When we don’t care about clients, we create a culture of complacency that infects our whole organization
One of my in-laws spent two hours on hold with an airline company last week after his travel agent had spent four hours on hold with the same company. When I asked him about the experience, he said he was happy he didn’t have to wait longer and said the person who answered the phone…
While reducing your own stress
Most leaders are stressed when their staff doesn’t understand how to do their job properly. Here are five training areas most business people need to focus on to ensure their team is confident and capable: Customer service We take it for granted when we hire people to take care of our customers that they understand…
The key to success is to have a plan
Tradeshows are coming back, and while many people are looking at reconnecting with people within their industry, it’s often difficult to identify whether there’s value in going to a tradeshow. Yes, there’s the relationship building, the new products and the parties. But have you ever wondered if it’s worth your while to show up in…
Sometimes teenagers are smarter than we give them credit for
Have you ever wondered what a teenager could teach you? Probably nothing, you might think. But I recently had the opportunity to coach a group of 14-year-old boys through their four-month basketball season. This is what I learned about leadership from them: Angry? Get over it Fourteen-year-old boys are prone to losing their temper when…
It could take a year to sell but if you’ve taken the time to prepare it can be much faster
Selling your business can be exciting and scary. Often business owners aren’t sure what to expect. It typically takes much longer to sell a business than it does a house, up to a year in some cases. However, under the right conditions – when you’ve taken the time to prepare your business – the sale…
Small business owners often don’t think about pricing until it’s too late
Last week, you walked into a business or viewed something online and you questioned the price of a product. Something didn’t seem quite right. Perhaps the item or service seemed too high. Perhaps it seemed too low. Leaders make a variety of pricing mistakes over the years of operating their businesses. I’ve made many of…
Employees play an integral part in the success or failure of a business
We were walking by the Vancouver airport recently and an employee was standing outside of the Plaza Premium Lounge greeting passersby and encouraging them to try the service. More akin to the credit card hawkers you typically find in an airport than a lounge greeter, this woman was engaging and aiming to please. If I…
All it requires is the right mindset, and preparation
Selling a business in Canada can be difficult at the best of times. According to the Exit Planning Institute, only 30 to 40 per cent of businesses listed for sale actually sell. And in rural or remote communities, selling a business is often even more difficult. However, there are a number of ways business owners…
The medicine dispensed by the government to protect us has been much worse than the disease
Trucks are rolling across Canada to protest federal COVID-19 restrictions, and millions of Canadians of all stripes, colours and political affiliations are supporting them. It’s time! It’s true that some people have been seriously ill with COVID, but most who have died and were hospitalized had serious underlying conditions that are rarely mentioned. For most…
Why are you in the business you’re in?
My sister Catherine loves fishing and, to be honest, she’s much better at it than I am. Catherine could catch 10 fish to my one because she knows what she’s doing. Before you even go fishing, you need to know why you’re going. Typically, people go fishing because they love fish and like spending time…