Virtuoso Team Consulting, Inc.

There are a lot of independent business owners out there who feel as though they have, neither a pot to pee in, nor window to throw it out of. The economic slow down is causing a great many business owners to go out in search of a part-time or even full time job, thus relegating their businesses to an “as able” status.

Truth be told, historically, this is the best time to start a business, and the worst time to have already been running one. Many of my friends are business owners, as makes sense in my profession, and the majority have found other jobs. One, however, recently contacted me and has decided to become lean. He was remembering the old days of his start-up, the fun he had with only a handful of reliable clients. We are currently restructuring his company to take him back to that stage, and it occurred to me that this may be an excellent solution for others too! His revenue is going to drop, but so will his overhead and expenses. I love the idea; it feels like tech going artesian, growth through getting smaller.

Did you go from being a business owner, to having your business own you? If so, I would love to hear your story, and share what you did with others. Please leave a comment.

©2008-2009 Virtuoso Team Consulting, Inc.   All Rights Reserved.

Bringing in new management is simultaneously the smartest and hardest thing to do correctly in business. New blood, especially if coming from a different industry, can breathe new life into a stagnating company. However, during this process there are usually a few people whose toes get stepped on, so it is important to keep them involved because their experience may be important for the team to succeed as a whole. Most managers would rather be a player on a winning team than the captain on a losing one.

Having said that, there will always be a few people who are very resistant to change, and would rather sew the seeds of discontent. It is important to identify them early, and either counsel them or remove them. These few can be capable of usurping authority, bringing energy levels down, or worse.

A client was losing members to their club, and could not seem to build the numbers up again. After speaking with the executives, the problem was obvious. There was a loud, domineering individual who was resistant to change, and would not concede.

A consumer study was conducted, in order to discover what the underlying cause of the attrition rate was, facts were gathered, and an analysis and write up were concluded and offered to the executive committee. There were some simple issues that needed to be addressed which would not only get back lost members, but add to their rosters expanding their market demographics.

Though this person was not the highest ranked in the room, he refused to yield his opinion to logic, facts, or even the consideration of trying something new. Needless to say that this plan will not be implemented until he is gone, at which point I hope it will not be too late.

©2008-2009 Virtuoso Team Consulting, Inc.   All Rights Reserved.