Defining your target market and identifying your ideal client are pivotal steps for any business aiming for success. It’s crucial to understand that targeting “everyone” is not feasible; focusing on a niche allows smaller businesses to stand tall against larger competitors. Being overly general, like targeting “anyone interested in my services,” dilutes your marketing efforts….
Customer Focus is the Key to Apply Strength to Weakness
During my tenure at the International Centre for Agriculture and Science, Dr. Roger Moore and I introduced the concept of “market-focused planning.” This approach shifted strategic planning from introspective analysis to emphasizing how the public perceives our key strengths and potential for organizational leverage. I applied this innovative strategy in my consulting practice, guiding companies…
How to Become a Great Conversationalist
Listening is an art that forms the foundation of effective communication, and becoming a good conversationalist hinges on this skill. As the adage goes, “We were born with one mouth and two ears, so we should listen twice as much as we talk.” This principle served me well during my tenure in large enterprise sales…
It’s OK to Brag
Navigating the fine line between sharing achievements and appearing boastful is an art form, especially at networking events. The key? Mastering the humble brag. It’s about weaving your accomplishments into conversations that sparks interest without overwhelming your audience. So, how do I balance pride in my achievements with humility to generate curiosity and not alienation?…
Green Gains: Turning Climate Challenges into Profitable Opportunities
Public opinion on climate change has reached a tipping point. Climate change and its impact are not something that will happen in the distant future; they are happening now. Over the next decade, climate change will be the dominant force affecting our daily lives and businesses, and with that comes potential opportunities for small businesses….
Ethics as a Competitive Business Strategy
In the years I have built and managed businesses, I gave little thought or considered ethics a business strategy. Of course, I understood that honesty and integrity were necessary, and businesses that did not operate with those qualities almost always did not survive over the long term. When I took over the operational leadership of…
Raising Money in Uncertain Times
For the most part, venture funding has been robust over the last ten years, the best since the dot.com boom of the late 1990s. This latest boom was driven by the unusually high valuations for tech startups doing seed rounds and initial public offerings. Profitability was not the objective; instead, growth was king. As with…
The Changing Face of Networking
Networking has always been my key strategy for business building. Networking has built my whole business career. The people I met are still my most essential acquaintances; some have become close friends. Woody Allen has remarked that 80% of success is showing up. I couldn’t agree more. It means that people with whom you can…
Selection is Key to Winning
I have said many times that if you follow the proper steps and execute them effectively, anyone can be a successful entrepreneur and run a successful business. However, I also follow that statement with an important caveat. Selection is critical. I mean that the selection of a business concept, value proposition, product, or service determines…
Boards – Asset or a Nuisance
The answer lies in whether the company is private or publicly traded and how much effort went into board selection. Another factor is whether the CEO is a founder and control freak or has challenges listening to advice, or the company has a group of yes persons on the board who rubber stamp anything management…