Spreadsheet H*ll
By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth
Any CEO or entrepreneur still vertical and breathing has spent more hours than they can likely count pouring over poorly conceived financial information. I probably review at least 50 spreadsheets a week, and few things chap me more than a worthless attempt at using Excel. While PowerPoint presentations certainly receive more notoriety for being the butt-end of jokes from business schools to executive boardrooms, a boring slide-show pales in comparison to the sophomoric use of a spreadsheet. I know this may seem like a trifling rant of little consequence, but if you stay with me, I promise to connect the dots in a way that will resonate with most of the senior executives that read today’s post.
Those of you reading this article looking for the latest lawyer joke will likely be disappointed in the text that follows. This piece is not meant to be yet another bashing session directed at the legal professional, but rather to give you solid information on how to avoid the common mistakes that even the brightest and most seasoned executives make in attempting to successfully work with and manage the attorney client relationship…
Many businesses find that understanding their customer base is often easier said than done, which is why I’ve written often on the importance of maintaining an external focus with an emphasis on customer centricity. Let me put this as simply as I can…If you want to succeed in business, you must be in touch with the demands of the marketplace. While many businesses think they understand their customers, few of them really do. What most companies view as an understanding of their customer’s wants, needs, and desires, more often reflects their own internal biases, perceptions, and judgments. In today’s post I’ll share a few tips that will help your business succeed by achieving a better understanding of your customer’s needs…
As a person who makes their living in the field of leadership, I can tell you without any doubt that “Leadership” is different than “Management.” While there seems to be a never ending stream of politically correct pontificating in corporate circles about the differences between managers and leaders, most of it misses the mark. Leaders and managers play different roles, and have different purposes. They both are unique in their value, and in their contribution. While most of the commentary I have read on Leadership vs. Management attempts to please all constituencies, those of you who have read my work in the past know that I am rarely politically correct, nor do I ever seek to try and please all the people all the time.
Family Business…a quote from Charles Dickens sums up my feelings about family businesses: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Oh what a conundrum…Family business; should I, or shouldn’t I? Today’s Myatt on Monday’s question comes from an entrepreneur who asks: “Should I involve family members in my business venture?” In my opinion there really isn’t a right or wrong answer to this question…it is simply a matter of personal preference. When family businesses work, there is nothing that can really compare to the benefits and upside afforded with such a structure. The problem is that they don’t always work…I have observed extremely successful family enterprises that strengthen relationships and flourish across generations, and I have also witnessed business ventures that were responsible for the total destruction of what were previously very close families. Whatever decision is made with respect to bringing family members into a business, it is a decision that should not be taken lightly. In today’s post I’ll share my thoughts on the topic of family businesses…
Nary a week passes when I am not cornered by inquisitive minds asking why I blog…The questions range from those wondering how I have the time to blog, and why I give away free information, to those who wonder if blogging is a profitable endeavor, why we don’t sell advertising on the blog, or the oh so tired “isn’t blogging passe?” So, for all those inquiring minds, in today’s post I will answer your questions in hopes that our blogging efforts at N2growth won’t seem so perplexing from this point forward…
I don’t just hate Spam, I actually loathe it…There is a big difference between legitimate marketing practices and the use of Spam disguised as legitimate marketing. Spam is NOT a legitimate marketing tactic. Spam is unsolicited, illegal, unethical, intrusive, abusive, and rude. Furthermore, it is very costly both in terms of the time and money associated with implementing countermeasures to deal with Spam’s consistent attack on my privacy and productivity. In today’s post I put forth for your consideration my quite vehement objection to Spam… 
What is marketing? One of the most entertaining things you can do in business is to attend a meeting where a group of senior executives begin to pontificate on the subject of marketing. I have more fun watching people attempt to distinguish between marketing, advertising, branding, business development, sales, communications, public relations, etc. It never ceases to amaze me at how something so simple can become so convoluted, and how people can so passionately take a completely ridiculous stance and want to defend that position to the death. In today’s post I will attempt to demystify the subject of marketing and give you some actionable items can be implemented immediately to generate improved results.