This question is faced by programmers just about every time they are presented with code which they did not write, and have been asked to fix. Our ego tells us that we can do a much better job than the original programmer, that the entire code is a waste, and should be completely thrown out. [...]
When I look around at a corporate office, I tend to see what has been described by one employee as puke gray cubicles, or, in more polite terms, neutral gray walls. The layouts vary, but that gray seems to be universal. While there’s nothing offensive about the color, it is not an inspiring color. If [...]
I’ve been told, and like to believe, that my writing is of fairly high quality in general, even when unedited (as an example, most of the articles on this blog are completely unedited). I try, to the best of my abilities, to maintain a high standard of professionalism in my writing at all times, since [...]
I don’t have an iPhone or a Blackberry, and I don’t want one. My cellphone can’t receive text messages, let alone images or video messages. If someone needs to reach me urgently, then they call me. If it’s not that urgent, an email will reach me fairly quickly. I like it that way. It comes [...]
Earlier this week, I noted that I had written my 200th article for this site, despite the fact that I’m not a writer. While in school, I always enjoyed writing, but I have never studied the art and science of communicating. In hindsight, this is regrettable, as I have discovered since graduating university that the [...]
Running a business can be incredibly complicated, especially during a growth phase. As the owner, you have multiple demands on your time and attention, such as: Answering customer questions Reaching out to new clients Dealing with legal and financial issues Working with employees Managing cash flow If you want your business to grow exponentially, all [...]
This question was raised over at Advice Tap by Susan Varty (WordTree) – how to create recurring income in a consulting-based business. There were some good answers there, but for a more complete answer, one must understand why people will pay recurring fees in the first place. In a service-based business, recurring fees are simple [...]
If you spend time networking, or if you are the owner of a small business, you are constantly on the lookout for ways to promote yourself. You have a business card that has your contact information, and a website that has more detailed information about your business. However, you need something more – you need [...]
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.
