My client Jay Cadler at Veris Manufacturing has a saying, “Never resting. Always investing.” The National Basketball Association (NBA) Free Agency signing period is the ultimate example of that. The bell rings at 6:00 [...]
You aren't in business to lose customers. The reality is, however, that the customer isn’t always right and not every customer is right for you. There are times when getting rid of a customer can [...]
When was the last time you answered these three questions from the perspective of your client or customer: Why you? Why now? What makes you relevant? Better yet, when was the last time that you [...]
Past success only means that you used to be relevant. You have to move quicker if you want to stay up with your customers’ demands and your competitors’ innovation. So why do organizations struggle to [...]
“What do you think of the new Nike ad campaign?” That’s the question I’ve received more than once since the company introduced Colin Kaepernick as a spokesperson. The polls suggest that I would be predisposed [...]
Seeing the need to change rarely results in people, organizations, or even industries taking action unless a crisis forces them to do so. Blockbuster didn’t offer a DVD-by-mail service until Netflix posed a legitimate danger. Kodak held [...]
By Dick Mitchell, President Dick Mitchell & Associates Once upon a time there were two companies. Both made whirlpool spas, and both were experiencing less than desired growth that was forcing them to re-envision their [...]
By Dick Mitchell, President Dick Mitchell & Associates The simple truth is a brand is a simple truth. That’s it. That’s what I’ve learned from over 40 years of brand development. Many people – including [...]
Sandra (not her real name) was baffled and a little disconcerted. The team that had performed so admirably just a few years ago was now struggling. They still executed the routine tasks and assignments with [...]
Companies are rendered irrelevant by their scarcity of new thinking not the introduction of new technologies. They stop asking two crucial questions: What else can we do to enhance the customer experience, and what’s next [...]
What would be different in your operation if you could experience a 170 percent in engagement, a 294 percent increase in innovation, and a 221 percent increase in results? Would that give you a leg [...]
Forty-plus year old rock bands have something in common with forty-plus year old technology companies – it is easy to assume that their best days are behind them. Don’t let age, past success, or media’s [...]
Think globally. Act locally. The phrase entered the zeitgeist decades ago as a call for individuals and communities to consider the long-term impact of their actions on the environment. It has since evolved into use [...]
The genuine desire to increase the number of middle class jobs may be one of the only pieces of common ground on the American political landscape. The actual definition of “middle class” varies based on [...]
Building a business that lasts is the exception rather than the rule. Fifty percent of start-ups fail within the first five years. That number drops the longer you stay open, but even then, building a [...]