Tag Archives: leadership

COVID and Dirty Laundry

The longer this virus goes on, the more I am reminded of Don Henley’s 1982 song “Dirty Laundry.” A friend and his wife declined an invitation to come over for a glass of wine (OK, maybe a bottle) on the … Continue Reading

Posted in Entrepreneurship, John F. Dini Home, John's Opinions, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stop Managing

Why would anyone advise business owners to stop managing? Management is a proven science. From the time and motion studies of Frederick Winslow Taylor in the late 1800s, to Matthew Kelly and Patrick Lencione’s Dream Manager, we are constantly in … Continue Reading

Posted in Building Value, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Incentives, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Exit Planning in a New Political Environment

What does a new political environment mean for business owners who are planning to transition their businesses? Should you accelerate your plans, or slow them down? As I’ve said many times in this space and elsewhere, the biggest single factor … Continue Reading

Posted in Economic Trends, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Marketing, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Branch Mentality and Sanctuary Cities

Every multi-unit company suffers from branch mentality. I’ve worked with many, and no matter how much they promote a corporate culture and team spirit, branch mentality creeps in sometimes. It comes in two versions; the outposts’ attitude and the headquarter’s … Continue Reading

Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Exit Planning: Telling Secrets

Planning your exit from a business is a process of telling secrets. For many owners, it is the most terrifying part of selling. A rancher in South Texas once said to me, “I’m going to tell you a secret, and you … Continue Reading

Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Exit Options, Exit Planning, Leadership, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Resisting Technology

A substantial number of business owners are still resisting technology. Clearly, they can’t be doing so in the expectation that it will go away. The only possible rationale is that it could hurt their business. One laggard in adopting technology … Continue Reading

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How Much Does that Gorilla Weigh?

How much does that (fill in your preferred number here) pound gorilla weigh? I always refer to an 800 pound gorilla, but I’ve heard others use everything from a 400 pound gorilla (which is pretty close to their real size) to … Continue Reading

Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Marketing, Marketing and Sales, Sales, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Protecting Your Best Asset

If you are planning your exit from the business, what is the best asset that you have to sell? Unless you have patented product, exclusive rights, or long-term customer contracts, you answer was likely “Our people.” Even if you have … Continue Reading

Posted in Building Value, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Leadership, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Entrepreneurship Meritocracy

For those of us who compete in the entrepreneurship meritocracy, listening to the complaints of those who are employed can sometimes be irksome. I recently sat at an open table for an event. One of the other guests there was … Continue Reading

Posted in Business Perspectives, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Managing Employees | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Exit Timing and the Global Economy

How much will your exit timing be affected by the global economy? Most small businesses serve local markets. Their owners, if they have thought about it, plan to sell to a local individual. If the local market is healthy, why … Continue Reading

Posted in Economic Trends, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Politics and Regulation, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

History Begets Attitudes

History begets attitudes. I’m back from my biannual depressurization trip. This time it was to Central Europe. As always, I assess new and different things through a business owner’s eye. We visited five countries (Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary), … Continue Reading

Posted in John's Opinions, Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Business Buyers: The “Buy Now, Pay Later” Generation

If you are preparing to sell your business, your buyers will likely be members of the “buy now, pay later” generation. Generation X is the first demographic group to be raised in a culture that put little emphasis on savings. … Continue Reading

Posted in Economic Trends, Exit Options, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment