Archive | Business Partnerships

Running a Business is Not all Negative

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 27, 2014

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

As I have written some of these posts I have found that a number of them take on an employer  – employee, us vs. them, negative tone.  A few years ago there was a movie out called Horrible Bosses.  I admit, when I first heard that title I was offended.  Though I did enjoy the […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 27, 2014

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

When I was in graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in social psychology, the expectation among my professors was that I would join their ranks in academia.  Indeed, all of my peers became college professors.  I never desired a career in academia, preferring instead to work in corporate environments, including as a litigation consultant.  If […]

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A Point of View & Another View – Ziggy Principle

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 17, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Managing Employees

Ziggy (or Ziggy Stardust, his full name) was my beloved cat who lived until he was 19 years old.  Ziggy and I traveled far and wide, had many amazing experiences, and after his passing, I wrote a book about his adventures.  For all of his greatness, however, Ziggy was, after all, a cat.  And, weighing […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 17, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Managing Employees

I know that children sometimes use a tactic similar to the Ziggy principle in trying to play one parent off the other.  The interesting point, though, in a work environment is that trying to pitch something to one boss, then another, is that this can be a dangerous career move.  Bemused, maybe, but the more […]

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A Point of View & Another View – Who Works for Whom (You’re Fired)

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 13, 2014

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

As we developed the topics for these insights, my spouse/business partner and I obviously based them on our experience as small business owners.  While it is the topic of other posts to discuss who created or operates small or large businesses, suffice it to say that if someone has started a business or is running […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 13, 2014

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

My spouse/business partner and I have had the good fortune to have many wonderful employees over the years.  We have had numerous long term employees and have also had the pleasure of working with several vendors for decades.  During the over 20 years we have owned and operated our business, however, we have also had […]

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Couples’/Business Partners’ Nights Out

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 3, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Employment, Life Outside of Work, Small Business Success, Work-Life

Much has been said about the importance of having “date night” or other forms of private get togethers between busy spouses or romantic partners.  When the spouses are also business partners who work together all day then go home together, it may not seem as important to spend free time together as it is for […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 3, 2014

Category: Business Partnerships, Employment, Life Outside of Work, Small Business Success, Work-Life

An important aspect of non work time is keeping it non work time – that is, not letting work issues creep back into the situation.  For us, this is about “couples’” time – but for business partners who are not couples, having connections beyond work can be beneficial.  Activities which allow partners to connect as […]

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A Point of View & Another View – Learning When To “Cut ‘Em Loose”: Employees/Suppliers/Clients

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 31, 2014

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

I suppose it is akin to knowing when to hold them or when to fold them, but it is important in a small business to know when to cut “them” loose.  “Them” may be an employee, or it may be a supplier, or it may be a client.  Speaking with other business owners over the […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 31, 2014

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

Most of our parting of the ways with employees, vendors, and clients have been brought about by choices made by these individuals, including choices that have been unrelated to their work with my company.  The most painful parting of company in my career was with a long time vendor, with us since the founding of […]

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A Point of View & Another View – Mom & Pop

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 23, 2013

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Partnerships, Work-Life

I never considered that we were starting a Mom & Pop business when we started our trial consulting business, Magnus, in 1993. In fact, originally there were to be 3 partners, but the 3rd dropped out early – he wasn’t cut out to be an entrepreneur. Family run business structures are probably one of the […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 23, 2013

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Partnerships, Work-Life

I, too, never considered owning and operating a “Mom and Pop” business, but after 20 years as a small business owner, I guess I will have to accept my career choice. Before co-owning a Mom and Pop business, I was employed by various others for 20 years; some of these businesses were large corporations, others […]

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A Point of View & Another View – Differing conceptualizations of time (and its passage)

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 11, 2013

Category: Business Partnerships, Getting the Job Done

Time, and the passage of time, are relative concepts. For some people, being on time is an important part of their identity. I am one of these people; I am punctual (often arriving a little early for appointments), I know what time it is, I know how long it takes to perform every task I […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 11, 2013

Category: Business Partnerships, Getting the Job Done

I don’t like feeling like the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland who exclaimed, “I’m late, I’m late for a very important date.” And, I usually don’t. My interpretation of time is more customized to the situation. When meeting clients or others, I am almost always punctual. My problem is that the amount of work […]

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A Point of View & Another View – SINK, not DINK

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On December 9, 2013

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment

At the height of the yuppie culture in the 1980s, according to Wikipedia, the term DINK was coined.  DINK is an acronym for dual income no kids. It occurred to me recently that a related acronym for those of us who co-own small businesses with a spouse, but do not have kids, is SINK. No […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On December 9, 2013

Category: Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment

My spouse/business partner has been self-employed since the day I met him, many years ago. I, on the other hand, was a person who had been working, since the age of 15, for a long list of bosses, in a variety of workplaces. It has only been in the past 20 years that both my […]

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Title: Capitalize on individual strengths

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On October 9, 2013

Category: Business Partnerships

All of us have strengths and weaknesses; this is a fact of life regardless of whether we work with our spouse.  It is crucial, in any long term relationship, to identify each spouse’s/business partner’s strengths and weaknesses early in the relationship, then capitalize on the strengths and minimize the weaknesses in ways that ultimately define […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On October 9, 2013

Category: Business Partnerships

Some of the separation of duties are obvious and easy to identify early on in a work situation or at a personal level. And, this point is true when working with friends, spouse, or even lesser known acquaintances in any partnership arrangement. Seeking to determine who should have the primary responsibility for various tasks required […]

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