Posts Tagged 'Accelerate'

Baseball and Business

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Baseball and Business

Baseball and Business

If I hit the rewind button, I am back in Little League (actually, Pony League).  And no, not my Little League years, but my son’s.  My son loved baseball.  Everything about it.  And in baseball, you get to bat.  And when you bat, you get to hit home runs – if you’re lucky.

Or is it? Luck, that is.

Hitting home runs isn’t so much about strength as it is about technique.  That is, proper hitting mechanics will trump brute ...

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The Journey of Business

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The Journey of Business

The Journey of Business

Starting and growing a business is a lot like taking a long journey on foot.  There are many parallels:

  • Every journey is different (e.g., destination).
  • And, every person who undertakes a journey is different.
  • As a result, every trek is different: the terrain, the seasons, the weather, etc.
  • Things are always changing.
  • You will encounter many challenges and obstacles along the way.
  • You can’t stay in one place too long.
  • It is impossible to carry everything you will need on your back.

On Destinations …

A ...

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The Problem with Self Reflection

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The Problem with Self Reflection

Dedication

This article is dedicated to all present and future clients of Blue Elevator™.  Business is a tough sport.  And sparingly, there are few courageous enough to embark on the ongoing process of rigorous business advisory.  You have taken the road less traveled by.  This article is dedicated to you.

The Problem With Self Reflection

There is a problem with self reflection.  The very exercise itself is almost guaranteed to reveal an opportunity to improve.

Why the Trouble?

Reflecting back on the past several years, ...

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Talking About Your Competition!

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Talking About Your Competition!

Talking About Your Competition!

When you mention your competition, you advertise for them.  The more you message your competition, the more “top of mind” they become.

So, pardon the direct advisory, but stop talking about your competition!

Why Do You Do It?

It kind of makes sense when you think about it.  Business owners, organizations, etc. tend to talk about their competition in an attempt to differentiate themselves.  At face value, this makes sense.  The trouble is, they don’t do it from a position ...

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Problem Solving in Business

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Problem Solving in Business

Problem Solving in Business

One of my first real jobs was serving as a product merchandiser for Knudsen Dairies here in Southern California.  This would be a summer job after graduating from high school before starting my freshman year as a business student at Cal State University, Fullerton.

And, since my duties would involve daily driving to any number of grocery stores, I would need a reliable vehicle to get from place to place.  And, since my high school whip was a ...

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The Deliverable in Action – a Case Study

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The Deliverable in Action – a Case Study

The Deliverable in Action

We met Padraic and Sandy back in May 2014.  They had a start up company.

With experience in hospitality and a heart for serving others, they had launched Catering on Time.

They were open for business and ready to serve.

 Getting Started in Business

Let’s face it: getting started in business is tough.

I read a quote where Bloomberg reported that 8 out of 10 entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within the first 18 months.

When starting out in business, it’s often helpful ...

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SALY

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SALY

SALY

A short title, yes.  But, it’s a short title with big implications.

What is SALY?

SALY is not the name of your sister, mother, wife, or girlfriend.  After all, it’s not even spelled correctly.

SALY is simple: It stands for Same As Last Year.

Where did SALY Come From?

SALY is a term I came across ages ago when I was discharging my duties as a CPA.  I was privileged to work with a firm called Coopers & Lybrand – a Big Eight firm.  Back ...

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Black Friday

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Black Friday

Black Friday

Black Friday.  My earliest memory of this term was when I was a student in the school of business at Cal State University, Fullerton.  It was sometime in the 1980s.

I really had no idea as to the meaning of the term.  I was young (e.g., hadn’t been around that long) and I was a young man (e.g., typically not the demographic of a serious retail shopper).

Black Friday – the meaning

Accordingly, I could only hazard a guess as to the ...

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It’s Not So Taxing to Scale your Business – a Case Study

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It’s Not So Taxing to Scale your Business – a Case Study

It’s not so taxing to scale your business

Debra’s business had grown over the years.  Everyone and every business reaches a point of diminishing returns.  In business, increased activity can become a plateau.  This same plateau often results in an eventual decline.

The conundrum

With a burgeoning tax practice, Debra (the Founder of RD Tax Service) was maxed out.  You see, when you provide great service, it is natural for people to refer to you.  Clients would refer additional clients.  Those clients would ...

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Owner-itis

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Owner-itis

Owner-itis

Owner-itis has afflicted many entrepreneurs in their time.  It strikes young and old alike and can occur at anytime.  It can also affect both rookies and business veterans.  The malady is rarely solved without the help of a skilled and trusted business advisor.  The reason?  Whereas its symptoms are easy to diagnose, it is rarely associated with the systemic problem that causes it.

It is true that many who have the disease don’t really know that they have it.  However, once ...

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