We can all think back to difficult conversations. Most of us have had dozens of them across professional, personal, and family relationships. When thinking about which of these conversations ended successfully, what factors come to mind? For me, the answer is “preparation.” Preparation forces us to critically consider why the conversation will be difficult, how... View Article
We’ve all heard about cybersecurity risks and the increasing sophistication of hackers seeking to access our data. Small businesses are particularly at risk because they often don’t have sophisticated systems in place. The increasing work-from-home environment due initially to COVID-19, but likely to continue in the future, created even more access. Employees may use their... View Article
In owning a business, you take responsibility for an entity separate from yourself. Daily, you make operational and strategic decisions on behalf of the entity to increase revenue and serve your customers. The goals you pursue are a means of creating business value. The value, though, arises from the cash generated by the business and... View Article
When you map out your business planning for the new year, how does legal fit into it? For most, it’s an expense in the budget. But does it show up elsewhere in your planning? It should. Yes, legal is needed to “fix” things that go awry, but the real value of legal is in building... View Article
Business owners have been doused in COVID-19 news, regulations, and challenges for most of the year. We’re not looking to rehash this year, but to plan ahead for a better year in 2021. Tucked around all the challenges we faced, there are some exceptional lessons we can learn from each other to survive challenging times.... View Article
Hiring is a beast of a process – and when done right, it pays off. However, what does “doing it right” look like? The hiring process specifics will be different for each company, but the core is about structuring the process. Structure helps you identify that the individual has the key characteristics to be successful... View Article
Business leaders are asking if the business transaction landscape is changing, considering the pandemic. Do we see negative impacts on many businesses? To be honest, we don’t see much change – deals are moving forward with little change in the terms or contingencies. This may be due to the specific deals we’re seeing, or parties... View Article
“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” are words that have been floating around the business community for many years, but it’s been primarily an effort of big businesses. Small companies typically have infrequent hiring needs and, therefore, feel they can have a limited impact on diverse hiring. In recent months, however, more small businesses are asking how... View Article
As the pandemic and related lockdown took hold in March, companies immediately began to look for ways to protect their businesses from the damage. Insurance coverage, of course, was a first thought – but in most cases, insurance didn’t deliver. Many companies were stuck with no revenue; other companies were stuck because their people couldn’t... View Article