As a business owner, finding a balance between managing your employees and handling your business priorities can be a challenge.  After all, you had plenty to do before you had an office full of employees – now you’ve got even more to do to ensure that your entire business continues to run at peak productivity.

Unfortunately, viewing employees as drains on your time instead of as powerful resources that must be managed appropriately leads to low morale, which – in turn – leads to higher turnover and lower productivity.  Instead of falling victim to this over-worked, over-tired mindset, it’s your job as a boss to inspire your employees in order to get them to bring their best selves to your office.
Continue reading

It’s Thanksgiving time, and whether you’re looking forward to a home-cooked meal or plan on celebrating the holiday on your own, I think it’s important to take the time to reflect on all the things we’re so fortunate to have in this world. So, without further ado, here’s a short list of a few of the people and opportunities I’m thankful for this year as an entrepreneur: Continue reading

So you’re thinking about making the leap from your boring old day job to the exciting world of entrepreneurship?  That’s great, but before you start buying into the idea that all entrepreneurs do is build companies, cash out and spend their remaining days sipping umbrella drinks on the beach, let’s get a few things straight…

First of all, it should go without saying that entrepreneurship is hard work.  Really, the number of startup concepts that fail should clue you in to the fact that business ownership isn’t all IPOs and stock options.  However, what most aspiring entrepreneurs miss when they envision making the leap is just how difficult it can be to leave the “9-to-5” mindset behind.

The following are a few of the differences that I’ve identified between being a 9-to-5 employee and a startup entrepreneur.  While your experience may be totally different than mine, I hope you find the guidance here helpful when it comes to maintaining your sanity during this challenging transition!
Continue reading

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from running a handful of startups (including some great successes and some huge failures), it’s that maintaining the motivation and drive needed to push forward when you’d much rather be drinking beers with your friends can be tremendously challenging.

So if you find yourself in this position, don’t worry – I’ve got a present for you!  The following inspirational quotes have all helped me to stay on track when I’ve been struggling, and I hope they do the same for you.
Continue reading

Recently, I bought a new BMW M3, both to commute around San Francisco and to race (guess which one I like better??).  And while my business success allowed me to buy the car of my dreams this time around and made the process of car shopping a lot more enjoyable, I’ve had plenty of different experiences – both good and bad – with car salesman throughout my life.

It’s certainly not a job that I’d ever want to try my hand at, but I believe that there’s a lot you can learn from the men and women in this profession.  The following are just a few of the lessons I’ve picked up from my past experiences shopping for cars: Continue reading