Part of the reason clients hire me is to give them an outsider’s opinion of the challenges or opportunities facing their businesses. I take this very seriously, so I’m constantly scanning the economic horizon for changes that could have an effect on these leaders and their organizations. Over the past few months, I’ve been talking…
In the days before credit cards, before microwave machines, before The Ed Sullivan Show broadcast across the night TV screens, bread was a dime, pop a nickel or less, and my grandfather worked for a mill in the Canadian great northwest. Years ago, I would visit my grandfather in his Richmond, B.C., apartment. We would…
Hiring and on-boarding new employees is costly. Less staff turnover means your organization will reap considerable rewards
Last week, I called my local credit union about my account. The phone was answered by Phil, who I knew as a long-term employee of the credit union. Over the years, I’ve gone into the branch on a regular basis. Phil would always be serving her customers in a caring manner, greeting people by name…
Most entrepreneurs build a business without a clear concept of what they’re building, the systems they need and where the profit comes from
I had a video meeting last week with woman whom we will call Sally. Sally was meeting to talk about her business, which she had started a couple of years ago. At one point in the conversation, Sally said she was making $2,000 a month but needed to make $5,000 from the business. Luckily for…
We have to put serious energy into looking at what’s working for us and what’s not and make a decision to adjust our strategies
In the winter of 1987, my startup company Winewear Fashions had cash flow problems. Not only could I not take wages, but I hadn’t been able to pay bills for several months without putting cash into the business. I took a job on the side selling books door to door in Vancouver to pay for…
Running a business requires a lot of brain power. If a business is struggling, it takes even more mental energy. That means you need to be well-rested
Last week, I couldn’t sleep. Whether it was the new project I’m working on or the basketball team I’m coaching, my mind was spinning. I’d fall asleep immediately, but wake up at 2 or 3 a.m. and couldn’t get back to sleep. Wide awake, my mind was turning. I was thinking about new ideas; how…
Mentors come in all shapes and sizes, and in all aspects of our lives. It’s only when they leave us that we truly realize their lasting influence
“Show me a successful individual and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living – if you do it well, I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor.” – Denzel Washington In the last couple…
Companies organized around values such as love, generosity and endearment have significantly greater stock market returns
Michael was my mentor when it comes to compassion. His heart always went out to anyone who was in a tough spot. As a roommate of Michael’s, I saw him reach out to people in the community who were down on their luck and in pain. He would help to mend hearts even after his…
When we listen to our clients, it allows us to improve on aspects of our organizations that perhaps we haven’t noticed
What would you do if you woke up one morning and right there on your Facebook page, for the whole world to see, was a complaint about how terribly one of your staff members was treating customers? Customer complaints are nothing new. In the past when customers received poor service from you or your staff,…
Working smarter, not harder, will make you more money. Take time off to think about other things and to refresh your mind, body and spirits
On the seventh day, God rested. But for four years, I didn’t. My body finally said “No more!” I was laid out on the couch for two weeks, stressed and exhausted. Four years of continuous strategizing and deliberating had taken its toll. On top of running my businesses, I was involved in major campaign to clean up the…
Bashing noggins isn't the best way to deliver a message. Become a better business operator by understanding why your staff behave the way they do
She was almost frantic as she beat my head with a textbook and repeated over and over, “Would you ever stop talking, Dave Fuller?!” Those were the days when teachers could do such things and Grade 11 students would generally accept them and the semi-concussions that went along with the beatings. My classmates laughed at my…
We all have regrets and make mistakes. But we need to admit our errors and turn back to our intrinsic nature of goodness
If I look back through the 40 years of my business career, the lowest points are those times when I betrayed my values. My biggest regret was something that happened 30 years ago. I was told of a business opportunity that would be of great benefit to me if I could only prove I had…
Unless you’re a careful operator, you may find yourself among the 60 per cent of businesses where the owners receive very little money at the end of the day
It was serious business! My brothers and I were neck deep in it. We were digging to China when we were interrupted by the call by our mother for dinner. Digging holes is something boys do. We dug holes for forts, holes for adventures and holes in search of gold. My son at the age of three dug…
Ensuring consistency in the delivery of services and products will reduce the stress on your employers, employees, management team and customers
I spent more than $40,000 on my master's degree and in the months before I graduated, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with that investment! Investing in yourself in terms of education is different than any other investment you make because it’s really the first step in a process to take you…
Accept that we’re going to make mistakes but we did our best given the time and resources we have at hand
When I was 21, my younger brother Rob (who apparently thought he was a marriage counsellor) told me that there was no perfect wife. He said I should find someone “good enough” and I could make it work if I put in enough effort. So being a late bloomer, I started dating at the ripe…