Analysis for Managers: Financial Ratios
Analysis for Managers: Financial Ratios If I were to tell you that someone weighs 75 lbs, you might say that he/she is a very light person. But what if I told you that person was a one-year-old? You would probably either fall off your chair, drop you phone on the ground or just flat out think I was bluffing. And what if I told you that a certain company made a $1 million profit last year? Sounds like a big number, right? Does it change your perspective if I tell you that this company did $100 billion in sales last year? That’s only a 0.1% profit margin. Pretty slim in all reality. The...
Read MoreAnalysis for Managers: Cash Flow
Analysis for Managers: Cash Flow Have you ever been confused at the fact that you can sit at your desk and wonder, “How on Earth am I going to make payroll?” and yet the P&L (Profit and Loss statement) your accountant or QuickBooks just showed you says that your company is turning a healthy profit? Welcome to cash flow problems! This won’t be a completely comprehensive article on the subject but it should be enough to at least get you started or pique your interest. And for many, this will just be a quick review. Below are four key points regarding the ever important concept of...
Read MoreLeadership Series: Storytelling
Leadership Series: Storytelling A key role of any leader is to inspire. A very effective way to inspire is through storytelling. Think of some of the most compelling accounts from history and how they’ve shaped us. The amazing tale of the forefathers and how they claimed the independence of the United States as the pilgrims immigrated across the ocean and began a new life. The great leadership of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and others and their incredible histories. All of these stories engender in US citizens a spirit of values, self-reliance and independence. Now think of your...
Read MoreLeadership Series: Strategy
Leadership Series: Strategy Today we’re going to discuss a leadership topic of great importance—strategy. We’ll talk about the “What” and“Why” of strategy and how to apply it to your life and business. But first, a quote from legendary Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi: “Perception is strong and sight weak. In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things.” What is strategy? Michael D. Watkins, Chairman of Genesis Advisers, in his HBR article, Demystifying Strategy: The What, Who, How, and Why, defines...
Read MoreLeadership Series: Networking
Leadership Series: Networking Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you know but who you know?” That could not be more true than when it comes to leadership. Behind every great person, are many great people. Today we’ll discuss briefly what David Bradford, former Chief Executive at Fision-io and Chairman of HireVue, calls his six “Up” principles of networking/relationship building in his book Up Your Game. Start Up – This is perhaps the hardest part–getting out of your comfort zone to meet people who can make a difference! If...
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