Working for an extended amount of time without taking a break epitomizes the classic American work ethic. Pulling 70+ hours at the office, skipping meals, taking calls whenever they come in, answering emails into the wee hours of the morning, working through every weekend—basically slave-driving oneself—is often regarded as virtuous—like some bizarre, ultimate proof of […]
Making sales calls to people you barely know is one of the most difficult tasks to navigate in business. Your success hinges on how you open the conversation, and you’ve only got 5 seconds to identify yourself, identify your organization, and determine if you are speaking to the right person. Once that’s out of the […]
I was slated to meet with Linda at a coffee shop in Richmond a few months ago. She’s regarded as one of the best business consultants in the city, and an excellent person to have in your networking circle. She graciously carved out some time in her busy schedule for a face-to-face meeting with me, […]
Referrals are the life blood of any business, and a steady stream of prospects coming from referral partners should be the most plentiful and predictable means of obtaining high quality clients. After years of working with recruiters, small business owners, attorneys, and allied health care professionals, I’ve observed a pattern of inconsistency and unpredictability in […]
I’m passionate about cutting firewood! For over 40 years I’ve toiled in the deep woods throughout the state of Virginia, logging, splitting and stacking this wonderful source of primitive heat. I’ve also picked up a few life lessons while harvesting this extremely labor-intensive natural resource. There is one lesson in particular I would like to […]
What is mental model? In its simplest form, a mental model is a mind-set, an established template that results in expectations and assumptions about how any given situation should or will unfold in one’s life. A mental model can be basic, (such as expecting the ice on your front walkway to melt when you sprinkle […]
Visioning, goal setting, action planning, and even revising systems of execution are staple fare this time of year, and I’ve written many articles touting the benefits of implementing all these practices. One aspect I’ve never explored, however, is the benefit of identifying an overarching theme, that once named, becomes the though-line of all your endeavors […]
At this time of year, there’s a big push to get every last prospect left in the hopper to sign on the dotted line before December 31st. While this is a logical and dutiful effort on your part, there’s another action that belongs at the top of your to-do list and it captures the essence […]
For more years than I wish to recall, I’ve held various jobs that required me to sit at some desk located in some office building somewhere out in the concrete jungle of the corporate world, staring into a computer screen for many hours a day. (Sometimes those desks and computers were enclosed in tiny cubicles.) […]
This past weekend, my wife and I had the amazing opportunity to attend the annual Entrepreneurship Summit at Washington and Lee University. For two days, we rubbed elbows with scores of trendsetters, thought leaders, business disruptors, billionaires, philanthropists, and social reformers from every corner of the business world. Amanda and I immersed ourselves in learning […]
