We had a huge snowstorm here in the Northeast just before the 2020 Christmas holiday. So my husband, Joe, and I went to visit my mother and make sure she was safe… … and Joe slipped on the ice while helping to shovel her driveway. Not just slipped – he fell flat on his back … Read More
As you may know, I live and work on Park Avenue, in the heart of New York City. But right now, The City That Never Sleeps … has gone comatose. So I do what I can each day, and then try to give myself a treat. Like the other night, I was chowing down on … Read More
As seen in … Tired of running out of money no matter how much you make? As my client Danielle complained, Why does it seem I can generate several million dollars a year … and STILL never have enough money in the bank? So what’s the solution to managing those cash flow ups and … Read More
A recent Wall Street Journal article reported on seismic changes befalling large law firms. Seems that under the new regime, “data and money rule.” Gone is the tightknit camaraderie. The three-martini lunches. Where “I’ll get around to it,” was the response to turning in time sheets and billing practices were lax. Where splitting profits at … Read More
Did you ever lose a client when you thought you’d done nothing wrong? Sure, you can understand it if you completely muck up an assignment. But sometimes, it’s the breach of “micro-commitments” that turns a client off. This happened to Chris, who runs a web development firm. Overall, they’re terrific. Solid problem-solvers. Efficient. Current with … Read More
When you really think about it, negotiating isn’t that hard. It’s simply a process where each side wants to get as much as possible from the other at the least possible cost. Which is something many business owners claim they do well. Maybe. Even though many can establish a good rapport, few have a system … Read More
I love Fall. Back-to-school time. School supply shopping. Fond memories of walking across my leafy green Wellesley college campus with a knapsack full of notebooks. (Yes, I’m a nerd. And proud). One of my newer clients, Denyse, hates it. She runs a social media firm based outside of Boston. For her, it’s “come-to-Jesus” time. Because … Read More
My client, Cate, runs a graphic and web design firm. On a recent consulting call she complained, I feel like an accordion. When clients pour in and I need to ramp up, I’m stretched. When times are thin and I need to pare down, I’m squeezed. And it seems like I never have the right … Read More
What do open invoices say about your business? Brian Tracy once said, All business is people business. That’s because businesses are built on relationships—whether you build those relationships online or offline. But when your clients don’t pay, what does that say about the value they place on that relationship? And when you let them not … Read More
It’s zero five hundred. I’m waiting for a prearranged taxi to chauffeur me to Command Naval Surface Forces Headquarters on Coronado Island, near San Diego. No, I’m not in trouble; just part of the U.S. Navy’s Leaders to Sea program, where business influencers get to experience Navy operations and training in real time on board … Read More
Listen to the Episode Below: Marketing may have the sex appeal, but finance is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to growing your business. The hard numbers can tell where you’re succeeding, where you could put in a little more work, and where you’re hemorrhaging and should let go of what’s not … Read More
Listen to the Episode Below: When it comes to scaling, service businesses get stuck in the time for dollars equation. How can we increase our income without magically creating more time? We can always find ways to cut costs, spend less, work faster, or delegate to other people. How can technology solve this problem? What … Read More
