Mark Scott – Why it’s so important to value every moment in life
Anyone who has been a fan of the “Fast & Furious” movies had to do a double take upon hearing the news that actor Paul Walker had been killed in a car crash. It just didn’t seem real that the 40-year-old actor, who rose to fame in high-octane street racing scenes in the fantasy world […]
Craig Dupper – Manage investor relationships through all types of adversity
After more than a decade of private equity investing with business owners as partners, I’ve learned that the relationship can seem like a marriage. This is especially true in situations where things don’t go as planned. For the business owner/private equity marriage to withstand challenging circumstances and generate value for both parties upon conclusion (a […]
Jet Tila – Three questions to ask yourself before launching your great idea
The odds are not in your favor when it comes to breaking out and becoming the next shining star. To make it happen, you need to use every tool in your arsenal. I’ve come up with a checklist that I’ve used to create five successful brands, including my own, in the food/culinary/hospitality industry space. Side […]
Paul Damico: Preparing your organization for growth requires a sound strategy
The downturn of the economy is clearly behind us. Companies have their feet back under them and are once again focused on expanding, acquiring, adding clients and hiring employees. Now is a great time to grow. Moe’s Southwest Grill is one of those fortunate companies that made it through and, for the past few years, […]
William Baker turned down-and-out Irwin Car and Equipment into a growing niche company
Over the course of the 120-plus years that Irwin Car and Equipment has been in operation, the company has undergone several ownership and identity changes — but it wasn’t until William Baker took over the company in 1993 that Irwin Car and Equipment started to reach its full potential. Founded in 1891, Irwin Car started […]
Paul Witkay – Turn the tables on your largest, most powerful competitors
Breakthrough ideas are typically the result of someone who was able to challenge conventional wisdom and think differently. Author Malcolm Gladwell demonstrates this in his newest book, “David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants.” David’s victory over Goliath is widely accepted as a monumental victory for the underdog. David’s tactic of […]
Jerry McLaughlin – What do you want to be when you grow up?
If you’re like most Americans, chances are that question has haunted you from adolescence to adulthood. Which is a shame, because it’s a terrible question. It sends our vocational thinking down the wrong path — which might help explain why 70 percent of Americans are unhappy with their work, and why more than 2 million […]
Andy Kanefield: Here are six principles to improve your leadership decisions
Failure is part of success Six tips to improve your leadership decisions We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes — understanding that failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of success. — Arianna Huffington Our decisions help define us as individuals and […]
Demand will outpace supply for technology jobs in 2014
The fear is gone and employers are ready to hire, according to Rona Borre, founder and CEO at Instant Technology LLC. “Over the past year, things have really opened up,” says Borre, whose firm specializes in IT staffing and recruiting. “Where technology used to be a cost expense, it’s really looked at in a very […]
Bridge Bank: How anticipated interest rate hikes make it a good time to get a loan
After a couple of years sitting stagnant at 3.25 percent, the prime interest rate is expected to go up in 2014, making this a good time to secure a business loan. “There’s not a lot of inflationary pressure yet. The Federal Reserve has been signaling a desire to come off of quantitative easing, and they’ve […]