Imagine attending a conference and being introduced to a prospective client. This person asks about your company and professional background. Instead of replying to the prospect you say, “Let my friend Dave here tell you all about us.” And then you walk away without speaking a word. It is extremely unlikely that this potential client [Read More]
Three Years and Counting
Few people endure slumps and a downturn in performance as often as professional athletes. Even the greatest sports stars suffer through stretches where seemingly nothing goes right. During his heyday, Michael Jordan had a commercial in which he stated, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.” Then, after a short pause, [Read More]
My Use of Social Media
Thanks to several social media tools, I have been able to stay connected with increased frequency than before web 2.0. A couple of years ago we started using several of these and the effectiveness of helping with relationships has been very encouraging. I can count on a brief exchange with someone due to my blog [Read More]
You Already Own The Simplest Contact Tools
It’s easy to get bogged down with the day-to-day activities and then add in family and just life in general. We lose contact with those that are an import part of our lives, whether professional or personal. We are then reminded of them by something that we see or hear. Through the years, I have [Read More]
Admitting Mistakes: Good Keys to Success
Making mistakes is common for everyone. We all make them. Admitting to mistakes is not always an immediate reaction. Instead, many try to redirect the blame to others or maybe provide incomplete answers back. I tell our folks at Stewart Perry that they will always make mistakes along the trail and it is a sign [Read More]
Saying Thanks To Build Better Relationships
As the year comes to a close, I wonder what it would be like if more of us said thank you to each other. Not just at the end of the year, but throughout the year… I can count on my two hands the amount of times that someone from downstream has thanked us for [Read More]
Looking for ways to help out in the community? A few suggestions.
Last week we finished our United Way campaign in the city but it was not without a real push by its leadership and the United Way. Someone said that while the economy is cyclical, community needs are constant. I have been thinking of some ways that small businesses can give back to the community that [Read More]
A Tight Fishing Net
When the first Tour de France bicycle race was held in 1903; Maurice Garin, the winner, clocked in nearly three hours ahead of the second-place finisher, Hippolyte Auconturier. This year, the margin of victory was a mere 39 seconds. The three-week-long race covered 2,263 miles. That means winner Alberto Contador traveled each mile 0.0172 of [Read More]
Microfinance, helping people across the globe ”one small loan” at a time.
My oldest daughter, Chappell, an economics major at Sewanee, spent this summer learning about microfinance lending; first in Bangladesh with the Grameen Bank and Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Then several more weeks in the Dominican Republic working with the Esperanza Bank (Bank of Hope) making micro loans. Microfinance is a movement whose object is “a world [Read More]
A Case Study in Adaptability
Friday afternoon seems like a good time for reflection, maybe even a little story telling. In these economic times, the fledging days of our business come to mind often. I learned a lot from my experiences. Hopefully, the account I share here can save you some time and trouble… In 1984, our very first customer [Read More]
