Invariably, in a business coaching session with a client, we talk about the employees who my client manages. As most businesses grow, my client is compelled to either promote one of his or her own people to a manager; or try to hire a manager outside of his or her company.

As you might imagine, most business owners want to promote their own employees into management positions. In some cases, they promote their employees and those employees fail in their leadership role. Why? Because they...

I was an energy efficiency engineer for most of my professional career. When I entered a building, my wife would catch me looking at the lights in the building to see if they were using efficient lights.  After selling my engineering firm six years ago, I’ve been a business coach. Within five minutes after meeting a business owner, we’re talking about ways they can grow their business.  It’s hard for me not to be passionate about my profession and other’s...

On this Memorial Day, I want to reflect on what motivated so many in our military to die for our freedoms and liberties that we take for granted today.

I enlisted in the US Marine Corp in 1984. I was shocked when I got off the bus in San Diego, was yelled at, got all my hair cut off and forced to sit at a desk in silence, while I was told to study USMC rules. If I looked up, I’d get yelled at. If I smiled, I’d get yelled at. If I said one word to anyone around me, I’d get...

We find ourselves on the downhill side the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. I first want to say I respect what this virus can do, and I understand the trepidation that most have about re-opening our economy.  I also respect anyone who feels they need to act in a certain way to protect themselves and their family from this virus, in whatever way they feel necessary.

This blog post is not meant to be political. However, for this post to be effective, our politicians must act. I think there...

If you’re like me, this pandemic of the COVID-19 virus has run you through a roller-coaster of thoughts and emotions. You may feel like a victim with your hands tied, and you must sit idly by and watch your business crumble.  Maybe you’re angry at the ridiculous government controls being placed on you and your customers. Maybe, you’ve decided to wait it out and do what you can.

I want to walk you through five different levels of thoughts and emotions. Remember that...

Stifling Free-Speech in the Name of Science

If you’ve been paying attention, you may have noticed a video was recently published by Dr. Daniel Erickson and Dr. Artin Massihi. After getting five million views on YouTube, the video was banned by YouTube. The video was then re-posted in another online video application Vimeo and lasted another 12-hours there before it was taken down again.

The Banned Video’s Points

I will state the basic premise that was presented by these two...

What's the biggest LIE Small Business Owners Tell Themselves?

"I'll NEVER sell my business!"

I’ve been a small business owner most of my professional life, and I now coach other small business owners. One of my standard questions is, “When will you sell your business?”  Here are the three most common answers:

• I’ll never sell my business; I love it too much. After all, what would I do, if I didn’t have my business?
• I will leave my business to my children.
...

Numbers Don’t Lie

As far back as I can remember, I’ve been a numbers guy. Every time a new political policy emerges, or a business situation needs to be digested, I go to the numbers. I tend not to trust most of what I hear or read in the news. I always, ask, “Do the numbers back up the rhetoric?”

Death is Scary

If I told you that an epidemic in our country would cost the citizens in our country roughly 650,000 deaths in a single year, what should we do about it? What...

{This blog post is part of an ongoing series of posts that tell a story.  If you haven't read the previous posts, you will be lost.  Here is the first post in this series.}

I feel it’s important to connect the fictional story I just told you through seven blog posts that walked you through Gary's story as a business owner.

The story of Gary Lindberg and Coach Russ was intended to illustrate the direct benefits of shifting your thinking and the thinking of your employees...

{This blog post is part of an ongoing series of posts that tell a story.  If you haven't read the previous posts, you will be lost.  Here is the first post in this series.}

“By taking the time to stop and appreciate who you are and what you've achieved - and perhaps learned through a few mistakes, stumbles and losses - you actually can enhance everything about you. Self-acknowledgment and appreciation are what give you the insights and awareness to move forward toward...