He was a man of great compassion, ingenuity and philanthropy, particularly during difficult times. Can you or your business do the same?
Milton Hershey had a couple of failed attempts at business before he founded and built the empire of Hershey Chocolate Co. If the story of Milton Hershey ended there, he would have been seen as a success and an inspiration to many. However, there’s much more to Hershey than just a successful business, because he…
For reasons outside our control, we’ve all been inconvenienced and challenged. This doesn’t mean we’re defeated. Here are 19 ways to get April started
There are 19 business days in April. Let’s make the best of them during the COVID-19 crisis. Take the time in your social-distancing work spaces to come up with 19 things you and your team can do to make a difference for your business, your staff and your community. Here are some ideas: Day 1…
These simple steps will help you avoid poor cash flow management - the downfall of many profitable businesses
Your hard work, great ideas, solid customer base, and popular products or services are nothing if you can’t effectively manage your cash flow. It’s one of the biggest challenges for any entrepreneur. “Even a profitable, fast-growing company can face a serious cash flow crunch while waiting for money to come in,” writes the Business Development…
We need tax reforms and other initiatives that will help spur entrepreneurial spirit and encourage investment
Canada is gradually losing its competitiveness – but it can be regained. According to the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), a graduate business school and research centre, we’re down three spots from 2018 to 13th. Canada is now ranked below the United States and Switzerland, as well as other energy-dominated nations such as Norway,…
These basics will help you get accustomed to the #hashtag world and its exponential reach
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to understand online platforms even more. By understanding the big four (Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram), you can decide which platform you want to dominate. A couple of weeks ago we talked about Linkedin and how it applies to online business. Today, we’re switching gears a…
In these times of COVID-19 crisis, businesses face unusual and dire choices. You need a 90-day plan to cope with the stress
I was stopped on a small goat trail near the peak of Mount Fitzwilliam, frozen by indecision. It was the summer of 1996 and I was following my buddy Terry Brock on a expedition in B.C.’s Mount Robson Provincial Park. I couldn’t go forward and I knew I couldn’t go backward. I was scared and…
What reasonable assumptions can we make about how governments, individuals, businesses, and markets will behave over the next 6-18 months in response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak
As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads around the world, there is a growing understanding that the economic and social ramifications could last far longer than the disease itself. In previous articles I discussed the need to plan for a range of scenarios and factors to consider in any such scenario exploration. In this article, I focus…
Make sure your vision for a website meshes with your designer's. Otherwise, it could be expensive, frustrating, and devastating to your small business
Every business today needs a website but finding the right team to help build it isn't easy. There is no HomeStars for companies that design and build websites in Canada. We have many clients who've had terrible experiences with website building. Either the strategy for the site doesn’t align with the results, the content doesn’t match…
Identify the fear, consider its possible outcomes and their impact on your business, then develop a plan to tackle each outcome
Like most people, I’ve been really scared a few times in my life. You know the feeling – the adrenaline rush that hits when you believe you’re about to lose something. It increases your heart rate, tightens your muscles, shortens your breath, and narrows your focus on the moment and your surroundings. If you think…
How to stay connected to your audience through your online platforms during the COVID-19 crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on business owners across Canada. From major retailers to small mom-and-pop operations, business owners everywhere are shutting down for anywhere from 14 to 30 days to indefinitely. This needs to be an opportunity for you to show your audience how much you care. Whatever industry you’re in, whatever the…
Milton Hershey had a couple of failed attempts at business before he founded and built the empire of Hershey Chocolate Co. If the story of Milton Hershey ended there, he would have been seen as a success and an inspiration to many. However, there’s much more to Hershey than just a successful business, because he…
