. He was a millionaire by 30 (in 1940, when there were a lot fewer millionaires), he’s made…
When you put together a proposal for a piece of work you’d be perfect for, how long is the document you are creating? Do you wax poetic about your “proprietary process? Do you include bios of your key people? Have you added case studies of similar projects? Or do you create a one-page summary that…
Our workplaces are changing; whether you are planning to be fully remote or partially remote, there will be more of your team working away from the office in the future than there was in the past. One of the fears leaders have is how this shift will impact company culture over the long term. Is…
You and your team may have different ideas about what coming “back to the office” should mean, but I think we can all agree that our offices will be different going forward! The new office rules If we’re bringing folks back into the office, there are some ground rules that I’d propose for making the…
I’ve been taking the temperature of agency owners about coming back to the office, and it’s clear, most leaders want their people back. In one Newsweek survey, 83% of CEOs want employees to return to the office. In some ways, this is unsurprising; most of the benefits of being in the office accrue to the…
When I talk to a prospect, the second best thing I can hear is “no”. No is much better than hearing, “Not yet.” Or “What if we could do it this way…” As one of my mentors taught me, “No means next!” When I get a “no,” I can move on. I can let that prospect…
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. ~ Proverbs 24:26 This summer, my house has been a bit obsessed with Ted Lasso, the Apple TV show about an NCAA Division 2 football coach who gets hired to coach a premier league soccer team. At one point, the team needs to break out…