Putting together a solid leadership team for your business is a big milestone for any small-business owner. But once you have your team assembled, many small-business owners think they are done with the heavy lifting. Unfortunately, that is just the beginning. You still need to put in the work of defining leadership team expectations, as well as laying the […]
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As a business coach for over 25 years, I can tell you that one of the most damaging things you can do for your business is to rely too heavily on one or two key members of your team. It’s easy to understand why we do it. That person has likely been there for an extended period, they are […]
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We talk a lot about delegation with our business coaching clients here at Maui Mastermind, and for good reason. Effective delegation is essential for the growth and success of any business. And the majority of owners and leaders of small to medium-size businesses aren’t very skilled in delegating tasks to their team members. It is usually clunky […]
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Delegating tasks and ownership are vital aspects of effective leadership, enabling business owners to scale their operations and empower their teams. And as a business coach for more than 25 years, I can say that this is one of the things that business owners struggle with the most. The majority of leaders understand the first level but after […]
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As a business owner or manager, not only is it your job to help your team celebrate the victories and successes that they experience but it is also imperative that you are able to recognize when a team member is out of sorts and struggling in their current position. And how you approach that conversation […]
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As business coaches, one of the things we work on with our clients is not only helping them find and retain top talent, but also helping them coach their team to help increase productivity and growth within the business. And one of the ways we do that is we help them learn how to distinguish their employees by two different […]
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As a business coach for over twenty-five years, I have seen many leaders rise to the top and I have seen just as many leaders fall flat. And one of the universal truths in all of that is that the leaders that make a concerted effort to lead with integrity almost always outshine their peers. Because when […]
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Being a leader means a lot of things when it comes to your business, but one of the most important things you can do every day is to be mindful of your behaviors and actions. As humans, we are inherently inductive machines. We are constantly watching those around us and looking for patterns of behavior, ultimately changing the way […]
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As a business coach for more than 25 years, I can attest to the power of a good companywide coaching program. If done correctly, you can help your team stay on task and focus on the bigger picture. You can increase revenue and profits, all while working less on the things that matter the most. And you […]
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There is a lot on your plate as a business owner. Delegating tasks effectively is one of the best ways to get more done in a shorter period of time. But delegation can be fraught with anxiety and can seem a little hit or miss. You might ask Linda to do a task on Monday and she does […]
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I was recently talking to a new coaching client who has been struggling with task delegation. He had gotten over the initial hesitation and control-itis phases and had started to regularly hand off small tasks and projects to others on his team. But then things had started to go a little sideway and he found that oftentimes the […]
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As a business owner, learning how to delegate tasks to your team can make a huge difference in your ability to reach your company goals and deadlines. But there are a few subtle nuances that can make or break any delegation–which is why today I want to address one of the most common misunderstandings when it comes to delegation, about […]
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When it comes to running a business, there are a million different ways to get things accomplished. And if you have even a few employees, you know that if given the chance every employee will do things just a little bit differently. Which can not only cause confusion and difficulty in cross-training, but can really slow down […]
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We all spend a lot of time in virtual meetings these days, and if you are like most leaders you could always do a better job of making your meetings more engaging and hands-on for everyone involved. Because the only thing worse than being stuck in a meeting is being stuck in a meeting that drags on for […]
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As a business coach, I have witnessed a lot of businesses that started to thrive once they went to a remote-only format, but I have also seen an equal number of business owners really struggle with the change — and the difference between the two almost always came down to their management styles and management mindset. So today, […]
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I have heard time and time again about some of the more common remote workforce challenges, many of which revolve around technology and accountability. But today, I wanted to explore remote workforce challenges a bit further and discuss some of the unspoken challenges you may encounter as you transition your team to fully remote (if you haven’t already done […]
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As more and more companies are turning to remote workforce, we are seeing a lot of perks to going remote for both the business owner and your employees. Many of which may have been unexpected at first. So today, I wanted to go over some of the perks that you may not have considered when […]
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As a business owner, being trustworthy is a huge contributing factor as to whether you have the ability to scale your business or not. Because as your business gets larger, and the stakes get higher, it is imperative that those around you trust you to follow through. I have seen far too many leaders, who say that they […]
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Over the last 25 years, I have had the privilege of personally coaching hundreds of business owners. And as such, there are so many things that go into teaching and training great leaders, one of which has to do with the ability to lead with integrity. Leading with integrity is so important to help set the right tone, […]
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I talk a lot about time management and focusing on the few things that create the most value for your business quite often here and with my business coaching clients. And for the majority of leaders those two areas will set them up for growth, but there are two more areas that I believe make […]
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When it comes to managing things as a small business, your plate is already incredibly full. So you may already be thinking, “David, I really don’t need more things on my list of things to manage.” But I want to encourage you to stick with me on these, because these three things are possibly the […]
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Because I’m a business coach you may be surprised to hear that all of my key team members meet with a business coach themselves on a regular basis. Which may sound strange coming from a company that teaches others how to grow and scale their businesses through business coaching. But having our team go through […]
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I was recently talking to a potential business coaching client at a conference who was going on and on about his latest pet project. He had grown “bored” of his business and had started focusing his time and attention elsewhere, on new products and services, to keep things interesting and exciting. And over the course […]
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When it comes to business growth, you have a lot of opportunities to grow and scale your business. But there are only a handful that really make a difference when it comes to your bottom line. So today, I want to go over the four engines for business growth that I teach my business coaching […]
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As a business coach for over 25 years, I have talked to thousands of business owners across the globe who were looking to grow and scale their businesses. And if I were to ask them what the biggest problem was in their business, a large portion of them would say that they lacked opportunities and if […]
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As a business coach for more than 25 years, I have helped thousands of business owners build their businesses. And while there are many different ways to go about scaling your business, it almost never involves what the business owner thinks it should, which is more work. In fact, for the majority of business owners […]
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As business owners, we go through phases in our business journey. In the beginning, everything is new and exciting, and slightly terrifying. You are learning as you go, and making a lot of progress toward your goals. And then somewhere along the way, things start to slow down. You are no longer on the same […]
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Business growth typically isn’t a linear trajectory. There are many ups and downs, and often we may even find our growth stagnant. So today, I wanted to share with you three reasons why your business growth might be at a standstill and discuss ways that you can get things moving in the right direction again. A Lack of Strategic […]
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I was recently speaking with a new business coaching client who was struggling with time management. She was consistently working 70- to 80-hour weeks and she hasn’t had a vacation in years. And when I pushed her for more information, she reluctantly began to tell a tale of her own controlling behaviors. She really struggled […]
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When it comes to decision making, many business owners really struggle to make the right decisions for their business. There are so many factors that come into play that it can be easy to get overwhelmed with all the options. So today I wanted to share with you a simple exercise that I do with […]
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As a business coach, I talk to thousands of business owners every year, many of whom are struggling to keep up with growth and demand. No matter how many hours they work, or how many to-do lists they make, they can’t seem to “stay on top of everything.” and they come to my firm looking […]
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New business partnerships can be really exciting and it is easy to get caught up in a great business idea and want to just hit the ground running. But like most relationships there is a honeymoon period, and once that time is up, the differences between you and your partner can become more obvious and […]
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I recently met with a business owner who was struggling to grow their business. They had a great product and an eager customer base, but recently they had started falling short of their goals month after month. When I sat down with them to discuss their business, it became clear very quickly what the issue […]
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As a business owner, you are always faced with decisions. You have vendor issues, new suppliers to vet, marketing decisions that need to be made, customer service issues that require solutions, and a myriad of other things that require your attention on a daily basis. And at times, it can be downright overwhelming. Many business […]
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Controlling managers are often frowned upon. Nobody wants a manager looking over their shoulder, constantly making sure that they are doing their job correctly. Nobody wants to be micromanaged. So for me to say, as a business coach of over 25 years, that I am proud to be a control freak, it might raise a few […]
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As a business owner, you likely have several large projects in the works, a new product or service launch right around the corner, a few employee issues that need addressing, payroll due on Friday, and three customers who are past due on their payments– and that is just a typical Tuesday. Despite your best efforts, juggling all of […]
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As a business coach for over 25 years, I can attest to the power of strategic planning. I have seen business owners come in who were barely making ends meet and struggling to take their businesses to the next level, start to scale and grow at lightning speed once they learned how to properly plan […]
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Being a business owner is a challenging thing, there are highs and lows, and everything in between. Some days we have all our ducks in a row and everything goes smoothly. And then the next day a crisis hits and we are struggling to find the right path forward. And no matter how much planning […]
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As a business coach for more than 25 years, there is a lot to be said for learning how to tap into your network of colleagues to learn new skills and help get past business hurdles. Having a mentor is one of the main ways that some of the best business owners have been able […]
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Have you ever tried to push someone to grow in their position and they simply didn’t want to? Or had a great staff member leave for a new opportunity because they felt stagnant when they worked for you? Most business owners and leaders have experienced these things, and many are left wondering why that person […]
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As a business owner with a bit of experience, you may find yourself in a mentorship situation at one time or another. Whether it be with a new business owner seeking help and guidance on their business journey, or maybe with a key team member or two who are looking to get some executive coaching […]
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After 25 years of business coaching, I have seen it all. I have talked to thousands of business owners across the globe in almost every industry imaginable. I have worked with business owners who are just getting their businesses off the ground and I have worked with leaders who have been in their fields for […]
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A large number of entrepreneurs and business owners start their businesses not because they’re fantastic managers, but because they have the vision and drive to put a new product or service out into the marketplace. Most learn very quickly, however, that the ability to manage and coach their employees is a challenging yet important one […]
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Delegation is one of the hardest skills for any leader to learn. Past experiences and internal blocks make it really difficult for some leaders to delegate tasks and projects to their team members…which ultimately causes their businesses to stall or have slower growth patterns. My company recently surveyed a group of our business coaching clients […]
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If you were to ask most business owners what the one limiting factor is that keeps them from growing and scaling, they will most likely say something about lack of opportunity or lack of qualified sales leads. But for most, that’s actually not true. The one limiting factor to their business growth is often due to the lack of leadership, […]
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The perfect assistant will be able to read your mind. They will complete each task laid before them with precision, and always get them done well before the deadline. They will bring you coffee, just like you like it, and will screen all your calls and emails, giving you back hours and hours of your […]
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It’s really easy to be a business leader when business is booming, but it’s a whole other thing to lead your team when your business is in crisis. That said, here’s a technique that I have taught thousands of business owners over the past 25 years to get their business out of a rut and […]
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For many small-business owners, sales is one of the toughest areas to master. This is especially true if you sell a high-ticket item that requires a significant time or financial investment on the part of your customers. That said, I want to share with you some of the most common sales objections and how I teach clients […]
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As a business coach for more than 25 years, I have seen and heard it all. One of the most common things I come across is new leaders who have an unrealistic idea on how to set goals for their business. The majority of them overestimate what their teams or themselves as leaders will be […]
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Shaping your company culture is one of the most important things you can do as a business owner. It is the invisible guiding hand that could make the difference between you reaching your goals or missing the mark. And for many business owners, they struggle with the company culture that they envision in their head, versus the […]
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Every year, I talk to thousands of business owners across the country in various industries. Their pain points and problems may vary greatly, but there is one thing they have in common: a lack of accountability. The majority of business owners don’t have a formal process to hold themselves and their team accountable, and it limits […]
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A few weeks back, we talked about some key things you should think about before promoting someone to your executive team. Today, I wanted to expand on that concept and add one more: emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is someone’s ability to identify and manage their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. Which, […]
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For many of us, working remotely is now the new normal. Your team has been doing it for a few months now and you likely have discovered a few issues or areas where your communication channels break down. In my 25 years of experience working remotely and helping others do the same, most businesses fall […]
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We are all spending a lot more time on Zoom calls these days and as such, I have seen a lot of conference call faux pas. Here at Maui Mastermind, we have been working virtually for over 10 years so while we may be pros, it’s understandable that for many this is a completely new […]
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I was recently talking to a business owner who has really been struggling to get ahead. They have been working 80-plus hours a week and burning the candle at both ends. They weren’t sleeping, they barely saw their family, and, as time progressed, they appeared to make even less progress each week than they did […]
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When I hear something along the lines of “I have decided to promote Linda to our executive team. She has been with us for over two years and I feel it is time” from a business owner, I immediately follow up with a series of questions. Mainly, it’s to find out if they have thought through the […]
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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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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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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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