All Topics
Operations,
Sales
Five Myths Operations Has About Sales
The struggle is real. I have spent most of my professional life managing the tendencies of sales and operations teams to conflict with one another. I have a mantra and it goes like this:
"Sales' job is to sell what Operations can support. Operations' job is to support whatever sales sells."
The battle field is much more sophisticated than it was when I started. We no longer rely on paper files and clip boards to do our work. I can't just stroll over to a salesperson's desk and find a phone number in his Rolodex or search his phone messages for the latest changes in projects. Likewise, it is nearly impossible for a salesperson to monitor all the operation and logistics processes that touch their projects.
Management
Why Your Team Is Always ‘Too Busy’
Small business has a problem. Most of the time it is too busy to solve basic problems. The rest of the time there is no money to pay for solutions.
If one of the issues you need to address is a low profit, it is easy to see how the cycle of too busy and no money could go on forever.
Management
Crossing Growth Plateaus
Growth is not linear. Profit is not one for one. Life is uncertain.
This is why small companies stagnate.
As small businesses grow, owners continually encounter new challenges. Some are solved by getting the next sale: cash flow, paying the bills, payroll – things that represent survival. Other problems can only solved by taking on more risk: operational capacity, more employees, increasing profit – the things that represent progress.
Marketing
3 Misconceptions About Growth That Are Hurting Your Recovery
Ever felt like your company suddenly stopped growing?
Growth is always an interesting subject and I feel like I talk about it all the time. Why?
Growth is undeniably important.
Not too long ago, a prospect called me and said, “Hey, we’ve been growing for five years and, all of a sudden, the faucet cut off. Business just stopped.”
They were in a panic — as they should have been.
