Sometimes the best way forward is so obvious that we often overlook it. This is true with companies wanting to increase their revenues and to become more profitable (of course the two are not necessarily synonymous...) They look at new markets, new products, new partners, complicated sales promotions, advertising campaigns and so on. All of which c...
Read MoreTo my dismay it happened again. I drove to a car show in Vermont and won a prize… I joined over 500 cars at the British Invasion in Stowe, Vermont. It’s about 5 hours from Ottawa with lots of pretty and really twisty roads. I go to these shows because I like cars, especially British cars. My car is really only an excuse to hang out with a bunch o...
Read MoreOK, so you have determined that investing in a new market is the right way to move your company forward. And you have determined which is the best market segment to focus on. The next challenge is determining how you actually get into that market, in other words what is your market entry plan? Your market entry plan is going to be highly situationa...
Read MoreThere is a great analytical tool called PESTLE - an acronym for Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, and Environmental. It is typically used to ensure a thorough scan of all external factors affecting a proposed plan of action. You use it to identify the forces working for you and against you – and your competitors – and your cu...
Read MoreThe talk about ‘recession’ has many owners rattled. Most of you reading this own small or medium sized businesses and by corollary have a small share of the markets you serve. If the overall market you serve shrinks by 1% it will have very little effect on your ability to expand. Your growth, or lack of it can’t be attributed to the overall economy...
Read MoreMost people think outward from themselves through their sales channels on then on out to their end users. That approach is wrong. It leads to a channel centric sales approach. Instead think about the ideal customer for each product or service you are selling and then think about the best way to connect with them. The channel is in fact a bridge bet...
Read MoreOne of the most useful things in business is to know where to play and how to win. It would be great if you could stake your claim and then settle in for a lifetime of success. Unfortunately, someone, somewhere is trying to steal your business. So, what to do? I typically ask four questions when I meet a new company:
Read MoreOne of our clients is expanding quite quickly and hiring people. They are in the business of creating complex and highly sensitive sensors to measure everything that’s going on with our ocean waters. Naturally they’re looking to hire people who are interested and hopefully passionate about the same sorts of things. So what do they do if they want t...
Read MoreIn the northern hemisphere spring has sprung. In my part of the world, spring seems to last but a week as we quickly move from snow-covered fields and bare trees to warm summer sun. Leaves burst forth and flowers bloom and, very quickly, we are into summer and the world has found a new equilibrium.
Read MoreEventually, every successful company becomes a customer service company. As a company grows it goes through a number of step changes which require its CEO to think very differently. Take for example a manufacturing company. The first stage of growth is getting to product/market fit. And, often the term ‘minimum viable product’ is used to describe t...
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