I heard it once said that, “It’s hard to read the label of a mayonnaise jar from the inside out.” In other words, as an owner or manager, it isn’t easy to make the best decisions for your small business by constantly looking at it only from your perspective.
Over the past few months, I have visited and experienced several businesses and organizations. As a consultant it is easy to see some of the not so obvious mistakes business owners are making. Some will survive their miscalculated thinking while others will not. Either way, these omissions of sound business judgment can always serve as an example – a bad example for the rest of us to learn from and not commit.
1. Financial Planning Office Poor Location. I visited one financial planner and she was very proud of her new office building she had moved into. She told me it took a long time before she found “just the right building and location. As I looked around his office I wondered what possessed her to move into this structure. It was a little small – OK, let’s just say it was cozy. It was nicely decorated and space seemed adequate.
The parking spots she had in front of the building numbered no more than three. The back end of the building had a service company as the main tenant. Service vehicles were parked on the side of the building as well as in the back at different angles. OK, so you have lots of company and you won’t feel alone. However, this isn’t a very conducive arrangement for impressing your wealth-minded clients. Finally, as you looked out the front door of her part of the building, the view was less than satisfactory. A two lane paved road with broken pavement and a less than prosperous neighborhood was all that the eye could see.
The incorrect selection of this facility could have been avoided had the owner used a spread sheet with three categories which would include: Must Haves, Should Haves, Like to Haves.
She could have assigned a point system of 5 points for each item met for the Must Haves, 3 points for each item of the Should Haves, and 1 point for the Like to Haves. After tallying up the scores for each of the different buildings she had on her short list, he would have been in a much better position to make the best decision possible for her new office.
2. Inconsistent Strategy in Marketing a local lighting store. A business owner asked me to meet with him to discuss the possibility of using my consulting services. The problems he was facing were in the areas of building a geographical presence in the community and differentiating himself from the rest of the competition that had a store front and Web presence.
In my systems review and outcome assessment, I discovered a number of glowing errors that were serving as stumbling blocks to the lofty goals he had set. One of his main concerns was the creation of a keen awareness of their physical location. He felt, and rightly so, that the four surrounding communities would be loaded with prospects. But first potential customers would need to know his store location. I looked at their very professional business cards he had made up for their team, including their three new sales people. I noticed something quite odd. There was no physical address on the card. Yes, people could go to the website to look up his physical address, and most times they do, but why make them take one more step to find your location instead of putting the address on the card?
The solution could have been as simple as putting the address with cross streets to help their prospective clients know exactly where they were.
3. Hiring the Wrong Office Manager. The third blunder I witnessed was where a small home remodeler continued to make the mistake of hiring the wrong office manager. After his star performer left to pursue work with a larger home construction company, the business owner made the mistake of promoting an employee who was not qualified. This person failed miserably. He dismissed that person only to promote another unqualified person. This person failed and was fired.
In the meantime, the original star performer found his new company not a good fit and wanted to come back to his office manager’s position. The owner refused, citing that if he left once, he would leave again.
So, our misguided business owner hired from the outside. This time it was a person who was not truly qualified, but none the less, it was assumed he would work out. He didn’t and he too was dismissed. The owner once again, reluctantly put on still another hat, that of office manager.
This business owner could also have used a spread sheet to identify the Must Haves, Should Haves and Like to Haves of a new office manager. During the time I worked with this client it occurred to me that if he would have placed an ad in the proper places and used a spread sheet to interview new applicants, he could have found the right person.
On the other hand, if he would have reached out to his original star performer and rehired him, he would have probably made the best hiring decision. As hiring expert, Mel Kleiman, points out, “It is a good idea to stay in touch with the great employees who left you. Often they find pastures are not really any greener elsewhere. In fact, once they get there, they may find themselves wishing they’d never left you. Even if they don’t come back they could be a great source of referrals.”
My point is don’t burn your bridges with past star performers. Keep in touch with them. You may find that they are the best person for the job and will give you many more years of outstanding service.
So, in summary, get help from an outsider. Solicit ideas and suggestions from other business owners, your employees or a professional consultant. When you do, you will have the ability to see things from a different perspective and make better, more profitable decisions.
How important are accessories you ask? Let’s just say: They’re very, very important in how someone understands you and your personality when it comes to clothing.
• Bowties are another really cool accessory, especially if you can tie your own! Take the time to learn how to tie them and you will be astounded with the compliments that come your way.
If you think “All-American Food,” things like apple pie and hot dogs probably come to mind. But did you know the waffle also should be in that mix?
“When I found out that International Waffle Day was this month, I just wanted to do something fun and also show our customers that we appreciate them,” says Johnny Cannon, Owner of New Center Eatery. “Since we pride ourselves on our popular Chicken & Waffles breakfast, this was the perfect fit for us to give out some free breakfast and hopefully everyone will enjoy waffle day as much as we do!”
New Center has a daily special for only $5 for the Original chicken and waffles from 5-10 p.m.; a family of four can come enjoy dinner for only $20. New Center Eatery also offers specialty Chicken & Waffles Catering for parties, events and corporate functions.
For the past decade, Project Pinstripe has worked with Detroit-area youth to give them both a fabulous suit but to prepare them for going out into the workforce with style and sophistication.
Project Pinstripe began at Tom James in New York City, where a young female employee from Livonia suggested the program as a way for the custom clothier to give back to the more than 125 communities where it works, Wachler said. That woman grew up with second-hand clothing, so she understood the struggle to find appropriate outfits and the importance of making a lasting first impression when finances are tight or non-existent.
• Be a planner. To live your dream, you need to know what you want and have a plan for getting there. “Planning your day, week and month are critical ingredients to living your dream and purpose,” Hunter says. The “how” and “why” elements are important factors in planning, as they guide you in the direction you want to go.
Build Institute
The Craft Entrepreneurship Program is developed by Etsy, facilitated by Build Institute and sponsored by John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Claiming he is the “most well-fed man in Chicago,” Savsani loves to host meals as well as attend them in Chicago up to four times a week. Savsani has been invited to speak at the British Parliament to educate government officials about the sharing economy as well as was invited to attend the United Nations Global Summit that brought together top entrepreneurs to help pressing social issues.
Prove your concept: When Savsani returned to Chicago from Cambodia and began to dream of MealSharing.com, he learned he would be navigating unchartered territory. “There was no data yet. If there is no data, you just create it.” Savsani organized and packed up his team for a month-long road trip around the United States, eating almost exclusively through the meal sharing concept. “We were proving to ourselves that we had something real that people wanted to do and that WE wanted to do,” Savsani says.
• The 90-Second Rule After Being Apart: Whenever you have been away from someone you care about for more than two hours, give him or her your focused attention for the first 90-seconds you are together. Look into his or her eyes long enough to discern their color. “Ninety seconds given to a spouse the moment you come through the door is as powerful as hours spent together later,” Fannin said.
While it’s an adorable day, the backbone of 313 Day is to raise awareness to Detroit’s infant mortality rates. In the core of the city, DMC Hutzel Women’s Hospital delivers more babies than any hospital in the state and is at the forefront of research into preterm birth — the primary cause of infant deaths. In addition, DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital acts a vital anchor in its northwest Detroit neighborhood.
Here’s everything you need to know about Rod Brown: He’s a fan of the bow tie. And he wants you to try one.
That being said, there are certainly many wrong ways! The manner in which you tie your tie might also be dictated by the event – say work or play. Fancy knots like the “Eldridge” are a fun way to knot a tie for play, but do require a lot of practice.
This takes me to one of the hottest trends in men’s fashions right now: The bow tie! And I’m not talking about the pre-tied bowties that clip around your neck! Tying a self-tie bow tie is as easy as tying your shoes. The eye/hand coordination is a bit different, but with a little practice, you will master it!
• eTao: Offers comparison shopping by searching most Chinese online shopping sites and comparing prices for a particular product against each other.
“People have got to see and trust that the goods will be quality,” Watkins said. “Alibaba has similar functions to eBay like the “buyer beware” function, but buyer-seller relationships still need to be built.”
Do you have the courage to fail in order to succeed? 
Punch Bowl Social’s Beverage Manager Chris Housholder is known for his innovative drink menu, and he says it is time to set down the artificially died ale. This March 17, 
Cucumber Lavender Fizz
Milk-Xologist #4
The Sharpest
This spring, 
He has produced and headlined in three of his own comedy tours, “1001 Laughs Comedy Tour,” “We’re Not White!” and “In 1948.” He is also the producer of the annual “1001 Laughs Dearborn Comedy Festival” in Dearborn at the Arab American National Museum.
“It’s been a great alternative to sitting at a desk all day and I already feel good just because I’m doing something positive for myself to help maintain a healthy lifestyle,” Wiggins says. “I can keep active throughout the day. Every little bit helps. It’s a great opportunity Farbman has provided.”
The desks are part of the company’s Health & Wellness Committee. Founded in 2013, the group of 
What we mean is that Brown, co-owner of 
• Leathers always match! What am I talking about? Your shoes and your belt. Wearing a black shoe demands you wear a black belt. Likewise, brown shoe means brown belt. It’s that simple!
