This is my happy place! Ocean City, New Jersey. My family has been vacationing in South Jersey, well, since my mom was 4 years old...and Yai Yai is now 87. Yai, and I, and about 40 siblings, cousins and assorted family members just spent two weeks at the shore. It was great to hang [...]
If you were to throw your mother a birthday party, you would put a little plan together. Set a date, book a venue, create a guest list, etc. Yet, so often, we show up for work, in a business of our own, and wing it. Without some kind of plan, the party, and the business, just [...]
Dear Ellen, My friend has a business plan that "passed muster" with her bank and she got a loan. How about if I just take her plan and customize it for my business? Sounds like a good short cut. What do you think? Sincerely, Vera Dear Vera, I like and don't like that idea. While [...]
I love April, John and the Watermark Plumbing Team! I especially love April’s and John’s four daughters. They are smart and hilarious and their parents totally appreciate them. (Become April’s FB friend and you’ll see what I mean.) I appreciate what it takes to manage 4 young girls, and [...]
Pull out your business plan and take a look at your mission, your vision and your goals for this year. How’s it going? What? No plan? No problem. Just consider how last year went and that’s what will probably happen this year. Only a little worse. Or maybe a little better. This year is moving [...]
Once upon a time, I was a professional a ski patroller. I was part of an avalanche “control” team. I use the word “control” loosely because when it comes to avalanches, I know a couple things. #1: you are never in control. #2: given #1, you are well served to learn as much as you [...]
Jeffrey Gitomer is one of my all time fav business gurus. He unabashedly LOVES sales and his hard-boiled delivery is grounded in goodness and integrity. Scratch the surface of this smart, tough guy and you’ll find mashed potatoes of love. However, I think Jeffrey is all wet – at least pretty damp – in his [...]
You dreamed of a profitable business, hoping for more…more money, more time, more options. However, now that you are in it, your ‘ball-and-chain’ of a business may be sucking the life out of you. I’ve lived the nightmare. And, I have used simple business planning to build rockin’ businesses and a fantastic lifestyle. No matter [...]
Most small businesses SUCK. How about yours? Maybe you started your business with hope in your heart, dreams of freedom and wealth and a commitment to do right by your customers. And maybe your dreams have faded under the weight of too much to do in too little time for too little money. There are [...]
