Christmas season is coming upon us. For many people that brings back pleasant memories of Christmas mornings opening presents and spending time with family. I have those memories as well — but I also have memories of telephone calls and batteries.

Much of my views on business come from my father. I wouldn’t necessarily call him an entrepreneur, but at 68 years-old he does own an independent hardware store in rural North Carolina. He has owned and operated this store for as long as I can remember.

Some might not consider him the smartest businessman out there. What I mean by that is he isn’t making a killing doing what he does. If the bottom line is the measure of success, then perhaps he wouldn’t be considered successful.

However, to me he is my hero. Read the rest of this entry »

Making money and building relationships - it is the chicken or the egg conundrum.  It is true that a business exists to make money.  However, it does not always follow that focusing on making money makes it — in the long term.  It is relationships that make money — and keep making money.

While riding my bike last week, I broke a chain.  Any cyclist will tell you that you should have a tool on your bike that allows you to fix such problems, but I didn’t follow my own advice and I was stuck.  Thankfully, I was able to push and coast my way to a local bicycle shop.

The folks there were very helpful taking my bike and fixing the chain.  The mechanic told me that I needed to replace the chain AND the rear cassette.  This would end up being about a $150 expense. Read the rest of this entry »

The itch first hit me back in the early 90s soon after I finished college. Some people feel it and get out the cortisone. I kept scratching at it until a full-blown case of “entrepreneurism” broke out. I wanted to build something.

The problem: I wasn’t exactly sure what it would produce. Read the rest of this entry »