Would you be willing to make a six-figure investment on behalf of your company that had about a 50% chance of failing, especially if failure would cost you many times your initial investment? Very likely you would say, “No way,” but may be surprised to find that corporations actually do it quite frequently. It happens when they hire new executives. According to studies cited by Michael Watkins in his book The First 90 Days, 40%
Three million jobs currently go unfilled in the U.S. due to a lack of candidates with the requisite skills. Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate hovers just below 8% officially, or much higher unofficially, counting those who have given up or are “under-employed,” and workplace participation is at a 31-year low. These statistics illustrate that even during economic slowdowns finding the talent to fill certain highly skilled jobs is difficult. This is especially true in executive
A painfully slow recovery, such as the one we are in, wears on the nerves of all business owners. It also provides the opportunity for the kind of self-reflection that we have little time for in boom times. Facing our deepest doubts can not only strengthen endurance but eventually help take the enterprise into new areas and heights previously unimagined. It is natural in stressful times to ask oneself, “Why be in business?” “Are the
An Interview by Tony Mulkern Editors Note: From time to time, we publish profiles of selected, long-standing clients of Mulkern Associates. The featured entrepreneur this month is John Frederich, ChFC®, CLU®, CIMA®, and a Private Wealth Advisor in Pasadena, California with Ameriprise Financial. John has been a member of the Ameriprise President's Advisory Committee since 1998, which is reserved for the top 1% among 12,000 advisors. In this very personal interview, he shares the values
The other day while reading the Wall Street Journal in Starbucks after a quick lunch, my neighbor at the next table turned to me and said, “All bad news in there, I guess.” To his surprise, I responded that to the contrary there was a great deal of very positive news. After mutual introductions, I learned that he was a struggling entrepreneur, who had gone into business just as the recession was worsening. His pessimistic
It has been a long, nasty recession. Now that most economists agree that it is over, it will be some time before we feel that it truly is. Consumer spending is slightly improved but still down, unemployment may increase more before decreasing, credit remains tight, and uncertainty regarding taxes and regulations is suppressing investment. While some businesses have failed, others which have felt the pain of decreased revenues and staff cuts have managed to make
Guess what Amazon, Hershey’s, Wal-Mart, Ryanair, and MacDonald’s have in common? Sales are growing, and they are making money—in the midst of a worldwide recession! How can this be? The answer is simple: they offer good value, high quality customer service, at moderate and reasonable prices. Amazon’s website is practically flawless and a pleasure to use. Books arrive in a few days. Order the same book at your local Barnes & Nobles, and you can
In whatever manner the current financial crisis on Wall Street is finally resolved and however many the causes that led to it, there is one cause that seems to lie at the root of all the rest—complacency. The Wall Street Journal and distinguished members of both major political parties have been warning for years about the dangers inherent in the practices and policies of FNMA and Freddie Mac, two institutions which supported and encouraged heavy