There are times when we're faced with adversity that it feels like giving up is the easiest option. No matter how bad things seem, remember, don't ever give up. When you throw in the towel without exhausting every option and possibility, you're selling yourself short.  Use this one man's story of determination to give you renewed hope when things get rough. Jimmy Valvano, the late coach...

The next power we're going to discuss is the power of passionate attitudes and beliefs. Ask yourself "what motivates me everyday?". Do you have goals and aspirations? Do you really have passion for your work? Success in everything you do is tied to your own passionate attitudes and beliefs. There are so many reasons to be passionate about what you do, let's consider why it's important. ...

  Why do some people succeed where other's do not? What identifiable characteristics do successful people share that distinguishes them from everyone else, whether in their business or personal lives? Let me suggest that many traits, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors can influence success but in general, three are worthy of additional consideration: - Positive Mindset - Passionate A...

Sadly, as a business coach for nearly 20 years,  I’ve seen countless small business owners function like this restaurant owner … the vast majority of them trying to be all things to the business and do all things for the business.  They tend to think and act like Chief 'Everything' Officers … doing it all, day in and day out without end.  That’s a sure recipe for exhaustion, business own...

One quote, more than any other, has made a huge difference in the quality of my business and personal life.  The quote came from Earl Nightingale, the original dean of personal development.  I am not proud to say that when I first heard the 6-word statement some 25-30 years ago on audio cassette in a program called “The Strangest Secret”, I vastly underestimated its power and importance....

I was recently in a hardware store and an effective display for a gutter-guard system caught my eye.  The marketing talked about all the clutter that can clog up your gutters and cause large amounts of water to pour into, flood and damage your house.  That marketing got this business coach thinking about clutter and business.  What clutter is clogging up the gutters (daily operations) of...

As a business owner, do you ever feel like a prisoner to your business?  A prisoner to your employees and customers?  Do you sometimes feel like you work a demanding job instead of owning a thriving business?  If so, you are not alone. As your virtual Growth Coach, allow me to ask you some additional tough but revealing coaching questions: As a business owner, could you leave your bus...

What is one of the most over-rated abilities of a business owner?  Technical expertise.  That's right, the ability to do the technical work of the business ... paint a bedroom, repair a toilet, move a household, care for the elderly, write an insurance policy, clean a home or office, remodel a room, etc. Why is having the talent to do such technical tasks not that special?  Because mill...

Why do we business owners torture ourselves?  Very often we measure our current results only against perfection (our ideal goals).  With that measuring stick, there will be lots of disappointment.  More times than not, we will come up short and feel frustrated. Are we really that crazy?  YES!  We seldom take time to enjoy the journey, gauge and celebrate our incredible progress.  We ten...