Archive | Small Business Success

A Point of View & Another View – Debriefings

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 3, 2014

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

Although my business partner, our employees, and I take great pride in our professionalism and work standards, something usually goes wrong during our research projects. We employed a former member of the military who likened our jury research projects to a combat mission and who suggested, soon after he was hired, that we adopt a […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 3, 2014

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

While our mock jury research may not seem prone to problems, when considering the technologies involved, the people involved, many of whom we have never met (including the mock jurors, and clients, and clients’ clients), things happen. We travel to mock trials with hundreds of pounds of equipment, video cameras, cables, cords, surveys, and computers. […]

A Point of View & Another View – Staff Meetings

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 27, 2014

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

Staff meetings. One need only read a few Dilbert cartoons to realize staff meetings can be non productive and sometimes painful to attend. But, used with some forethought, they are an important way to keep everyone in sync and to allow the discussion of issues that require attention outside the demands of normal, everyday, work […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 27, 2014

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

I detest staff meetings. I perceive them as a total waste of my time, time when I could be doing “real work” or just about anything else. I know how to perform my job and I don’t need to participate in a meeting in order to learn what to do. These statements aside, I also […]

A Point of View & Another View – Keeping Everyone Organized

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 20, 2014

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

Though my business partner/spouse and I are organized people, employees have not always proven themselves to be. We have hired many employees for their first professional job and, although habits they had in college may have worked well for them when they were only concerned with their own individual performance, we have often seen the […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 20, 2014

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

I know what I am doing, at all times, on all cases for which my company and I have been retained. But, knowing what I am doing does not mean others know what they are doing! Realizing this, I have taken numerous steps to communicate with employees exactly what they are supposed to do on […]

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 […]

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 […]

United Front Not Always Apparent

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 10, 2014

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

Above all else, my spouse/business partner and I maintain a united front. Yes, we disagree, we sometimes don’t see eye to eye, and we have idiosyncracies that annoy each other, but we are a team and our efforts, when combined, are a formidable match for anyone who attempts to “play” one of us against the […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 10, 2014

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

As business and life partners, we will naturally have a similar perspective on many issues such that it is second nature to respond in some united fashion. As Melissa discusses, in the extreme, when employees have tried to create a wedge between us, that mistake results in almost an automatic defensive response (usually resulting in […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

A Point of View & Another View – Be up to date with technology

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 21, 2014

Category: Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

I am not the most tech savvy person; I admit it. I view technology with a degree of caution and skepticism, but I never yearn for the “old days” of walking great distances in the workplace just to send or receive a fax. In that technology is here to stay and technological advances are a […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 21, 2014

Category: Small Business Success, Workplace Technology

While I agree that keeping pace with technology is important, it is not always easy and can involve steep learning curves. For example, changing from using videotape to record mock juries to digital cameras had a steep learning curve. For confidentiality reasons, we do the video recording and editing in house. Learning what cameras, microphones, […]

A Point of View & Another View – Have Rules (Policies, & Procedures)

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 15, 2014

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

When we first started our business, long before we had the prospect of having employees, we began developing a policy and procedures manual. Maybe it was my degree in Organizational Behavior, or Melissa’s having taught Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or both of us having worked for other employers, but we knew that while we had “free” time […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 15, 2014

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

Magnus is a small corporation, however, we have extremely formal ways of doing business. We have a specific policy covering every major aspect of our work, including dress code, social media, and what constitutes a valid expense on an expense report. As with most employers, my partner and I have had numerous experiences with employees […]

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Archive | Small Business Success

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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