Modern Small Business
Welcome to our Leadership Blog
Life, Love & Business – it's a phrase we often use to explain the everyday interconnection between our business lives and our personal lives — all for the purpose of protecting and providing for those we love and nurturing our key relationships.
Our experience is most people want to be better people, to run better businesses and be better able to contribute to their communities and families in more meaningful ways. At its core of course, is the drive of leadership; who you are when nobody is looking, what you believe (and what you don't) who you value, what you support, and how you choose to show up in the world around you. Leadership is how we live (and work) with purpose and become that change we want to see in the world around us.
Our Modern Small Business Blog is for people who want to actively grow themselves, their businesses, and their community – so they can all live a bigger life.
“Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision”
― Peter F. Drucker
The future of business and its social, moral and commercial decisions
In January 2018 Ingvar Kamprad, the Swedish business genius behind the flatpack furniture giant IKEA, passed away at 91 leaving a business empire turning over $30 billion annually.
Moneyism’s and why what happens in childhood doesn’t remain in childhood
Let me tell you something you already know: there’s a clear connection between your attitudes and your wealth.
If you've taken a public vow of poverty and then you win the lottery, (or receive an inheritance, or an insurance payout), either way your money belief system will probably get in the way.
Empty words and missing statements
In a recent interview, I was asked for a copy of my company’s mission or values statement. Eek! Making a mission statement is something that I’ve resisted for some time so you can imagine my awkwardness at their request and the resulting exchange about why I don’t have one.
Don’t get me wrong, I have a written business manifesto of what I believe to be true, I have a clear brand essence document and I even have a detailed customer, supplier, and staff journey mapped out. Just not a mission statement.
Passion must be supported by Expertise
What does speaking truth to power and your small business marketing have in common? They each depend upon your ability to influence and capture the hearts and minds of the listener, if just for a moment.
Have you considered the increased risks of working with multiple business owners?
Being in business is about finding a way to work well with others.
This is essential if you want to increase your skills, broaden your reach, extend your creativity or just amplify your ability to deliver a needed product or service to your customer.
It's common knowledge that working with others in your business can accelerate your success.
What's often not talked about is working with others can also amplify your risks.
Business Social Responsibility (BSR)
Perhaps big businesses with big budgets and big personalities like Buffett, Gates, Oprah or just a word that's really hard to spell?
But where does Small Business fit into the conversation about philanthropy, business social responsibility (BSR) and giving back to the community in meaningful ways?
- Always plan a future greater than your past
- There's never been a better time to be alive and under 35
- Working smarter not harder is bad advice
- Asking great questions is better than finding simple answers
- When was the last time you were propositioned?
- Our communities need leaders now, not promises of money later
- Are you solving the wrong problem with the right answer?