As your small business grows and more employees are hired, it becomes increasingly critical that your organizational policies and procedures are clearly defined and communicated.  Without policies and procedures it is difficult for new employees to understand your organization’s culture, expectations and requirements. New employees need to know their specific roles and responsibilities, as well... 

I meet a lot of people who say, I have “x” amount of money, can you tell me what business to start for this budget. For starters, this is great because you have a budget. So let’s prepare a checklist of what else you need to look at before choosing a business that is right for you. A prospective entrepreneur contemplating what business she should choose? 1. Likes and Dislikes You need to consider... 

If somebody were to ask you “what is the most important document in your business?” What would be your answer? Most business owners just don’t have an answer to this question. In fact, in many businesses this document just doesn’t exist. Even if it does, it’s not taken as seriously as it should. Some of you might think it is a business plan or a policies and procedures document or your legal... 

I meet so many people who are looking to raise capital for their business or they just want to write a business plan so that they can get their thoughts in place, so I decided to write a brief article about how to write a business plan. If you are not convinced that you need a business plan then you need to read this article “6 Reasons Why You Need A Business Plan.” If you are convinced you need... 

This is something most small business owners don’t really think about. When I first started in business, I thought businesses go out of business because they run out of money. Little did I realize that businesses actually run out of money because they don’t have enough sales. The reality of business is that if you don’t sell then you are out of business. So, according to me selling and marketing... 

Everybody knows there’s been a strong bond between golf and salesmen, probably since the outset of the game, and most of the top sales professionals are extremely good golfers. A lot of business is conducted on the links, but this article isn’t about how to sell on the golf course, rather it’s about the many similarities between selling and playing the perfect round of golf. Arnold Palmer once... 

Starting and growing a business is not just about the concept or the business idea. It is about your skills. You need to have the extraordinary skills to build an extraordinary business. Find below some of the skills that I think are important in entrepreneurship. 1. Goal setting I rate goal setting as one of the top skills to success in anything not just entrepreneurship. If you do not set goals,... 

I was contacted by a friend last month.  She and her business partner were considering a drastic change in their relationship and they wanted my help.  I asked her if they already had an agreement that defined their relationship and responsibilities.  She sheepishly paused before admitting that two years earlier another lawyer had drafted some documents. The documents were full of legal jargon... 

When starting a business from scratch, it is a foregone conclusion that a comprehensive business plan will be required.  Unfortunately, a formal business plan is often overlooked when entrepreneurs purchase an established company. The fact that the business is already in place with recurring revenue, a trained workforce, and an existing customer base does not mitigate the significance and value of... 

It’s simple – surprise and delight them. When leading a rapidly-growing company, many entrepreneurs fail to be hyper-focused on their customers’ feedback.  Immediate sales opportunities and scalability issues often take precedence. However, putting customers front and center of your product development process can be the single largest contributor to repeat business — ensuring you’re...