In my conversations with business owners, there are issues and problems that seem to arise over and over again. They’re the same problems most owners deal with, the same ones I deal with. We found this article by Roberta Matuson to be very practical and helpful - 7 common mistakes business owners make and how to avoid them. I’m all about avoidance when it comes to mistakes! Take a look and let us know what you think. Do you have any other tips to add to the list?

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I've been in business for over 20 years and have seen my share of mistakes made by business owners — many that certainly could have been avoided. Here’s my list of common mistakes business owners make, along with advice on how to avoid following suit.

1. Failure to hire for fit.
Think about a job that you worked in that didn’t work out. Was it because you didn’t have the skills to do the job, or was it because your values did not align with the organization’s?

I’m betting it was most likely ...

How has the last week gone? Were you able to implement any of the tips suggested to help alleviate feeling like a firefighter? As promised, here are a few more from Bruce Wilson of the Wilson-Oyler Group:

1. Delegate. Take a look at your to do lists and identify what can be done by others. It may take them a little longer than it would you, but that’s okay. It’s better if a job takes a little more time and gets completed, than to not get done at all because you’ve run out of time. You can’t do it all, delegate to your staff.
2. Slower can be faster. Sometimes you go so fast trying to keep up that you lose sight of the big picture. Prioritize so you don’t miss what’s important.  
3. If your crews are scheduled to work in inclement weather make sure scheduled tasks can be done effectively in the rain.
4. Rely on your team. When you start falling behind, don’t be afraid to ask for help .Senior managers are there to help you be successful. 
5. Important, not urgent, things usually have the most im...

With the beauty of spring comes the stress that accompanies the start of the season for landscaping companies. It’s been nicknamed the “100 days of hell” because of the chaos that so often ensues. This year, much like last, we have the added stress of COVID-19 and the stress of the unknown when it comes to zones and restrictions. 

As Bruce Wilson put it, “In less disciplined organizations, spring makes everyone a firefighter”. You’re constantly putting out fires, it gets out of control quickly and by the time you see the financial impact, it is too late to do anything about it. Some companies never escape the spiral.

If this is sounding a little too familiar (and uncomfortable), here are a few tips Bruce Wilson suggests to help you move out of the firefighting space permanently:

1. Understand the difference between routine and non-routine work. Weekly maintenance is routine work, while nonroutine work includes things like post-winter cleanups, mulching, planting, etc. 
2. Non-routine w...

“If you’re going to build a business that is scalable and valuable, you must get your financial house in order.” - Jeffrey Scott

A few months ago fellow business coach, Jeffrey Scott, published an article on the Top 10 Financial Mistakes he sees business owners make. In it he shared that before taking on a new client he asks them to rate their financial involvement. I’d love to ask you the same.

How would you rate yourself in regards to your finances? 

Level 5. Review financial reports monthly and operational reports weekly, and other operational numbers daily, making key decisions along the way.

Level 4. Review financial reports monthly, making many decisions monthly.

Level 3. Look briefly at reports monthly (or every other month), making just a few decisions.

Level 2. Look at reports quarterly at best.

Level 1. Wait till year end to see how I did.

No matter where you are on the scale - you are not alone and there is always room for growth. Knowing your numbers will help you i...

As a small business owner, do you ever feel like the cards are stacked against you? The larger companies have greater buying power and therefore access to greater discounts. At Nextra Network, we want to level the playing field a bit. The Nextra Network buyers group allows smaller companies to combine their purchases in order to create more buying power - and therefore greater discounts - for everyone. 

We’ve been listening to you and have created a group of suppliers for the Buyers Group with your specific needs in mind. Our commitment is to work behind the scenes to bring these deals together for you while working with reputable companies that we can recommend you use without reservation.

Currently we are working with companies to get you:

• Licensed vehicles
• Equipment & large commercial vehicles
• Materials
• Software & Hardware
• Direct access to manufacturer reps

If you’d like more information on the Network and to request a meeting with Grant please click HERE.

If you're a s...

Employees who feel like they are in the know at work are happier and more engaged. A lot of us have heard this before, yet most business owners still do not feel comfortable sharing the numbers and real time status updates with their staff. Jack Stack, author of The Great Game of Business, did the complete opposite and it paid off.

What did he do? He introduced a concept known as the open book management operating system. It’s a system built on sharing business and financial information with employees so that everyone is informed about the status and goals of the business and how their contribution directly impacts the company as a whole. It will completely change the way you look at business and it can really be summed up by doing 3 things:

1. EDUCATE all employees about business in straightforward and easy to understand terms using the analogy of playing a game. 
2. EMPOWER them to use that education to make business decisions
3. ENGAGE employees to drive business success by rewarding t...