What makes an Entrepreneur an Entrepreneur?
She was only 22 and an introvert but she spent years selling her product door-to-door trying to get her tiny company off the ground.…
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The Gift of Being Present
Our pastor told a great story last week. He shared his experience having meetings with people and their cell phones. He said the placement…
Top 10 Best Selling Books in Business Management & Leadership for August 2018
Leaders need to be readers. I recommend reading leadership and business books regularly to sharpen your skills and make you aware of important, new…
Communicating Bad News
It’s never easy telling people bad news. As a leader, I have had more than my share of experience telling employees things they didn’t…
The One Job Nobody Wants (And Why You Should Take It)
Everybody wants to be the boss. They want to be in charge. They want the corner office, the assistant, the parking spot, the title,…
Learning for Leaders: 5 Simple Ways to Embed Learning into your Demanding Schedule
Like most leaders, I’m very busy. My role as the CEO of a start-up manufacturing company requires a great deal of time and effort.…
Solitude: 5 Reasons Why Leaders Need Time Alone
I had a lot of things on my mind. Our start-up company was growing fast but I felt there was more we could be…
The Strenuous Life: 3 Entrepreneurial Takeaways from Theodore Roosevelt’s Famed Speech
When we started our company, we didn’t have an office. It was still under construction. Our landlord gave us a dozen old desks that…
Staying on Course: How to Protect Your Mission
As the machinery division officer on a nuclear submarine during the cold war, I had the challenging task of checking the boat for “rattles”…
Building an Unstoppable Team
Last week, I went out to the factory floor to see how we were doing building a critical order for a new customer. From…
Breaking Away from Big Brands
I recently had an experience staying in a $68 a night hotel that was remarkable. I was helping my son move and I just…
The Truth about Chasing Down a Dream
For several weeks, orders were unusually low. Our growth seemed to be stalled. I was getting nervous. I was starting to think our business…
Honoring Those That Never Came Home – The Evolution of Memorial Day
Just West of Cambridge, England on an immaculate slope of deep green grass surrounded by sprawling woodlands lies a powerful reminder of the tragedy…
Death of a Business: The Problem with Choosing the Wrong Strategy
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” Michael Porter When I was a kid in the 1970s there was only one…
Get out of your Bubble: Why the Secret to Great Leadership Insight is found in the Breakroom, not the Boardroom
What if you could know what your employees were thinking? What if you could see the company through their eyes? How would your leadership…
Forget the New Year’s Resolution, Do This Instead to Make Lasting Change
The biggest problem with resolutions is that a vast majority of people never achieve them. Statistics show that 20% of Americans will drop out…
How a Crappy Cup of Coffee Helped Me Find My Purpose in Life and How to Find Yours
Do you want to be a better leader? Sign up for my free newsletter. Winter in Northern Ohio is tough and the people who live…
5 Reasons Why We’re More Productive on Planes and How to Replicate it at Work
“Please place your seat back and tray table in their full upright and locked position and check to ensure your seat belt is securely…
The One Trait That Makes Veterans Invaluable Employees
Why do some people succeed while others give up? What is it that allows certain individuals to endure the toughest challenges without wavering? Is…
The Best Way to Thank a Veteran this Veteran’s Day
This Veteran’s Day, don’t thank a veteran, hire a veteran. It will be the best thing you ever did for your company. “If you…
12 Rules for Success that Turned a Small Family Business into a Global Brand
Bill Marriott, former CEO of Marriott International, learned business and leadership by observing his father, J. Willard Marriott. The elder Marriott was one of…
The One Mistake to Avoid as a New Leader
You got the new job. You accepted the promotion. You’re in charge now. Whether you’re a first-time leader or an experienced manager in a new role,…
Looking to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone? Hire a Navy Seal
“Don’t get too comfortable. Ever.” Navy Seal Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. We’ve all probably read this quote or seen…
Are Employees an Expense or an Asset? The Answer May Surprise You
“Being an employee of several different companies, I can honestly say that I’ve felt like nothing more than a line item on a spreadsheet…