Don’t believe me?  Doubting a former dental assistant may not be a wise move!   To some, this topic may sound ridiculous, but observing professionals over the years…first, from a dental assistant’s perspective and now, over the past 20 years, as a business owner, I can share this with confidence. For the record, this has…

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Business success depends on a healthy corporate culture.  Whether you agree or not, culture outranks strategy in order of importance when we are measuring the bottom line.  So how does your team rank in the three critical factors:  substance, strength, and adaptability?   A happy (and emotionally strong) team is a profitable team.  Stop fooling…

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    I’m a Netflix Junkie.  I’ll never be satisfied with a TV series again in which I have to wait one week for the next episode.  I’m not proud of this, but it is a fact of my life. If my phone is slow (despite the latest update) or if my office computer takes…

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Smart business protocol often stagnates in Summer.  Invest a little time in these areas over the 4th of July to insure that you end quarter three of 2013 with a bang.  A surge in productivity, creativity, efficiency and profitability is achievable.  Don’t be tempted to cut expenses but rather focus on the basics that will…

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My mom used to tell me that you are nothing if you don’t have a “good name.” “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” as quoted in William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, in which Juliet argues that the names of things do not matter, only what things “are.” This year, more…

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When I worked at Sonic as a carhop, I once got a “tip” (more like a snarky quip) on a tea stained napkin.  The “tip” stated “get a real job.” What a mean gesture that made me feel rotten. Any job is a “real job,” and that one in particular set the strategic path and business foundation…

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You’ve heard time and time again that success in business decision making requires that we are forward looking and insightful in measurement and analysis in order to make key decisions. We are, in what we call, a measurement culture – where business decisions are driven by measuring, reporting, and managing key strategic and operational metrics. In…

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Recently, I was interviewed by a higher education publication about our plans for and the purpose of Headcrack, our website offering free online courses.  Our purpose, although less formidable, is no different than the mission of our three colleges…to provide students with the knowledge required for successful employment.  Workforce development.  But going a little deeper;…

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Everyone has influence—the ability to drive action. Can you quantify influence considering “influence” is qualitative? Klout says you can.   When I first looked up my Klout score, I was both excited and anxious about seeing what my score would be.  I would be lying if I said that I didn’t care if it was…

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Editor at Large of the Chronicle of Higher Education, Jeffrey Selingo, suggests in his recent article, “Colleges Must Prepare for a Buyer’s Market,” several questions that parents and potential students should (will?) be asking when shopping for college, from…”What is the return on investment?” to “How tech-savvy is the institution?” Because of the endless number of substitutes…

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