Over the “Christmas Break” I had an insightful conversation with my 9 year old daughter about devaluation. It started simply about a penny. Yes, that little copper coin so dissed for only being one cent. The conversation centered around kids at my daughter’s school saying that pennies are worthless. As we counted (and rolled) the…
It was two days after I was asked to present on legacy to the Arizona Suns Charities 88 annual review event that I sat in the car with my dad. I’ve presented on legacy to non-profits and small business groups over the past three years and held a strong belief in what legacy meant to…
If you know me, you know I’m all about building a legacy. Not for self respect or for ego. No, I’m for building a legacy that gives others opportunities greater than I had. I reflect regularly on what I want to leave behind for others. My greatest hero, my dad, taught me that whenever you…
In business it’s rare to discuss character. It’s not tangible. It holds no cash value. It plays no part in budgetary meetings. It’s not bantered around at board meetings when discussing clients and suppliers. It’s not sexy like “scaling” the business. It’s not looked for in job interviews. It’s just not there – anymore. Character…
Every business has cycles. Since I have been in the business world (from way back in 1995), I’ve seen numerous cycles run through numerous industries. The industry I was heavily involved in, real estate, took a major hit in 2006 – 2007 with the real estate meltdown. Like many, I was involved in the dot-com…
Early on in my career as an entrepreneur one of my mentors, the epitome of the lone wolf entrepreneur, told me something that has stuck with me the past 20 years – “partnerships are like a marriage…without the benefits of good sex.” I think I’ve made every partnership mistake in the book and yes, partnerships…
Just the other day I had someone ask if I had a vision board. It got me thinking – wow, have we really cycled back around to late 70’s early 80’s motivational tactics? Don’t get me wrong, I get the power of a vision board; but, is it really powerful without knowing your “why?” I’ll…
As a Dad who works from home, I sometimes have the opportunity of my seven year old daughter, Faith, being at home while I am working. The other day she made an observation that hit me deep “Dad, you don’t smile as much when you’re working.” It got me thinking that evening – what would business be…
There Frank Lopo and I were at Einsteins over a bagel and orange juice having a fantastic business philosophy conversation when we reached a topic many entrepreneurs find difficult to discuss. Both Frank and I agreed, it’s one of the hardest pills to swallow as a business owner – letting go to move on We discussed…
Yesterday I had an amazing blessing. To think that a young man about to turn 30 would come to my home office to ask for guidance was both humbling and scary. He is not your “average Joe.” No, he is charismatic, smart, driven, caring and searching. He, like many of us, reached the point where he was searching for…
In a day and age where commercials proliferate the TV and web and good storytelling has gone the way of the dodo bird, it’s nice to see glimmers of hope that commercials can be used as a medium to not only promote a brand; but, tell a moving story. It was over a beer with…
I have had the great blessing to work with a number of nonprofits since starting Xpleo in 2006. Some have flourished and grown immensely, always keeping in their hearts their mission, the community they serve and the donors, sponsors and supporters (their “base”) that are the lifeblood of their organizations. These are what I like to call…
As I was going through some of the business blogs I follow yesterday, playing catch up on my New Year’s reading, I took note of one that spoke heavily about the turning of a new page heading into 2017. What I’ve come to realize over the past year or so is that the page is…
I heard someone in passing the other day talking about someone else’s “rookie mistake.” The more I thought on this concept, the more I realized a rookie mistake is pretty close to an oxymoron. To be a rookie, a person doesn’t know any better as to what will work in a situation and what will…
When we come to realize that other people will always want to satisfy their own needs first in a relationship, we truly understand how a relationship can blossom. When we come to the realization that we are also “other people,” we better understand that a successful relationship is grown when both people’s needs align. Instead…
We have all heard it, the cars rushing by and the wind howling as the subject screams his or her lines at the camera. No, this is not an action movie, this is your business video. The one opportunity to connect with your client base and the investment you have made to represent you and…
As an entrepreneur, I’m sure you have seen all the cheesy stock photography you will ever want to see. Much of the imagery on small business websites, print collateral and video are poor representations of the businesses and the services they offer. There just seems to be nothing “real” about much of the stock photography…
I see daily discussions regarding scalable business models. A reoccurring point I see when the discussion of scalable business comes up is the immediacy of growth. I understand that growth is necessary, but there is one issue that seems to be missing from the scalability conversation – sustainability. It is important to remember that unadulterated…
It has been an interesting occurrence of late that many smaller business and entrepreneurial clients and colleagues have asked me what it means to develop a brand and brand equity in today’s shifting technological and online social world.
I fail everyday. I fail to keep my cool and composure. I fail to stop and see the big picture. I fail to stop failing. I’ve heard it said “failure is not an option,” “failure is for the weak,” “only the strong succeed,” etc.
We have worked with numerous non-profits over the years. One issue we see that the majority have in common is that they don’t operate like a business. Many times, the founders of the non-profit are what we call ‘technicians,’ folks with a fantastic skill set in a particular field; but, are not always business savvy.…
When looking to expand your business in a local (or even national) market, your company’s knowledge is one of your brand’s best weapons.
