Author Archive | David Fauss

Facilitating Fraud

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 12, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done

A number of these posts have been conceptualized, while some, like this one, are written in moments of frustration. As business owners, my wife and I have many frustrations, but unfortunately, we have recently been (again) confronted by an instance of financial fraud. In the latest incident it appears we were the victims of someone […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 12, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done

Having several thousands of dollars stolen from my bank account is, to me, a big deal. Furthermore, it is a big enough deal that I would like to see the thief apprehended and prosecuted for the crime. It seems, however, that my view about theft/embezzlement is not shared by large financial institutions, including banks and […]

Olie

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 5, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Small Business Success

I’m writing this on what would have been my grandmother’s 110th birthday. We called her Olie; her name was Viola, and she never wanted to be called anything like “grandmother.” She was a woman ahead of her time in many ways because she was a proud working woman. Proud to work, proud of her jobs […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 5, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Small Business Success

David’s grandmother, Olie, was unlike other people’s grandmothers I had met. First of all, I was quite taken aback that she insisted on being called by a derivative of her name instead of the usual grandmotherly titles preferred by most grandmothers. Once I got to know Olie, however, it became apparent she was not the […]

Hiring a service professional

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 29, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

In recent months I have had the need to hire an attorney (usually they hire us) and a new computer technician. I categorize them, like us, as service professionals. These experiences have been interesting and have served as a reminder that there are vast differences in the impressions made, sometimes by even small details, when […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 29, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Marketing your Business, Small Business Success

First impressions count. This statement is a tried and true maxim of social psychology that is well known among many non psychologists. Just as one’s personal appearance and demeanor determine the impression one makes on others, a service provider’s written materials also convey information important in determining whether a potential customer/client will hire the company. […]

Don’t push your luck; stop driving and have a pizza

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 22, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Partnerships, Travel, Work-Life

There are times when your goal or destination seem so close that you just want to press on even when you should not. The experience that prompted this post was driving back from Jacksonville to South Florida. This trip usually takes 5 hours or less but on this particular day, progress was slow and we […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 22, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Partnerships, Travel, Work-Life

Many years ago, Magnus consulted on a case involving a terrible airplane crash in which hundreds of people were killed. The crash was primarily the result of pilot error, more specifically, the pilot’s decision to “press on” with the flight despite weather conditions that made flying dangerous. Although there were several safe alternatives the pilot […]

Persistence Pays

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 15, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees

A time tested adage is: persistence pays. But, in careers and business it is true. We have proof of this in the form of an employee who proved it to everyone, including herself. She applied (several years ago) via fax for a Research Associate position. The position had been recently filled so when her faxed […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 15, 2015

Category: Careers, Employment, Managing Employees

I have a perpetual calendar and one of the quotes I read every year, attributed to Winston Churchill, is “Never, never, never give up.” This is another way of saying “persistence pays”; “try, try, and try again if at first you don’t succeed”; and, in the vernacular of my generation, “keep on truckin’ baby.” Long […]

Can you Trust anyone?

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 8, 2015

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

In small businesses, as in life, it is important to consider whether you can trust a person. The people around the business may be employees, clients, or vendors and each relationship is unique. And, as important as trust is, when it is violated there are repercussions, sometimes expensive ones. We have certainly had more than […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 8, 2015

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

Trust is an interesting personality construct that varies greatly among people and depends on a person’s life experiences, particularly experiences early in life. In the same manner in which my spouse/business partner differ on many traits, we differ greatly in the degree to which we trust other people. My partner, who had a more idyllic […]

We are (not) Family

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 30, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

In a small business environment it is often said that employees are like families (in a way that implies that is a good thing). The intimacy of a small business environment probably creates an impression of closeness that may be absent in a larger environment. And, as employers, we often believe we are being generous […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 30, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Partnerships, Small Business Success, Work-Life

David’s topic for this post has the usual musical connection for me, in this case, the song by Sister Sledge, “We are Family.” However, contrary to the song lyrics, when one is the owner of a small business, it is important to remember that we are NOT family; instead, we are an organization comprised of […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 4, 2014

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

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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Author Archive | David Fauss

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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