One of the Most Debilitating Myths About Leadership
We almost hired TH for the job. He would have made a lot of money — maybe $400,000 a year. TH had a very impressive résumé and said almost everything right in the interview. The stumper? When my partner asked him how he would handle a specific problem, he…
READ MOREPut It In Writing
A very common question among businessmen: Is it necessary to “paper” deals? During the 25 years I’ve been in business, more than 90% of the deals I’ve made have been oral. Usually, the process is some version of this: I’m talking with a colleague/competitor about what I’m doing/he’s doing and…
READ MOREBuying Used Cars: Is This Really Worth My Time?
“That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.” – Henry David Thoreau On Sunday, as I drove to church, my 1990 Chrysler Town & Country minivan’s odometer rolled over 230,000 miles. I bought it for $8,000 when it had 120,000 miles on it. That was in 1996,…
READ MOREYou Can Sell Just About Anything Through Direct Mail
“Hell, there are no rules here — we’re trying to accomplish something.” – Thomas Edison You can sell books through direct mail. And newsletters. You can sell audiotapes and videotapes and seminars. You can sell jewelry and perfume and radios. You can sell clothing and furniture and flowers. Direct…
READ MOREI Wouldn’t Want To Do Business With Him
Do you know someone who will never tell you what he is thinking? Someone who is circumspect when discussing business? Someone who avoids any conversation about personal feelings? I do. In fact, I can think of several as I write this. They are parsimonious in their language and their speech.…
READ MOREWho Is It That Reads ETR, Anyway?
You know how bad I think most small-business periodicals are. Fortune Small Business might be the worst. Staffed by a boatload of (I’m sure) very smart and capable (mostly) young women, it is full of feel-good stories and equal opportunity reporting. There is also an inexcusable level of innocence when…
READ MORETwo Ways to Innovate
“Continual improvement is an unending journey.” – Lloyd Dobens and Clare Crawford-Mason (“Thinking About Quality”) Consider the two most basic options companies have when they seek to grow their businesses: They can try to increase their market shares by sustaining innovations — by continually improving a product everyone is…
READ MOREThe World’s Easiest Way To Get Rich
When reading (or listening to) a sales pitch, you have to read between the lines. Copywriters and salespeople want to persuade you to act. To accomplish their goal, they need to push your buttons. There is nothing wrong with that. As consumers, we read sales copy, flip through catalogs and…
READ MOREHow I Made 256% in the Bear Market
Today, I’ve asked my colleague, brother and real estate investing partner, Justin Ford, to tell you a bit about his experience in real estate. Justin has not only been making tremendous profits in real estate, as the author of Seeds of Wealth, he has spent years researching and writing about…
READ MOREThe Best Way to Finance Your Business
I’ve had experience raising money in many ways. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Using your own money is terrifying. If you go wrong, you may well go broke. Using OPM (other people’s money) seems like a much better way to go at first — but often ends up seeming…
READ MOREDeal or No Deal
Dear Early to Rise reader, Imagine walking into a room where a very important business deal is about to take place. This deal could make or break your business. Or having an important talk with a family member – one in which you really need to convince the other person…
READ MOREWhat to Do at Networking Events
Each time you attend a meeting, conference, convention, or even an after-hours cocktail party, you should be prepared to network. Before you walk out the door, get into your car, and start driving to the event, you should know what it is you want to accomplish. Your job is to…
READ MORE