Operations

I recently heard someone say we should throw 2020 into a dumpster, set fire to it, walk away and don’t look back as it explodes. I think that’s how a lot of us feel about this year. It’s been weird and full of uncertainty, revolving around a global pandemic and the United States election. However,…

The 2018 Winter Olympics have been over for a few months now and though most of the excitement has died down, there’s one Olympian I keep thinking about, women’s half-pipe participant, Elizabeth Swaney. Swaney didn’t receive a medal. In fact, she placed dead last in her women’s half-pipe competition. Yet, when her run was over,…

I am often inspired by the teams I have had the pleasure of leading and serving. I’ve seen countless examples of selfless loyalty, of commitment above and beyond expectations and of tireless work ethics. When I think about some of the highest performing teams I’ve been a part of, I am always reminded of what…

As we described in the blog, Three Phases for Today’s Small Business, businesses are working through 3 phases: Sort Out, Ride Out and Dig Out (of the fishhook). For many, we are past Sort Out and have moved into Ride Out. Even though we’ve clarified current reality and sorted out huge amounts of resources, info…

At one of our last Industry Association gatherings, we asked a group of small business owners we work closely with what they would say their members’ greatest need today is.  The answer was an astounding “help us to be prepared for the next crisis”.  Here are some of the comments we’ve heard: “We weren’t ready…

When it’s time to build a company’s growth plan, goals are often created in a vacuum by its leader(s) and based on his or her financial goals. Or, plans are built primarily based on historical facts and performance using a simple percentage increase. Both of these approaches have merit as a part of the process,…

In this final installment of a three-part series, we dive a little deeper into the “Ride it Out” phase. If you missed the first two, first check out Three Phases for Today’s Small Business, then read through Disrupt the Disruption to get the full picture. In the Ride it Out phase, we’re attempting to do…

Times of chaos and crisis are troubling. Currently, our economy, public health, government, politics and just about every aspect of our lives is unsettled and uncertain. For those of us who, in the past decade, have grown used to a predictable future, this is a difficult time. Whether your business is flourishing unexpectedly or struggling…