How trying to convince a client makes stress, not sales.
Nick writes in with the following sale-asphyxiating problem: “As soon as a potential customer expresses an interest, I feel under enormous pressure and probably come over too much like I’m desperate to close at any cost rather than negotiate a reasonable/beneficial deal from a position of power. “How can I be confident and relaxed?” We’ve…
Reality. Leverage. Impact. The Guiding Principles of The Alchemist Entrepreneur.
It’s time to peel back the layers and reveal some of the thinking behind the “alchemist” analogy. My allusion is not to the trite fantasy of turning lead into gold. This is more of a thought provoking conversation than a ‘how-to.’ So I decided we’d do this in podcast form, a more personable medium. Message…
Treatise: The Critical Importance of Being Unreasonable
[amprotect=all,amsilent]Hi [name_f],[/amprotect] Do you ever tell yourself “I need to…“, or “I don’t have a choice…“, or just feel frustrated that you’re not yet the person you really want to be? Here’s what I learned: It’s critically important to be unreasonable. Unreasonable defined: When you want – and expect to get – something you can’t…
“His chutzpa got me here!” He pointed at me from the far side of the conference table, 18 feet away…
Al had been in the air force, overseen a national tragedy and then went on to be CEO of a mid-sized manufacturing company. And there he was – sitting at a meeting I had organized with a dozen other CEOs. They’d come to share their thorniest dilemmas and be reminded that their businesses and their troubles are not as…
Why “best thinking” beats “best practices” every time.
Business authors often conjure up the most bizarre management theories and then “prove” them by pointing to current business media darlings like Google, Apple and _____ (who will it be today?). Book after book and article after article points to what this or that company did to achieve their success – and advises that you…
How to get both profit and satisfaction from your business.
Are you struggling with profit, satisfaction, or both? Some business owners are doing what they love, but not making money. Others are making money, but get no satisfaction. Many make no money and get no satisfaction. But they sure do put in many hours! Then there are the few, the artists, the Alchemist Entrepreneurs™, who…
How to attract AAA customers: Step 1
Years ago my brother-in-law was driving across the U.S. with a friend. After half a day of driving through the Midwest, they pulled over at a truck stop to rest and stretch their legs. They were getting back into the car when a middle-aged man came up to them. “Hey, fellas, can I have a…
What to do when you’re unclear, confused and don’t know what to do.
“Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” — Abraham Lincoln We all have moments of clarity amidst spells of confusion. Like when lighting flashes across a dark and stormy plain, you’ve got only a brief moment to take in the full picture and burn it into your mind…
Why one small business is hiring – and another is firing.
Two clients. Each runs a small company. One is hiring and the other is firing. What’s the difference? Both are in multi-billion dollar markets. Neither can blame the recession because each only needs a fraction of a percent of an enormous market to double or triple in size. So it’s not the economy. As an outside consultant to both…