Shortly after leaving work today, I was driving in an urban, residential area on a street with five lanes and a posted speed limit of 35mph. I was in the “fast” lane going my usual 5-8 mph over the speed limit when a white SUV swerved out from behind me into the right lane, sped [...]

Your business may provide the absolute best service in a 100 mile radius.
You may manufacture the most incredibly useful widgets known to man.
You may know more about your area of expertise than 99% of everyone else in your field.
Your skills may help save lives, educate children, feed the poor, spread hope, train [...]

It’s March. College basketball is everywhere. I’m not a big sports fan, but I really enjoy college basketball.
I’m always struck by the number of poor free throw shooters there are on most teams. Some shoot as low as 50-60%.
When games are often decided by less than 5 points, free throws can easily determine [...]

If you’re in a service or client-based business, you know that it’s tempting, from time to time, to lower your rate. On a rare occasion, you may even be tempted to do something for . . . free <gasp>.
You have good intentions. In fact, you’re probably telling yourself that this will pay off in the [...]

I’m VP of a small business. I’m also the father of a two-year old. I’ve recently come to the conclusion that these two positions are quite similar.
Here’s my list of 25 ways running a small business is like raising a child.
1. Neither come with instructions.
2. They’re both messy.
3. Maintaining a positive attitude is critical.
4. Prayer [...]

It’s too late… the coupons are out there.Don’t worry, just make sure you understand what expectations customers may have when they come in. Then find a solution that will make them happy.
If it’s a timing issue – coupons for dinner, instead of lunch – why not honor them anyway?
If it’s a major, costly mistake, have [...]

The coupon read “Free appetizer with the purchase of two entrees”. I tore it out of the calendar and headed out to a lunch meeting with a colleague.We chose the restaurant because of the coupon. There were three possibilities, this one was slightly more expensive, but the coupon made up for it.
After arriving at the [...]

Earlier this year McDonald’s came out with it’s new line of coffee. They apparently spent $100 million in marketing and advertising. I personally felt bombarded with McDonald’s coffee ads telling me it’s as good as Starbucks at a fraction of the cost. Well, the marketing worked for me at least, and I tried their coffee – [...]

Most people aren’t extremely successful, and those that are get recognition for it. Whether they’re athletes, musicians, politicians, business leaders, or pastors, only a few rise to the top. Ever wonder how they got there? Me too.
I’m not at the top, so I can’t answer that question. But I can tell you that I’m more [...]

I recently saw a post on Twitter spreading the news about a new promotion Starbucks was doing through Facebook. Apparently they’re launching a new product line of coffee flavored ice cream, and this was their big viral marketing effort.
They gave away 800 coupons for free pints of ice cream per hour until they gave [...]