Blog
Simplicity: The Next Big Thing
Simplification is in. Some of the hottest-selling books right now feature instructions on how to lead a simpler, lower-cost lifestyle. And for good reason, given that we are in the middle of a global economic meltdown. Entrepreneurs need to adapt that same attitude of •••
- February 19, 2009
Surviving the Downturn
During the dot com bust when I was flailing to do a 180 degree turn and go from dizzying growth to slashing costs, I created a mantra that we used throughout the organization as a way of helping us focus like a laser beam on becoming profitable. That same mantra applies to managing a •••
- February 10, 2009
Transitioning from Being Laid-Off to Being an Entrepreneur
Sometimes all a would-be entrepreneur needs is a little push and sometimes that push -- by the providence of God -- comes in the form of being laid off. Heavy lay-offs always lead to a spate of new startups, as many of those newly-released workers roll up their sleeves and attempt to start •••
- February 9, 2009
Lessons on Leadership from Combat Veterans
Men learn to lead in combat and with our two current wars on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq, a new generation of leaders are being produced with a set of unique skills that they are bringing back to American companies and business schools. I recently spent a day interviewing a dozen •••
- February 8, 2009
An Analysis of the Great Depression
Many economists are predicting that we are headed into another depression, perhaps even as bad as the Great Depression. Given that, I recently commissioned an exhaustive investment research report on what happened during the Great Depression and specifically what products, services, •••
- February 3, 2009
Kevin Swanson on an Entrepreneurial Education
College – Overrated and Overpriced? Now mainstream folks are asking the same questions that we've been asking for the last ten years. John Stossel - January 28th, 2009, wrote an article entitled "The College Scam," calling college the most overrated, overpriced product on the market today. He •••
- January 31, 2009
Venture Academy Registration is Now Open
The first installment of the Venture Academy with a week-long Basic Training course will take place March 23-28, 2009 at Camp Marymount in the beautiful hills of middle Tennessee just outside of Fairview, Tennessee (west of Nashville.) Click here to download the •••
- January 14, 2009
Why the Economy Is Going To Get A Lot Worse Before It Gets Better
Things are going to get much worse due to the bungled bailout attempts, the principle of the J Curve and the principle of the Ripple Effect. 1. First, the bailout will only delay any recovery. Click here for a previous post for more on that. 2. Second, there is the principle of the “J” •••
- January 14, 2009
How Would Walt Disney Market in 2009?
Even though Walt Disney was not a believer and even though his productions were not glorifying to God in their storylines, we can still learn much from his business genius, after all, Jesus did tell us to learn from the children of the world, but apply it to our Godly endeavors in his parable of •••
- January 13, 2009
Venture Academy Update
The first installment of the Venture Academy with a week-long Basic Training course will take place March 23-28, 2009 at Camp Marymount in the beautiful hills of middle Tennessee just outside of Fairview, Tennessee (west of Nashville.) Registration will open next week. For •••
- January 5, 2009
Top Ten Workforce Trends for 2009
Working with employees can always be challenging, but it is especially challenging in uncertain times and in a shifting context. An HR consulting firm has recently drawn up what it believes to be the top ten trends for 2009 in terms of managing employees: #10: Prevalence of Support •••
- December 30, 2008
Government Intervention with Free Market Mechanisms - Part 2
The bailout of the banks, auto manufacturers and everyone else that will line up for a handout is a colossal mistake and will only lead to inflation and a declining dollar. In a recent television interview, Jim Rogers, Chairman of Rogers Holdings -- and a highly-successful investor -- named a few •••
- December 23, 2008
All About Royalty Agreements
I have been getting more and more questions about royalty agreements: what they are, how they work, how to negotiate them, etc. This is a typical question I got just the other day: We are beginning negotiations for a royalty/license agreement. What is the customary way to value what we •••
- December 16, 2008
What Should You Pay Out In Salary Increases For 2009?
Has the economy hurt your business? Perhaps it is time to rethink your salary actions for next year. What follows is some solid guidance from an experienced HR professional... Six months ago, companies were poised to grow salaries aggressively, based on: a) rising demand for talent •••
- December 2, 2008
The Unique Selling Proposition
This is a good article that defines the unique selling proposition and provides tips for how to create one for your product or service... Although I've harped on this before, I continually get marketing campaigns submitted to me for critique that contain zero benefits or reasons why a customer •••
- November 19, 2008
Introducing the Venture Academy
The first installment of the Venture Academy with a week-long Basic Training course will take place March 23-28, 2009 at Camp Marymount in the beautiful hills of middle Tennessee just outside of Fairview, Tennessee (west of Nashville.) Registration is now open. Conference •••
- October 30, 2008
What is a Young Man to Do?
We were visiting a church recently where we have many dear friends and I was visiting with a super-smart young 18-year old. When I asked him what his future plans were, he shifted the burden of the answer to me by asking me for ideas, since he was not sure what he wanted to do with •••
- October 24, 2008
Top 10 Strategic Technologies for 2009
Gartner, a leading global IT consultancy, has recently announced what it feels are the top 10 technologies for 2009 (click here to read their view on the next five years): At the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo, being held in Orlando, Gartner, Inc. analysts highlighted the top 10 technologies •••
- October 17, 2008
How to Market in a Recession
As the market melts down, companies will often second guess their marketing investments and wrestle with what a proper strategy should look like during troubled times. Harvard Business School marketing professor John Quelch has these recommendations: for how to market in a recession: •••
- October 8, 2008
Government Intervention with Free Market Mechanisms
I was asked recently what I thought of the economic mess we were in and whether or not I thought the bailout was a good idea. When it comes to government intervention with free market mechanisms, I would offer the following observations: We get more of whatever activity we subsidize. •••
- October 7, 2008
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