Have you ever stood between two mirrors and caught glimpses of yourself cascading into an accordion-pleated tunnel of mirror images stretching to infinity? I experienced one of these moments while passing through the liminal doorway between conversations; the stories relayed by business owners and their spouses revealed behavioral financial insights... read more →
Feb
24
Feb
23
In his book The Art of Leadership, Max Depree states, "The first task of leadership is to define reality." Yet most small companies do next to no planning, and mid-sized companies who plan tend to prepare budgets instead of a financial forecast. Going on a one-year business journey without formal... read more →
Feb
22
This week, we are privileged to share the story of an autistic man—Andrew D’eri-- who became the improbable answer to create lemonade from a family’s personal and business problem. Andrew’s father John and brother Tom wanted to find meaningful work for Andrew. The “lemon” they were up against was Andrew’s... read more →
Feb
21
YOU’VE WORKED HARD TO BUILD YOUR BUSINESS, WORKING NIGHTS & WEEKENDS WITH A “WHATEVER IT TAKES” MINDSET. NOW, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS BUILDING YOUR COMPANY, YOU’D LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME AWAY FROM THE BUSINESS. BUT CAN YOUR COMPANY SURVIVE WITHOUT YOU? American Business Advisors and SilverCrest Wealth Planning invite... read more →
Feb
20
Last week (click here for Part 1) we discussed the value of getting to no quicker, whether it’s in a conversation with a potential client or challenging a current client to take action. We concluded that while maybe’s are time wasters for both parties, there may be either gold or... read more →
Feb
19
Business owners tell me they have two scarce resources: time and money. In order to create a business that provides both revenue and time, the owner needs an arc reactor that powers the vision of the business and gives life to every staff member. For the owner, keeping her arc... read more →
Feb
18
ABA’s Timeless Treasures Series Taken from: The Business Guide, Twenty-Sixth Edition, 1891 Business Maxims The ABA Insider is published by American Business Advisors, Inc. to provide business and personal improvement information and ideas. All material is presented to provide general and broad information only. The information found in this... read more →
Feb
17
I am intrigued about the new leadership lessons Second City continues to work up. Tim Yorton, CEO of Second City Works, brings us important lessons from the world of improv performance on helping your team fail well. While it’s tempting for teams to want to always be good and always... read more →
Feb
16
Everyone asks if we’re ready for Christmas. Few ask if we’re ready for the New Year. New Year’s Eve is quite pedestrian; we will amble through it and enter 2014 before we know it. To welcome the New Year, my wife and I joined long-time family friends for an evening... read more →
Feb
15
As I talk with business owners, the common thread to the discussion is that “grit”—passion and perseverance for long-term goals—is the key to their success. Why do so many of us think working with grit is easier said than done? I’d like to suggest that beauty has something to do... read more →