(Time to read this Blog article is about 30 seconds) When offering customers a deal or ‘thanking’ them for their business, don’t underwhelm them. It makes you look stingy and out of touch. A few months ago I was on a Celebrity Cruise Lines ship, working with a client and their management team to improve […]

(Time to read this Blog article is about 60 seconds) Many businesses, large and small, make the mistake of believing that their customers have only one ‘currency’ in their lives, money, so they can think of only one way to compete, which is to cut their price.  ‘Price’ is very important but when you realize […]

(Time to read this Blog article is about 90 seconds) My father used to say, “If you don’t stand for something…you’ll fall for anything!”  What do you ‘stand for’ that could differentiate your business, make powerful connections with your target customers and get you talked about, texted and tweeted about? Long before it became illegal […]

(Time to read this Blog article is about 45 seconds) Each year the March issue of Fortune Magazine lists their ‘100 Best Companies To Work For In America’.  Buy it, study the entire report from page 53 to page 78, make a list of what these top employers do to attract, engage and retain top […]

(Time to read this Blog section is about 60 seconds) Are you planning and investing for your retirement? According to a recent survey by one of Canada’s largest banks, 35% of Canadians aged 55 or older haven’t even started to plan and invest for their retirement.  These folks are in complete denial.  They’re going to […]

(Time to read this blog article about 2 minutes) Whatever business you’re in, mediocrity is no longer an option!  Let’s face it; if we’re trying to stay in business by being mediocre, once our customers have been to Disney World, we’re doomed.  Once they’ve seen “amazing” and been treated wonderfully, we can’t fool them anymore. […]

(Time to read this blog article about 60 seconds) What happens on your ‘front line’ has a huge impact on your bottom line.  But, when things go wrong on the front line, it’s almost always a symptom of problems further up in the organization.  And, sadly, it’s always easier to blame the front-line folks than […]

(Time to read this blog article about 60 seconds) Today is Valentine’s Day.  The day when roses are over-priced and you can’t get a decent seat at a good restaurant.  But there are many ways you can show your love and appreciation today and every day.   Below I share with you my list of […]

(Time to read this Blog article is about 90 seconds) Forty years ago, most people worked for the same company for much of their life, with a stable working environment and a predictable career ladder.  Because change was much slower then, people had long-lasting skills.  Not so today. It’s estimated that young people now entering […]

(Time to read this article is about 60 seconds) Many of my coaching clients (business owners and managers) are hiding from something.  In fact, I guess we’re all hiding from something in one way or another. Some are hiding from ‘bad news’ by not paying attention to their financial statements, or to new competitors or […]