Ever been in that situation before? (Like how I was supposed to write this post a week ago, but somehow didn’t.) I’ve noticed 2 major issues when I’m having trouble getting started on something. A lot of folks make some … Read More
random thoughts
As a consultant, are you a business owner or a subcontractor?
The phone rings and you can see the name of your client. What’s the feeling in your gut? Is it, “oh, great, I’m looking forward to talking to so-and-son”? Or is it, “not again, this so-and-so is draining the life … Read More
Our own beliefs are the biggest sales obstacle
Sales is hard for anyone, but especially when you start your own professional services business, your own beliefs are often the biggest obstacle to sales. I started with some strange, self-limited beliefs about sales. Over time, I realized that I … Read More
Shhh… here’s a secret
Every great company is built on a secret. At least that’s what Peter Thiel writes in his book Zero to One: Notes on Startups or How to Build the Future. So here’s the secret at the heart of what I do … Read More
Things I’ve Learned This Decade
Being angry or mean (to others of yourself) rarely makes things better. But anger and other emotions are telling us something– listen and then decide what to do. When other people are angry or mean to you, it often has … Read More
Real and imaginary barriers
Running a business is hard. There are so many barriers to success. Sales, financing, delivery, marketing, recruiting, just balancing everything, knowing what to focus on next, etc. Yet we often make it harder on ourselves by creating imaginary barriers in … Read More
Taxes, Architecture, and Your Business
There’s a fascinating short piece by Kurt Holdstedt at 99PercentInvisible on how taxes and regulations shape the architecture we associate with cities like Paris, Amsterdam, and more. (I also learned that those distinctive Parisian roofs are called “mansard roofs”.) The mansard … Read More
Will the end of the movie business end your business?
In my last post, I made the seemingly preposterous claim that every business is a media business. Some people agreed, some people disagreed, but the hypothesis definitely caught people’s attention. So, it might be worth asking, what’s happening with the … Read More
Before you do your 2017 strategic planning…
It’s almost that time of the year again, when people start 2017 strategic planning. Before you do, look at this chart, from WaitButWhy.com. Each row is a year and each box is a week. While planning for next year … Read More
Facebook’s Acquisition of WhatsApp is Bigger than You Think
Facebook rocked Silicon Valley with its $19B of messaging app WhatsApp, with tech writers, leaders, and investors debating the massive purchase price. Wall Street seemed less than enthusiastic, dropping Facebook shares slightly after the announcement. The deal price is certainly … Read More