15 Mar 2021

When people are talking about goals for their life or their business, it’s easy to keep things generic and bold. Saying “I want to grow my business” is less scary than “I want to grow my business’ income my five percent by the end of the year.” One is easy to brush off and one requires a plan that can be tracked, measured and evaluated. One can be built into a strategic plan and one is j...

22 Feb 2021

Strong finances are a foundational keystone for any business, but getting the numbers in order after a crazy 2020 while preparing for an uncertain 2021 can seem overwhelming. But do you know what’s even more overwhelming? Having no plan at all. Financial planning basically comes down to three basic steps: Crunch, Budget and Plan. First of all, even if 2020 wasn’t your best year, yo...

25 Jan 2021

While 2020 is in the rear-view mirror, the world is far from right-side up. And with uncertainty comes anxiety, especially for those who already suffered from it. In some cases, anxiety can push you forward and keep you busy – which can have its own negative side effects – but in this post, we’d like to talk about the other kind of anxiety… the kind that leaves you frozen. We’ve all b...

27 Oct 2020

Time is funny. In some ways, 2020 seems to have lasted a lifetime. In other ways, many of us aren’t sure what even happened to the summer. But whether you’re still clinging to your shorts or have been wearing boots since Labor Day, the fact is that it’s October and we have only two months left in the year. You read that right, but we’ll repeat it again for those in the back. If you ow...

23 Jul 2015

5
In today’s busy, work-based world, it can be extremely easy to get so wrapped up in your work life that you forget everything else. If you’re a business owner, this can be especially challenging. But it’s important to remember that you opened your business so you could have a better life – not so you could work 80 hours per week. Take 10 minutes today to consider your work and personal l...

09 Jul 2015

5
We’ve all heard the phrase “following in my father’s footsteps” – but does that phrase indicated that you have to find a way to step exactly into each step? Or does it come down to just sticking to a similar trail? When it comes to following in the footsteps of the previous generation in a family business, finding your own footholds is vital part of helping the company thrive AND still w...

28 May 2015

5
There’s a phrase out there you’ve probably heard, “The first step is always the hardest.” Whether you’re a new runner, a business owner, or both, this phrase holds serious weight and it all comes down to will power. If you want to make a change in your life – or your business – you have to have the will power to actually take the first step toward making things better. Earlier this mont...

14 May 2015

5
When you say “no” to a customer the customer really hears “go somewhere else to get your solution.” Creating a spirit of YES in your company all starts at the top. As the leader, you have to encourage your entire team to be focused on excellent customer service by setting a great example. You need to succeed in getting all of your employees to remove phrases like “that’s not my departme...

24 Jul 2014

5
When a recent college grad puts together his or her first resume for the real world, it can be tough. For most people, it means finding ways to fill a page with relevant work and school experience coupled with those all-important skills lists. If you take a look at any resume – fresh out of college or not – you’ll likely find some sort of reference to proficiency in time management. Ever...

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...