Do You Over-Complicate Your Business?

Brenda Horton and Guy Kawasaki at SXSWi 2009

Are You Confusing Your Customers? Oftentimes, as small business owners, we tend to over-complicate things. Too often we make our business much harder than it needs to be for ourselves and our customers. Here's why; "Lots of research in economics and psychology shows that when we know something, it becomes hard for us to imagine not knowing it.  As a result, we become lousy communicators. Think of a lawyer who can't give you a straight, comprehensible answer to a legal question.  His vast knowledge and experience render him unable to fathom how little you know. So, when he talks to you, « Continue »

A 5 Step Social Media Marketing Plan

Online Biz Strategies

Envision Plan Act Track Adapt Here is a 5 step social media marketing plan presentation I put together for my local business community. Feel free to share it with others by posting it on Facebook and re-tweeting it, etc. I would love your feedback and comments below. Thanks! « Continue »

How Perseverance Passion and Purpose Got Me To The Top

Yosemite Falls

What Yosemite Falls Taught Me About Business Yes, it was perseverance, passion, and purpose that got me to the top of Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in America.  I recently took a vacation to Yosemite where I hiked 2,700 feet of steep vertical terrain up the Yosemite Falls trail. It was a steep 8 mile and 8 hour round trip hike. The last hour to the Falls was brutally steep. The sun was pounding on my back. My feet were screaming at me and my muscles were beyond tired. To say it was a grind would be an understatement. Did I mention how steep it was? Look, I am not going to tell you « Continue »

The Top 15 Best Websites for Small Businesses

Summer Drink

Hware's Top Picks: Some Old, Some New, Some May Surprise You. As an online business training and coaching company, people often want to know where we go for our business resources and who we turn to for advice, tips, and strategies.  While we have been offering business and technology consulting services for over 25 years, we believe in the importance of being students of life. That means that we never stop learning. We have a huge library of online resources, personalities, brands, and strategic organizations that we tap into daily and weekly. It was hard to narrow it down, but we finally « Continue »

8 Business Tips When Morale Is Low

What to do when morale is low?

Setting Guidelines for Strategic Business Meeting I recently facilitated a strategic business meeting where the leaders within the organization were very hostile towards one another. It would be an understatement to say that the tension in the room was thick. Morale was at an all-time low. The people present had some unspoken mistrust and fear.  Furthermore, egos were getting in the way of their decision-making process. They were blinded by their own self-interest versus the best interest of the company. So, I did something completely unorthodox in a business environment. I told everyone « Continue »