As a service provider, much of my time is spent meeting with potential customers. Whether over the phone or in person I have the opportunity to ask questions about their needs so that I can assess the project and offer an estimate for the cost and benefits of working together. I don’t charge for this. [...]
I have bugs in my living room. Big, leggy, gross bugs and when you squish them a blue goo comes out. Ick. At first there was just one and then a few days later, one more. Over the last month I’ve seen and disposed of about 12 of them and yesterday when I saw one [...]
Last week I spoke at the Fastbreak Breakfast hosted by the Canton Chamber and Aultcare. The topic was social media strategy and as part of my speech I have the participants think about their 30 second commerical in terms of the 140 character restriction of most social sites. You have to be focused. People don’t [...]
Those that have begun the process of using social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. start by being driven by a desire to get their name out on the web. They understand the value of being visible and being found but still use the tools as one way – push your message out there, vehicles. The [...]
There are three schools of thought on product pricing: Set it and forget it Set it and haggle Leave it open for interpretation We are used to the price being the price and unless there is a coupon or special, the marked price is what you are expected to pay. Conversely, if you have traveled [...]
This week one of my business heroes passed away, Dr. Stanley Pearle. Dr. Pearle was the founder and original owner and lifetime inspiration for the optical retail chain: Pearle Vision. I started to work for Pearle Vision in 1987 when the only optical discount was in August for ”Family Eyecare Month.” We didn’t have computers in [...]
They say life can change in the blink of an eye, but you never really appreciate how true that phrase is until someone blinks. On July 7, 2011, at 4:30pm, life blinked for my 20 year old son, Ben and the ripple effects of that blink reach beyond comprehension. He was hit directly in the [...]
There is a bookstore called Politics and Prose located in a neighborhood of DC that opened almost 30 years ago. The founder, Carla Cohen, truly understood the value of being connected with her customers. In an article in Inc Magazine a few months ago, the bookstore and more importantly, Carla Cohen, were featured. There [...]
Now here is a dilema for you to chew on. Friends of mine just went out for a fancy dinner. They don’t normally go out, married over 30 years, both busy in their careers, they are lucky if they have time for a quick spin through the local drive through. But last weekend they decided [...]
Hangers Cleaners in Kansas City was featured on Cool Runnings for taking a different approach to a pretty boring business segment – dry cleaners. Joe Runyon, the owner of Hangers Cleaners shares his thoughts on making a business successful. And in his case – being successful in an industry that is declining. Watch the video, [...]
