Archive for the ‘Finding Efficiencies’ Category
Managing the Numbers
“FINANCIAL NUMBERS“. Even the mention of the phrase can frustrate the most intrepid entrepreneur. The sheer abundance and sources of critical financially-relevant data in (and around a) business is often difficult to identify, never mind interpret. But, entrepreneurs need to acquire some dexterity in financial numbers to be successful. So where do you begin? After all, you’re running your business, looking for growth opportunities, putting out fires, establishing strategic partnerships and constantly updating your business strategies.
That’s where our special guest comes in for BusinessCast episode #139. Intuit’s senior marketer Barb Anderson provides insight on the first step of successfully working with financial data: managing the numbers. Barb taps into a wide community of growth-focused companies of all shapes, sizes, ages and industries. She shares very practical tips on how to get a handle on your financial data so that you can make better and faster decisions.
Complimenting Barb’s insights on how to manage the numbers, check out BusinessCast episode #98 — Financial Intelligence — where we interview the author of the book for quickly getting comfortable with interpreting financial data. Together, these two episodes give you insights and resources that will increase your financial skills and confidence.
Getting On Board
Have you ever wondered how you can effectively tap into advisory boards? After all, they are powerful sources of business, networks and more importantly, practical strategic and operational advice.
That’s why for BusinessCast #135 – Getting On Board – Robert and I sit down with a dynamic entrepreneur who has sat on several advisory boards as well as been a recipient of advisory boards’ important insights.
Our guest, Greig Clark is founder of the nationally successful company, College Pro Painters. Greig answers questions from two key perspectives: (i) from the board member perspective; and (ii) from the perspective of an entrepreneur seeking advice and support.
Greg shares his rare experiences by addressing several critical questions head-on, including:
- What benefits can you expect from working with an advisory board?
- What criteria can you use when choosing advisory board members?
- When have you outgrown your advisory board?
- What benefits can you achieve by being an advisory board member?
- What challenges will you face as an advisory board member?
Listen to BusinessCast #135 – Getting On Board and you’ll know how to get the most from your current and future advisory boards.
Q&A — Part 2
Over the last few weeks Robert and I have been collecting and consolidating the hundreds of questions that get sent to us each week via email, phone, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook etc.
But, rather than answer all the questions ourselves, for BusinessCast episode #134, we brought in two of the leading trainers of Canada’s growth companies — Andrew Patricio and Roger Pierce — the founders of BizLaunch. Together, the four of us answer questions spanning Marketing, Sales, Human Resources, Finance, Operations and Technology.
Listen to BusinessCast episode #134 and chances are we’ll be answering questions that you frequently face. Also, listen to our recent episode Q&A — Part 1 where we posed a host of other commonly asked questions to our very special guest, Peter Thomas, the founder of Century 21 Realtors.
Finding, Hiring and Motivating the Right People
Whenever Robert and I sit down and talk with entrepreneurs about their historic, current and future successes, one theme constantly emerges: entrepreneurs need strong teams. And that means they are always looking for ways to optimize how they find, hire and motivate staff.
That’s why for BusinessCast episode #127, we sat down with an entrepreneur renowned for effectively recruiting and retaining exceptional employees — in an industry where people are highly skilled, in great demand and highly mobile.
Chris Carder, President of ThinData, A Transcontinental Company, shares with us his approach to, and practical tips for, finding, hiring and motivating high performing professionals — people who will help you grow your business.
Also download a one-pager that describes how Chris and his team of executives retain and engage enthusiastic employees — drawn from ThinData’s years of growing to be one of Canada’s leading marketing companies.
Starting and Growing Your Business: Success Now and in the Future
All successful entrepreneurs are forward-looking. So much so that even when entrepreneurs are in the very early stages of starting their business, they are typically actively searching for future ways to improve it, grow it and expand it.
One of the greatest examples of successfully applying this approach is the disciplined and innovative mind behind Verity – Canada’s premiere Women’s networking club. The club’s founder Mary Aitken began Verity as a stand-alone business where women could meet, network, relax and have fun.
But, Mary, who is a very successful entrepreneur, thoughtfully researc
hed the targeted market and soon found the need to expand Verity to include a world-leading restaurant (George), an enviable spa (Sweetgrass) and most recently, a luxurious hotel (The Ivey).
For BusinessCast #125 — Starting and Growing Your Business, Mary sits down with Robert and me and shares her compelling and exciting story. She also highlights some key lessons relevant for all entrepreneurs. Whether you are starting, honing or expanding your business, Mary provides some practical tips as well as inspires you to keep looking forward — and thereby ensure your success.