Category Archives: Protecting the business

A personal story about quality control

Posted on October 19, 2023 by Dave Berkus

So, I tell personal stories to show that we all should look for lessons learned by others.  Here’s one that is “on me.” As my enterprise computer software company which produced innovative lodging systems for hotels and resorts grew quickly, … Continue reading →

Posted in Depending upon others, Protecting the business, The fight for quality | 2 Comments

A heartbreaking story about time and money.

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Dave Berkus

First, think about your time as money! We’ll get to my heartbreak in a minute. But first… There is a relationship between timeand money that is more complex than most managers think.  Fixed overhead for salaries, rent, equipment leases and … Continue reading →

Posted in Depending upon others, Finding your ideal niche, Protecting the business, Raising money | 3 Comments

Everything changes from concept to release.

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Dave Berkus

You can take this headline as a rule, not an exception.  You’ll recognize the truism, “No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy” first stated by German Field Marshall von Moltke in the 19th century. This variant of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, Protecting the business | Leave a comment

Ouch! If I had only learned this before losing millions!

Posted on August 31, 2023 by Dave Berkus

Know your market and competition, or don’t spend a dime on anything else. I love absolutes – statements with no wiggle room for gray-area responses.  Well, here is one of those, and it deals with market research first and foremost. … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, Growth!, Protecting the business | 3 Comments

What’s the difference between your budget and forecast?

Posted on July 20, 2023 by Dave Berkus

Hold it! These are confusing terms. When does a budget become obsolete? Do we rely upon constant changes and call it a forecast? So, let’s spend a few moments defining this sometimes-confusing set of terms. This is a budget: A … Continue reading →

Posted in Positioning, Protecting the business, Raising money | Leave a comment

Protect your company secrets!

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Dave Berkus

Let’s create a use case. Most senior and middle level managers will understand when a subordinate comes to them to resign and begin a new business.  But all will immediately question whether the new business will compete in any way … Continue reading →

Posted in Protecting the business | Leave a comment

Are you at risk for tech killing your job?

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Dave Berkus

Stop me if you’ve heard this story before. “My job as a (newspaper publisher telephone installer, stockbroker, travel agent, retail store manager) writer, poet, commercial artist – is safe as this economy continues to grow.”  Yup. Thought so. We are … Continue reading →

Posted in Depending upon others, Protecting the business | 2 Comments

What are the odds of your startup’s success?

Posted on April 20, 2023 by Dave Berkus

Well, the numbers don’t lie, even if there are several sources of these statistics.  Starting a company is HARD – in so many ways.  And risky too. Let’s start with a restaurant -not our thing. But… I read several years … Continue reading →

Posted in Growth!, Protecting the business, Raising money | Leave a comment

Things going right? Control your euphoria!

Posted on March 2, 2023 by Dave Berkus

One thing a senior manager can count on is that someday, something will go right, very right.  Well, after all the disappointments, pressure and outright failures, this is NEWS. So, we tend to go overboard a bit.  As a member … Continue reading →

Posted in Depending upon others, Protecting the business | 1 Comment

About personal use of corporate assets

Posted on February 16, 2023 by Dave Berkus

Here’s the IRS take on the issue: It is no secret that the IRS carefully looks below the surface for personal use of company assets (including cash) in its corporate income tax audits.  This insight addresses more the impact of … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Hedging against downturns, Protecting the business, Surrounding yourself with talent | 1 Comment