10 Jul 2014

5
When business owners think about their business, what do they say is their most important aspect? For many, the answer is easy: the people. But as important as great employees are to every business, many owners also say their people are their biggest headache. But why? And how can that be fixed? Our guest blog come from Gary Furr, The Growth Coach of Portland, who recently shared some g...

29 May 2014

5
We all know it’s impossible to be perfect. Or it would be impossible if we could even agree on what perfect meant in the business world. And yet, even if it’s secretly, most of us want to be perfect and we want our businesses to be perfect too. Here’s a Growth Coach challenge for your summer: stop trying to measure yourself and your business against the impossible measuring stick of bei...

15 May 2014

5
Whether you’re a doctor, a mom, a business owner or a corporate leader, bad news is always hard – especially when you’re the one who has to break that bad news. But handling bad news can be less painful if you follow a few key tips, including preparing yourself, seeking support and writing down what you need to say. Our guest blog comes from Fred Kusch, The Growth Coach of La Crosse, wh...

17 Apr 2014

5
At The Growth Coach, we talk a lot about systems. We educate our clients on how having strong business systems creates a company that can run without the owner and builds a more valuable business asset. What some may not know is that having systems for SALES is important too! Every sales person has an individual sales style, but every company still has a general sales process each perso...

20 Mar 2014

5
Maybe we can blame smart phones or the constant connectivity of social media, but our lives are even more full of distractions than they were five years ago. In fact, for many, being incredibly busy is almost a badge of honor. But being that busy doesn’t mean you need to also create work for yourself – stop chasing the newest fad and bouncing between ideas. Focus instead on finishing ta...

07 Feb 2014

5
When you first open a new business, you’re passionate and excited. You have plans for what you’re going to sell, how you’re going to attract customers and how you’re going to grow the company for the first couple of years. But for all too many business owners, working six days a weeks and barely getting by quickly starts to feel like handcuffs. If you’ve fallen into that trap, it’s time ...

23 Jan 2014

5
In any business, a solid referral usually means additional customers and subsequent growth. It’s the snowball effect of a great service experience! Of course that’s only true if the customer who had the great experience does one or both of two things: refers someone who would benefit from your company and tells others about the great experience they had. So where do you start? The answe...

19 Dec 2013

5
The holidays are notoriously tough for everyone, but especially so for business owners. There are busy days, days when the business is closed, times when you need to be off work, times when your employees need off and more. It’s easy to get wrapped up when you’re busy working, planning and running the business, but you have to slow down! The holidays, regardless of your religion, are a ...

21 Nov 2013

5
Every year when Thanksgiving rolls around, we’re inspired to look within and consider the things we should be thankful for in life and in business. But it’s also important to take the time this season as a way to consider all your hard work this year and celebrate the strides you've made, both large and small – to look back and recognize the achievements you've made, especially over the ...

24 Oct 2013

5
When you’re working with others – especially people who are leaders in their field – it’s important to know what kind of personality you’re facing. Even though you can’t just hand them a DISC assessment, you can still use those same principles to your advantage. A DISC assessment is a behavior test that evaluates your personality traits including:  Dominance/Drive, Inducement/Influence,...