Successful startups are all about turning ideas into action. These actions must be the hard part, since entrepreneurs always seem to come to me with ideas, and ask me for help on the actions. That has always seemed strange to me, since the magic is supposed to be in the ideas, and the actions are the same for every business.
In fact, the actions required to start and run a business are well documented, the subject of many books, and taught in college courses across the land. As confirmed by a recent book on this subject by John Spence, Awesomely Simple, turning business ideas into action consists of six essential strategies:

Build a vivid vision. Having a clear, vivid, and compelling vision in your head is without question an essential component in building a successful company. But that’s not good enough. The vision has to be documented and communicated in a way that makes it vivid to every member of your team, your customers, and your investors.

Team with the best people. The best people are highly talented and motivated individuals who are also masters of collaboration. The future of your startup is directly tied to the quality of talent you can attract and keep. You must create a winning culture that people love.

Practice robust communication. Open, honest, frank, and courageous communication, both inside Read more…

Imagine Walt Disney at the age of nineteen. His uncle asks him what he plans to do with his life, and he pulls out a drawing of a mouse and says, “I think this has a lot of potential.”
Or Springsteen. In a concert he once told the story of how he and his dad used to go at it — how his father hated his guitar. Late one night, Springsteen came home to find his father waiting up for him in the kitchen. His father asked him what he thought he was doing with himself. “And the worst part about it,” Springsteen says, “was I never knew how to explain it to him.” How does he tell his father, “I’m going to be Bruce Springsteen?”
Someone interviewed me a few months back for an entrepreneurship project, and he mentioned that in his conversations the thing that stood out most was the willingness of great entrepreneurs to be vulnerable. It’s not the first association you’d make with an entrepreneur. Words like “driven,” “ambitious,” and “persistent” usually come to mind. But the moment he said it I knew he’d hit the nail on the head.
Vulnerability. It is the most poignant quality in every entrepreneur I know.
There’s a misfit in each of us, and it’s the most delicate, precious thing that we have. Sadly, Read more…

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said “Refuse to Participate in the Recession.”  I have no idea if that driver had a job or was looking for one, but he was obviously electing to make the most of the challenges he faced.
Many say the U.S. economy is still in a recession based on the fact that unemployment is still high and consumers are continuing to temper their spending habits–two elements that define a recession. However, anyone with the desire to be an entrepreneur has to have the attitude of my friend with the bumper sticker.
So how does an entrepreneur succeed in a recession?

Become Indispensable
In a tricky economy, it’s natural for people to want to protect the security they still have. In the service industry, one way to prove that your product or service is part of the solution is to point out the consequences that could occur if the service was not around. Try “secret shopping” your customers and document the outcomes; then secret shop a business that doesn’t use your service or product. If there’s an obvious difference, use these stories to sell your businessback to your customers.
Invest in the Future
Most recessions last only a year or two. Companies that fail to continually invest in business improvements, training and marketing are way behind when the economy recovers. In terms of Read more…

The office has the potential to be one of the most stressful places a person will ever encounter. Staff must handle looming deadlines as well as contend with office politics, technology meltdowns and the shifting moods of their colleagues. Add to that the personal doubts and fears of failure that individuals can experience. It’s no wonder that job stress is a risk factor for heart disease and many other health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, according to a study by the British Medical Journal.
Luckily, as the CEO, you’re in a unique position to reduce the level of stress that effects the office environment. Inc.com Senior Editor Nicole Marie Richardson talked with Elizabeth Scott, a wellness coach and About.com stress management expert about ways to minimize job stress. Here’s how to create a Zen office without calling in the yoga masters.
How a CEO can Reduce Office Stress: Beautify the Surroundings
A dark, disheveled office can ruin an employee’s mood the second he or she walks through the door. Similarly, harsh overhead lighting and sterile cubicles with stark furniture can have the same effect. Bare offices allow noise to bounce around the walls and noise pollution is a huge stressor in the workplace, says Scott. Making adjustments to lighting, temperature, noise level and other controllable factors can go along way toward lightening the mood, says Scott. “I know Read more…