Best Lesson in Salary Negotiation

I smiled. “Yes- I think that number is reasonable, given my skill set and what you need.” The next one who speaks loses- and I didn’t say a word. Andy, the CEO thought for a minute. He had asked me three times if I was willing to come off (come down) on my salary demand, […]

Life Lesson That I Least Expected

Setback and disappointments frequently lead to a better outcome than you expected- or imagined Oh, come on- people just say that to make themselves feel better after a setback or disappointment. You don’t really mean that. Yes I do. And, as time goes on, I’m even more convinced that it’s true. Have a question about […]

Best Business Deal Ever Made

Huge success requires risk-taking, a well-conceived plan, and the guts to ask for something that may seem outrageous. Here are my best business deals ever, and three great business decisions that led to three of the most successful companies ever. Have a question about personal finance or entrepreneurship? Join the Ask Me Anything live chats […]

Epic Product Fails in Business

Product launches are tough- and even the most successful companies can fail every now and then. Here are some massive product failures, and what we can learn from them. Sony Betamax: Make the tent bigger I was fortunate to experience the huge changes in media and entertainment products over the past 45 years or so. […]

Largest Company Owned By Just One Person (Article, Video Link)

Is accumulating massive wealth still possible in business? Yes- the answer to this question proves it. Interested in video discussion? See link at the bottom of the article. Dyson It’s difficult to pin down the largest company owned entirely by one person, but Sir James Dyson may be at the top of the list. Joe […]

Interesting Facts About Airlines

THIS LOUSY CUSTOMER SERVICE IS WHY YOUR AIRLINE IS GOING BANKRUPT! It was fall of ’97, and I was yelling at a gate attendant for TWA in St. Louis, one of the airline’s hubs. At this point, the airline had declared bankruptcy several times, and was finally purchased by American Airlines in 2001. I had […]

The 20 Most Interesting Facts In Business (Article, Video Links)

Cash is more important than profit. Even a profitable company can struggle without generating sufficient cash flow. I worked with a highly successful residential plumbing company for several years- who doesn’t need plumbing? Clients must be falling out of the sky, right? But there was a problem: the firm had taken on a huge commercial […]

Why Do So Many Young Entrepreneurs Think Their Ideas Are Worth Billions?

I like to refer to my son as a “hit and run” cook, because he makes a big meal and leaves a huge mess. He means well- and the food’s good- but the process isn’t well organized. I see a lot of entrepreneurs who use this same approach, because some of them seem to be […]

How To Take Charge Of Your Investment Asset Allocation

Choosing the right investment strategy is the key to reaching your investment goals by reducing risk and generating more revenue. The first step is to understand the definition of asset allocation, a term that will help you choose the right strategy and generate better returns. What is Asset Allocation? Asset allocation is the strategy of classifying […]

The One Accounting Skill All Stock Market Investors Need

Investing and accounting go hand and in hand. Yet while many investors spend time looking at balance sheets and income statements, there’s one accounting skill that isn’t often talked about. And in my experience, it’s incredibly important to security analysis investing success! So what is this mysterious accounting ability? Well, to put it simply, it’s […]