1. Build a solid management team. A business with sales of $5 million and up needs a full complement of officers and directors. Such a team might include: a COO, a CFO, a sales manager and, depending on the of type business, an IT director. It is...
If you find yourself in a position where your customers always insist on speaking with you directly instead of your employees, then you might want to consider shifting your structure so you can improve the value of your business. Here's why: a business that can thrive...
As we enter the 21st century’s third decade, it’s fun to look back on the companies that have stood the test of time. Despite a few well-financed chicken-focused start-ups, mounting pressure to reduce our dependence on meat, and our growing addiction to fancy coffee, McDonald’s...
Walk down Nashville’s Lower Broadway any night of the week, and you can hear aspiring artists belting out cover tunes from Elton John to Garth Brooks. In many cases, these musicians come to Nashville to be discovered but pay their rent using the tips they get...
Most company founders are good at the first stages of entrepreneurship. But in the phases that follow, they may only be average. Just because you have a knack for starting companies, doesn’t necessarily mean that those skills translate well into growing one. There are celebrated cases...
Small businesses often operate as if their sole purpose is to fund the owner’s lifestyle, but the most valuable companies are run with financial rigor. You may be years from wanting to sell, but starting to formalize your operations now will help you predict the...
Cross selling new products and services to your existing customers may be a great marketing strategy, but if your goal is to increase the value of your business, the added revenue may do nothing for your company’s value – and may even lower it. In order...
The managed service provider (MSP) business model has become the standard for delivering IT services. The migration to cloud computing has significantly increased the scope and scalability that MSPs can achieve. These economic considerations have led to a wave of consolidations in the MSP sector,...
Companies like Netflix, UrthBox, and Amazon are leveraging the subscription business model to discover what their customers want next. In a traditional business, the customer buys your product or service once, and it is up to you to try to convince them to buy again in...
Repeat customers are the lifeblood of your business, but customers can be fickle. Here's how to make them sticky. In a traditional business, the customer buys your product or service once, and it is up to you to try to convince them to buy again in...