Implementer Posts
MILITARY VETERAN ENTREPRENEURS: PART 3
This is the third in a series of four short papers centering around military veterans who own and/or founded businesses in Colorado. The papers are based on discussions with military veterans who founded and/or currently own companies in Colorado. The purpose of these papers is to examine three areas unique to military veteran business owners/founders. 1) How mentoring and networking played a role (or not) in their success; 2) hiring and retaining fellow veterans as employees; and 3) leveraging their veteran-owned status in their business. The final paper presents perspectives on the pros and cons of the veterans’ businesses being in Colorado and advice they would share with other military veteran business owners. Topic 3: Leveraging Military Background in Marketing and Branding: Strategies for Veteran-Owned Businesses Introduction Leveraging their military background in marketing and branding efforts can not only distinguish veteran-owned businesses but also resonate positively with customers who value
Focus Your Company (and Your Employees) With ROCKS
You probably can relate-so often I hear CEO’s, Presidents and Entrepreneurs say: “As an organization, I’m not sure we’re focused on the right things.” “We seem to be working on too many initiatives, which adversely impacts our productivity and causes needless stress on our executive team.” “Everything seems like a fire drill here. Our employees are always behind the 8-ball stressing to get things done on time.” “Our business seems to have grown overly complicated and our service delivery and quality can be inconsistent.” These comments, and others similar, indicate that starting from the leadership team to the front-line staff there is a lack of clarity as to the real priorities of the organization. Annually, companies create business plans with lists of initiatives that they hope will enhance business performance. Often the list can number ten, fifteen or even over two dozen initiatives that the company leaders hope to complete that
The Answers To These Eight Simple Questions Will Profoundly Impact The Future of Your Company
There are two situations that I have witnessed in a high percentage of the over 200 companies I’ve had as clients in my 30-plus years of being a business growth coach: What I’m going to lay out are the essential Eight Questions that every leadership team needs to answer to crystalize the vision for the future of their organization. We keep these Eight Questions on a simple, two-page document called a Vision/Traction Organizer, or “V/TO” (Download V/TO). We call this an “entrepreneurial approach” to strategic planning because the end product is a two-page document. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the eight questions: Q1. What Are Your Core Values? Core Values are just a set of guiding characteristics that define who you are at your core and what you want from the culture of your organization. We take our clients through a discovery exercise to help them discover their
Spring is in the Air
Spring has finally sprung and for me that means jumping back into my gardens! It’s the season for planting, preparing, and enjoying the outdoors. We’ve simplified in the past few years… mostly perennial flowers, herbs, and quick-growing green veggies. Seeds and colorful pots are quick and easy. Perennials and raised beds can seem like an investment, a drain on resources, until they are counted on year after year, stronger and more beautiful all the time! Why did I wait years to build a fence around the veggie garden? Ready to cultivate lasting success in your business, just like tending to a flourishing garden? Join us in prioritizing your business’s growth and longevity. Explore our resources and upcoming events tailored to help you thrive. Let’s sow the seeds of success together! Here to help!
How to Encourage Team Growth Past “Blind Spots”
In any business, continuous employee growth is key to success. It’s easy to lose sight of professional development when we don’t keep it at the forefront. Quarterly conversations are not only a place for you and your employees to review performance, but also connect and understand their future growth and development in your organization. In particular, these scheduled meetings provide opportunities for discussing accomplishments, challenges, and goals for the upcoming quarter. During quarterly conversations, you may discover blind spots that your employees have and are completely unaware of. Even for employees who are well-versed in self-reflection, it’s often difficult to see our work for what it truly is. Enter our topic for today: blind spots. Two Types of Blind Spots If you watched my video above, it wouldn’t surprise you to hear that there are two major types of blind spots our team members can have: being overly self-critical and lacking self-awareness. Both blind spots can
MILITARY VETERAN ENTREPRENEURS: PART 2
This is the second in a series of four short papers centering around military veterans who own and/or founded businesses in Colorado. The papers are based on discussions with military veterans who founded and/or currently own companies in Colorado. The purpose of these papers is to examine three areas unique to military veteran business owners/founders. 1) How mentoring and networking played a role (or not) in their success; 2) hiring and retaining fellow veterans as employees; and 3) leveraging their veteran-owned status in their business. The final paper presents perspectives on the pros and cons of the veterans’ businesses being in Colorado and advice they would share with other military veteran business owners. Topic 2: Hiring and Retaining Veteran Employees Introduction Veterans bring unique skills, experiences, and perspectives to the workforce, making them valuable assets to businesses. As owners of veteran or military spouse-owned businesses, prioritizing the hiring and retention