That’s so metal 🤘 I once helped a company that sells pre-engineered buildings grow their brand in a commodity market, allowing them to raise their prices. When it comes right down to it, metal buildings are metal buildings. They all use the same materials, often from the same exact suppliers; they are designed pretty much…
Growing ain’t easy. It takes a lot of inertia to grow a business. In real day-to-day terms: that means you spend your time, your attention, and your money. Once you have figured out a business that works pretty well in your area, one move to grow (and become more profitable) is to run the same…
There’s always “the one” metric. If you’re wondering about your cardiac health, they’re always going to start with blood pressure. Blood pressure isn’t everything… there are EKG’s, heart rate, two different kinds of cholesterol levels to measure, hemoglobin, complete blood count, and a whole panel of tests that can be run to discover how your…
Are you ready for wild growth? Growth by acquiring or forming other companies can be a great way to see immediate growth, if it’s planned and executed well. This is “big risk, big reward” territory. In terms of trails, it’s the skinny little goat trail with a thousand-foot drop and loose rocks, but at the…
You have more assets than you realize. When you think of your business assets, what comes to mind? Typically you’ll think of vehicles, your brand, reputation, inventory, FF&E (furniture fixtures and equipment, in banker speak), maybe even your team. But what about the tools you can’t touch, feel, or smell? If you have a tool…
I have had some of my brightest ideas on the open road. Whether road tripping, cycling, or running – there’s something about chasing that white line that puts my mind into creative mode, I suppose. There are better and worse ways to use physical activity to free your mind. For example: jogging in a busy city…
You’re better than a largemouth bass. One of my favorite fishing lures is a Kastmaster. It’s simple and effective. It’s basically just a chunk of metal with holes drilled into each end (one for an eyelet, one for the hook). They are highly polished to a bright shiny finish, and have an asymmetrical design that…
Breathe in. Breathe out. This is a simple reminder that it’s okay to rest. I know it’s easy to grind-grind-grind, can’t stop won’t stop, if I don’t do it then who will?! But we are also built to rest. So make sure to take a break every now and then. And with that, I’m taking…
You’re better than a largemouth bass. One of my favorite fishing lures is a Kastmaster. It’s simple and effective. It’s basically just a chunk of metal with holes drilled into each end (one for an eyelet, one for the hook). They are highly polished to a bright shiny finish, and have an asymmetrical design that…
Action wins. Once you’ve identified a part of your business to change for the better, then it’s time to find the trailhead–the starting point–and get hiking. At this point, your hike takes whatever it takes. Be diligent and stay the course. Remain committed to action more than accomplishment. When you are hiking, you just need to keep placing…