New Business Learning Center

         From what I have seen so far this summer, this summertime will be one for the record books for most small business owners. Restaurants are less crowded for the most part........forget the "everyone's on vacation excuse" and "nothing special" restaurants are closing right & left. General mom & pop retail shops are reeling from lower sales and are refocusing their energy on watching their spending now and banking on the cool fall weather and holiday rush to rescue them from the doldrums of the current economic slump. Service businesses seem the least effected by the slump, but they too are getting sqeezed by fewer large orders and offsetting higer operating costs generated primarily by soaring energy costs. Consumers are starting to resign themselves to the harsh reality that $4.00 gas is not going away and that other areas of consumer expenses must be held in check (eg. eating out, expensive vacations, etc.). How is your business faring this summer? What expensing are you cutting back on?  

   Another pet pieve of mine is attending a networking type business event and meeting people whose last purpose for being there seems to be making new business contacts. It seems to me that the networking event for some business people is just a another break away from the daily grind, an excuse to get out of real working, or they are just plain hungry or thirsty. If that's the case can't we get these people to wear a tag around their neck displaying their real intensions or place them in their own roped-off area in the room?

    In reality, attending these networking events is a great way to meet new contacts, start a long-term business relationship, and hopefully get a client or two out of the event down the road. Looking at where my clients came from proves this theory out time and time again. But for you to succeed at these networking events you have to look past the businesses that the people you meet represent. The person that you meet may not meet your target market. But you never know who they may know who may be the perfect fit for your product or service.

Ever think about all the effort you and stores that you shop spend on dealing with change...........What a waste of time! We could make more money melting down pennies and nickels and selling the compound. Penny pretzel sticks have been gone for decades now.......Why now just round up the nearest dollar or round down to nearest dollar and forget the whole change routine? Am I all wet here or is there a productive purpose for change in 2008?

  Many of us volunteer our services for different organizations with the hope of developing new contacts and some new business. Sometimes decisions made by others have a negative impact on our own business, but these same decisions helped that organization reach its goals and objectives. We can't and should not hold a grudge against that officer or member who made a decision which hurt us and/or our business. In every business transaction there are always winners and losers.......Your time will come if you invest enough of your time and energy. 

  A pet pieve of mine is business people who make promises to do something  (call you or somebody, get something for you) , but never do. I would rather people say "I will try" instead of giving me a promise they know they will not carry out or don't want to keep.