Bill Byrd

Bill talks about the emotional ties you have to your business. Especially if you started it as a start up and saw it grow to where now is the time you are ready to sell.

How hard is it to let a business go?

The emotional and feeling side of you plays a big part in the sale.

When you should you sell your business?

Social Media for Small Business

How much time do I spend?

Is it important?

Using Facebook, Tweeter, Linkedin, or others you need to be involved.

Social Media is for networking. Especially small business needs to use.

Pay someone? Fine they will do a great job. If you don’t have the funds is there an alternative/

Look up ROOST. Very friendly and it’s free.

This is a great way to get out into the world of social media in helping your company.

Another subject to touch on – web site crash.

Defined as 200% increase.

Have a plan doesn’t look good to all those new customers trying to come into your web site when it crashes.

Check out NEUSTAR. They can help alleviate this problem.

Bad apples can ruin a whole team.

Someone who is lazy and incompetent can ruin great performers.

Bad Apples distract and drag down everyone.

Owners and Managers usually focus on the best achievers. Bad Apples need as much attention or more.

Why? Bad is stronger than good.

Look at your local news, mostly about stories on negative results to society.

Negative thots can trigger in others larger and longer lasting negativity.

One slacker can drop the performance by 30-40% of the group.

How to squash negativity. First work hard at not hiring them.

Candidates know how to fill out a proper resume and how to hold a good interview, even attend the best schools. But inside they are lazy, incompetent and nasty.

Some companies are now bringing in candidates to work a couple of days on a small project. They can find out very quickly their technical skills but also their personality. How did they deal with a set back? Do they know who to ask advice from or do they even ask for advice?

Best companies make explicit their intolerance for bad apples. They spell out which behaviors are unacceptable and act decisively to prevent and halt them. They make is very clear that disrespect and selfishness are unacceptable. Some companies call them jerks.

Anyone who persistently demeans others on staff or puts personal needs ahead of others, they act quickly to expel.

Some leaders use coaching, warnings, and incentives to curb toxic employees.

Others may physically isolate the bad apples.

Remember one bad apple can bring the others down, and when he is gone they will do their best again.

Some thots from the Wall Street Journal 24 October 2011, article titled ‘How a few bad apples ruin everything’. by Robert Sutton

Starting a Part Time Small Business

Is it possible? Yes!

Here are four principles to go by:

1 – Something you know and have a passion about.

2 – Fast turn around – you have limited energy don’t want to get discouraged.

3 – Low Overhead and Cash Infusion – start up money very low.

4 – Operations are Simple – easy step up, not complicated, nothing working get discouraged.