Remember 25-years ago when hotel reservations were made by calling an 800-number? I recently reverted back, making a phone call to book my hotel reservation and, in the process, gained a Lesson Found. (more…)
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Is your business’s customer service consistently excellent?
Is your business’s customer service consistently excellent?
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Are your goals keeping you on target?
Are your goals keeping you on target?
Lessons Found for businesses can truly materialize from unexpected sources. For instance, a valuable Lesson Found on business goals can be gleaned from a podcast contrasting two approaches to teaching (more…)
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How older adults can increase sales revenue.
How older adults can increase sales revenue.
A recent article highlighted 94-year-old Martin Gerstell’s regular use of Uber. Uber’s and Lyft’s efforts to market to Mr. Gerstell and his peers are the inspiration for this week’s Lesson Found.
It seems counterintuitive for Uber and Lyft to be directing marketing toward seniors. But a closer look reveals the opportunity. (more…)
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Enhancing Conversations in the Board Room & Family Business
Enhancing Conversations in the Board Room & Family Business
I recently was privileged to sit in on a board meeting for a family business. How the board came to a decision on a contentious issue is a Lesson Found for all of us.
The business’s only remaining founding member* started the debate with an impassioned plea (more…)
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Establishing Internal Controls Which Enhance Growth
Establishing Internal Controls Which Enhance Growth
In January, headlines reported the dramatic collapse of QuadrigaCX, Canada’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The source of QuadrigaCX’s problems provides a vital Lesson Found for owners.
Initial reports tied the cause of QuadrigaCX’s collapse to the death of its founder, Gerald Cotten, since he was the sole person who knew the passwords to access cryptocurrencies valued at $136 million. A subsequent audit revealed that a large portion of those funds had been redirected (more…)
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Don’t Assume Your Way Past Higher Profits
Don’t Assume Your Way Past Higher Profits
I was reminded of the alternative definition of “assume” during a recent visit to the hospital with my mother. That definition offers us a Lesson Found on the importance to business owners of looking beyond their assumptions. (more…)
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Does your voice invigorate your brand?
Does your voice invigorate your brand?
Speech scientist Rapul Patel remembers watching a little girl and a grown man conversing but only hearing one voice, no matter who was talking. That is where our Lesson Found begins.
The little girl and grown man were both using synthetic voice devices that generated the exact same adult-male voice. Clearly, that voice did not accurately represent the individuality of at least one of the speakers. Situations like this spurred Dr. Patel to found VOCALiD, (more…)
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VW Beetle’s “Think Small” is a Model for Big Innovation
VW Beetle’s “Think Small” is a Model for Big Innovation
Eight decades after its introduction, the last Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the assembly line on July 10th. The innovations that extended the Beetle’s life are the source for these Lessons Found.
Total sales of the VW Beetle topped 23 million cars, making it the world’s fourth most popular car model. This success is based on a history of innovations well beyond model updates. For example, the Beetle’s “Think Small” advertising campaign was (more…)
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Will your plans protect your company from Petering-out?
Will your plans protect your company from Petering-out?
My son and I started watching Game of Thrones; him for the second time and this is my initiation. After GOT’s disastrous season 8, my son asked if I wanted to watch that final season. That is where this Lesson Found begins. (more…)
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Is your successor ready for leadership?
Is your successor ready for leadership?
Greeks elected a new prime minister last week, Kyriakos Mitsotaki, who is also the son of a former prime minister. His ascent as leader of Greece offers a valuable Lesson Found for family businesses.
Mr. Mitsotaki’s election is the culmination of his path into the “family business”. (more…)