3 simple questions to write your best annual goals (2/5) ☝️

What if I told you 90% of senior executives don’t reach their strategic goals annually? That’s what research from The Economist Intelligence Unit has shown.  They say it’s because of flawed implementation. But it’s hard to do good work on a goal if the goal is wrong to begin with.  Much too often I see…

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Why you want to write an annual plan 👉 (1/5)

You want to start work in January knowing what your business will look like in December. And you want everybody who works for you and with you to know it too.  It’s easier to plan your actions and strategies if you know where you want to go. Annual planning is a thought process. It involves…

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How are you not like the business exactly like you 🔁 (2/4)

Unique Value Proposition

No two businesses are the same. People who offer the same product or service as you aren’t exactly like you.  With last week’s post, you defined your business in various ways.  Now it’s time to take that to market and see how it works alongside other businesses that do what you do.  Who are your…

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3 must-know essentials to grow your business

Just start

You want to grow your business.  Why else would you be in business if not for some type of growth? After all, growth brings you more than just revenue. It is also about new opportunities, new clients, additional products or services, stronger bargaining power, better talent, and especially: increased value for a future exit.  Growth,…

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3 key business skills, part 1: Management

“It is easy to be distracted by your customer-facing work, but the foundation of your success will be built on sound management practices.” This quote is the reason I keep returning to this article in Small Biz Viewpoints.  The article highlights three key business skills that owners must nurture. We’ll take a look at each…

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Your org chart shouldn’t look like an octopus

“Make an organizational chart?” He asked me. “But that’s so 20th century, do businesses still do that?” Only the good ones.  The problem was never organizational charts: the problem was always bad organizational charts. And in small businesses, org charts are even harder, because so many people fill multiple roles. Pretty soon they look like…

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