A friend of mine called me recently looking for advice on what to do when sales slow down. Sooner or later anyone in sales will face lean times. Eventually all industries cycle, some just do it faster than others. It’s…

Last week we reviewed the four stages of leadership development. The four stages as defined are individual contributor, novice manager, experienced manager and transformational leader. To ensure their long term survival organizations must assure they identify and move managers through…

When forming a business there are several types of corporations you could consider. The LLC, or Limited Liability Company, is becoming more popular and many states now allow an LLC to be formed with a single member. While each type…

Business ethics is a critical managerial skill set. For business owners and managers it’s important we step back and consider the ethics of how a decision can impact customers, employees, our community and the environment. Ultimately your moral fabric will…

Cold calling is one of the more challenging aspects of selling. As a young application engineer, I was sent to the West Coast for a summer, to fill in as the acting regional sales manager. That experience ended up being…

 Summer is a great time of year, but for those of us that live in “the South” summer can mean extreme heat. Often temperatures are above 90 and in some areas, above 100. In the Southeast and Great Plains, these…