In this era of people complaining of unemployment benefits running out after two plus years, it is a joy to see that entrepreneurism is still alive. Starting small businesses is beyond hard work and most businesses are not started by MBA’s with nicely done business plans. Most service sector businesses in the under 15 employee range start with a dream and a hope that it will work. Most businesses like this fail because of inadequate planning. The final straw is usually inadeq

Almost eighteen years ago, Dr. Stephen Holoviak, published Golden Rule Management .  Dr. Holoviak, a professor at Penn State University- Mont Alto, is an expert in labor relations, small business management, and organizational behavior. His book outlined how applying a simple concept could reduce turnover, plus increase morale and productivity. I had a similar thought this week, and my research confirmed King Solomon’s adage that “there is nothing new under the sun.” Thank yo

Why is something that is so obvious so hard to grasp sometimes? When I mentioned casually to group of friends watching a golf tournament that I do business coaching, one remark came back, “Coaching, who needs it.” What struck me was not the attitude, but the irony that all of us were watching people play a game we all could play only they were playing for a decade’s salary every 4 days. And every one of them wouldn’t be in the game without his/her coach. In fact, look around

I love what I do and hope you do as well. Whether it’s coaching, teaching, facilitating, or consulting, the opportunity to help people deal with changes or uncertainty in their circumstances excites me. When an idea or thought brings clarity to the situation and the proverbial “light bulb” goes off, my joy is complete. Most of my group work is spent trying multiple approaches to get as many “light bulbs” to go off as possible. Swimming laps, which may seem monotonous to many,

What is the most valuable gift a job seeker can give someone? One that will last a lifetime, bring a smile to the receiver, and even score points at St. Peter’s gate. It costs little and grows in value over time. Yet, those who can give it seem so reluctant to offer the gift. What’s the gift? Job Networking. Growing up, I had a remarkable friend who could find me a date at 5:30 on a Friday night, and a cute one to boot. When I remind Jimmy of his teenage exploits, a smile in

The day has arrived for you to depart. You’re finally ready to head out or, in some cases, re-head out into the world. Your whole life has been spent preparing for the journey. Your car is packed, and you have everything you need.  All the instructions from 12-18 years of instructors. All the advice your parents and friends could provide. You may even have a new vehicle to start your journey. You have everything except one thing: a destination. Sounds silly. Yet how many of u

What if today was the best day of your life? Every thought you had was wonderful. Every action you took produced the best outcome. Every person you encountered left refreshed for having dealt with you. They left feeling inspired and looking forward to the next time you both met. And the same thing happened when you went home to your family. Pretty awesome picture! Would your business and life prosper with such a day? Now, what if I told you your perfect day was available to y

I know this seems like a weird topic. I agree. Most of my best ideas are initially weird to me. This one comes from a humid jog with my physician running buddy. We were discussing healthcare, business, crime rates, relationships, and just about anything else to keep my mind off the  6am August 110% humidity in lower Alabama. Dr. Ben is completing a fellowship in wellness based holistic medicine. He sees promoting wellness as the best way to lower healthcare costs and improve