In the vast ocean of business, CEOs are the navigators of their ships, steering through challenges and opportunities. Yet, there’s one adversary that even the most seasoned leaders find daunting—uncertainty. Picture this: the year is 2023, and a trifecta of unpredictable elements is stirring up waves of apprehension among CEOs. The looming 2024 election, the enigmatic …
This week, I have a dog story for you, and it started something like this, where several weeks ago, my wife and I made an overnight trip to meet my son’s fiance’s parents for the first time. And of course, we were excited. We’d be gone for one night. We got the pet sitter that has …
Years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Joey, who is renowned for his inspiring insights on remarkable customer experiences through his book “Never Lose a Customer Again.” His passion and fresh perspectives expanded my thinking about what truly outstanding customer experiences can be. Now, Joey is taking it to the next level with his latest …
Hey there, fellow CEO business owners! Let’s talk about a common challenge most of us face: being spread too thin. You know what I’m talking about, right? It’s that feeling of constantly juggling multiple tasks, working long hours, and being involved in every aspect of our businesses, from sales to delivery and even the back-office stuff. It …
As a private business owner, competing against larger companies with deeper pockets and more resources can be daunting. However, with the right strategies in place, we outshine our larger counterparts. Here are some ways that private businesses level the playing field to successfully compete with larger companies:Focus on a Niche Market to be the Best: Large …
The global economy has been on an upward trajectory since the start of the decade, with growth rates reaching all-time highs in many countries. However, there is growing evidence that we are at a tipping point. Experts have been warning for some time now that the next recession could be just around the corner, and …
Many company owners are uninformed of their alternatives when it comes to funding their enterprises. Debt finance and equity financing are the two primary financing strategies, and each has pros and cons. We will examine the distinctions between debt and equity financing in this post and assist you in selecting the best option for your …
Locating, hiring, and retaining excellent team members has become more complex than ever since 2020 and Covid. A great team is critical to your company’s success. Don’t miss these steps to make sure you’re leveraging the best talent. Numerous factors dictated this change, not that it was simple in the first place. So what makes you …
The most powerful thing about being a business owner or CEO is realizing your ambitions, and turning your vision into being an operational reality. At the end of the day, the buck stops with you. But this driver, this motivator, has its drawbacks – the Owner’s Trap, specifically. How many times have you been on the …
Change is constant in business, right now there are lots of moving pieces that will impact 2023. Smart leaders separate themselves from the pack by reevaluating their goals, team, and mindset on a quarterly basis to adjust to changing dynamics across the industry. Whether internal or external, plenty of factors can force you to change practices …
One of the strongest skills you can develop as a CEO is how to handle criticism and feedback from your team. Navigating this obstacle to growth makes up a significant portion of my time when I open up relationships with businesses. In many cases, CEOs surround themselves with strong coworkers, advisors, and employees. But if you don’t …
More importantly, what is your role in it? It’s easy to be in the driver’s seat and perceive the industry around you from your unique angle. But “reputation” doesn’t hinge on your goals, your obstacles to growth, and your ambitions alone. In many cases, it comes down to the public opinion of your field. And if …
Years ago I met a friend Isaac Sparks at Bus Boys and Poets. He is the CEO of Hunt Valley Contractors. I enjoy talking with Isaac. Not only is he a family man and a CEO, Isaac always offers a useful perspective, sometimes a fresh perspective. One of the things that Isaac said during our discussion is, …
Today, I present to you … the one hundredth Smart CEO Question! And I thought we might mark the occasion with a special question. The aim of these blog post questions has been to provide you with questions that you might not have considered before or maybe they simply reminded you of questions you already …
When I talk to CEOs, I find that most of them think they are better at, or at least more comfortable with selling, than negotiating. That’s interesting, because arguable, negotiating is a more important skill for a CEO to possess. Of course, in many situations negotiating can be more complicated than selling. That’s why I …
Bill Gates once said … ‘You can achieve amazing progress if you set a clear goal and find a measure that will drive progress towards that goal.’ Nothing surprising there – you could’ve read that on pretty much any blog post about the basics of goal setting. But then he went on to say that …
I see many CEOs talking about ‘scaling’ when really, they are still in growth mode. No harm in talking like that at a dinner party, I guess. But if that social hubris continues into the boardroom, then you could be headed for trouble. Because trying to scale before you’re ready almost always ends badly. Many …
I don’t know you. And I know nothing about your business. But I can confidently tell you this … There are inefficiencies in your business. And according to research, those inefficiencies could be leaking 20% – 30% from your bottom line. That’s bad news (as a CFO it nearly gives me heart palpitations!), but maybe …
There’s a common misconception that more is always better… but this isn’t always the case, especially when talking about choices. See, up to a point, a few choices is a good thing, but if you add too many… your prospects begin feeling overwhelmed and anxious, which as you can imagine, adds unhelpful stress to the …
I recently heard Elon Musk talk about a concept he called ‘First Principles’. Hang on a minute I thought, I’ve heard of that before. A quick google search led me to Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs! “First principles, Clarice. Simplicity. Read Marcus Aurelius. Of each particular thing ask: what is it in itself? …
