There’s no secret to running a successful business. So why is it so hard?

When I was studying for my MBA– we learned about business principles through the “case study” method. We read a narrative about a real business with some sort of challenge. We looked at their…

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The most important ratio every business owner needs to know

My clients often ask me about benchmarks and ratios. They want to know how their business financials compare to industry standards. What’s the appropriate profit margin for a farm business; or what…

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What football and bourbon can teach us about business

When the New England Patriots* came off their 2017 Super Bowl win over the Atlanta Falcons (and before, coach Bill Belichick attributed their success to “No Days Off”. He coined the mantra as a…

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3 Reasons why my most dreaded office chore is actually good for me

Can I let you in on a little secret? I hate writing reports. I know, I know, everything sucks some, of the time.  And one thing that sucks for me about my job is writing reports. I write reports to…

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The Truth about a Growing Business

I was taught (at least) two truths about entrepreneurship when I was an MBA student at Babson: A successful business is always growing; and Start-up entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs who are scaling…

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5 lessons learned from a business closing (and how to avoid similar mistakes)

Les Sablons opened a year ago in a renovated bus station in Harvard Square. Despite the hype of a trendy new restaurant with a rising star chef, the restaurant closed for business last month.…

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The Possibility of Imagination – 6 Tips to Give Your Imagination a Jolt

My partner John’s phone buzzes all day with incoming emails. The volume amazes me, as does the way he shrugs it off. Most people I know curse all the unwanted email. Not John. They’re not unwanted,…

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5 Tips for “Frightening” Efficiency

Every day, as entrepreneurs and business owners, we have two focuses. First, we need to take care of day-to-day business to earn money in the present.  Second, we need to make sure we have work…

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Managing Cash When Business Booms

Of all the problems of a launching business; explosive sales hardly seems like one of them.  Who ever heard of an entrepreneur complain that sales were too great?  Particularly for a newly launched…

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10 Tips for Surviving a Labor Shortage

  Google “labor shortage in New England” and you’ll see a long list of articles lamenting what farm and hospitality business owners know too well.  A confluence of events has made it harder than…

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