Category Archives: Micro-Business

Making a living outside the corporate mothership – Part 4 in a series

Posted on July 17, 2005 by David St Lawrence

How is this done? First of all, some rules never seem to change. Making a living in the post-corporate world depends on getting your products and services in front of the right people at the right time. Big deal, you … Continue reading →

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Blogging will continue until morale improves…

Posted on December 11, 2004 by David St Lawrence

As we slide inexorably into the final rounds of the holiday season, it’s time to take a last distracted look for the resolutions we made just a few months ago in early January.

I would do that right now, if I could only locate my notes under the clutter that covers every flat surface in my office. As I have mentioned before, neatness is not one of my primary virtues. It is what I do when I have free time. Enough said.

Anyway, back to the future, which is what resolutions are all about.

At the beginning of the year, I wrote out some ideal scenes which are resolutions designed to act as self-fulfilling prophecies. They align our intentions so that things happen as we intend them to.

I described how we would be living and working this year and worked to make it all happen. Most of what I wrote came true. Any shortcomings occurred when I failed to take someone else’s viewpoint into account.

For example, working for someone and doubling their business income (I did that) only works if the person is able to live with the increased activity and delegation that such an increase entails.

I covered this possibility in my earlier post on ideal scenes, as our fondest wishes for the future may not be aligned with what others want.  ( What they say they want and need, may not be what they can stand!)

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Posted in Micro-Business, Weblog as Power Tool | Leave a comment

Elements of small business success – Part 2

Posted on November 26, 2004 by David St Lawrence

Our Thanksgiving visit to Huntersville, NC shows that micro-urban growth is in full swing. The area has scores of beautifully landscaped housing complexes, giant shopping malls, and restaurants aplenty. We are staying at the brand new Sleep Inn for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Business Concepts, Micro-Business | Leave a comment

Sometimes you have to fire your boss

Posted on October 27, 2004 by David St Lawrence

When things go wrong in a small company, it isn’t always you. This may come as a shock to some of you, but your boss may be losing his grip on what it takes to run the company.

If this is the case, he will generally attack the wrong target, usually the most productive staff member. He will not stop when the offending staff member is fired, because his wrath is partly self-directed. Once this unfortunate meltdown begins, it generally does not stop until all witnesses are fired or completely cowed.

For those of you who haven’t experienced this, here is a quick sketch of the dynamics involved. The very qualities that enable someone to build a business against all obstacles may precipitate a crisis in the enterprise when it gets to a size where others contribute to the decision making. An entrepreneur has to control an enormous number of variables in order to stand a chance of succeeding with his own company. He may not be able to manage or delegate, if he has never learned enough people skills to judge people properly and delegate tasks appropriately.

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Posted in Micro-Business, Working For Others | Leave a comment