Posts by Mark Morgan Ford
Lessons From a Persian Rug Merchant in Jaipur
“Salesmanship, too, is an art; the perfection of its technique requires study and practice.” – James Cash Penney He had an oversized mustache, a beard, and a substantial pot belly. He was wearing Gucci loafers, Armani jeans, a red Izod shirt, and a big, red turban tied Sikh style. His name was Betu. K had…
Read MoreTraffic Lessons From India
“If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law.” – Winston Churchill “Oh m’god,” Paula shouted. “Watch out for the cow!” “The man’s a professional,” Rob said. “Let him do his job. Rob was right. Without braking, our driver deftly maneuvered the van around the cow and between a rickshaw and…
Read MoreA Higher Standard of Customer Care
“Getting money is not all a man’s business: to cultivate kindness is a valuable part of the business of life.” – Samuel Johnson I had asked to see the oldest and best quality miniatures he had. From a cabinet in an unlit room, the merchant withdrew a portfolio of about two dozen paintings. He laid…
Read MoreSo Much to Be Thankful For!
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and…
Read MoreHow to Take Advantage of Free Publicity
“Publicity is the life of this culture – in so far as without publicity capitalism could not survive – and at the same time publicity is its dream.” – John Berger There is nothing that will help you get yourself, your company, or your products recognized better or faster than getting the news media to…
Read More“It’s Just So Much Tougher for Kids These Days”
“So, what’s it like in the real world? Well, the food is better, but beyond that, I don’t recommend it.” – Bill Watterson Many of my friends believe that kids today have a more challenging life than we did when we were young. “It’s more dangerous out there.” “It’s harder to get into a good…
Read MoreHow to Start a Retail Business
“To open a shop is easy, to keep it open is an art.” – Chinese proverb Lots of people who want to get into business for themselves come up with the idea of opening a store. They hope it will provide them with income and, presumably, some equity that they can “cash in” or perhaps…
Read More2 Steps to Get Out of Debt Fast
“When a man is in love or in debt, someone else has the advantage.” – Bill Balance Do you spend more than you make? I used to. When I started working as an editor at a Washington, D.C.-based newsletter publishing company, my salary was $14,000. My wife was earning less than that. Our two salaries…
Read MoreThe Best Way to Make Good Money
“If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.” – Samuel Johnson I’ve known Bruce since high school. His family and mine, both extra-large Irish-American clans, lived less than a mile apart. Although we…
Read MoreThe Secret of Incremental Augmentation Part 2
“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” – William A. Foster Every person involved in a growing business needs to understand two crucial business concepts. On Monday, I talked about incremental degradation, which is…
Read MoreThe Secret of Incremental Degradation
“Quality, quality, quality: never waver from it, even when you don’t see how you can afford to keep it up. When you compromise, you become a commodity and then you die.” – Gary Hirshberg If you are involved in a growing business, there are two complementary concepts you should be aware of. One explains why…
Read MoreSimplify Your Testing Process
“Do not let trifles disturb your tranquility of mind…. Life is too precious to be sacrificed for the nonessential and transient…. Ignore the inconsequential!” – Grenville Kleiser You’ve got a top-notch copywriter – one who’s made tens of millions of dollars for his clients. He’s at your disposal, ready to answer your biggest questions about…
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