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Category Archives: Hedging against downturns
My story: Fail locally, one customer at a time.
By Frank Peters Our guest insight this week is from Frank Peters, well-known in the angel and in the bicycle worlds for his podcasts and passion. His personal story is full of lessons for us all. – Dave We’ve all … Continue reading
Posted in Growth!, Hedging against downturns
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Five Keys to Our Long Term Survival
Guest Post by William Fisher Dave’s Note: William Fisher is CEO of Quicksilver Software, a software and Internet game development company in Southern California. Bill has survived multiple cycles in the game industry, and writes here his thoughts about his longevity in … Continue reading
Update your banker in good times and bad.
You’ve heard the old one – that a banker always seems willing to offer a loan when you don’t need it. For small businesses, there is such truth in that statement that you can trust the story to be based … Continue reading
Hold on to some “sticky” cash.
It is tempting to use available cash in good times to build the business and in challenging times to pay the bills and even to outdo competitors in marketing efforts. Those are both good strategies. But there is a tactic … Continue reading
Posted in Growth!, Hedging against downturns
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Hedging against downturns: Remember the GOAL!
Business cycles are a fact of life, and those of us who have lived through many cycles have gained experience in finding the proper time to step on the gas and when to use the brakes. These next several posts, … Continue reading
Posted in Hedging against downturns
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Develop the “What if” question chain method.
One of the most valuable tools in an executive’s arsenal is the use of the question chain in planning meetings or to analyze scenarios that might result from an action. The powerful words are “What if…” followed by an ever-deeper … Continue reading
Never use short term borrowing to cover long term debt.
This insight is one that is so important to the continued health of a growing company that it cannot be overstated. First, let’s be sure we know what is short in term and what is long in term. Long term … Continue reading
Hire ahead of need only when growth is stable.
Many companies have made the mistake of using the forecast to plan and executive hiring of new employees so that they could be trained and up to speed when the demand arrives. Although such a practice does add to overhead … Continue reading
Posted in Growth!, Hedging against downturns
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Pay for frequent moves over risky long term leases
One of the most obvious observations I make with growing company CEO’s is that planning for a new office is done with an optimistic view of the future, incorporating planned space that compromises only slightly the measured needs for … Continue reading
Posted in Growth!, Hedging against downturns
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Sign short term leases early on. Move more often as you grow.
Avoid long-term commitments. It is statistically true that at least half of the young companies funded by angel or venture investors will not survive three years from funding to demise. The greatest burden of either a growing company or … Continue reading
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