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  • Is your company in shape for a long or fast ride? Is your company in shape for a long or fast ride?

    Is your company in shape for a long or fast ride?

Is your company in shape for a long or fast ride?

I was on a bicycle ride recently when another cyclist sprinted past me.  I immediately picked up my speed to catchup. That effort is where this week’s Lesson Found begins.

My instinct was to use this cyclist as a pacer to increase my own speed. (more…)

  • How to Survive Summer in Your Home Office How to Survive Summer in Your Home Office

    How to Survive Summer in Your Home Office

How to Survive Summer in Your Home Office

When I began my consulting practice, a major reason for choosing to work from home was being able to spend more time with my son who was 11 at the time.  Then the school year ended and summer started.  That experience is the source for this week’s Lesson Found.

Anticipating that summer, I thought my son would entertain himself while I worked.   This “logical thought” was quickly challenged by reality the first week of summer vacation.  (more…)

  • Is the investment of time sinking your decision making? Is the investment of time sinking your decision making?

    Is the investment of time sinking your decision making?

Is the investment of time sinking your decision making?

My 20-year old son, Jeremy, and I often discuss various business-related topics.  Recently that topic was the “sunk cost fallacy”* which I explained is the mistake of using money and time already sunk into a project as the deciding factor to continue the project.  A junior studying computer science, Jeremy immediately compared this to “coding” (aka writing computer code).  This relationship between sunk costs and coding is this week’s Lesson Found. (more…)

  • Addressing Sibling Conflict in the Business Addressing Sibling Conflict in the Business

    Addressing Sibling Conflict in the Business

Addressing Sibling Conflict in the Business

My mother and I recently traveled to visit my sister and her family.  Except for the occasional meal out, we stayed in the house, simply being together as family.  And we had a wonderful time! On the trip home, I considered the contrast and how stereotypical sibling conflicts burden some family businesses.  The source of and ways to mitigate these conflicts are this week’s Lesson Found. (more…)

  • A founder’s legacy of integrity for his daughter & their business A founder’s legacy of integrity for his daughter & their business

    A founder’s legacy of integrity for his daughter & their business

A founder’s legacy of integrity for his daughter & their business

This week’s Lesson Found comes from a friend, Debby Abel, who recently wrote a beautiful essay on her family’s business and the legacy of integrity her parents gave her. (more…)

  • Aligning Succession Plans with Business Plans Aligning Succession Plans with Business Plans

    Aligning Succession Plans with Business Plans

Aligning Succession Plans with Business Plans

A participant at a recent family business workshop was surprised when I said business planning should be part of the succession planning process. This founder’s business had a succession plan but lacked a coordinated plan looking at the future of their business. This founder’s surprise is a Lesson Found for all family businesses. (more…)

  • Building a team to turn impossible into possible – and more! Building a team to turn impossible into possible – and more!

    Building a team to turn impossible into possible – and more!

Building a team to turn impossible into possible – and more!

The gravity pull of black holes is so intense it sucks in everything around it – even light.  It would then seem impossible to capture a picture of any black hole.  But a team of scientist did exactly that.  Their efforts offer a Lesson Found in what it takes to create an extremely effective team.  (more…)

  • The “Screech Method” for Resolving Partner Conflicts The “Screech Method” for Resolving Partner Conflicts

    The “Screech Method” for Resolving Partner Conflicts

The “Screech Method” for Resolving Partner Conflicts

Childhood friends Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan co-founded and built Method natural cleaning supplies into a $100 million brand.  And, like many family and other partnerships, the path toward success was not always smooth. How the two navigated past conflict is a Lesson Found.

Featured on How I Built This with Guy Raz, the friends/partners discussed their path to success and described, as I refer to it, the “Screech Method” of conflict avoidance. (more…)

  • Does running your business feel like running a marathon? Does running your business feel like running a marathon?

    Does running your business feel like running a marathon?

Does running your business feel like running a marathon?

Running a business and running a marathon have much in common including both the owner and the runner are in it for the duration.  Thus, Des Linden’s “training regimen” leading up to winning the 2018 Boston Marathon offers a Lesson Found for owners.

After ten years of running in Olympic and other major marathons, Linden finished 4th in the 2017 Boston Marathon.  Desiring to finally break through to the winning spot, Linden cut short her normal break and quickly returned to training with even greater intensity than before.  The result (more…)

  • What lessons does Brexit offer companies on contingency planning? What lessons does Brexit offer companies on contingency planning?

    What lessons does Brexit offer companies on contingency planning?

What lessons does Brexit offer companies on contingency planning?

By now, we’re all tired of hearing about Brexit.  But if you look beyond the political antics, Brexit offers valuable Lessons Found on contingency planning for businesses.  Here are a few examples. (more…)