Article: Surveys Find Growth and Maintenance Critical, But Little Spending Planned for Small Businesses
According to a January survey by AmEx OPEN, 60% of small business owners believe growing or maintaining their client relationships is the most important priority in the coming six months. On the other hand, seven in ten owners say they will spend the same or less on growing and improving their business,
Article: Now That’s Service!
The other night, I gathered with a group of colleagues at Land Thai restaurant on 2nd Ave and 81 St in Manhattan. It was the first time any of us had been there. As it turns out, it’s really my kind of place. Now, I love Thai food, but beyond that, everything about the place spoke to intentionality: the calming environment/décor, the unobtrusive yet deliberate service, and the food (I’m told it was exceptional; I didn’t eat – long story). Yet, the thing that caught my attention more than anything else didn’t happen until I was walking out the door. It was then that I...
Article: Feed Me, I’m Starving
Standing in the kitchen, getting ready for a rare outing of just the three of us (his younger sisters were with their grandparents), the request seemed innocuous enough…”Would you read mommy the story you wrote?” Surprisingly, he stated that he preferred she read it herself. And so she did. A few moments into reading it, she pointed out a spelling mistake, and that’s when everything came out. At first, he tried to hold it back, but the force of the tears was too strong. Soon, he was crying...
Article: Mission or Ambition?
Does your organization’s purpose light people up? In the course of a presentation recently, I examined the mission statements of several companies. The presentation itself was, generally, about doing business from a relational standpoint instead of from a transactional standpoint. More specifically, it was about “missionalizing” one’s business/organization. The idea is this: organizations that establish a high-level purpose and integrate that purpose into every aspect of operations have the opportunity to connect with people – inside and outside...
Article: I’m In
The fast lane to starting something new often feels much more like the slow lane. What would you do if you recently moved into a new area only to find, to your surprise and disappointment, no youth hockey league for your children? Here’s what you probably wouldn’t do: start a youth hockey league. Not yet anyway…doing so would be exhausting, frustrating, and expensive. Hockey – particularly ice hockey – is a sport that requires a lot of commitment, both in terms of money and time. The equipment can be expensive, and so is the ice...