A dark winter is approaching, especially if you live in the upper Midwest. Even darker than the winter Joe Biden warned about in his final presidential debate. Snow is on the ground, the air is damp, and the sky is gray. …

This one change will set up your company for success right from the start — Warning: This is not the advice I would give just anyone who is running a company. Especially not a large one. Nor would I give this advice to a company that is successfully past the launch phase and well into growth and profitability. In fact, if you are a leader…

The less-than-glamorous things they don’t tell you about starting your company — When you think of “startup,” what comes to mind? Wild success? Billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, Jeff Bezos, and Brian Chesky? They had it easy, right? A good idea easily converted into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Unfortunately, the success of billionaire entrepreneurs has romanticized the view of starting a…

When the excitement of starting your company dies down, what next? — Congratulations. You’re launching a new startup. The excitement is all consuming. You are leading a new organization with a novel idea and an energetic team. You imagine wild success from an irresistible new product that has high demand and delighted customers. You fantasize about a plush bank account. You share…

There are silver linings in slow times — Entrepreneurs love an adrenaline rush. Whether designing a strategy, pursuing a new customer, or negotiating a deal, it’s energizing to pursue big and lofty goals. But the adrenaline rush seldom lasts forever. Most startups and businesses inevitably experience a plateau, a dip, or a slow period. It can be seasonal…

Focus on leading, not creating labels — For those of you who want to launch a company, I’m going to spare you one duty. I know you’re busy. You’re going to have plenty to do with getting your organizational documents ready and filing your business registrations. You also need to test your idea. Of course, you’ll need…

No leadership book needed. Follow these memorable quips. — Hundreds of leadership books are released each year. Many have great ideas and often notable authors. You buy them. You read some. You scan others. Do you experience the same problem that I do? You like the content, but feel overwhelmed with all of the ideas and advice? Or, maybe…

These books only ripen with time. — Ready to jump start 2021 with some new resources? If so, don’t scan the latest best seller list—at least, not yet. Other books beckon, some that were written a decade or two ago. I have a special section on my bookshelf for some oldies but goodies. I’ve read these books…

A new year is a great time to reflect on improving you. — Have the first two weeks of 2021 already felt like a year? After a stunningly hard 2020, you are probably wondering how 2021 could get any worse. I hear you. In fact, you might be wondering why you want to be saddled with New Year’s resolutions that are hard to…