In these days of rapid change, it’s out with the old and in with the new. In our love affair with all things digital, we have become vulnerable to undocumented and downright false stories. It’s interesting how it creeped up on us. Yes, we all have become susceptible to fake news. Some folks actually brag, […]

Business owners want to know, “How do I raise more money?” We ask, “Why do you need more money?” The answer is usually, “To pay my bills” or “To grow my business.” But we have found that more money may not be the answer. What if you could get more investors, increase your credit limits, […]

It’s hard to believe that with the world’s scientific community in overwhelming agreement, the documented loss of the coral reefs, and melting of the polar ice caps that so many folks still act like climate change is not happening. We were recently discussing the latest economic mega trends with a good friend and business associate. […]

Online shopping for the Holidays is great fun! You avoid the crowds and can usually get your entire gift list knocked out in an hour. But you feel a little empty, like something’s missing! You pretty much have to know what you are shopping for in advance, look for the best price, and have it […]

Sometimes we get so busy, we forget to say thank you to acknowledge a great referral or appreciate a job well done. We tend to get overwhelmed by today’s news and financial pressures. Rather than appreciating what’s going right, we tend to focus on what’s going wrong. We are challenged to meet our deadlines, show […]

When we took on the building of the Barefoot Wine brand, we really didn’t understand the problems we would have to overcome to be successful. We had no idea how long it would take, the opposition we would face, or the enormous hurdles we had to clear in compliance, distribution, and personnel management. Every day […]

Anytime there is a demand, business will rise to satisfy it – at a profit! We now face a huge demand. Our very livelihood is at stake. The denigration of our environment will put us out of work, out of our homes, and in the hospital. Already we see the effects of a major drought […]

Often the best ideas to solve problems, cut costs, and improve sales come from your own people – but they never get to you. Why? Because you have inadvertently allowed your company’s structure to prevent them from doing so. Employees, vendors, and customers are loaded with good ideas to help you succeed. But are you […]

Every day we hear companies, organizations, and institutions say they want to hire people with entrepreneurial DNA. They all say they want an entrepreneurial culture where their employees are engaged and empowered. But do they really? You can hire the best. You can vet for self-starting, creative, resourceful people with a sense of urgency who […]

Within the last few decades we have seen the increasingly rapid demise of the teaching of the trades in high schools and community colleges. The “shiny ball” seems to be technology. Courses in the physical trades – also known as vocational education – seem to have been traded out for anything high tech. But is […]