Learning from Experience – Other People’s Lessons
There are lessons which can be learned only from first hand experience. If we are wise, there are others which can be taught by and learned from others. When we can learn from others and gain the wisdom of their experience, we are able to avoid any number of things...
Business—Not Rocket—Science Powers Innovation
Business—Not Rocket—Science Powers Innovation Have you ever had someone tell you how easy business is? That it “Isn't rocket science”? Maybe you've had someone say to you that “Business is kind of like teaching; those who can't do something more challenging go into...
Building a Better Business
Building a Better Business The better business is as much about the business itself as it is the product, service, or technology provided. Without a sound business model, the ability to produce, sell, and deliver the product to the customer—consistently and with...
Born to Run, Born to Innovate … But Learn to Walk First
It would be nice if the capacity to innovate came with the inception of the organization, if it could be encoded in the genetic material of the building blocks of the components you assemble. Wouldn’t it be nice if it were as simple as, well, walking? But wait:...
Business Plans: Not Fill-in-the-Blank
Business Plans: Not Fill-in-the-Blank Often, it seems that anyone and everyone doing business plans are filling in blanks or using templates. For many organizations, the creation of a business plan is an exercise that gets put in the drawer or on a shelf to be...
Boing! Bounced Checks and Other Check-Writing Practices
Boing! Bounced Checks and Other Check-Writing Practices In good times and bad, but especially in tough economic times, it seems all to tempting to get—shall we say—“creative” with the checkbook, by pushing the timing and other aspects of writing checks as far as you...
Call Me
Call Me Have you ever had this happen? You are at an event or are introduced to someone seeking business. It may be someone wanting advertisers. It may be a service provider or someone with a product to sell and you are interested. You hand them your business card...
First? Best? Service Providers Show Me the Content!
Recently at an association meeting the speaker asked the question “Which is better? To be first to market or be the best?” Some audience members responded “first” (the majority) and others responded “best”. The answer is that they aren’t mutually exclusive and...
Pricing for Strategic Advantage, Customer Value, and Profit
The value that the customer places on your product (or service or technology) ultimately determines how much the customer is willing to pay. The value is determined by a number of factors: some related directly to the product, others to the customer’s emotional and...
At-Risk – Non-compliant SBIR Recipients
It is unfortunate that the stories on small businesses who fail to comply with government requirements for receiving and using grant funds don't make the papers. Even though small businesses fail audits everyday, they just don’t make the headlines. The scale of these...