As business owners, the world as we know it is rapidly changing and evolving. Every day we are confronted with new information, regulations, and choices. How we handle those choices, and how we mitigate risk during this time will be the difference between success and failure during this coronavirus crisis. One of the big things […]
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Hiring is tough. Depending on the position in question, you often have a lot of competition and time constraints to deal with coupled with an already ever growing to-do list. In the past month we have talked a lot about how to streamline the hiring process and narrow down your candidate pool. But today I […]
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“What are your summer plans?” Every June, I pose this very question to my business coaching clients. And about 65% of them go on to tell me about the trips that they have planned, the cruises they have booked and the weeks or months that they plan to step away from their business and spend […]
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Chances are you’ll receive a new email, text, or instant message before you’ve finished reading this article. Your phone will buzz or your computer will ding or your watch will vibrate. Probably all three. Will you check your email or stick with this article? In our work coaching thousands of business owners, we’ve found that […]
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Years ago one of my business mentors Roy shared with me on a rafting trip how time away from his business was one of the key tactics that helped him scale it. Over the past 20 years as an entrepreneur scaling companies has taught me that a business owner can cast a pretty big shadow […]
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For several years now, I have shared some of my favorite growth and leadership tools with our Inc. readers. Things like the 1-page action plan. Tools that can help you gain focus and clarity on the things that make the most difference in your business and help you grow even faster. Today, I wanted to […]
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Recently I was working on a tool to help our coaching team internalize the best practices we’ve developed to handle the most common business challenges. While the document I eventually created dealt with 12 key challenges, here is a summary of four that I’ve observed are most common to small businesses we coach ($1-25 million […]
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When it comes to drop points in your funnel, it’s important to know that many of your biggest drop points happen before you even know your customer’s name. For the majority of businesses, having a 50%+ drop rate on key pages isn’t uncommon and they can go as high as 60-70% if you aren’t taking an active role […]
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Now I might be dating myself by saying this, but I remember a time where telephones were used exclusively for making phone calls. I know that time has passed. And I laugh now when I see my wife spend 90% of her phone battery texting or using various apps and not actually talking on the […]
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In a world that is going further and further along the technological spectrum, there are some low-tech things that once upon a time would be considered “old-school” but have now become the new “cool thing.” Think about music. It used to be that people would always want digital, that was the cutting edge. Now there’s […]
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I’d say most business owners spend about 45 hours finding and hiring a new staff member. And it often takes another 40-some hours to onboard and train that individual, depending on their position and responsibilities. Which means that each new team member could take up to two weeks to get fully trained. And unfortunately for many business […]
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As a business coach, it’s my job to hold business owners accountable. Every day I talk with leaders who have aspirations to scale and grow their businesses, and we work together to get their businesses to the next level. At the end of each session, we part with a list of action steps that the business owner can […]
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When it comes to customer acquisitions and loyalty, time is of the essence. With each touch point in the funnel, you have the opportunity to grow and strengthen your relationship. Or you have the opportunity to lose that customer to one of your competitors. The difference between keeping or losing clients lies in the drop […]
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I recently talked about how project-management tools were so important to a remote team, and as many of us are now working either remotely or in a hybrid situation, I wanted to share some more tips on how my team here at Maui Mastermind uses project-management tools. Our team has been working remotely for over […]
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Pricing is something that, as a business owner, should always be at the forefront of your mind. Your profit margins can make the difference between a business that can scale and grow exponentially versus one that remains stagnant. But for many business owners, the idea of increasing their pricing is often met with some hesitation. […]
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When it comes to time management and productivity it all boils down to finding and eliminating your time thieves. Once you are able to identify the low value tasks that take up the bulk of your time, you will find yourself with more time to focus on the big picture tasks that fuel growth in […]
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Being a business owner comes with a host of problems and challenges, and many of those challenges are compounded by things like stress and anxiety. Another huge issue that I see far too often as a business coach is something called imposter syndrome. Dictionary.com defines imposter syndrome as “anxiety or self-doubt that results from persistently undervaluing […]
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“My business is special. I can’t scale it because there is no way it could function without me.” I talk to thousands of business owners every single year that think that they are special. They think that their business couldn’t run without them, so they work…a lot. They put in 70 or 80 hour work […]
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The majority of business owners I talk to are tired. They are working 60, 70, even 80 hours a week and still feel like they aren’t making any progress in their business. Their friends and family barely see them and they wonder how long they can keep this up before they reach critical burnout. Now imagine having […]
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You are busy. Your to-do list is never ending and you feel like you could work 80 or 90 hours a week and still not accomplish everything you want to do in any given week. Add onto that a myriad of meetings, phone calls and employee issues and it’s enough to make any business owner want to throw in the […]
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I was recently talking to a business owner, who seemed rather proud of their long to-do list. After a little prodding I learned that they thought a full task list was a sign of a growing business and that the longer their list, the more they were needed in their company. And while I understood […]
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Over the last 25 years I have helped thousands of business owners grow and scale their companies. And one of the biggest deciding factors on the rate of growth has to do with a business owners (and their staff) ability to focus on the bigger picture tasks that create the most value for the company. […]
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“David, we are so busy right now. We really need to hire more help!” Seems like a pretty straight forward business need. One that I hear all the time with my business coaching clients. Business is booming and hiring more help is the go-to for most entrepreneurs in such a situation. But what if there […]
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I have seen the following scenario a thousand times. You have worked hard on scaling your business. You have made all the right decisions and have grown your business to the point of being able to sell it for a significant profit. And once the time comes to pull the trigger and put it on the market, the […]
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Every year my team and I talk to hundreds of thousands of business owners in all stages of business, many of whom are just beginning their entrepreneurial journey. And one of the things that we hear time and time again, is the myth that “it takes a lot of money to launch a new business.” This is […]
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Landing a new client or project can be an exciting time for any business owner, but if you are like many entrepreneurs taking on a new client (or several) at one time can put a strain on you financially. Especially if there is going to be a significant amount of time before you are able […]
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Is your company susceptible to fraud? According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the answer is yes. Its findings report over $7 billion in total losses due to fraud in 2018 alone. What’s even more interesting is that small businesses with less than 100 employees lost twice as much ($200,000-plus) per fraud attempt than their […]
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As a business coach, I talk to thousands of business owners each year who are looking for guidance on how to shape their company culture for growth and independence. They understand the importance of company culture, but often struggle to shape it in a way that benefits both their company as a whole and their team members. So, today I […]
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Starting a new business can be exciting and terrifying at the same time. There are so many variables to consider, and a million things on your to-do list. And for many business owners, they aren’t doing it alone. They have a business partner (or two…or three) that they choose to take the entrepreneurship journey with. At face […]
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As a business coach for the past 25 years, I could tell you a million reasons why you need a business coach to help grow your business. But that’s not what today’s column is about. Today, I want to talk about the reasons why you don’t need a business coach. Having someone to guide you through the ups […]
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Ask any small business owner what they spend the majority of their time on, and you will likely hear something along the lines of: “I spend it putting out fires.” “I spend it answering employee questions and helping them do their jobs.” “I spend it helping my team with problems and challenges.” You are probably […]
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It has been estimated that executives can be in meetings for up to 23 hours per week on average. And business owners can spend more than that in a given week. That’s a lot of meetings, and if done improperly, it’s a lot of wasted time and missed opportunities. As a business owner, you have […]
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Hiring employees is supposed to free up your time. The goal is after we get past the initial hump of recruiting and onboarding, that having that extra person on the team will help free up your time to do more higher level tasks. That is the goal at least. But for many business owners, managing […]
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Another week is coming to an end, and if you are like most business owners out there your to-do list is still pretty full and you are running on empty. You may wonder “where did the time go?” You got up every morning and went to the office, put in a solid eight to ten […]
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Every product or service that a company sells to a specific target market carries with it predictable, specific and repeatable sales obstacles that you must learn to effectively deal with and overcome. Understanding the possible reasons for a “No” during the sales process, will go a long way to increasing the number of times you […]
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“I have a great idea for a new business or product!” It’s a statement that I hear almost every day, and for the majority of business owners, it isn’t necessarily a good thing. Let me explain. I coach business owners who have been in business for several years. They have a product or service that […]
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The most successful business owners set aside time each quarter to plan out their goals and action steps for the upcoming quarter. Not only does this allow you to focus your energy and attention on the things that propel your company forward, but it will also help you strategize the best way to leverage your team to reach your goals. […]
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When it comes to spending money in your business, not all expenses are created equal. In your business there are certain areas where a small investment can make a leveraged return and there are other areas where a big investment can be a waste of money. The flip side of that is there are places and times […]
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Scaling a company the right way requires that you balance keeping a clear focus on those fewer, better things that will make a leveraged difference for your company and that you stay flexible to learn and adjust as you go.
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Over the last 25 years, I have worked with and coached thousands of business owners to help them grow and scale their businesses. I have helped entrepreneurs, just like you, learn how to systemize their growth, take control of their finances, make smarter business decisions and hire more efficiently. But all of that pales in comparison to […]
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If you’ve ever been faced with a decision as to whether you should quit a course of action or persevere, then you’ll find the following six questions from New York Times bestselling author and business guru Seth Godin a big relief. I met with Godin several weeks back to talk about this very question, which […]
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With the new year upon us, many business owners spend a great deal of time reflecting on the past year and planning for the future. As a business coach, this is one of my favorite times of the year, as I get to sit down with clients and celebrate their victories and plan out the upcoming quarter. So, today […]
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The end of the year is a time for reflection. It’s a time for planning. It’s a time for growth. As a business coach, this is one of my favorite times of the year because I get to sit down with my clients and go over the victories and the struggles of the past year and […]
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As a business owner, you are busy. And for many of you, the term “busy” is an understatement. You are constantly being bombarded by phone calls, emails and employee questions. You might work 70 or 80 hours a week and still feel like you don’t have time to work on the important and valuable tasks […]
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As a business coach for over two decades, it has become my passion to help others take control of their to-do lists and work less while creating more value for their businesses. But for many of us, we feel like a 70 hour work week is the norm. Everyone is doing it, so it makes sense that we too […]
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The holidays are here again, and for many that means elaborate home decorations, fancy dinners for friends and family members and expensive gift exchanges. During my weekly grocery shopping trip, I see shoppers frantically filling their carts trying to get it all done in time for whatever event or get together they have on their […]
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Have you ever been the recipient of well-intentioned but misguided business advice? I know I sure have! I recently sat down with some of my colleagues to find out what was the worst business advice they ever received and was shocked by some of their answers. Here is a short list of some of the worst business advice that these business […]
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I recently talked about hiring independent contractors and remote workers for your business, and how if done properly it can really help you scale and grow your business while keeping a handle on your overhead costs. And as a business coach for over 25 years, I can attest to the power of having a remote team of contractors to help grow […]
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As a small to medium-size business owner, you have no doubt struggled to find quality talent for your company at one point or another. Today’s competitive market makes it even more challenging, and there aren’t enough job candidates to fill all the open positions. Which is why, for many, hiring an independent contractor might be an idea worth exploring. […]
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As a business coach, I have helped thousands of business owners grow and scale their companies. And one of the biggest things we look at when scaling, has to do with their labor and talent pool. If you have a solid team behind you, the chance for success is much higher. But for many business […]
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In past articles I have touched on the concept of the Value Economy, and how you can use this idea to harness growth within your own business. The old method of thinking is that if you work harder, longer, faster, you will get the results you are seeking. But that’s like someone stuck at the bottom of a deep […]
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I‘ve shared a lot of tips and tricks about finding and hiring good talent recently, and the topic has resonated with a lot of you. The job market is competitive right now and there are more job openings than applicants, which can make it really difficult to find the right person for a particular position. […]
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Are you looking to fill a position or two this quarter? You aren’t alone. For many small- to medium-size business owners, the struggle to find high-quality prospects is very real. As a business coach for over 25 years, I’ve helped thousands of business owners find talent for their businesses and have had the pleasure of […]
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As a business owner, you have a lot of responsibilities. And if you are like many of the clients I coach, your to-do list is extensive and filled with meetings and other responsibilities. It’s easy to get caught up in your task list, and to feel overwhelmed and anxious. But what if I told you that very little of that […]
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As a business coach for over twenty five years, I can say with great certainty that this is a topic that I feel very passionate about. I have on boarded clients that had great potential and an amazing product, yet they struggled with how best to use and leverage a business coach to grow their […]
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A while back we talked about the real reasons why you weren’t hiring new employees, and shared the hard truths behind why you might be hesitant to find and hire new talent despite a need for help. Today, I wanted to share a little more hard truth- this time surrounding the reasons why your employees […]
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Over the last 25 years, I have spoken with thousands of business owners in various stages of their professional careers. When I first sit down with them to discuss their business, I often ask them what their ultimate goal is for themselves and their businesses. And I often hear them say: “I want to be […]
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We have talked a lot about hiring and finding good prospects lately and the topic has resonated with quite a few of you. We are all looking for ways to tap into the talent pool and find good, quality prospects. Today, I wanted to go into a little more depth about what it’s like to […]
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The labor market is tight right now, and as such a lot of business owners and entrepreneurs are struggling to find good talent for their businesses. And even if you enlist the help of a recruiter to find your candidates, at some point you are going to have to interview the top contenders themselves, and […]
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If you’re running your own business, you’ve heard a few different things in your job description. You’ve probably heard about how important it is to be a great leader and how important it is to be a manager. When you hear these two terms used so often, you may start to think that they’re interchangeable. […]
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