Management
Michael Mehlberg
Project Management Solution? Keep It Simple ...

Project management is among a top skill to master in any business; especially one wanting to grow.

Why?

Because without project management, business owners will unnecessarily run into common issues:

Project Management Solution? Keep It Simple Stupid
Productivity
Michael Mehlberg
Getting Derailed? Leave Room to Accommodate the ...

You often get derailed by "the unexpected.”

It’s inevitable.

You get interrupted an unexpected number of times daily. Those interruptions come at unexpected times. They each take an unexpected amount of time with which to deal.

That’s why it’s "the unexpected."

These interruptions kill your flow, destroy your focus, and force you to work on the urgent instead of the important.

So how do you deter, prevent, and deal with the problems these unexpected interruptions incur? 

Getting Derailed? Leave Room to Accommodate the Unexpected
Product Development
Michael Mehlberg
The Exact Value of Your Million Dollar Idea

I was shocked, hurt, and felt like my idea had been stolen. Though I had the idea first, Nintendo would be the star. Nintendo would make $millions. It took years before I was old enough to recognize the important lesson in this experience... 

The Exact Value of Your Million Dollar Idea
Business
Michael Mehlberg
Finding Your Value Despite the Competition

Are you second-guessing your next great idea? Are you downplaying the value you could provide to others? Are you upset that you found a competitor in the market who seems to be offering everything you want to (and seems to be finding great success doing it)?

It might be time to step back and realize a few important things.

Finding Your Value Despite the Competition
Productivity
Michael Mehlberg
On the Power and Freedom of Getting Yourself ...
On the Power and Freedom of Getting Yourself (and Your Business) Organized

5 Ways to Improve Your Company's Workflow

5 Ways to Improve Your Company's Workflow

In order to be successful, a business has to find its workflow.

A business must work successfully and smoothly to maintain structure during tumultuous times. Whether your team is working on a really important project or has an upcoming deadline, if you have a strong workflow, there is nothing to worry about.

On the other hand, if you don’t have the right procedures in place, that can be something that might negatively impact your company.

An effective workflow is only possible by shifting focus onto efficiency and work towards avoiding inefficiency. Inefficiency can cost your company time, money and even employees, so it’s important to know where a company’s problem areas are. Below are some tips for improving your company’s workflow.

4 Ways to Optimize Your Small Business Finance Processes in 2018

4 Ways to Optimize Your Small Business Finance Processes in 2018

For the majority of small businesses, managing finances is one of the most difficult tasks to perform. However, no matter how tedious this task may be, it is critical for your business’ growth. It not only helps you predict where your business is headed but also allows you to make more informed and data-backed business decisions. Not to mention that maintaining your financial records will make your tax reporting and payments much simpler.

Here are a few tips that will help you boost your finances in 2018.

The Cure for Uncertainty, Lost Focus, and Lack of Motivation in Your Business

The Cure for Uncertainty, Lost Focus, and Lack of Motivation in Your Business

It's debilitating, isn't it?

Not knowing if you are on the right path. The uncertainty of whether what you are working on will bring you success.

You work and work. You push from every angle to make an inch of progress Only to look up one day and find yourself lost; unsure if what you are doing is getting you anywhere, worried that you are missing something.

It's a hard feeling to shake.

When this uncertainty hits, it saps your motivation. Your focus and clarity transform into a gloomy cloud of doubt hanging overhead, raining worry and dissatisfaction upon you.

Every business owner knows this feeling.

Avoiding the Embarrassment of a Bad Compensation Plan

Avoiding the Embarrassment of a Bad Compensation Plan

There's a lesson in this judgment I'm about pass.

It's a lesson I learned early in my management career. It's also a lesson I learned the hard way… by not thinking... by screwing up. 

Yesterday, news broke that United CEO Scott Kirby backtracked on an unpopular plan to incentivize employees with big bonuses chosen by lottery. In the boardroom, the plan may have sounded excellent. Instead of giving everyone a paltry $300 per quarter, why not pool the money and give one lucky individual $100k in travel, cars, or other luxury items? But in the words of Frank Shirley:

How to Build a Business Strategy Worthy of Olympic Gold

How to Build a Business Strategy Worthy of Olympic Gold

Last weekend, the US Olympic men’s curling team took gold in a knock out battle with Sweden. People were yelling. Stones were flying. And grown men were crying. 

It was an incredible game won by flawless execution and a superior strategy. 

That’s why I harp on having a strategy for your business. 

Not some complex strategy worthy of a multi-billion dollar publicly traded company. No, just a plan to get from point A to point B with consideration for each of those steps along the way. 

How do you do that? How do you build a legitimate roadmap for the purpose-filled growth you desire? Try these steps:

Infographic | The Latest Social Media Marketing Best Practices You Need to Know

Infographic | The Latest Social Media Marketing Best Practices You Need to Know

How many times do other companies reach out to you via social media or a messaging service? 

It’s probably several times a day, right?

How many times a day do you pursue social media interactions with friends, family, and loved ones? 

Dozens? Hundreds? More? 

The combined time you spend sending and receiving social messages from everyone and ever company is growing at a crazy rate. No matter how you slice it, that's a lot of time... and that makes it very difficult for other messages to reach through to you and get your attention.

Now, imagine you are leading a marketing effort for your company. How on earth do you reach through to your customers? Customers who are inundated with messages from friends, family, loved ones, and other companies. Customers who are swimming in "noise."

If you've been trying to market your message to your customers recently, you know how difficult it is to cut through that noise. It's becoming a monumental task to attract anyone's attention!

It's time to change what you know about your customers and how to communicate with them.

Here are some best practices explaining how to effectively use social media in a modern way that cuts through the noise, get's your customers attention, and makes an impact:

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On Systems for Continuous Business Improvement

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On Systems for Continuous Business Improvement

I remember the pain of losing my first sale.

I’d spent nearly $1500 on flights and hotels, taken two days out for travel, and spent another two days preparing for what I thought was going to be a slamdunk meeting.

As it turns out, if you want to slam dunk, you have to clear a path to the basket before you jump.

The funny thing was, my meeting went exceptionally well. I had my talking points, I answered all their questions, I was friendly, funny, and otherwise firing on all cylinders.

But in sales, that’s not always enough...

4 Technologies Small Business Owners Can't Live Without in 2018

4 Technologies Small Business Owners Can't Live Without in 2018

Technology isn’t just improving the lives of consumers, it’s changing the ways in which businesses perform and operate. Technology is emerging that caters to consumers, making everything from technical support to the payment process more seamless and efficient.

The question is, as a small business owner, how can you effectively use this technology to better serve your customers?

Take a look at the following technological breakthroughs. They are a great way to engage audiences, while also increasing your collaborative abilities and security infrastructure.

In short, here are the technologies that small businesses can’t live without in 2018:

5 Warning Signs to Sniff Out Low Employee Engagement

5 Warning Signs to Sniff Out Low Employee Engagement

Can you spot the difference between and engaged vs. disengaged employee?

When employees are engaged with their work, they put in the extra effort and genuinely believe in the values of your organization. Disengaged workers, on the other hand, tend to dislike their jobs, don’t put in any effort beyond what’s necessary, and don’t care about the company’s vision.

Many experts believe it’s difficult to identify employees who aren’t engaged. That’s because, while some are “actively disengaged” making them fairly easy to spot, roughly half the United States workforce remains disengaged in subtle, less obvious ways.

7 Small Business Trends to Prepare For in 2018

7 Small Business Trends to Prepare For in 2018

Let’s keep this simple.

There’s one month left in 2017 and we all know we should be looking ahead to our goals and activities for 2018…

But the end of the year is a busy time for small business owners, and it’s all we can do to survive and thrive. So we wanted to help you think about 2018 by listing some upcoming trends.

These small business trends can hopefully help motivate you to take your operation to the next level in the new year!

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The One Thing Business Owners Should Be Doing Every Day

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The One Thing Business Owners Should Be Doing Every Day

With my body aching from head to toe and hands covered in fresh blisters, the thing that hurt the most was my pride.

I tried to hide the pain from my two sons. But they could see right through my stiff posture and a fake smile.

Anybody could have. 

When you run out of strength and have to ask for help, it hurts. 

When you hear people laughing at you, it hurts more. 

When you realize that you were rowing a boat with the anchor dropped while dragging 75 pounds of seaweed through the mud, you feel like a complete and total dunce.

3 Hours Earlier…

How to Help 93% of Your Employees Feel More Productive

How to Help 93% of Your Employees Feel More Productive

Just recently, Forbes published an article reporting that only 7% of workers feel productive during the workday. 

7 percent!!!

Just think about that for a minute... 93 out of 100 employees don't feel like they can get their work done.

And if they don’t feel like they’re getting their work done… Guess what? Let’s just say they could be doing a lot more.

What do they blame?

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    How to Grow Your Business with Strategic Customer Retention

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    How to Grow Your Business with Strategic Customer Retention

    The rising power of consumers is perhaps the biggest game-changer in the world of modern business.

    People are well-informed, less tolerant of shabby service, and more specific in their demands. Digital technologies have empowered them and transformed the way businesses perceive and deal with them. Nowadays, attracting customers is just one part of the success equation.

    The real work starts once you need to keep their attention and win their trust. ..

    What 5.8 Million People Taught Me About Small Business Marketing

    What 5.8 Million People Taught Me About Small Business Marketing

    I know the feeling.

    Another marketing campaign, another disappointment.

    You start out with high hopes, and big dollar signs in your eyes.

    But when the results from your campaign start coming in, it’s more of the same… Lackluster results.

    Of course, you don’t fool yourself into thinking your marketing will take off like wild-fire, but you at least expect to get a few customers out of it.

    Alas, every new campaign confirms your worst fear—you're spending money on crappy marketing that isn't effective.

    Well, here's a secret...

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    Dealing with Difficult Customers and Providing Great Customer Service

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    Dealing with Difficult Customers and Providing Great Customer Service

    If you're reading this, you may have dealt with angry and difficult customers too. Maybe you’re dealing with one right now?

    These customers seem to suck all your time, energy, and happiness right out of your business. They complain, make demands, and force you to spend an inordinate amount of time fixing their problems so nasty word doesn't spread about your customer service.

    It's a firefight. And since you’re the business owner, someone handed you the hose.

    Say the wrong thing, and it just adds fuel to the fire. Let it burn too long, and it spreads.

    So how do you keep it from spreading? More importantly, how do you keep the next one from starting so you can focus on building a business instead of controlling damage?

    That's what we're going to look at today. And it all starts with creating a customer focused organization, from the top down...

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    Want to Grow Your Business? Find These 3 Numbers First...

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    Want to Grow Your Business? Find These 3 Numbers First...

    I’m going to use two words that will quickly turn you away.

    Your first reaction will be to close this article and search for greener pastures.

    But you mustn’t…

    Because these two words are going to be the root of your success. If used correctly, these two words are going to help you:

    ·       discover your niche,

    ·       find your ideal customers,

    ·       increase sales,

    ·       grow your business, and

    ·       crush your competition.

    You’ve heard these words before. So has your competition.

    Your competition has already used these two words to get funding, grow their startup, snag away your customers, and start encroaching on your company’s territory.

    That’s because these words aren’t some hidden secret. They are widely used in corporate circles, necessary for business planning, and critical to any company’s success.

    That’s why you’ll want to leave. Because you think you know what these words mean. Because you’re convinced that you’ve already gotten everything you can out of them. Because you believe you are too busy and have more pressing things to learn and bigger problems to solve.

    But you don’t.

    Because while you may have done this before, you haven’t used these two words since you started your business… and you haven’t used these two words to affect growth.

    That’s what we’re going to do today.

    We’re going to make your company stronger. Stronger from within (through a clear understanding of your customers, their buying power, and their problems) and from without (through increased presence, better customer targeting, and growth into new business areas).

    Ready to hear them?