It’s no hardship to say something like “it is important to be honest when dealing with your customers and clients.” That’s not a controversial statement because it is, of course, quite true – other than shady businesses that deal in deception, like card sharks or Wall Street bankers, most of the best business opportunities arise from referrals and repeat customers, of which you will receive zero if you begin treating...
Last week I spoke about holidays, and the importance of taking the time to enjoy them as your 9-5 brothers and sisters do. This week, both Canada and the United States celebrate the birth of our respective countries. And to quote a popular television series, "what better way to celebrate the birth of your country than by blowing up a small part of it." This of course means fireworks, which...
It's just about that time of year again, when the vast majority of 9-5ers in North America get the day off (with pay) to relax, spend time with their families, enjoy some fun activities (like barbecuing or fireworks) and otherwise do anything but work. Every country has holidays just like those we in North America will be enjoying this week. These days are something every average working Joe looks forward...
In the old days, things were a lot simpler. Coming to terms on an agreement was as simple as a handshake and giving your word, and in most cases, people stuck to it. Regrettably, those days are long past. Trust is hard to come by, and a handshake is insufficient to protect you and your business from a less than honorable potential business associate trying to take advantage of you....
It won’t surprise anybody to hear that the recent recession caused average wages in the United States, Canada, and around the world to take a beating. Workers everywhere have been suffering through a period of what economists optimistically call “wage adjustment,” with wages stationary or even decreasing almost across the board. With unemployment still elevated in the developed world, there’s plenty of opportunity – and incentive – for corporations to...
Going green is one of the biggest trends in the world right now. A popular topic at summits among world leaders tend to include a lot of debate on cutting carbon emissions and other green initiatives. The film industry touts their efforts to keep productions are green as possible (The 2008 film The Incredible Hulk became the first big budget blockbuster film to earn the Environmental Media Association's Green Seal)....
This should really go without saying, but first impressions are tremendously important. In life and business, the first impression you make can go a long way towards establishing how your future dealings, be they personal or professional, with a person (or company) will go. A good first impression can lead to a long-standing, beneficial relationship. A bad first impression can lead to no relationship at all. Obviously, the former is...
I know I tend to start a lot of posts like this, but there's an old saying. Unfortunately this one I can't repeat verbatim as this is a PG blog, so I will paraphrase it a little. "Stuff happens." Stuff, of course, refers to all sorts of negative things that can pop up in your day to day life. And if stuff can happen in your daily life, stuff will...
I’m sure most of us have been in the situation I’m about to describe. You’re low on money and it’s about time for all your bills to come due. You’ve got just enough to scrape by and get everything paid, but you’re leaving yourself just a little short for a while. You make an executive decision to let a bill or two slide into the next month so you’ve got...
There is a line from the original Star Wars film Episode IV: A New Hope, spoken by Harrison Ford’s character Han Solo to Mark Hamil’s Luke Skywalker during a pitched battle in space. While not one of the most memorable or quoted lines in the film, it is a solid piece of life advice that has applications in many different ways, including business. The line is “Don’t get cocky, kid.” Cockiness is...