Last week was National Small Business Week. Every year at this time the North Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida celebrates with an awards luncheon singling out small business owners in their region who are outstanding. This year was their 25th anniversary and we were honored to be their keynote […]

Good business relationships are built on trust. People who depend on you, from your creditors to your employees, need to confidently rely on you to treat them fairly. Once they know you can be depended upon, they will extend their cooperation and even make allowances for you. This is absolutely critical to your success. The […]

Every year we are delighted to be part of the Nanyang University in Singapore’s U.S. Immersion Program. The students visit businesses in Silicon Valley and the East Coast with a trip to the Sonoma County wine country. This year we hosted 120 international graduate students studying for their Masters in Technopreneurship and Innovation. What could […]

“My idea is so great, I’m guaranteed success!” We see too many entrepreneurs falling in love with their products and kidding themselves into believing that their idea itself is all they need to make them a screaming success. Warehouses are filled with great commercial products that never got to store shelves. Founders of promising start-ups […]

Why is it suddenly necessary for tens of thousands of scientists to march on Earth Day and implore us to take climate change seriously? Why do they have to insist that there is no debate and that the signs are already here? They obviously think we need a strong reminder. The systematic dismantling of the EPA, […]

Rohnert Park, CA – SOMO Village (http://www.somovillage.com) and Altwork are set to welcome the 2017 delegation of 120 students of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore to Sonoma County on Saturday, April 29, 2017. On Saturday, SOMO Village CEO, Brad Baker will present SOMO Village and its international recognition as the First One Planet Community in […]

While we can understand the frustration many may have with our over blown bureaucracies and endless miles of red tape, we can’t understand the current administration’s budget blueprint to ax the immensely popular Energy Star Rating program. Ouch! The program, now in its 25th year, is beloved by consumer and the 16,000 companies and organizations […]

These days there are tons of companies that say they want their people to be more engaged, but are they giving them permission to do so? Yes: permission! It’s subtle, but powerful. Permission is a powerful idea in determining company culture. Are you giving your people permission to be creative, make decisions, solve problems, and […]

We often hear, “Just tell me the one thing!” Or, “I just want the step-by-step process!” But when you don’t know why and just “cut and paste” you’re cruisin’ for a bruisin’. Sooner or later you will make a bad decision unless you grasp the overriding reason for the process. If you can’t extrapolate the […]

Best-Selling Authors Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey Will Recount Lessons Learned Building Top Wine Brand at April Cal Poly Pomona Leadership Forum Their book on transforming Barefoot Wine from the verge of bankruptcy to a leading brand became a New York Times bestseller. Now the public has the opportunity to hear the two entrepreneurs free […]