In order to survive, companies need to create and retain customers while dealing with competition in the marketplace. Advertising, customer service, product strategy are all important elements, but perhaps the most critical factor in a company’s ability to succeed is its pricing strategy. How do we determine the right price for our product or service? Businesses that do this poorly are quickly drained of resources or get left behind by better-prepared competition.

You have encountered and practiced, a range of leadership styles in your life and career. In our work transitioning founder-run businesses into professionally managed enterprises, we have found that most leaders can be grouped into two distinct categories that we call “heroic” and “post-heroic”.  Which are you?

I couldn’t sleep again.  Inspiration seems to favor 3am and I have a swarm of profound thoughts buzzing around in my head. I’d better get them written down before I wake up with that vague knowledge that a really deep truth struck me last night.

Becoming more organized is the key to success for a CEO, or anyone else in the job of managing. First, understanding that management is a job is important. Many managers see their management role as a bother on the way to getting their work done. It is the work.