I was speaking with a client, helping her get a new vision for the products and services she offers as she reinvents her business. We had a long discussion about being so closely involved with your own industry that you can't come up with a new business model because you can't see past what's currently being done within your industry. So we …
What Ever Happened to Customer Service?
It happens all the time and I'm beginning to feel like I have a "customer service bad luck charm" hanging around my neck. I go to the supermarket, and the checkout person spends more time talking to her coworker about how much she hates her job, than she spends thanking me for my business. I call a contractor to fix a problem with the roof, and …
The Myth of Written Messages
Wandering down the street in New York City early one morning, I noticed a group of people standing in front of the doors to Macy's department store. Since it was 9:00 a.m., I assumed they were waiting for the store to open. But as I walked by I noticed a sign in every door that clearly said: Store Hours 10:00 am – 9:00 pm. So why were they …
Stop Copying Everyone Else’s Business Model!
When I looked at my business transformations over the past five years, I quickly came to one daring insight: when I tried to copy other people's business model, I got mediocre results. When I stepped outside of my own comfort zone (as well as what my industry says businesses "should" look like) and created my own business model, business …
Business Books Recommended by My Facebook Friends
I’m collecting a list of must-have business books...books you’ve read (and maybe re-read) that clearly helped the way you think and the way you do things in your business, above all other books. Are there one or two books that you would add to this list? Here's how my Facebook friends responded: Sherry Davies-Selak says: Think …
Are You Having a Business Identity Crisis?
When rethinking your business model, different roadblocks spring up along the journey. One that nearly always happens is the business identity crisis: What is my business, and where is it going? It feels as if you're starting out all over again with incredibly basic questions. Darn! Again? Didn't you do this at the very beginning of your …