By Glenna Crooks As we contemplate returning to on-site office work, this may be a good time to recall the pre-pandemic experience of a New Zealand company that tested a 20%-shorter workweek. The result? It made employees happier and more focused while producing the same amount of work. To accomplish that, employees brainstormed ideas to […]
By Gerry Lantz Best Buy overcame the onslaught of the e-retail giant Amazon by executing a simple strategy that everyone could understand and act on. There are lessons in that strategy, how it was developed, and then executed that can apply to companies in every sphere. If your strategy isn’t a simple story, then it’s […]
By Frank Tait Mergers and acquisitions have contributed significantly to business growth for many years, having gained popularity in the 1980s. For growth-minded companies, acquisitions can be a quick way to gain market share. As appealing as this may be, the reality is that the majority of acquisitions fail to achieve their integration goals. Recently, […]
By Diane Adams The use of social media and a digital strategy has never been more critical to businesses than it is today during this Covid crisis. Having a digital strategy ensures that we can continue to communicate with our customers, our employees, our suppliers and our stakeholders. While digital strategies may have been a […]
By Nancy Singer Many of the executives I coach have told me they often find themselves so engrossed and overwhelmed with work that too little time is left for engaging with family and community, not to mention having “me” time. This has been especially true over this past pandemic year where boundaries between our work […]
By Candida Seasock No leader can build a great business alone…and regardless of company size or industry, getting high quality advice can significantly improve a company’s chances for success. There are a number of ways to obtain advice, from informal networking all the way to boards of directors. For many business owners, the decision to […]
By Gerry Lantz What Stories Should Leaders Tell? And Why. The CEO and C-Suite leaders are under pressure like never before given the near “black swan” event brought on by the pandemic. C-suite leaders have two broad responsibilities: make decisions and move the company forward profitably. As companies face the “next normal” within their companies […]
By Neil Model Prescription spending used to account for a very small percentage of health care spend. Today, it amounts to over 20 percent, and is rising faster than any other health care cost components. An employer with 1,000 employees may easily generate 20,000 to 30,000 prescriptions per year, so it is important and beneficial […]
By Barry A. Furman, Esquire The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), created as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES Act”), authorized loans to certain businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. If businesses use their PPP loans to pay qualified business expenses, the entire loan may be forgiven. CARES Act Section 1106(i) excludes […]
By Jeff Klein As an advisor for companies in the $5 to $20 million range, I work with business owners at various stages of exit strategy planning. Given their companies’ revenue, these leaders generally anticipate financially rewarding exits within desired timelines. This is the plan, but it doesn’t always work out according to plan. When […]
By René Smith Funding and exit strategies are critical to high-growth companies planning to sell (or potentially sell), even if a sale is still years down the road. It allows stakeholders to exit on their own terms, for top value. But readying a company for funding and exit is sometimes seen as an expensive burden. […]
By Beverly A. Prohaska Small business is the backbone of the U.S. economy and the driving force behind economic growth in our region. Thus, to say we are dependent on the success of small business is an understatement. They are our favorite restaurants and coffee shops, where we go for local services, and are run […]