No small business owner likes to receive a letter from the Internal Revenue Service – trust me. Such letters inspire dread. Though they occasionally include a good surprise, such as a refund of an over payment, more often they are “not good.” Melissa and I recently received such a letter informing us that, because we […]
Archive | Getting the Job Done
Colossal Failures at American Express and Chase
Over the past 2 months, I’ve been battling American Express to get them to correct a colossal mistake THEY made, but for which they blamed us/me and penalized us accordingly. To be fair to American Express, Chase Bank also failed during this time period, but not as badly as American Express. The issue common to […]
Formality Never Hurts

A Point of View
David H. Fauss, M.S.M.
On October 10, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Psychology, Small Business Success
In thinking about the job candidates who failed to get out of the starting gate due to their wardrobe choices, I reflected on how formality provides a guide for “good” behavior. Being formal in addressing people with “Ms.,” “Mr.,” “Dr.,” etc. is a good starting place. It is likely you will soon be told to […]

Another View
Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.
On October 10, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Marketing your Business, Psychology, Small Business Success
Social psychologists have an explanation for most kinds of people’s encounters with others. In the situations to which David refers, one’s self monitoring level is crucial to the impression they make upon others. Self monitoring is defined as the degree to which people regulate the way they present themselves, including their emotions and behaviors, in […]
Know What You Don’t Know
Many years ago, a college professor of mine told me that knowing what you don’t know (or that you don’t know something) is an important sign of intelligence. It was an enlightening discussion and I think I’ve mentioned this in another post. But, it bears further discussion because we seem to live in a world […]
You can go to Wal-Mart, Kmart…

A Point of View
Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.
On September 20, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business Relationships, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Partnerships, Small Business Success
David and I have different ways of accomplishing the same task. We are frequently engaged in debates about how to perform seemingly simple tasks. When we catch ourselves in the midst of another debate about some mind numbing chore, one of us usually says, “You can go to Walmart, Kmart (sadly, that’s no longer an […]

Another View
David H. Fauss, M.S.M.
On September 20, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business Relationships, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Partnerships, Small Business Success
The good news is that it usually lightens the mood when these discussions ensue. Or I should say, it now does. My Dad’s tendency in this regard sometimes got irritating in that he questioned so many trivial items. This includes debating in which parking space I should park when taking him and Mom to dinner […]
Employees Should Cover Each Other

A Point of View
David H. Fauss, M.S.M.
On September 15, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants
This is the 3rd in a series about “covering” or looking out for each other in a work environment. The need to do this is on a top down, down to top, and peer to peer basis. In the immediately prior post, I mentioned an employee who was hostile to another employee. The fact that […]

Another View
Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.
On September 15, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants
Although it has been over 30 years since I have been an employee, as opposed to an employer, I can recall what it was like to have co-workers and colleagues. The best example I am aware of is my colleague, and now, long time friend, Dr. Susan Broome, who looked out for me in an […]
Cover the Employee’s Back

A Point of View
David H. Fauss, M.S.M.
On September 8, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants
As I wrote the prior post about the need for employees to cover the boss’ back, I had this post, and the next one, in mind, because covering for each other is critical. It is important for a boss to keep the health and well being of the employees in mind. In our 30+ years […]

Another View
Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.
On September 8, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Business personalities, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Mental Health, Psychology, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants
I strive to be a good boss. I thank all of my employees, and vendors, for completing tasks to which they have been assigned. I thank the employees at the end of every work day for everything they have done that day to help me. I am aware that, absent the help I receive from […]
Expand Your Horizons: Johnny Cash, Jazz…

A Point of View
Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.
On September 6, 2022
Category: Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Marketing your Business, Mental Health, Psychology, RoadWarrior, Travel, Work-Life
Expand your horizons. Exit your comfort zone. Try new things. Visit new places. Meet new people. These are mantras to which I aspire. Many people are too afraid to venture outside things they’ve always done. They go to the same restaurants, then order the same things off the menu. When it comes to music, some […]

Another View
David H. Fauss, M.S.M.
On September 6, 2022
Category: Business personalities, Careers, Getting the Job Done, Growing Old is Not for Sissies, Life Outside of Work, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Marketing your Business, Mental Health, Psychology, RoadWarrior, Travel, Work-Life
How broad one’s horizons, or comfort zones, are is probably relative. While some people consider Melissa and me to be adventurous in certain respects like music or food, I know, I for one, still draw a line somewhere. I know I have limitations based on foods because of 2 things. One is an allergy issue […]
Cover the Boss’ Back

A Point of View
David H. Fauss, M.S.M.
On September 1, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success
Who has your back? As a business owner, doing everything is difficult. The ability to rely on employees is critical. In this post, I am reflecting on how some employees are better than others at thinking of the boss’ or company’s best interest. Those who don’t think about the boss, or the company, are a […]

Another View
Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.
On September 1, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Small Business Success
I need help. I need a lot of help. In my job as a trial/jury consultant, it is impossible for me to function independently, without assistance from numerous other people. Although I have considerable expertise, and years of experience, performing my primary job duties, I rely on David, and our employees, to assist me with […]
Reactive v. Proactive

A Point of View
Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.
On August 30, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Mental Health, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Workplace Technology
My mother used to tell me that she, as well as almost everyone else, would “have to get up before breakfast to stay ahead of me.” For readers of this post who are unfamiliar with, as Mom used to say “old South Carolina sayings,” this means that, all things considered, I work and move at […]

Another View
David H. Fauss, M.S.M.
On August 30, 2022
Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Entrepreneurship, Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Mental Health, Small Business Success, Trial Consultants, Workplace Technology
I don’t think of the proactive/reactive dichotomy as just an issue of speed, but of priorities. And, in fairness to our clients (attorneys), many reactive behaviors are a part of the job. They must react to rulings by the court, motions or pleadings by the other side, client demands, etc. It is not just attorneys, […]