Hiring and Firing

June 8, 2007



Getting the hiring and firing process right is one of the toughest challenges a small business owner can face.  It’s an area that I’ve struggled with myself many times over and you really have to work at it. Having the wrong staff in place could seriously small business, no matter how fantastic your product/service and your marketing is.

Here’s a few things I’ve learned the hard way: 

Don’t recruit out of desperation.  Even if you’re rushed off you’re feet and desperately in need of an extra team member, don’t recruit the first person who comes along.  If you interview, and none of the applicants seem suitable for the job, keep looking, until you find the right person to fill the post.

Do take up references for all employers from at least the past five years.  Rather than getting the references in writing, call for them.

Make sure you have a documented system in place for your new employees job, and take time to train them.

Look for enthusiasm, rather than experience and qualifications.  An enthusiastic person, who is eager to learn will be a much better asset to your small business, than an unenthusiastic employee with years of experience and every single qualification under the sun.

Get rid of negative people quickly.  If you accidentally recruit a negative employees, fire them quickly.  Just one negative person can infect your business like the deadliest virus on the planet.  Don’t wait a while, in the hope of improvement.  Negative employees don’t change their attitudes overnight, and given the chance, they’ll squeeze the life our of your company.

Catch people doing something right, and praise them immediately.  Most people respond well to praise, so tell your employees when they’ve done something well, and they’re more inclined to do well again.

If you’ve reached the point where you’ve given an employee the opportunity to improve, and it’s not happening, fire them straight away.  Dragging it out will only be detrimental to both them and to your business.

One last word.  Don’t expect to perfect the hiring and firing process straight away.  It can take years of practise and experience, and you’ll always make some mistakes.  Just don’t dwell on them.

Posted by cathlawson | Filed Under Running a Business | Leave a Comment 

Is it Possible to Get Serious Reviews on E-books?

June 5, 2007

Have you searched the internet and found it impossible to get serious reviews on business ebooks?  If you have, you’re not alone.  The problem is, that most business ebook sellers run affiliate programs, and many of the so called reviews you will come across, are not serious at all, they’re just a ploy to get you to buy a particular e-book.  Often, the reviewer has not even read the e-book in question themselves. 

There are ways and means to get serious reviews on e-books.  You just need to know what you’re looking for.  Firstly, does the reviewer appear to have read the e-book?  Do they give an overview of the contents at all?  Is the review glowing, or does it also point out the shortcomings of the e-book?  If it sounds too good to be true, be on your guard - it probably is.  Of course, some people love a book so much, that they can’t find any negatives.  Read through any other reviews on the site.  If they are all completely positive, then they can’t be serious reviews.

Also, take a look at how many business e-books and other products have been reviewed on that particular site.  If there’s just a handful, that’s a good sign.  However, if there’s hundreds of e-book reviews, it’s highly unlikely that the reviewer has never read them at all.

Another way to get serious reviews is to search the name of the e-book and discussion forum, or discussion board.  Sometimes forum posters will give genuine reviews on ebooks they have read.  However, watch out for any comments that have a link to the e-book as these are often affiliate links.

Posted by cathlawson | Filed Under Running a Business | Leave a Comment 

Why Working From Home Doesn’t Always Work

June 4, 2007

Working from home can have many benefits, such as saving on commute time, and more flexible working hours.  Also, there’s no doubt that being able to work from home allows women with young children, a lot of flexibility, and freedom.  But, you should know before you start that working at home can be a real pain in the ass. 

I plan to move back into an office soon, because for me working from home has far more downsides than benefits.   For a start, unless you have a huge house, you’re surrounded by work all the time.  If you have young children or pets, working from home can cause even more trouble.  If you’ve ever had to explain to a key customer that your dog ate a vital piece of paperwork, you will know this.

All the extra gizmo’s and gadgets that you need to save time, and make your business more productive were not designed to fit in a house the size of a small rabbit hutch.  And, when you buy some of this wonderful home/office equipment, suppliers are not always honest about the size.

However much you like your employees, your home is your home, and it can be difficult to share it with them.

People have a habit of just popping round, or calling you when you work from home.

However much you like your home, if you are there 24/7, you soon become sick of the sight of it.

When your customers know you work from home, some of them see it as OK to call any time they want - no more Sunday lie ins!

In saying all this, I would still advise most start-ups to operate their new business from home initially.  Starting a business from home will save on overheads, leaving you with more cash to spend on marketing and growing your business.  And, starting from home doesn’t mean you’re going to be small forever.  Even the mighty Google started out working in a garage.

Posted by cathlawson | Filed Under Running a Business | Leave a Comment 

Virgin Atlantic - Business Only Launch

June 4, 2007



Virgin Atlantic have announced plans to launch Business Class only flights across the Atlantic. According to the Financial Times, the service is planned to begin in 12 to 18 months time, and Virgin Atlantic are looking to acquire 15 planes.

Full details of the new business class only flights have not yet been released, but a Virgin spokeswoman says the will be competitive and innovative.

I wonder how they will compare with the Virgin Upper class offering, which has amazingly comfortable flat beds? I love flying Virgin Upper Class, but if the new business class only flights are going to be more competitive and just as comfortable, I would definitely consider using it in the future.

Posted by cathlawson | Filed Under Running a Business | Leave a Comment 

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