There are two general attitudes toward sales, one which has its roots in the history of the industry, the other which was developed as a result of changes in technology. Unfortunately, despite the knowledge available that the old system is fundamentally flawed, there are still many people who will tout its merits. The Old System [...]
For any of you who have yet to join the site, Twitter is a micro-blogging site in which each post is 140 characters or less. People “follow” the posts of other people, and have their own posts followed. Coupled with the ability to search for topics of interest and to share and filter information quickly, [...]
I recently went to a driving range for the very first time, in preparation for my first round of golf. Different from the other sports in which I participate (cycling and hockey) in that there’s a lot less physical effort and much more mental effort, I wasn’t convinced that playing golf would really be of [...]
If you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t get lost. I advise some companies on strategy, helping the owners figure out where their business is today, and where they would like to see it in 5 years. These two pieces of information can then be used to devise a road map for success for [...]
There’s a well known saying, which is expressed in a variety of ways, but essentially boils down to the simple statement: Family and business don’t mix. However, in recent months, I’ve witnessed cases where family and business truly don’t mix, and other cases where it was perhaps because of family involvement that the business was [...]
I entered a Facebook competition this week, something I hadn’t done before, but had certainly witnessed. The premise of the contest was simple – each person puts up an idea, and everyone votes on which idea they think is best. You encourage your friends to vote as well, and at the end of a specified [...]
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 [...]
Sunday evening I decanted a couple bottles of coffee liqueur which I had made several months earlier. It’s been 18 months since I made my first batch, and I reflected on the fact that my business is quite similar to the process of making a bottle of homemade liqueur. Experiment First, there’s the fact that [...]
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.
