The analogies between sports and business, or really sports and anything, are as ubiquitous as they are tiresome. And yet, there’s this strong temptation to take an inspiring performance and make it even MORE inspiring by analogy. . . So,…
The Agora Awards Profile Video
Tinderbox was recently a finalist in the small business category of the 31st Annual Agora Awards. As part of the process, Tinderbox received a short video, profiling a bit about what we do, and why we do it! Thank you again to…
The Hiring Decision
Hiring will (and should) change your business. Hiring an employee, especially your first employee, means you have more mouths to feed. At first, my business was just supporting me and my family. As soon as I added an employee, the…
The Agora Awards
An Agora is an ancient Greek word denoting an ancient Greek concept; an ‘open place of assembly’ where citizens from all walks of life would gather to talk and to trade. Philosophers, Socrates himself, strolled barefoot through the square, sparking…
You Didn’t Hire Me and That’s OK
Really. It’s ok. You didn’t hire me or my company to work with you. It’s fine. Too be honest, you’re not the first. And you don’t have to give me the reason, either. It probably came down to cost, or…
Checking Things Off the List
As entrepreneurs and small business owners, we all need (and deserve) a win every now and again. Unfortunately, it’s not often enough that our clients or customers thank us – however, they are often quick to criticize. For that reason…
Bedside Manner
Your bedside manner goes a long way – good and bad – with your customers. It doesn’t matter if you’re actually in sales, marketing or customer service, if you interface with clients you should have good bedside manner. We condition…
Critique vs. Criticism
If you’re giving an honest and helpful critique, don’t say sorry. Own the comment and deliver it. It’s for their benefit, right? Or, are you actually sorry about helping someone? If you say sorry after offering someone some insightful feedback,…
DisasterProofing Your Small Business
Coming off the tail end of the Great Windstorm of 2015 (AKA, #InlandWind, or the #Windocalypse) and contending now with the regular variety of snow and ice (#SpoSnow, and #Spice?), there seems no better time to discuss small business preparedness…
Keeping Your Online Reputation Squeaky Clean
Slanderous comments about your business can stick like graffiti on your online presence: super noticeable, super hard to remove. Rather than scrubbing till your hands are sore, take some simple steps to be proactive about protecting your online reputation. An…