Creating An Advertising Plan
As you have probably gathered from reading my other articles, I am a firm believer in planning for success. Whether it is operational excellence, de-branding a store or outlining your procedures and policies, prudent planning creates stronger execution and efficiency. While planning may come second nature to me, I am surprised at how many operators leave their success to chance. I have the opportunity to speak to a number of audiences on advertising/marketing, and one of the questions I ask is whether or not the audience has created an annual advertising/marketing plan. Invariably, the...
Read MorePersonal Branding
One of the most significant changes in the labor market over the last four years is the notion of free agency within the marketplace. Gone are the days of staying with one company for the duration of your career. Rather, most work for many companies throughout their career. A growing trend – either voluntary or involuntary – is the proliferation of contract, free-agent labor. This free agent market where one contracts with multiple companies in a series of work assignments, institutes a new way of presenting oneself through personal branding. While this may be new to the workforce...
Read MoreCreating A Policy And Procedure Handbook
“Badges? We ain’t got no badges. We don’t need no badges! I don’t have to show you any stinkin’ badges!” - – from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre As a small business owner, you may wonder why one would need to get organized from a policy and procedure standpoint. After all, you may only have a handful of employees; it is not like you are a large company and warrant a need to issue “badges” in the form of structure. Without structure on how employees should conduct themselves at work, though, it creates the possibility of inequality as...
Read MoreThe Value Of An Outside Board
Sometimes another set of eyes can make all the difference. Small businesses are a phenomenal entity. Often started in a garage or at a kitchen table, the sheer energy of the small business entrepreneur “wills” their company to success. Hard work, long hours and steep odds are the norm for the small business owner. Over time, the entrepreneur goes to the well daily to keep their vision and dream alive. It is often “my way or the highway” with the owner but when does this potentially myopic approach run its course? Would it be advantageous for the owner to have...
Read MoreLabor Management
Labor management is perhaps one of the most fundamental aspects of running a profitable business. Servicing the customer with too few people on staff and sales will be negatively impacted as customers will shop elsewhere. Staff the business with too many people and the profits of the products are quickly lost due to labor expense. The key in managing labor is finding the “sweet spot” where customer service is met with the appropriate amount of labor dollars spent. Building a labor schedule is no easy task and managing it requires constant oversight. In order to run a business,...
Read MoreManaging Technology Within An Organization
“I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.” — From the HAL 9000 computer, 2001: A Space Odyssey When it comes to technology solutions for your business it is easy to get carried away with the latest-and-greatest gadgets and solutions. Everyone wants to have the latest shiny thing. In larger organizations, managing technology can become burdensome due to competing and duplicative technology requests. Left unfettered, the company technology platform can resemble a “spaghetti bowl” over...
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“I was introduced to John when he assisted the company with respect to the project management of a number of initiatives. In addition to ensuring the timely delivery of milestones, John provided relevant, substantive input thanks to his vast experience as a senior executive in the Retail Industry, and was always selfless in providing guidance [...]
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