The Blog - Where Business Collides with Human Nature

3 Quick Ways to Green Your Corporate Office

It's no secret that sustainability is en vogue. This is especially true when it comes to commercial real estate trends.

Employees are asking for greener offices, and managers recognize the productivity and health benefits of green design.

Creating a greener office space doesn't need to be expensive or time-consuming. If you're interested in crafting an eco-friendly office, there are a few quick, easy ways you can get started:

  1. Increase Employees’ Exposure to Natural Light
  2. Invest in Live Office Plants
  3. Reduce Unnecessary Energy Use

This article discusses how you can kickstart these three initiatives in your workspace. Take action without delay, and happier, more efficient employees will return your investment in sustainability.

Topics: Business Technology Business Success Tips Culture Change Ecology

Start a Business Online Howto 1 – Aim, Fire, Ready – Use Your Brain

Where Are You?

You are; 

...working very hard to make money with an online business and swinging the proverbial bat but missing the ball continuously.  You try wearing your hat on backwards, a different bat, different shoes, read another book, and the list goes on.  You are trying to follow the mantra:  "if at first you don't succeed, try... try again".

You are;

...looking for a job and not interested in an online business but are peeking here to consider options for income.

You are;

...sick, sick, sick... and tired of reading emails, blogs, online eBooks, articles and find that none of them have the answer... and yet each of them seem to know a piece of the puzzle.  You have heard an Internet marketer once say: "email them until they buy or they die" and the actions of many seem to confirm this.

You are:

...just starting.  Fresh, new... positive attitude with an open mind to the possibilities.

There are many more questions to consider in determining who you are and they are very important.

Topics: Free Software Planning Business Success Tips Personal Development

Using a SWOT Analysis for Business Success - Not Your Gut

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective.

The technique is credited to Albert Humphrey, who led a convention at Stanford University in the 1960s and 1970s using data from Fortune 500 companies.

A SWOT analysis must first start with defining a desired end state or objective. A SWOT analysis may be incorporated into the strategic planning model. Strategic Planning, has been the subject of much research.

Topics: Business Success Leadership Business Success Tips Analysis

How to Negotiate a Better Deal

Learning how negotiate with video, business success tips and the only guide to negotiating you will ever need.  Conflict resolution and negotiating a better deal can be handled with shear force of will, being honest and hoping for the best.  True?

Not true.  Negotiation from a position of strength instead of as a victim increases the chance of closing a deal, getting a better rate, a lower price or bonus items.  You might even get your car washed or lawn mowed.  There are quick negotations which happen each day as the entrepreneur needs something NOW but gets resistance from the vendor.

Negotiating for a small business loan with a bank can seem daunting.  Hiring a small business loan broker who can help with the process is usually the best decision or you learn how to negotiate and take it on yourself.

Topics: Selling Business Success Tips Personal Development Conflict Resolution Negotiation

Entrepreneurs Doing All-Nighters Get High

The Journal of Neuroscience shared findings in a recent study which underscores the need for people seeking business success in high-stakes professions and circumstances not to shortchange themselves on sleep.

“When functioning correctly, the brain finds the sweet spot on the mood spectrum. But the sleep-deprived brain will swing to both extremes, neither of which is optimal for making wise decisions,” says Matthew Walker, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of California, Berkeley and lead author of the study.

The Journal of Neuroscience says:  "Appropriate interpretation of pleasurable, rewarding experiences favors decisions that enhance survival."  What I gather from this is that sleep deprivation makes a person temporarily feel good.

Topics: Business Success Tips Entrepreneur Personal Development

Hazards of Anonymous Surveys

To survey people anonymously is not typically a path to business success.  Asking for opinions without knowing the source and background of those giving the answer could have decision makers who are not in touch going down a dead end.

This is definitely true when asking for opinions about how to improve a product or service or asking opinions about which is better and what are the preferences.

The answer risks accuracy unless more is known about the context in which the answer is shared.  Who has the expertise to answer and who is simply blowing smoke?  

Topics: Business Success Tips Surveys

6 Great Ways to Lose Customers

You just might be making a mistake or two that’s costing you customers! Just a 5% increase in customer retention can increase profits up to 95%, so it makes sense to find your problem and implement a solution before your business takes a hit.

Topics: Customer Service Business Success Tips

5 Essentials to Business Success

To execute your business success plan more effectively, here are (5) five essentials to ensure a long term healthy and prosperous business and answer the question:  "How Can You Improve Business in the Next 12 Months?"

Topics: Business Success Leadership Business Planning Business Success Tips

A Five Star Lunch as Your Secret to Success

A “Five Star Lunch” is one method to gain an advantage with growing a successful business without deep pockets.  A “Five Start Lunch” is an opportunity to have top advisors sit at your table who will provide you with answers to questions you have not yet thought to ask.  A “Five Start Lunch” provides the resources by which any entrepreneur who desires success can be inspired, motivated and educated.

Topics: Trusted Advisor Business Success Tips Referral Marketing

Everything Jeff Bezos Knows About Business Success [video]

Started in his home, Jeff Bezos started a business and began to reach for his dream. In the video below he will tell his story about how it all began, what it takes to be successful and why Amazon bought Zappos.  This is as much a message to the new Zappos team as it is for you.  

Topics: Customer Service Business Success Tips

Running a business from a smartphone [infographic]

The ultimate way to manage your business allows you to stay connected with data while on the run.  The smartphone is now a powerhouse with special apps which are available for free or low cost.  This infographic shows the apps which are available to help you stay flexible in your business:

Topics: apps Business Success Tips

Checklist to Start a Personal Revolt

On July 4th every year, fireworks inspire me to think about my own evolution, beliefs, business activities and even relationships.  Many of are pushed to the curb into a "stand-by mode" even though most are considered to be acceptable to good.

This has an impact on the calendar since less time is spent on activities which basically make me feel validated and boost my ego, but not best use of time.  The next step is to add activities to the schedule which seriously challenges my comfort level and skills.

In the article: 5 Essentials to Business Success, you will see: "Good enough today is not good enough tomorrow".  Humans moan resist change because few look forward to more studying, more trial & error and possibly more work.  

Topics: Profit Business Planning Business Success Tips Personal Development