I was recently talking to Eric Groves, CEO and cofounder of the small business social network Alignable, about the constant competition and tension between small businesses and the big brands, and in four words he captured one of the most important assets small businesses have on their side: proximity to the customer. He had some […]
If you remember last year’s Christmas Season headlines, you’ll recall that late deliveries caused a lot of embarrassment for some major retailers. They had guaranteed package deliveries in time for Christmas, but a perfect storm of natural conditions sent many of those promises to the dustheap of retail history. First, the Polar Vortex wreaked havoc […]
It’s unquestionable that many large businesses are giving superb customer service and that’s why I’m so dumbfounded when I encounter the opposite. Here are two examples: As I prepared to leave a hotel recently I called for a bellman and requested a taxi. I waited for 15 minutes. Cue the crickets. I eventually wrestled my […]
When I’m in New York there’s a restaurant that’s almost like my kitchen, I eat there so often. Once I casually mentioned how much I enjoy the Italian soup, pasta e fagioli. The next time I came in to eat, the owner stopped by my table to tell me they had made the soup for […]
I had a great talk recently with a woman who currently works for a major corporation but really wants to start her own business. One of the things holding her back is a very common phobia: she’s afraid to speak in public. She knows that to get her own firm up and running, she’ll have […]