Tuesday, April 1, 2025

It’s Never Too Early to Take These Steps in Developing Your Exit Strategy

business transition planning
No matter how far ahead it is, thinking about your exit plan early is important. If  you don’t know how you will exit your business and how your exit aligns with your life goals and future needs, you may be in for some uncomfortable challenges.

  • Define your goals, your personal ones first and then your business goals for your exit. This includes financial goals, legacy considerations, and desired timeline.
  • Understand business valuation, which may not give you a financial value for your business, but it can help you plan for the value you most desire.
  • Explore your exit options so that you can test different exit strategies and choose the one that aligns best with your goals. Consider the pros and cons of each choice.
  • Create a timeline for your exit early that includes key milestones and deadlines. This helps in maintaining focus and ensuring progress towards the exit.
  • Improve your business operations, financials, and market position in alignment with your personal goals, while enhancing the value of your business.
  • Engage with business and financial advisors, legal experts, and other professionals to guide you through the complex process of exit planning.

At some point you will take steps to communicate your plan and ensure transparency and clarity with stakeholders such as employees, clients, and family members. This builds trust, prepares them for the transition, and helps get everyone rowing in the same direction.

You may have exit questions that are impossible to answer today simply because your life journey and your business life journeys are evolving and incomplete. In the same way you develop a strategic plan that you execute, review and adjust, your exit strategy and plan may start small and be updated as you become more certain about what your end game should be.

Read more on our website!

If you’re feeling some need to address the long-term success of your business coupled with your post-entrepreneurial life, don’t wait – starting doesn’t take more than a brief phone call…

David is an accomplished and experienced business professional who brings over 40 years of insight to the table. As a business coach, he specializes in helping business owners prioritize their needs. He can help you develop your exit or transition plan.

Business transition planning starts with a single, free conversation. Call 734-726-5208 today for a free coaching session or contact David. Your success is waiting!

Saturday, March 15, 2025

The Importance of Leadership Development

leadership development, leadership development ann arbor, leadership ann arbor
Effective leaders ensure the talent pipeline of human capital is robust, balanced, and capable of meeting organizational needs today and well into the future. Often this talent pipeline can be developed from within your organization reducing reliance on external hires. Well-developed leaders will be adaptable and responsive to market changes, ensuring their organization stays competitive. A strong leader will embrace continuous learning, build on emotional intelligence, and develop their soft skills. All of this will ensure good employee retention.

Leadership and leadership development are vital components of business success. Effective leaders drive organizational culture, foster innovation, enhance decision-making, and ensure adaptability in a rapidly changing market. Investing in leadership development creates a pipeline of capable leaders, improves employee retention, and promotes a culture of continuous improvement.

In the ever-evolving and fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, the journey to success is often fraught with challenges and opportunities. As a business owner, navigating this dynamic landscape, a key element is leadership and its effectiveness. Every business has room for improvement! If you think that leadership has not been as impactful to the success of your business… it may be time to get help. For the specifics of your business, we’ll need to rely on your candid assessment. Don’t wait, take stock today, and figure out where success or the lack of it is coming from – download the Five Business Dangers reflection exercise and complete it.

Read more on our website!

If you’re feeling some desire to address the success of your business, don’t wait – starting doesn’t take more than a brief phone call…

David is an accomplished and experienced business professional who brings over 40 years of insight to the table. As a business coach, he specializes in helping business owners prioritize their needs. He can help you examine the health of your business and help with leadership development for your Ann Arbor business.

It all starts with a single, free conversation. Call 734-726-5208 today for a free coaching session or contact David. Your success is waiting!

Saturday, March 1, 2025

Why Investing in Leadership Pays Dividends

leadership development, leadership development ann arbor
In the ever-changing and fast-paced world of business, effective leadership is the cornerstone of organizational effectiveness and success. Leadership is not simply about holding a position of authority; it’s about influencing, guiding, and inspiring others towards achieving common goals. Leadership and skills of leaders do not grow overnight, and they require a long-term focus and investment. Over time, leadership skills become increasingly vital, as businesses navigate through challenges and opportunities.

Leadership in a Nutshell

Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to take action towards achieving a common objective. It encompasses many skills including strategic thinking, communication, empathy, and decisiveness. As a leader, you will set the vision, create a roadmap, and mobilize resources in support of desired outcomes. As a strong and competent leader, your presence can elevate your company's performance, foster a positive work culture, and drive innovation.

Read more on our website!

If you’re feeling some desire to address the success of your business, don’t wait – starting doesn’t take more than a brief phone call…

David is an accomplished and experienced business professional who brings over 40 years of insight to the table. As a business coach, he specializes in helping business owners prioritize their needs. He can help you examine the health of your business and help with leadership development for your Ann Arbor business.

It all starts with a single, free conversation. Call 734-726-5208 today for a free coaching session or contact David. Your success is waiting!
 

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Real-Time Accounting vs. After-the-Fact Accounting

performance improvement

In the ever-evolving and fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, the journey to success is often fraught with challenges and opportunities. As a business owner, navigating this dynamic landscape, one of the most critical elements that can either propel you forward or hold you back is the quality and timeliness of your financial information. Sound financial information is not just a tool for tax filing; it is the backbone of informed decision-making, strategic planning, and sustainable growth.

The Bedrock of Success: Sound Financial Information

For business owners, sound financial information is like a GPS that helps you navigate from point A to point B. Set up properly, your financial information can provide direction, clarity, and confidence, enabling entrepreneurs to steer their ventures toward success.

Accurate financial data allows you to:

  • Make Informed Decisions: With precise financial information, you can make decisions about investments, expansion, cost-cutting, and pricing strategies. It empowers you to evaluate the financial health of your business, identify trends, and anticipate future needs.
  • Plan Strategically: Financial information is crucial for creating realistic and achievable business results. By understanding your financial position, as a business owner, you can set goals, allocate resources effectively, and devise strategies that align with your long-term vision.
  • Manage Cash Flow: Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business. Reliable financial data helps you watch your cash flow, ensuring you have the ability to meet obligations and seize opportunities as they arise.
  • Secure Financing: Whether seeking loans, attracting investors, or negotiating with suppliers, having sound financial information enhances credibility and demonstrates your business’s stability and growth potential.
  • Ensure Compliance: Accurate financial records are essential for complying with regulatory requirements and tax obligations. They help avoid legal issues and penalties that could derail the business.

Read more on our website!

Your Gateway to Performance Improvement and Business Success

If you’re feeling some pressure to address the success of your business, don’t wait – it doesn’t take more than a brief phone call…

David is an accomplished and experienced business professional who brings over 40 years of insight to the table. As a business coach, he specializes in helping business owners prioritize their needs. He can help you examine the health of your business and find critical areas which once addressed will result in performance improvement for your business.

It all starts with a single, free conversation. Call 734-726-5208 today for a free coaching session or contact David. Your success is waiting!

Friday, January 17, 2025

Creating a High-Performing Sales Team: Get The Sales Outcomes You Want!

performance improvement

Creating a Sales-Focused organization that is resilient, focused on new and repeat business, and successful in achieving its revenue and profit goals is not transactional. It requires a commitment and the investment of time, energy, and effort with a clear vision of what success looks like. Why not take stock now and find a few areas that will make a difference?

Is your company focused on the right areas, and producing the performance and outcomes you want? Thinking of your current organization, its focus on sales, the culture, employee & management attitudes (mindset), along with sales performance, read the statements below and ask yourself: are these in place and are they optimized?

If your answer is NO to two or more of the following statements, then you would likely benefit from a shift in sales related focus in your organization:

  • All employees have a positive view of sales and selling in our organization
  • The sales leader meets regularly with the business owner /leadership to ensure alignment of sales and organizational strategy
  • Strategic prospecting targets are defined and included in each salesperson’s territory plan
  • All employees in the organization understand the importance of sales and the role they play in supporting and increasing both sales and customer satisfaction

Your Gateway to Performance Improvement and Business Success

If you’re feeling some pressure to address the success of your business, don’t wait – it doesn’t take more than a brief phone call…

David is an accomplished and experienced business professional who brings over 40 years of insight to the table. As a business coach, he specializes in helping business owners prioritize their needs. He can help you examine the health of your business and find critical areas which once addressed will result in performance improvement for your business.

It all starts with a single, free conversation. Call 734-726-5208 today for a free coaching session or contact David. Your success is waiting!

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

High Performing Sales Team: Inspiring Success

performance improvement

What is the view or mindset of your organization toward its sales team? The sales team should be viewed as a high-performance team, no different than a professional sports team. The entire organization (employees / leadership) must get behind the sales team and be supportive, helpful, and passionate about winning, succeeding, and driving results. Something as simple as setting the mindset of ‘everyone sells’ can be a shift in the culture and attitudes embraced by the organization.

Has organizational leadership made clear its go-to-market strategy, along with high value targets? Is the sales manager and sales team equipped and armed with the needed information to carry to prospective customers? Too often sales teams are expected to function just like an owner or leader would, often relying on passion and inside knowledge the sales team doesn’t have access to. Is your sales team set up for success or failure? What information does the owner or leadership have that once shared becomes a game-changer?

We’ve found that many organizations truly want great results, but when it comes to a sales-focused organization with a high-performance team, gaps in this concept emerge. These gaps may include mis-hires in the recruiting of sales team members, not being clear about the role and results expected for the position, and not providing the right tools or direction that supports the optimal success of the sales team. It may be sales management, where success is expected, not celebrated, or assumptions that the team is trained and knows what to do, but no one is checking to see if that assumption is valid.

Creating a Sales-Focused organization that is resilient, focused on new and repeat business, and successful in achieving its revenue and profit goals is not transactional. It requires a commitment and the investment of time, energy, and effort with a clear vision of what success looks like. Why not take stock now and find a few areas that will make a difference?

Read more on our website.

Your Gateway to Performance Improvement and Business Success

If you’re feeling some pressure to address the success of your business, don’t wait – it doesn’t take more than a brief phone call…

David is an accomplished and experienced business professional who brings over 40 years of insight to the table. As a business coach, he specializes in helping business owners prioritize their needs. He can help you examine the health of your business and find critical areas which once addressed will result in performance improvement for your business.

It all starts with a single, free conversation. Call 734-726-5208 today for a free coaching session or contact David. Your success is waiting!

Monday, December 16, 2024

The Gateway to Performance Improvement and Business Success

performance improvement
We’ve found that many organizations want results, but when it comes to a high-performance team, gaps in this concept emerge. These gaps include unsuccessful recruiting of sales team members, not being clear about the role and results expected for the position, and not providing the right tools or direction that supports the optimal success of the sales team. While a sales manager can be key to building and sustaining a Performance Sales Team, each team member must have the potential to grow and excel. An effective sales manager will help grow that salesperson and work to release their potential.

When it comes to creating a high-performance sales team, having, adding, or enhancing talent is critical. A high-performance team needs goals, direction, and feedback about how they are doing, progress toward sub goals (milestones, KPIs) and their approach, acumen, volume of work and effort. They may need to split their time up strategically, so a certain portion of their day is geared toward developing new business opportunities and some of their day to expanding existing business. A sales leader/manager should squarely be focused on the development of strong performing sales team members and working closely with them to refine skills and abilities that result in enhanced performance and therefore better results. All salespeople should be highly focused on their goals that align strategically with the organization – the activities required to build a robust, predictable pipeline and have sufficient volumes in both areas that goal achievement is reliable, predictable, and greater than expected. 

Read more on our website!

Your Gateway to Performance Improvement and Business Success 

If you’re feeling some pressure to address the success of your business, don’t wait – it doesn’t take more than a brief phone call… 

David is an accomplished and experienced business professional who brings over 40 years of insight to the table. As a business coach, he specializes in helping business owners prioritize their needs. He can help you examine the health of your business and find critical areas which once addressed will result in performance improvement for your business. 

It all starts with a single, free conversation. Call 734-726-5208 today for a free coaching session or contact David. Your success is waiting!