How To Find Your Ikigai And Transform Your Outlook On Life And Business
Ikigai is a Japanese concept that translates to "reason for being." Here's how I found mine, and what it meant for my life as an entrepreneur.
View ArticleThree Valuable Lessons I Learned From My Top-Performing Millennial Employees
Millennials get a bad rap in the workplace, but if you look closely you might just learn some valuable lessons.
View ArticleQuantum Entrepreneurship: How Understanding Quantum Mechanics Can Make You A...
Quantum Mechanics and entrepreneurship have more in common than you may think.
View ArticleWhy We Chose To Disaggregate Our Product, And How It Revolutionized Our Business
The strategy of disaggregation, essentially breaking a complex thing into smaller pieces, can have a dramatic impact on the strategy and direction of your business. Here's how.
View ArticleHow One Struggling Entrepreneur Found Solace In The Ancient Philosophy Of...
I was struggling with the emotional roller coaster of entrepreneurship until I embraced the ancient philosophy of Stoicism.
View ArticleHow To Make Difficult Decisions (And Live With The Consequences)
Using a structured mental algorithm can help you make difficult decisions more efficiently and gain comfort with their consequences.
View ArticleWhy Entrepreneurs Need To Practice Gratitude Each And Every Day
One of the great curses of being an entrepreneur is a forever-lingering sense of dissatisfaction that can lead to sadness, frustration , a longing. I've found, however, that practicing gratitude on a...
View ArticleThe Simple Nightly Routine That Can Make You A Better Entrepreneur
Taking time to reflect on the day's events can help you answer four important questions and become a better entrepreneur, leader, and person.
View ArticleWhen It Comes To Entrepreneurship, We Need Fewer Kirks And More Picards
Many of the scandals currently plaguing entrepreneurial tech companies can be traced back to a cavalier, "move fast and break things" style of leadership. Going forward, entrepreneurs should adopt a...
View ArticleThe Story Of How We Sold A Line Of Business And Reoriented Our Company, BodeTree
Introducing a new blog series exploring our company's recent transformation.
View ArticleHow The Team At BodeTree Discovered The Transformative Power Of Exploring New...
Sometimes, the seemingly simple act of exploring a new markets can lead to unexpected transformations.
View ArticleHow BodeTree Learned To "Ooch" Its Way Toward Transformational Change
Before we made the bold decision to reorient our company, we devised a way test our plan. We called this process "ooching."
View ArticleWhen It Comes To Developing An Exit Strategy, It Pays To Be Creative
When it comes to exit strategies, most of us think there are only two options: IPO or acquisition. The truth is that there are many options available to entrepreneurs, and when it comes to planning an...
View ArticleHow I Learned Three Hard Truths About Organizational Transformations
I don't care how much experience you have or how sophisticated you are; change is hard. Guiding an entire organization through a period of transformational change is even harder. Here are three truths...
View ArticleHow And When To Inform Your Team Of Major Developments In Your Business
Transparency is a vital aspect of good leadership. However, that doesn't mean that you should subject your team to the stress of real-time updates. Here's how I learned how and when to share important...
View ArticleThree Painful Lessons Learned From Working With A Bad Sales Prospect
There are few things in business more frustrating than a bad sales experience. Here are three lessons I took away from a deal gone bad.
View ArticleWhy Trust, Respect, And Admiration Are The Critical Components Of Good...
When it comes to raising money or selling your business, there are only three things that really matter: mutual trust, respect, and admiration.
View ArticleHow My Mother Taught Me The Skills I Needed To Become An Entrepreneur
In honor of Mother’s Day, I thought I’d reflect on the impact my mother has had on my life as an entrepreneur and share the most two most important values that she instilled in me.
View ArticleWhy Truth, Humility, And Patience Are Every Leader's Most Powerful Weapons
It has been said that “the cover up is worse than the crime,” and I couldn’t agree more. In business, the most catestrophic scenarios are often the result of unforced errors committed in the aftermath...
View ArticleWhy Finding Your Natural Fit Is The Key To Achieving Ecstasis
We're all in search of ecstasis (also know as flow), the elusive state of mind where we become so engrossed in the task at hand that everything else simply melts away. While some go to extreme lengths...
View ArticleEntrepreneurs: Remember That Who You Spend Time With Is Who You Become
After attending my best friend's graduation from medical school, I was reminded of the old maxim "Who you spend time with Is who you become." It turns out that the saying applies just as much to...
View ArticleAn Entrepreneur's Letter To His Son
As a father, I’ve taken to writing letters to my son in an attempt to document the lessons I’ve learned throughout my time as an entrepreneur. So far, I’ve kept all of these private, but given some of...
View ArticleA Few Thoughts For Entrepreneurs Wrestling With Depression
Depression is an epidemic among entrepreneurs and creatives. While I don't have all the answers, I have learned a few things along my journey that can help to put challenging circumstances in perspective.
View ArticleWhen It Comes To Success In Business, EQ Eats IQ For Breakfast
When it comes to finding success in business, it's important to remember that EQ wins out over IQ every time.
View ArticleHow To Run A Business In The Post-Truth, Post-Civility World
We now live in a post-truth world; a world where facts are malleable, able to be twisted to suit whatever narrative is convenient or popular. Running a business in this brave new world can be...
View ArticleFor The Franchise Industry, The Times Are A-Changin'
The franchise industry, which is far larger and more diverse than most realize, is going through a period of tremendous change. Here's why.
View ArticleHow BodeTree Launched A New Venture Investment Fund And Learned Three...
Earlier this year, BodeTree took the plunge and launched a venture investment fund of its own. We learned three key lessons in the process.
View ArticleThree Key Questions You Need To Ask Before Evaluating Any Franchise Business
Franchising can be a great way for people satisfy their entrepreneurial itch. However, it's important to ask three key questions before you start evaluating franchise opportunities.
View ArticleHow To Determine If Franchising Can Be Your Path To Independence
While franchising can offer a path to financial independence for many, it isn't for everyone. Before deciding on an entrepreneurial avenue, it's important to perform a self-assessment to determine if...
View ArticleThe Top Ten Red Flags To Watch Out For When Buying A Franchise
Buying a franchise can be a stressful and emotional process where things are not always as they seem. I often advise potential franchisees to keep an eye out for these ten red flags.
View ArticleHow To Read A Franchise Disclosure Document
When it comes to franchising, few things are as important as the brand's Franchise Disclosure Document. Here are my tips for how to read this key document from the perspective of a potential franchisee.
View ArticleThe Simple Guide To Evaluating Franchise Opportunity Economics
It’s an unfortunate reality that many professionals often take for granted the fact that everyone they encounter shares a basic understanding of business fundamentals, especially in franchising. Here's...
View Article4 Coping Strategies You Can Use When You're Feeling Overwhelmed At Work
We all get overwhelmed and overstressed from time to time. The trick is to manage these feelings before they get out of hand and cause lasting damage. Here are 4 strategies I've developed over the...
View ArticleBefore You Buy, You Should Get To Know The Many Faces Of Franchising
Before you think about buying a franchise, you need to identify and understand the players involved in the process.
View ArticleDemystifying Franchise Sales: The Six-Step Process Every Buyer Needs To Know
If you've ever thought about buying a franchise, you need to know the ins and outs of the six-step sales process.
View ArticleWhen It Comes To Selling Franchises, Authenticity Matters Most
Franchise sales has a (deservedly) bad reputation. The secret to being an outlier in the space is simple: authenticity.
View ArticleThe Three Things All Great Franchisors Have In Common
Every great emerging franchisor has three things in common: commitment, focus, and balance.
View ArticleThe Key Facts Every Franchisor Needs To Know About Financial Performance...
For franchisors, there are few things more confusing and potentially risky than managing financial performance representations. Here are the key facts that you need to know.
View ArticleIf You Want To Achieve Extreme Productivity, Don't Be A Goldfish
People often ask me how I manage to get so much done in a given day. My answer is always the same: Don't be a goldfish.
View ArticleMature Entrepreneurs Know When To Be A Hedgehog And When To Be Fox
When it comes to strategic thinking, leaders are often classified as either broad-thinking "foxes" or focused and disciplined "hedgehogs." This entrepreneur believes that the best leaders, however,...
View ArticleHow To Be A Gentleman In Your Personal And Professional Life
We live in uncivil times. It seems as though the longstanding expectation of decorum has given way to our more brutish tendencies. I believe these seven principles of gentlemanly conduct can help to...
View ArticleHow To Encourage Honest Business Relationships In The Post-Truth World
We live in a world where, as Rudy Giuliani once remarked, “Truth isn’t truth." That makes forming and maintaining business relationships difficult. These three principles, however, aid in nurturing an...
View ArticleHow To Accept, Process, And Learn From Failure
Failure is painful, no matter how you slice it. However, it is possible to process it and emerge stronger. Here's how.
View ArticleAn Entrepreneur's Framework For Gaining Mental Clarity In Stressful Situations
I've always been a high-stress person, and entrepreneurship has only made matters worse. In response to chronic stress, I've developed a framework that has helped me achieve mental clarity in the most...
View ArticleThree Behaviors That Can Help You Mature From Boss To Leader
Anyone can be a boss, but relatively few have the drive, patience, or stamina to become a true leader. Here are three behaviors that can help you make the transition from boss to leader.
View ArticleHow To Build A Solutions-Oriented Team
Every leader dreams of having a team of self-starters. These three tips can help make the dream a reality.
View ArticleHow I Learned To Stop Worrying And Embrace Process
After years of resisting, I transformed my company into a process-oriented organization. Here's what happened.
View ArticleHow This Millennial Came To Realize The Value Of Old-School Management
How this millennial came to realize that when it comes to management, there's no school like the old school.
View ArticleIf You Want To Achieve Long-Term Happiness, Embrace The Growth Mindset
Happiness doesn't come from achieving goals. It comes from making incremental progress toward a goal. To do that, you have to develop a growth mindset in both your personal and professional lives.
View ArticleHow To Handle The Challenges Of Driving Change In Change-Resistant Industries
Driving change in deeply entrenched, highly resistant industries can seem like an insurmountable challenge. However, it is possible to be an agent of change in the face of these difficulties. Here are...
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