Category Archives: Business Management

Make Customers Your #1 Priority

| March 4, 2009

To maintain on going relationships with clients/customers requires a consistent program that delivers value and meaningful actions. If you are not working at strengthening those relationships you are making it easier for your competitors to insert themselves into your market place. So what values (that require specific behaviors for them to be visible) and actions are you taking to facilitate a memorable customer service process?

We frequent the same restaurants and fast food establishments because we get what we want consistently. When they don’t deliver, we move on elsewhere. A few years ago my favorite coffee chain introduced a new … Read More

Customer Relationship Management

| July 13, 2007

Over that last few weeks several articles and books have crossed my desk that deal with the relationships we develop with customers. Of all the ways to keep a business growing, increasing the frequency of interactions we have with clients is probably one of the most important. We would all love to boast a long list of loyal customers; when we increase the effectiveness of all of our business practices, the list increases.

To sustain profitability and customer loyalty, offering discounts or cutting prices may bring in new customers, but keeping them requires a different level of customer service. Good … Read More

How Do You Set Priorities?

| April 14, 2007

As a business owner, it’s easy to get caught up in the bustle of day-to-day
business. In the drive to make sure you will reach your monthly financial
goal, it can be tempting to spend a significant portion of your time fighting
the myriad fires that crop up every day. Instead, take the time to step
back and set “laser-sharp” priorities to focus on what’s really
important – and keep yourself from spending time on what’s not.

When you have set goals for the business the priorities should be unmistakably
clear and specific, you know what to focus on and, … Read More

Avoid Undue Risk

| April 13, 2006

Keeping up to date on legal matters is usually the last thing on the to do list of most small business owners; unless of course we need a lawyer fast. Last week I was invited to a Business Briefing by a friend and business attorney. He gave a brief overview of risk management. That sounded too corporate for the small business owners in the room, so we asked how risk management affects us?

Generally, Risk Management is the process of measuring, or assessing risk and then developing strategies to manage the risk. In general, the overview covered several areas … Read More

Welcome To Mind Masters

| January 3, 2006

Turning dreams to reality as Small Business Owners Sharing Insights and Influence

Could you use some support to help you set, reach and add vision to your goals for growing your business? No great entrepreneurial enterprise was ever created in isolation. Surround yourself with smart business owners and you’re much more likely to succeed.

Mind Masters provides a value based program so that business owners harness the power of each members’ success, make wise business decisions and realize dreams. Visitors please check out our services.

Hear what our members have to say about Mind Masters!… Read More

The 2006 Dilemma

| December 4, 2005

Are you keeping up with the pace of change? The pace of technology? The pace of your marketplace? The pace of your competition? The 2006 Dilemma is how much do you and your business have to change to keep pace? As a business owner you need to have information at your finger tips that help you make the best decisions.

Planning for 2006 is a hands on process. You might start by asking some tough questions. Do you recognize the need for change?

  • Are you prepared to look reality in the face?
  • Are you willing to change the way you
… Read More

What is “Privacy”?

| May 13, 2005

Barbara’s Notes:
As small business owners it is important that we understand and follow the letter of the law with regard to the information we collect about our customers. Darity Wesley is the “privacy guru” for the real estate industry, but her information affects all of us both personally and professionally. Privacy Solutions offers on line privacy statement options for your web site that will keep you within the law, check it out if you don’t already have one, (www.privacygurus.com). The following article is reprinted with permission.

What is “Privacy”?
By Darity Wesley

“I also thought that privacy was something

… Read More

Anticipating Growth

| October 16, 2004

Here we are again just past the October 15th deadline! It has amazed me the number of people who were still racing to make that deadline. As small business owners it is important to be using this time of the year for looking ahead to plans and projections for the New Year. Growth in any business challenges your skills as a business manager and your financial resources, putting you on a tight rope.

One step on that tight rope involves a comprehensive plan that clearly outlines where your business stands now (not last year), its assets, debts and the current … Read More

What Stifles Growth or Promotes Success?

| August 16, 2004

Your success in business comes down to the difference between managing your work or letting your work manage you. What’s it going to be? The biggest contributors to clutter are those good old fashion letters, junk mail, memos, e-mail printouts and sticky notes, So how do you sort through all the junk and all the distractions and concentrate only on the things that are important to you and your business? In business ownership and management, as in war and other activities, you are only as good as your last success. Just as you always have to be on the lookout … Read More

Mid Year Leap &/or Mid Year Correction

| July 16, 2004

As I was preparing the flyer for Mind Masters 3rd Quarter Planning workshop I had the realization that by June 30th half of the year would be finished. How many of you after these several months working day and night to achieve those goals you set in January to create a new service, introduce a new product or even design a new business model – all at once find all the drive that brought the initial motivation and excitement has melted away, the steam has run out, the place you are in is comfortable and the dream world has slipped … Read More