It’s that time of year. Students are counting the days before school ends and summer begins. That means camp season is almost here on the Roane State Community College campus. Continue reading
Category Archives: Articles
Economic Development the CBI Way
On February 18th I will celebrate my fourth anniversary with Roane State Community College’s Cumberland Business Incubator. It’s been a great experience working with entrepreneurs and businesses in the greater Upper Cumberland region. Our clients come from far and wide – from West of Putnam County, Morgan County, Fentress County, Bledsoe County, Anderson County, Roane County, Sevier County, Sequatchie County, White County ….and others. Continue reading
Do You Need Office Space? 5 Questions to Ask First
If you are considering leasing office space for your business, curb your enthusiasm and excitement long enough to ask yourself these five questions: Continue reading
Not Good with Numbers? Are You Good with That?
How many times have you heard someone say, “I’m just not a numbers person”? Have you ever been that person? It’s a common expression and an easy escape hatch to fall through when you’re staring at spreadsheets full of numbers and formulas. But it’s a phrase, and an attitude, that’s ultimately unproductive and stopping you from taking your business to the next level. Continue reading
Make 2017 Your Best Year Yet with an Annual Plan – FINAL
Picking up where we left off from the two most recent articles …….
Marketing –
- On a scale of 1 (least positive) to 10 (most positive), how would your company’s current marketing activities and your ability to generate the right number of quality leads?
- Make a list of what you think is needed to make this a 10.
- Do you have an effective lead generation process that provides a steady stream of high-quality leads?
- Is your company taking advantage of a variety of different channels for generating leads?
- Are you sure that your current marketing messages are having the desired impact on prospective customers
- Do you have an effective social media strategy and presence?
Make 2017 Your Best Year Yet with an Annual Plan
Many businesses have been in business 3, 8, 12, or more years, yet each year is a repeat of any other prior year. Why? Because everyone is so caught up in the day to day work of the business (working IN the business) that they don’t take the time to step back and take an assessment of where the business is (working ON the business) and intentionally do things differently to move forward toward the vision for their business. Continue reading
21st Century Workforce
I had the pleasure of working with a group of high school students this past Saturday. They were all enrolled in Roane State Community College classes offered in their high schools. This is called Dual Enrollment. I offered them a chance to work from 8am to 5pm on the Entrepreneurial Mindset that can set them apart and help them succeed in college and in life. The entrepreneurial mindset is not just for those that want to start a business someday. The entrepreneurial mindset is what employers are looking for. Continue reading
Veterans Day – Did You Know?
Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day–a common misunderstanding, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Memorial Day (the fourth Monday in May) honors American service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle, while Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans–living or dead–but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime. Continue reading
The Fourth Industrial Revolution
The first industrial revolution spanned from about 1760 to around 1840, triggered by the construction of railroads and the invention of the steam engine and ushered in mechanical production. The second industrial revolution, starting in the late 19th century made mass production possible, fostered by the advent of electricity and the assembly line. The third industrial revolution began in 1960’s, with the digital revolution and the development of semiconductors, mainframe computing, personal computing and the internet. Continue reading
The Entrepreneurial Mindset
“Long before the word ‘entrepreneur’ became popular, the concept still existed.” – Clifton Taulbert
What is the mindset of successful entrepreneurs? What underlying beliefs and behaviors enable them to succeed? How do they recognize opportunities the rest of us overlook? What is it that leads them to accomplish so much with so little? Were they born with a unique ability or is an entrepreneurial mindset something we can all learn to apply? Continue reading