Little BIG man! Using Your Unique Niche Business Strategy

Companies aren’t the only people that use their niche business strategies… check out the example below.

Who is 6’ tall, weighs 175 pounds and frustrates the daylights out of the best basketball players in the world? Jose Barea, that’s who. More »

The Big Plunge: A Free Business Assessment

Considering a MAJOR move that might risk your ranch?

Trying to build up the courage to take some risks in your business? On this page you’ll find free business assessment tools that will help you. They were inspired in part by reading “Shadow Divers” by Robert Kursonwill, which I’d recommend you read.

It will provide you with a compelling illustration of just what extreme risk looks like. A quick business assessment of this venture would have had large red letters marked “danger!” More »

Building & Turbo Charging Your Sales Team

Frustrated with your Sales team or lackluster results? Are you constantly thinking about sales training in your local region? Stop settling for sales performance that isn’t generating significant earnings.

You CAN set a higher bar, strengthen your sales team, your sales processes and drive higher sales in a matter of months! This straightforward PowerPoint presentation,“Build & Turbo-Charge Your Sales Team”, gives you a practical step by step checklist on what to do to make it happen.

Rank your current status A, B or C on each item. If you score an “A,” keep up the good work, if you score a “B,” focus on it & figure out how to do better. If you score a “C,” get some help re-engineering it or out-source it. Sell more right NOW! I’m allergic to long sales cycles… and you should be as well.’

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Business Survival During A Recession: Defiance and Irrepressible Spirit

Ever wonder what it might take for you to succeed in the most difficult conditions? Or have you wondered about business survival during a recession?

According to Laura Hillenbrand, author of “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption” two factors are “defiance and irrepressible spirit.” If this story and that of Ms. Hillenbrand herself don’t inspire you, please check your pulse. More »

How to Raise Capital for a Small Business

Need to know how to raise capital for a small business?

Raising capital is very difficult but there are best practices that greatly improve your probability of success. Many entrepreneurs are frustrated and disappointed by the process, not understanding the critical success factors that make all the difference.

Here’s a quick primer on how to get what you want… by giving investors what they require.

Use it as a guide to constructively assess where you stand so that you can effectively exploit your capital-raising strengths and to mitigate your weaknesses and become “investment grade.”

I’m happy to provide you with more pointers in my presentation “How to Raise Capital“.

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Falling into the same (Mouse) Trap – Getting Out of Sales Slumps

Getting out of sales slumps: unique case study ahead.

We have a 110 year old arts and crafts bungalow whose old basement with a very low ceiling is visited by mice every winter.  In 12 years as official mouse warden, I’ve trapped more than 100 mice and that’s a large enough sample for me to believe that I know at least a little about what works and what doesn’t. I’m a freelance Consumer Reports of mouse traps.

For years, my staple “tool” has been the familiar spring-loaded trap that sits on a ¼” thick 1.75″x4″ piece of wood. My bait of choice is thick, sticky peanut butter. The particular mousetrap brand I’m using now is from www.tomcatbrand.com and features a yellow cheese-looking platform to hold the bait. More »

Business Tunnel Vision

Take a ride on the Flam Railway in Norway in and out of 20 tunnels and experience what tunnel vision really means.

In business, tunnel vision can make us less effective and less efficient because we aren’t open to more important priorities and better solutions.

Ride the rails with JACOBY and learn more by clicking here.

The Great Haul of China

What good is a treasure if it’s underutilized?

In 210 BC, Emperor Qin was the first to unite all of the regions of China and he proceeded to build a 7,000 member terra cotta army with which to rule the afterlife as well. An estimated 700,000 workers spent decades creating this army… and then the Emperor had it all buried.

Forgotten for centuries, this exquisitely sculpted army served no one. Since its discovery in 1974, excavation has continued on this amazing treasure trove. Maryland’s business community has also been out of sight and out of mind for too long resulting in limited influence and ability to make Maryland the strongest possible community.

Whistle While You Work

In 1961, former World War II intelligence officer Julia Child removed the cloak of secrecy surrounding French cuisine with one of the greatest HOW TO books of all time “Mastering The Art of French Cooking.”

Business owners can learn several great lessons from the one-of-a-kind Chef Julia.

Watch the video below to get the full course meal.

What’s Your 2010 Business Development Strategy?

Did your 2009 business development strategy work like you hoped? Will you use the same strategies in 2010, or are you going to analyze, learn from your failures (and victories), and adapt?

Learning and adapting is usually a good idea, particularly if your results weren’t as you expected. But what are the best ways to learn from your mistakes, plan, and adapt to a new market condition?

This post explores how some of the smartest small companies in the Baltimore, Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia markets are planning their 2010 business development strategies.

The tried and true. There are certain business development strategies that just plain work and I’ll go over some of them below. More »