Unfortunately, for a myriad of reasons, most businesses at some point find themselves in decline.  Sales are decreasing, or profits are decreasing, or both.  The biggest issue (and the one that probably consumes the most energy) is declining cash flows.  It could be a lack of foresight that causes a business to miss a shift … Read more

For most businesses, the first four stages of the business life cycle (The Idea, Actual Work, Look Out World, and We’ve Arrived) happen with a certain amount of predictability.  But now what?  What happens when your business has become established in the marketplace with a brand and loyal customers and formal processes and all the … Read more

Finally.  After (probably) years of hard work, you have an established business.  In stage four of the business life cycle, your wild toddler has matured into a thriving adult with its own space in the market and loyal customers.  Growth probably isn’t as explosive as in previous stages, but it’s manageable.  Running the business has … Read more

Your business has gone from birth (The Idea) through infancy (Actual Work) and is now in stage three, the toddler stage, going full speed in any direction that looks interesting.  In fact, that tends to be the problem in this stage.  Revenues and customers are increasing rapidly (you hope), and with them, opportunities and issues.  … Read more

Once your business moves past the “dream” stage, it becomes an actual, functioning entity.  It has been born!  This is the second stage in the business life cycle:  actual work. At this stage, you have products or services and you’re delivering them to customers (you have customers!).  You’ve figured out who you are, who your customers are, etc.  More … Read more