If your initial discussions with family members reveal problems that aren't easy to resolve, the time to get help is before your business is up and running. Yes, the first step is often the hardest. Hiring and keeping good people starts with crafting a great place to work that attracts and retains the best people available. What economic forces should drive your decision?
Pique customers? interest so they will remember your company
Profit
is the remaining
amount after all direct and indirect costs are deducted from the total revenue collected. This
gets out of
control as your company grows from one to five, from fifteen to twenty-five people or more. Newer
and better ways
to get things done is the business standard employed today by successful men in all lines. Emphasize
a cogent, succinct
summary and explanation of the basic business concept, and do not stint on the details about the impressive backgrounds of your management team.
Pricing pressures change over time
Don
t overdo it,
but consider the impact visuals are having in marketing where studies show that people are much more likely to remember any type of presentation or advertisement with visuals than those without. Take
them to lunch
every two months. Why
do people pay
$10,000 for a Rolex? The
systems will guarantee
that every team member produces the same end result.
Do you always discipline unethical behavior?
Defining
clear boundaries is
important to produce measurements, but setting boundaries in interdependent relationships and networks is always problematic, and to some extent, arbitrary. In
fact, most bank
loans contain so many covenants that it s difficult for a borrower to avoid being technically in default on one or more of them at a given time. But
actually the leisure
and sport horse industry is thriving, and there are more farriers active today than when horses were the main mode of transport. Besides,
it s the
cash flow from operations that pays off bank loans.
Produce consistent results in Sales
Somehow
in her projections
of steadily rising sales volume, she had neglected to note that more business meant more invoices to be sent out, more account statements to be mailed or emailed, more customers to be reminded to pay, more time spent on banking needs, and so on. But
without empowered people,
you'll never grow your business beyond what you can control. The
same may be
true, to a lesser extent, for real estate brokers, management consultants, benefits consultants, computer consultants, trainers, and both creative and IT help. Businesses
typically like and
expect to be able to pay thirty days in arrears, with you sending them an invoice after you have supplied the goods or services.
You may be truly innovative
In
fact, your corporate
attorney may not be the right person for labor law, so you may need to discuss hiring issues, including handbooks and even employee forms, with a labor lawyer. Unfortunately
the model doesn't
work for small start-ups. In
some industries, your
company may only need $10,000 per year in marketing expenses to create a minimal marketing program. Good
trained help is
a result of you making people a priority, building a great place to work, and having systems in place to make sure your people are recognized, motivated, and on track to meeting their goals.