Boards

The Four Truths of Business Growth®  We trademarked that phrase because it’s central to how we plan our work with our clients.  Here’s a quick overview.  But first – why grow?  Businesses don’t have to achieve world domination, or be “unicorns”, or generate billionaires, to be successful.  A business that supports a lifestyle you love,

It a common question in the business world- just what is the difference between branding and marketing?  Both are important, but they have quite different purposes.    Branding is communicating a promise to your potential customers, whereas marketing is how you reach them.   Think of it like this, a brand is showing who your business is,

Why are we in business?  It’s not the easy road, but hey, it’s worth it.  I’ve run my own businesses for most of this century, and I’ve made most of the available mistakes.  But I wouldn’t work any other way.  Again, why?  We get to determine our own path, and craft something that’s truly our

The biggest ball-and-chain we see on businesses is not talent, guts, determination or the state of the economy.  It’s strategy (and lack of).  Strategy is not just for the big companies.  We’ve seen far too many business owners struggle because they lacked a clear strategy.  A strategy is not a plan (it gives rise to

People do business with people they know, like and trust – the world over.  The more technology we use, the more we treasure our human connectedness.  If you want new customers for your business, you must offer people a journey from stranger to knowing, liking and trusting you.  Growing and nurturing your network is the

  Being in business is a journey. We grow, we stumble, we learn. If we are lucky, every day brings a chance to develop skills and attitudes, strategies and tactics.  At Upland, we distinguish four stages along the journey where change is greatest, and so, of course, are the risks: startup, growth, exit and succession.

The end of the year.  For some, the end of 12 years of school, or 3-4 years of Uni, or some other big chunk of calendar time that has dominated their life.  As you reflect on endings, you would do well to reflect: What about the end of my involvement in my own business?  Will

  AI.  Uh-oh.  The looming nemesis of our species?  A discovery comparable to harnessing fire, with immense potential to improve our lives?  Or just another tech toy – fun, educational, but not world-changing?  How are we, regional business owners and leaders, to respond to the most durable headline of the past 12 months?  Let’s start