Author Archive | David Fauss

Where do paychecks come from?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 19, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees

Unlike the question of where babies come from, this question is appropriate in the workplace. And, it is important for employees to understand the answer to this question. Paychecks may be written under the name of their employer, but the employer is really not the source of the paycheck. As employers we are merely passing […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 19, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees

In the same way in which money does not grow on trees, paychecks do not get distributed to employees by some magical force. Instead, in a service based business such as mine, someone has worked very diligently to convince a client to retain the company for work that will result in all of the company’s […]

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Risk Behavior

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 11, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

There are risks in most things which are worth doing.  Certainly, in careers, there are many risks to consider whether working as an employee or as a business owner/entrepreneur.  Neither approach is risk free.  But, being an entrepreneur squarely puts the risk on the shoulders of the entrepreneur.  When my wife and I first started […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 11, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

I am not a risk taker, in most aspects of my life. I am not a gambler; I prefer a sure thing over an uncertain windfall any day. However, I must be more risk oriented than I ever realized, in that owning and operating a small corporation is risky business. As I have mentioned in […]

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Technical support temperament

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 4, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life, Workplace Technology

It is important to know one’s strengths and weaknesses and, in a partnership, to divide tasks in a way that recognizes them.  Strengths and weaknesses take many forms, but one of the potential areas to consider in a partnership is whose temperament is better suited to dealing with “technical support” or “customer service.”   In our […]

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David is right. I do not “suffer fools gladly,” and therefore, I cannot tolerate speaking with technical support people, who, in my opinion, often lack both technical expertise and support skills. Sadly, although David’s time is just as valuable as mine, my refusal to be placed on hold for what seems like hours, only to […]

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Carry your business cards

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 20, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business

It seems to me to be a pretty fundamental business and marketing rule to carry and exchange business cards.  But, surprisingly over many years I’ve noticed people sometimes do not have a business card (or a stack of them) with them at all times.  I don’t know what good the cards do sitting back at […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 20, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business

I am not as good at remembering to take my business cards with me as David is, but I am better than I used to be! I have a small leather case in my purse that holds a few business cards, as well as a few pieces of index card sized paper. I have business […]

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“Why are you here, just to carry her suitcases?”

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 13, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Work-Life

This is an expansion on the post about “When your wife’s a diva…” and was also a comment by a long time client who invited Melissa to speak at a conference of architects and engineers.  It was a big conference, maybe 1000 attendees, and in a fancy, old, New Orleans landmark hotel.  Our client saw […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 13, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Work-Life

I have carried my suitcases and my briefcase for a very, very long time, all across the United States, as well as many parts of the world. I don’t need anyone to help me, but I very much appreciate the help when it is offered. One of my biggest helpers, other than David, was a […]

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When your wife’s a diva…

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On November 7, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Work-Life

Melissa and I laughed when we came up with this title/topic. It was inspired by something that is a reality in our business arrangement. She frequently lectures at meetings of lawyers, insurance adjusters, and other groups. Our “deal” is that she’ll write the speech and do the speaking, but I have to be the A/V […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On November 7, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Partnerships, Work-Life

I will begin this post by saying I am a huge fan of Mr. John Osbourne, more commonly known as Ozzy Osbourne, the former (and surprisingly), current, lead singer for Black Sabbath. Therefore, when I liken myself to Ozzy, I am, in no way whatsoever, disparaging him; rather, I am merely comparing myself to someone […]

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Contingency planning

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 30, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Managing Employees, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

The demands of a small business are such that long term or contingency planning are uncommon when compared to big businesses.  However, it is critical for business owners to put some thought into contingency plans and to revise these plans periodically.  We can never be prepared for every contingency, but considering the many foreseeable issues […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 30, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Managing Employees, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

I am a planner, both a short range planner and a long range planner. I constantly think about the “what ifs?” in every situation. I spoke recently with someone who said she puts all unpleasant thoughts out of her mind. My response was “I have to think about the unpleasant things until I have resolved […]

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Employee pilfering

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 23, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

I have to say, with our current employees, pilfering has not been a big issue.  But, as a business owner “minding the store” is a full time job in itself.  We have experienced so many variations on this theme that it is difficult to imagine, looking back, at all of the ways, often little ways, […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 23, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

One of my brothers says I am a “black and white” person; that is, for me, things are either right or wrong, with little gray area in between. This being said, I equate employee pilfering to stealing; to me, there is absolutely no difference. Stealing, misappropriating, pilfering, borrowing without permission, and other similar behaviors are, […]

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Job Quitting Employees are like flat tires

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 17, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

We have all had them, flat tires that is, and too often, at the most inopportune times.  Not that there is a good time to have a flat tire, but there are some bad times.  Usually when one is in a hurry, or on the highway, or late at night – all very bad.  Not […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 17, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

My least favorite job duties are those pertaining to supervising and managing employees. I wish I could be self contained and do everything that needs to be done for my clients myself, however, that has never been the case. Every time an employee resigns, I wistfully daydream about not having to replace him or her, […]

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Technology transitions can be painful

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 9, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

As we have developed our blogs and topics, we’ve found often one thing leads to another. My recent post on scanning the horizon for changes led me to this post. When we started our trial consulting business, Magnus Research Consultants, in 1993 we had to provide clients with VHS videotapes of the proceedings. I researched […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 9, 2014

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

I enjoy change, but sometimes change comes at a high price. In the example David mentioned regarding our company’s change in video equipment, the costs were enormous, in terms of both financial expenditures and personnel. In fact, we lost a long time employee, largely due to mistakes he made during our transitional period between analog […]

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