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As a business owner, you know what it’s like to lie awake at 2 a.m. Maybe it has happened when you are excited and full of new ideas for your business. More often, it’s because you are worried about issues you will face the next day. Sometimes, it’s because you just woke up with the solution to a problem. I’ve experienced all those emotions about my businesses over the years. Awake at 2 o’clock? is where I share them with you, and hopefully help with answers that will let you sleep.
John F. Dini, CExP, CEPA
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Small business owners are the Hunters of the 21st century. We are 3% of the US population, and yet we create over half of all American jobs. As Hunters, we may not be inclined to manage by the numbers or stick to systems. Are you a Hunter or a Farmer?
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How prepared are you to exit your company?
The Assessment breaks down the four major categories of exit readiness; Finance, Planning, Operations and Revenue/Profit.
Tag Archives: politics
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
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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
2 Responses to Branch Mentality and Sanctuary Cities
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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
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Trust in Business and the Law
Every day, in almost every transaction, we rely on trust in business. We believe that a customer will pay us according to the terms of a sale. Our employees have access to money, goods and confidential information because we trust them. … Continue reading
4 Responses to Trust in Business and the Law
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Don’t forget the cost of hiring CPAs and attorneys to help comply with the law.
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Almost everyone knows the axiom “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction” but have you considered this when writing a politically biased and provocative article?
Point #1- when in our lives have we ever had a body of Congressman that we actually trusted? And recent changes to the campaign laws they enacted only serve to promote their ability to retain office and the agendas of a select few with deep pockets to donate.
Point #2- Why are laws enacted in the first place? Are you so naive as to believe there is an anti-small business cabal operating within the government? All you have to do is look at the recent Wells Fargo fiasco to see why government regulations are necessary. Greed and ego are almost usually at the heart of a scandal and when left unbridled there is an ugly side to capitalism.
Government exists to protect its citizenry. Yes, it is easy to cite examples of overreach, and yes, it is often burdensome to small business owners. But imagine what our society would resemble with little to no oversight?
Yes, I have become more reliant on laws, because trust is hard to find in corporate and political culture today.
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The stated purpose of Government is “to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence (sic), promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,…” I don’t see that the points made are politically biased. I believe we should ask of all politicians, whether their actions are honestly motivated by this purpose or for their own personal interests. It is strongly held that the foundation of our uniquely American form of capitalistic system was made possible by trust that sprung from religious beliefs of our founders. We have moved away from spirituality, but it cannot move away from morality and its stated purpose. How can politician revise morality and redefine life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness every two, four or six years based upon the convenience of a simple majority of less that 70% of the people.
As a business person with some financial understanding, it seems that every new citizen of the US (born or immigrating) is now assuming a debt of $ 60,000. This is to pay what our government has spent and continues to spend to insure they are reelected. My limited understanding is that this can only be paid back through business activity or spoils of war. The later is not currently palatable.
Under the current political leadership our Gross National Product is not sufficient to sustain this in the future. I haven’t heard anything during this campaign that causes me to trust that the candidates can understand let alone solve the problems. How can we trust that the laws and regulations that they create will correct them. I want to trust! I want something better for my grandchildren and yours! We seem to be going further in the wrong direction!
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Generational Differences and Identity Politics
Generational differences are a hot topic for organizational behaviorists. Is this a real issue, or is it just the current management fad? “Never in history have we seen four generations together in the workplace.” That line starts thousands of articles … Continue reading
3 Responses to Generational Differences and Identity Politics
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The boomers and the millennials should appreciate the strength, knowledge and understanding of each generation, by so doing an effective structure can emerge which could yield high valuable growth and benefits for both generation.
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I believe it all comes down to empathetic listening on each generational level. This takes active listening to another level where you connect with another’s core emotional being, in addition to understanding the message. Seek first to understand and apply the platinum rule (treat others the way they want to be treated). Working with multiple generations also requires informed leadership styles: not the leadership based on the “seat of your pants”, but leadership that is adapted based on the study and application of leadership principles. Yes, different generations are products of their political, economic, and cultural environments; but this isn’t a bad thing. It has been established through many studies that the more diverse a team is, the stronger it is!
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I’m adding my two cents to elaborate on this in your article: “The “Generational Differences” seminars that business owners need aren’t just about how to deal with employees who think differently and hold different values. We need some idea of how to deal with workers who . . . are being told that the blame rests squarely on the boss.”
Okay, first a warning: Millennials probably should not read my comment or listen to my podcast: Some millennials are among the kinds of employees increasingly destroying small businesses. (And undermining larger employers.) Not all of them, but a certain kind. At the risk of offending some people, but with the intent of helping employers, my brief podcast may be enlightening (it’s on my website): http://partneroncall.com/kinds-of-employees-increasingly-destroying-small-businesses/
In my other life, while being a Corporate person, I became completely entrenched in the Corporate philosophy based on expectations, performance, strategic direction, planning, bench mark standards, consistency of customer relations, product quality, performance guarantees, and team work and development of personnel. These points worked well and the Corporation met financial expectations in the marketplace and stayed ahead of the competition that was consistently on our heals. If there was a ‘sanctuary’ location it would have not worked… the same goes for cities that believe they should be ‘sanctuary’ city on the Federal dime. Cut off the Federal dime if they are allowed to maintain a ‘sanctuary’ city., Consistency should be paramount across the USA.
John
I think you left a key level off – that is multi – national. I used to work for an Australian Bank who we referred to as IAW – standing for “In Australia We” . This was how they started the sentence to talk down to you whether I was in London or Auckland.
There is a whole subject here on cultural or market differences – my experience is Australia, NZ, UK, Canada and USA are all very different and despite being in the same industry you need to be careful with acquisitions!