Before you start smirking and thinking that I have gone stupid, give me at least the next three sentences to bend your ear.  I am not talking about being mean to one customer and super nice to the other.  I am not saying that you should have extreme differences in how you service your customers.  Instead you should start treat them how they want to be...

In my previous blog about business planning, I discussed the method of backwards planning.  Whether you are planning a marketing campaign, a social media initiative, a sales plan, or even something unheard of yet… it is best to execute those items in manageable pieces. …break up the tasks into those easily executable, manageable chunks. It is best...

Happy New Year!  In an effort to join the chorus of blogs, posts, and tweets wishing you success and tips for planning for your resolutions, I am going to add a bit of twist.  When it comes to your business, especially when it comes to your business plans you should build into this New Year the concept of backwards planning. Backwards planning is a...

An article in the recent edition of the Harvard Business Review talks about the need to bring conflict into the workplace.  Picking a fight about the future direction for a brand, product, or company can be key in bringing out innovation and a stronger plan. The article gives you the tools you might need to set the conditions and manage the fight within the...

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal on September 21, 2009, discussed how larger companies like Starbucks and Avon are consolidating the power base into the CEO.  This is done by combining the CEO and COO positions and/or President positions under one person.  In essence the combination of those positions eliminates the #2 person in the organization....