Guest Blog
Guest Blog
Selling is Solving Problems - Author: Eric Shefler
During my career in business to business sales management I’ve occasionally met salespeople whose natural talent or good timing and luck have allowed them to be successful right from the start of their selling careers.
For most, however, becoming an effective salesperson requires time, hard work, a commitment to success and typically some failure along the way before real consistent results are achieved.
Guest Blog
Guest Blog
A Turnaround’s First Step Maybe Its Least Obvious - Author: George Horhota
Newly recruited CEOs of early stage technology companies are usually in the captain’s chair because they have been brought onboard to initiate the changes or results that their predecessor could not. They are expected to have all the new answers.
It’s temping for freshly-minted CEOs to immediately implement a new course that they believe is necessary to get the company on track. Change can include applying strategies successfully forged in their earlier turnarounds or reconstituting a winning management team that delivered for the CEO at their previous company. The approach has merit as the enterprise likely needs a breath of fresh talent and ideas.
Guest Blog
Guest Blog
The Importance of Planning - Ross Findlay
Many years ago a friend taught me the “Principle of the 7 P’s – Poor Prior Planning Precedes Piss-Poor Performance”. Many would agree with the statement but few are good at following through. Planning is not only a business skill it’s a life skill that can be used in everything from managing a huge project to putting together a church picnic.
Guest Blog
Guest Blog
Renewable Energy Technologies and Growth Opportunities - Hari Venkatacharya
The need for cleaner energy has now been accepted, after much debate. Billions of dollars in fundamental research have been invested in Canadian technologies to increase the capabilities in the solar, wind, bio-mass and bio-fuel sectors; yet, how much market penetration has actually occurred in North America?
Guest Blog
Guest Blog
Outsourcing, Innovation and the Economy - Philip Neukom
For the past 10+ years we Canadians have been following the outsourcing herd and moving manufacturing offshore. In doing so we have significantly reduced our ability to innovate, grow our economy and increase our wealth.
Guest Blog
Guest Blog
Advisory Boards - An Entrepreneur’s Secret Weapon - David J Pasieka
We met with a young Entrepreneur a couple days ago who was making great progress in commercializing his technology. He had locked down his IP, sized his large addressable market, secured some strategic relationships and was well down the path of turning a discussion into a revenue generating pilot…
Guest Blog
Guest Blog
Bright & Not Blurry Eyed Business Plans - David J Pasieka
I finally broke down over the weekend and attacked the stack of 5 Business Plans that I promised to read and comment on. They ranged in length from 15 to 80 pages and covered multiple industries and segments. My mind was whirling as I completed the last “...in conclusion” section. As I compared and contrasted the individual documents I was inspired to write a couple tips to help those Entrepreneurs with their next versions.
Guest Blog
Guest Blog
Dear Customer, we don’t really value you - Lynda Partner
I am a customer service nazi. I admit it. I admire those who deliver great service and I take great offense with those who don’t.
I like nothing more than acknowledging great customer service, and I have been known to make job offers on the spot to those who have given me great service because they are the type of person I want working for my company.
Guest Blog
Guest Blog
Those Pesky Independent Directors - David J. Pasieka
A young CEO recently asked for some advice. She had just signed off on a third party investment which came with the requirement to add an Independent Board member to the team. The CEO commented that “The dynamics and complexity of the Boardroom has changed in a number of significant ways. I need some help in understanding what is unfolding.
Guest Blog
Guest Blog
Navigating India: Business Models for Entering the Market - Hari Venkatacharya
When I engage in conversations with Canadian companies about the various models that could be employed to enter the Indian market, the two most prominent ones are to set up a stand alone, self-funded operation in India; or to partner with an established sector-based player in India, who would act more as a joint venture partner.
There are, as always, risks and benefits in both models, especially for early-stage companies; however my experience of doing business in India over the last dozen years has been to find the second model more resource efficient and successful.