The Freestyle Entrepreneur

 [This article first appeared in the June edition of Corporate Report Wisconsin (www.crwmag.com.)] 
“For every failure, there’s an alternative course of action.
You just have to find it.  When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.”                 
       — Mary Kay Ash
 “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!”  When adversity strikes, knuckle down, put your […]

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As a businessman, I have learned that the one sure way to destroy what you are trying to build is to cut ethical corners.  The real irony is that it is almost always the finger-snapping smart alecks, the know-it-alls, who end up getting entangled in their own cool schemes and easy-mark snares.
 
The fact is that […]

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Divorce under any conditions can be a messy affair.  Roll a business into the equation, and divorce can become emotionally and financially devastating, not just for the divorcing couple and their family, but also for the business’s employees and co-owners.
Part of the problem is that business can be high-stress and demanding.  I don’t know if […]

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(The following article first appeared in Corporate Report Wisconsin.) 
Sometimes we forget just how important the customer is.  And when we do, it costs us.  So, ask yourself, what have I done today to make my customers and prospects feel special and valued?
 Example # 1:  I needed a washer repaired last fall.  I called one service […]

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 Used to be that networking meant you joined the Rotary and golfed at the country club, got together at the meet-and-greet cocktail hour to swap business cards and, almost as an afterthought, mentioned what you do for a living to your son’s friend’s father in the bleachers at the softball game.
Well, networking has grown up, […]

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Don’t love what you do.  Do what you love!  When I first started my business nearly 25 years ago, I would leap out of bed every morning at 5:30 eager to get down to work.  I loved it.  Well, I admit that over the years, there were some long stretches when I found myself bored, […]

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 There are many ways for a small-business owner to fail.  Most are within his or her control to avoid.  In the following, let’s just say that the “I’s” have it.
 Incompetence:  You probably know what you’re doing, but does your staff?  There’s a certain restaurant I go with friends.  The place is convenient, the prices reasonable […]

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Keep good records.  Track your activity.  Maybe in a go-go economy, you can afford to slop along and stay in the black.  But survivors and thrivers in business these days know which products make the biggest profits; which customers generate the most sales; which employees are worth their wages.
 
Most of all, don’t just set goals […]

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Enthusiasm is the key to success in sales. 
Yes, it’s good (sometimes even important) to know your products and to understand proven selling techniques.  But the catalyst, the spark, the firing pin to a successful sale is enthusiasm.
Tell your story and tell it with passion and excitement.  Work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.  — jri
“A salesman […]

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I don’t think I’m the only one.  As a business owner, I find myself pretty much constantly thinking about (actually, worrying about) money, about sales, about taxes, about getting clients, about losing clients, about making sure that every project is top notch.
In other words, I’m a bit paranoid.  And that’s good.  That keeps me on […]

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We all sell something, and we always sell all the time.
When we smile, we sell a relationship.  When we short-change a customer or client, we sell doubt and distrust.  When we fail to persuade prospects to buy our product, we have sold them on our lack of ability to meet their need. 
The bottom line:  Every […]

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A recurring dream:  Employees who go the extra mile, take pride in their jobs, seem not just satisfied, but enthusiastic and, most of all, productive!  Just a fantasy, you think? 
It’s called employee motivation, and, when achieved, it can transform a business into a dynamic, growth organization.  The question is how…and at what cost?  
Does true motivation […]

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Written on 3/15/2008 by Dan Paulson of InVision Business Development.
By now you have probably heard the “R” word.  The papers, magazines, TV and radio are all talking about it.  So it must be true, right?
So if we are entering a recession, does that mean all businesses are going to suffer?  My guess is while many […]

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Creating a marketing plan is a pain,  reminiscent of an annoying school assignment.  That’s why most business owners will do just about anything to avoid the task of putting one together.  However, those who do are  glad they did. 
Your marketing plan is your treasure map, with X marketing the spot where customers, sales and profits […]

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When I was young(er), I saw business dealings as winner-take-all propositions.  I wanted the whole pie! 
Then I learned that the best way to get what you want is to help others get what they want.  Rather than battling it out with competitors in a bunkhouse brawl in which everybody came out bloodied, I now have […]

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 Do vacations terrify you?  Are you convinced that the second you walk out the door, the place will fall apart?  You’re not alone.  Many SBOs feel that way.  And the truth is that if you just take off for two weeks without any prior planning, it probably will.
 So, here it is – winter in Wisconsin.  You’re […]

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The best part about being in business is that there are no guarantees.  It’s not a pony ride at an amusement park; it’s an extreme adventure without a safety net. 
 
I still get the biggest thrill in the world when I land a new contract…and just about die from despair when I lose an existing client.
 
The […]

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 Mort, an accountant, stomps the snow off his boots after a day of skiing in Colorado, stokes the fire, pours a cup of coffee and settles down at the kitchen table to work on tax returns for his clients back on Long Island.
John, a business writer living in the Caribbean, punches a button and sends […]

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While networking helps you meet people you need to know, it is relationships that make business both profitable and personally rewarding. How to stay in regular contact with your business friends: Schedule regular meetings and/or telephone calls with key professional friends either monthly or quarterly. 
The best part:  No agenda.  Just chat and catch up. 
The bonus:  […]

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Honesty pays.  It’s as simple as that.  Unless you’re in business to make a one-shot killing and then plan to take the money and run, honesty will always be the best policy. 
Business owners who fail to play straight — whether it is with their employees, their suppliers or their customers — eventually undermine the value […]

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In case you’ve been on another planet, there is a hot ‘n heavy horse race of an election battle heating up this year. As a business owner, you probably have your own views on who is the best (or least worst) candidate.
I operate under the assumption that politics and business do not mix. […]

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