Archive | Small Business Success

Smoking Marijuana at lunch – that’s not on work time…

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 3, 2015

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

As we mentioned in a previous blog, my spouse/business partner and I have established formal, written policies and procedures regarding all aspects of our employees’ conduct. Among these policies and procedures is a policy stating we are a drug and alcohol free workplace. We had to modify this policy many years ago because one of […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 3, 2015

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

Some of our experiences as employers have really surprised us. This one was in the top 5. And, the person’s actions were dumb and dumber with the initial issue and the later call for a job reference. It was dumbfounding to me for sure! But, each experience is a learning experience and things like this […]

Dealing with Hurricanes: Disaster Planning

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 26, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

Floridians, at least we natives, know that hurricanes are a fact of life (some newcomers have to experience one to understand such storms). And while we are all sometimes a bit complacent about hurricanes or the other disasters that befall others who live in other locations (as I write this, Boston is suffering record snow […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 26, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

Several years before David and I owned our business, Magnus, I worked at a large litigation consulting firm that had offices in every major city in the U.S.A. One of the offices was located in Philadelphia, in a large downtown building that burned to the ground one night. Unfortunately for my employer, no one had […]

Use it up, wear it out, make it do

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 25, 2015

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

My late mother was a teenager during the Great Depression in the 1920s. She was the first person I knew who recycled things, all sorts of things, from last year’s calendar to last week’s orange juice container, and who rarely threw anything away until it could not be used for anything, ever again. Mom’s motto […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 25, 2015

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

I heard Melissa’s Mother say “use it up, wear it out, and make it do” more than a few times. And, while my upbringing was different than hers in some ways, I somehow also have always found ways to re-use or re-purpose lots of things. I keep a selection of boxes in all shapes 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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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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Archive | Small Business Success

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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