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…
A Quick Thought on Blogs
Blogs don’t have to be scary. They don’t have to be long or long-winded. They don’t have to lecture or be too nice. And blogs certainly don’t have to be time consuming. Seth Godin writes about a blog a day….
Who Started This?
I didn’t start Tinderbox Consulting. I believe in God. I am a Christ Follower. Three years ago, when I found myself unemployed (again), I was determined to get another “real job.” God had different plans. Because I listened and obeyed…
Be There In Five
No you won’t. And we both know it. It’s not because I don’t trust you. It’s because I do the same thing. I’m running late and am embarrassed that I’m running late so I text you to let you know….
Smart Enough to Know Better
A friend of mine said to me while discussing a work issue, “I’m smart enough to know better, but not smart enough to know why.” His meaning was that he knew he was being taken advantage of, he just didn’t…
Entry Points for Failure
As a small business owner, the world can seem overwhelming at times. There are so many hats to wear, and so many fires to put out. Sometimes, you have approach things from a different angle. Instead of being reactive, think…
Start-Up Some Disruption
Sometimes startups are feared because of the disruption they cause. Think Google and how they treat employees (dog-friendly, free food, etc.). Think Uber or Lyft. Think Airbnb. Don’t fear the disruption. Embrace it. Corral it. Train it to be disruption…