Never Be Afraid to Challenge Assumptions
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Never Be Afraid to Challenge Assumptions

BySonya Shelton

A successful leader once shared that he constantly asks himself one question: “What am I not seeing?” Assumptions are one of the areas that may be a blind spot, and leadership requires us to challenge them repeatedly. What used to work yesterday may no longer apply today, and it’s important for leaders to question and challenge those assumptions. The hardest part about…

Have you fallen into The Mile Wide Trap?
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Have you fallen into The Mile Wide Trap?

BySonya Shelton

If your company’s revenue has stalled after a period of rapid growth, you may have fallen into The Mile Wide Trap. Consider the case of Kim (not her real name) who runs a public relations firm. Kim studied marketing at school and went on to work for a big advertising agency where she spent ten…

Take a Blood Pressure Test for Your Business
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Take a Blood Pressure Test for Your Business

BySonya Shelton

When was the last time you had your blood pressure tested? Taking your blood pressure is one of the first things most doctors do before treating you for just about anything. How much pressure your blood is under as it courses through your veins is a reliable indicator of your overall health; and it can…

Why Bother Doing It the Hard Way?
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Why Bother Doing It the Hard Way?

BySonya Shelton

Whether you want to sell your business next year or a decade from now, you will have two basic options for an external sale: the financial or the strategic buyer. The Financial Buyer The financial buyer is buying the rights to your future profit stream, so the more profitable your business is expected to be,…

Thinking Vs. Doing: The Owner’s Dilemma
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Thinking Vs. Doing: The Owner’s Dilemma

BySonya Shelton

There’s a steady breeze from the northwest, which cools the warm Caribbean afternoon. Framed between a palm tree and the turquoise water, you notice a man reading. He appears to be working, which seems strange given his appearance: shaggy blonde hair, linen shirt, surf shorts and flip-flops. You squint and realize the man is Richard…

Six Ways to Profit From Your Vacation
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Six Ways to Profit From Your Vacation

BySonya Shelton

Summer is almost over, and many of us are getting in those last weeks of vacation before Fall. Although it may seem strange, now may be the perfect time to increase the value of your company. The most valuable businesses are the ones that can survive without their owner. A buyer will pay a premium…

How Three Moves Quadrupled the Value of this Business
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How Three Moves Quadrupled the Value of this Business

BySonya Shelton

Are you stuck trying to figure out how to create some recurring revenue for your business? You know those automatic sales will make your business more valuable and predictable, but the secret to transforming your company is to think less about what’s in it for you and more about coming up with a reason for…

5 Ways to Encourage New Ideas In Your Business
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5 Ways to Encourage New Ideas In Your Business

BySonya Shelton

  Leaders create positive change. You don’t always have to be the creator or innovator, but it’s important to recognize and support good ideas. It doesn’t matter whether you came up with them or not. The difference between your success and failure could be just one idea. Here are some ways to encourage new ideas in your workplace: Talk with…

How Executive Leaders Stop to Create Growth
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How Executive Leaders Stop to Create Growth

BySonya Shelton

As we embark toward achieving our vision, organizations sometimes continue to do things that either don’t work or don’t support the vision. When someone questions “why do we do that?” The answer is often “we’ve always done it this way.” Sometimes the person answering the question really doesn’t understand the purpose, which means they’re missing information. However, most often, the truth is that…

3 Tips to Reorganize Toward Your Vision
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3 Tips to Reorganize Toward Your Vision

BySonya Shelton

When you change the vision, it’s important to ensure the structure of the organization supports the retooled vision. Reorganizing can improve integration, flexibility, and productivity in a powerful way. If you want to achieve significant change, some structural changes will likely be necessary. It’s difficult for people to do new things in their current role since they’re in the habit of doing things…