Systems are the sexiest part of business. No? OK, that might just be me. Most people do not want to think about systems, except to initially set them up and hopefully use them. Don’t wait until you are thinking about leaving; build a business with current and future value – Systems are the key to […]
Barb Stuhlemmer
Four Important Points in Change – Revisited
Why revisit change steps? Because there is no way past change without going through it. Knowing how is important. Change in your business comes at all stages of your business: at the beginning, while you choose the direction to go in and adjust to find your actual best positioning when you are thinking of growing […]
Are Your Sentinel Processes in Place?
In my original post, Sentinels To Change, from March 2023, I showed how having a business with a process to allow your team to share their view of the future, can help you prepare for your changes that could devastate your future business or changes that could make you more competitive. Having a company full […]
5 Reasons You Won’t Exit Your Business and 5 Solutions
There are many reasons why a business cannot Run Without You; one of these reasons may be because you are not ready. Baring the obvious reason of, “I have not even thought that far ahead,” I want to share 5 reasons with you and one thing you can do to get started for each. 1. […]
My Business Isn’t Ready for Me to Die
OK, this may be a little morbid to think about, but let me tell you why you want to go through this thought process. I’ve had several owners tell me they don’t want to tell anyone they are thinking of leaving the business. They are afraid people will get worried and leave; people like clients, […]
Group Norms and Change: They’re Affecting Your Bottom Line
When we look at change inside a business, we often look at the big picture, “how the business manages the changes to reach its goals”. But what we don’t often look at are the components of change that can negatively affect the bottom line of your business. What we know of human behaviours and change […]
How EI and Leadership Affect Your EXIT
Today I came across a Big Think + article on EI (Emotional Intelligence), referencing Daniel Goleman’s work, including a short interview with him. I truly believe that EI skills makes great leaders. When I read through the article, I saw the list of four distinct but interdependent components of EI, that Daniel talks about in […]
Packing Requires Planning
Recently I was packing for a trip. I was flying to another country for a conference that I was both attending and speaking at. This was a great opportunity to look at my current processes and assess if I can leave and things still get done without my constant control. I have some shortcuts for […]
EXIT Planning: 3 Areas to Get You Started
What do you have to think about when you want to prepare to exit your business? It may depend on what type of owner you are. For many small business owners, owning the business was an answer to a calling or challenge. Different reasons for starting a business that I have heard are: I wanted […]
EXIT Readiness – Are you Ready to Step Back?
If you’ve been considering stepping back from your business within the next five years, you’re not alone. Many small business owners share the same goal—yet the process of creating a business that can run without you is no easy feat. As discussed in a recent article, the economic affects by this large demographic looking to […]