Imagine working on a big, big, big order.* *By “big,” I am talking about income equal to six months of what you earn now. We’re. Talking. BIG. That is what I was working on. A large printer wanted their inside sales team trained. I’d flown thousands of miles from home to meet the client, the team he wanted me to train, and the other players involved. I’d come up with a plan for how I was going to turn the inside sales reps into sales monsters. It was typed into…
Read MoreTag: Management
Make Time for More Time
Ask any busy executive for a list of their most pressing needs, and having more time will probably show up among the top three items. No surprise. Getting a handle on this important but elusive idea requires a different way of thinking. The paradox of time is that we have all there is. How is it then, that there never seems to be enough? The notion of “time management” is a flawed concept, since we really can’t manage time, we can only manage ourselves, our activities and most of all,…
Read MoreManage Your Cash, or It will Manage You
Companies typically don’t go out of business because they lose money in a month, or a quarter, or for the year. They go out of business because they run out of cash. It can just as easily happen to those companies who are making a profit. These operators sometimes lose sight of the fact that cash flow and showing a profit are not the same things. As Joe Becker would always say, “Cash is king!” And he was right. The cash burn begins the moment you get the order. Paper…
Read MoreHow to Handle the Charity Request
They come in weekly, even daily during certain times of year: “Is there any way we could convince you to donate the printing/signage/promo? We are a nonprofit.” The natural, snarky response, of course is, “Well, we’re not.” But I advise against that. Instead, try this: “Every year, we budget a certain amount of money to provide work to nonprofits like yours. If you would like an application for next year, I’d be happy to send you one.” Then, create and send out a document which allows you to learn more…
Read MoreFour Tactics to Achieve Operational Excellence for Your Company
The printing industry continues to evolve, with technology advancements, changing customer preferences, and economic fluctuations reshaping the landscape. To thrive in this sector, achieving operational excellence is crucial for printing companies. What is operational excellence? Operational excellence encompasses a range of strategies and practices aimed at optimizing operations, enhancing customer relationships, and ensuring profitability. Let’s explore four main points you can use to achieve operational excellence in your business. Embrace Technological Advancements In the general commercial printing industry, technology is a driving force behind achieving operational excellence. Printing technology continues…
Read MoreCombating Manager Burnout in Your Business
You’ve probably heard all about the current trend of employee burnout. The news is reporting on it, people are talking about it, and we are seeing it every day with employees either not being as productive or even leaving the workforce completely. But have you thought about how burnout is impacting you? Just because managers and owners are the ones making the decisions doesn’t mean you are any less susceptible to burnout. In fact, some recent studies suggest managers are getting even more burned out than their workers in this…
Read MoreEach Order Presents Its Own Problems
Ask the Accountant… Question: I feel like each order is different with its own problems. Am I the only one? Answer: No, you are not alone. Every distributor I work with has a slightly different business with their own unique challenges. Since we custom decorate our orders, they can involve different and complex processes. The…
Read MoreThe Law of Assumption
Most of us are familiar with the Law of Attraction. There’s another law, less familiar but equally fascinating and powerful, called the Law of Assumption. The Law of Assumption states that by believing (assuming) that the outcome you want already exists in your life, you will manifest it into existence. Most credit this Law of…
Read MoreQuickBooks Shortcuts You Might Not Know
Ask the Accountant… Question: There are lots on ins and outs in software, and the percentage that any user knows about is likely very small. I was working with a distributor, and he pointed out a shortcut with which I was not familiar. I have shared it below. Answer: In QuickBooks Desktop (Pro, Premier, or…
Read MoreSet Passwords When Set Closing Dates in QuickBooks
Ask the Accountant… Question: I have set a closing date in my QuickBooks, but my employees keep making entries in the previous year anyway which messes up my books for last year. Is there a way to stop that? Answer: The best way to avoid that problem is to set a password when you set…
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