Small Business Blog from Atlantic Canada

The Mawhinney group of companies in Saint John, NB recently closed its operations. While I have not researched it, it probably is a safe assumption that there are number of businesses out there who have ceased to operate. While most leaders cite lack of financial resources, credit crunch, etc., I keep wondering if that is the root cause of their business failures. Is it truly the paucity of funds or is the leaders’ management that forced them to cease operations?

Did you take a moment to notice the tag line for this blog? “Helping Atlantic Canada’s businesses achieve their BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goals)”. So it is only natural for us to seek out individuals who set their goals high, do not fear failure and work smart to achieve their BHAGs. The quest to meet such individuals in Atlantic Canada led me to Dan Martell. A native of Moncton, New Brunswick, Dan is a serial entrepreneur with a string of companies, successes and failures - Maritime Vacation, iThink Interactive, Spheric Technologies Inc and now Flowtown.

Rivers is a very interesting individual. The enthusiasm in his voice when you talk to him about internet marketing and entrepreneurship is infectious. His biggest strength is to conceptualize ideas and lay a solid foundation of a business enterprise. We saw this in action with his cooking venture – The Chef Group. He has recently launched The Marketing Factory – a series of internet marketing seminars in Atlantic Canada. Rivers believes passion drives successful entrepreneurs. His passion is to build businesses from scratch. So we caught up with him last week to discuss his successful entrepreneurial ventures. We wanted to learn the ingredients to be a successful entrepreneur?

Now that you have your business objectives that are measurable as defined by your strategy you need to look at the initiatives (programs) you need to undertake. Simply put, a program is a series of related or unrelated projects that further a certain goal. Just to drive home the point, the program is a portfolio of projects designed to achieve your organizational goal (strategy). Having a good program management also ensures your resources are prioritized and aligned.

You spend considerable time and resources to hire people. Why not do it right the first time? What are the top three points you look at when hiring?

Business is a team sport. Or is it? Or at least that’s what I thought until I got a wakeup call. I take up an assignment at an organization with the sole motive of making a profit. However, I always keep in mind the client is the reason my organization is in existence. Isn’t it logical that if my client is making money my organization makes money and I, in turn, will make money? I realize that I can only profit if my organization profits. And I will do whatever it takes to ensure the organization profits. That is my motivation. I am not saying you give up your ambition or your goals for the good of the company. No, I do not preach altruism. But I do encourage symbiosis. You will best serve the company if your profit goals are aligned with those of the company. In today’s fast paced business world, no one can do everything.

Conflicts are an inevitable part of any relationship - be it with your colleagues at work, spouse or children at home or with friends. However, the outcome of conflicts depends on how you deal with them. - Small business consultants in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada

I have only recently started blogging. It has been a struggle to write diligently over the last two months given my other commitments. I am not sure how I am doing as a writer, since I get few comments, but I am not complaining. I would rather get one or two quality comments that spread [...]

“This is the way we do things around here.” Do you not tell this to every employee who joins your organization? Your organization has its own work environment, its own way of doing things, its own processes and its own politics. How your organization approaches problems, what it believes in and its thought process defines its personality. This is what is corporate culture. It is born out of your organization’s beliefs and philosophies about why it does things the way it does. It is born out of how you with your stakeholders. Consistently doing the things you do results in your corporate culture.

As a small business owner or entrepreneur do you empower your team? Do you trust your employees to effectively do their jobs? You started your startup with passion, laser focus and attention to detail. Just as an infant starts to walk on its own, your organization does too. When that happens, do you turn into a control freak? If you continue to insist on minutely controlling every aspect of your business, you have succumbed to the “small business owner syndrome”. Such entrepreneurs think their way is the only way.