During the course of recent reading, I came across several discussions about the concept of making decisions. One of the more interesting facts I came across is that there are two types of decision makers – those who take the safe routes, and those who dare. Reflecting over various events, along with supporting evidence provided [...]
A recent project was a real learning experience about the risks associated with out-sourcing. Not that it would stop me from out sourcing any other work, but rather it taught me how to manage the risks of using someone outside your company. The project began with everyone positive and upbeat, but then things began ton [...]
I was reading the book All Marketers are Liars by Seth Godin, in which he discusses the approach to marketing that has been rapidly made into the norm for successful businesses – learning to tell a story. That is, a successful marketer will connect with their audience by telling them a story, which, as a [...]
By nature, I like to be around people, but I’m significantly more productive when I’m alone, or close to it. In a room filled with people I can relate to, I like to have conversations, and find myself easily distracted by what the people around me are doing. For a variety of reasons, I don’t [...]
A well known prayer, originally authored by Reinhold Niebuhr, reads as follows: God, grant me the serenity To accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And wisdom to know the difference. This prayer, with it’s insight to perspective on life’s challenges, has been used by various organizations looking to [...]
In a recent article I wrote for a local organization, I discussed an approach to networking that involves whispering, not shouting. The article addressed a common issue with organized networking events in which people shamelessly self-promote without establishing connections, turning the event into a mass marketing forum. What many people fail to realize at such [...]
Over the last few weeks, I have been sent requests for articles from a variety of people, for many different reasons. In each case, there was to be no direct compensation for my work, though there would be significant exposure and references back to my website. As the revenue model of my site itself is [...]
In reading Scott Berkun’s book Making Things Happen, I learned quite a bit about managing projects. Scott’s background is similar to my own – for years, he was (and possibly still is) a project manager for Microsoft, overseeing large teams working on fairly extensive projects. With a technical background, he wrote the book with a [...]
Elie Kochman is the author of Advice for Small Business Owners and the founder of Optimal Upgrade Consulting. Using his experience working in the corporate world along with his exposure to the world of small businesses, he writes these articles to assist others avoiding common pitfalls of growing a business. His experience in the corporate world, building his own business, and working directly with other growing businesses has given him some perspective on the trials and pains of running a business.
