Surviving the Tornado: Can You Ride It Out?
Tornados – those hypergrowth phases of high sales revenues and low cash flow – can sneak up on you. You don’t realize one is there until your company is whirling around your ears, and you’re right in the midst of it. That drastic percentage of increase in revenue is what causes a Tornado. The front office goes crazy, while the [...]
The View From Inside the Tornado
I’ve talked about surviving the Tornado; that wild hypergrowth phase that blasts your company up to the sky, then just as rapidly drops it back to earth. But what does a Tornado phase look like when you’re in it? Let’s follow one company’s wild ride. Wind-farm company, Headwind Energy, had tripled in revenue size in a matter of months. The [...]
The Forward-Looking Leader
Who’s more likely to survive a powerful storm: The person who prepares for what’s coming, and has a plan in place to deal with the likely outcome or the one who didn’t bother to check the weather report that day? The answer’s pretty obvious, but it’s amazing how many otherwise smart and forward-thinking individuals in leadership fail to prepare (and [...]
Don’t Panic!
You’re caught up in the Business Storm Cycle – and though you may not have heard its name, you’re certainly aware of its impact. Maybe you’re caught up in the Tornado, that hypergrowth phase where sales are exploding and you’re running as fast as you can to keep up. Or perhaps you’re stuck in the Avalanche, watching your margins shrink [...]
When It’s Time To Call An Expert…
How often have you tried to economize by fixing something yourself, only to be forced to call in an expert to fix not only what was broken, but your subsequent “repair” as well? Let’s face it; experts in nearly any field are in demand for a reason – and the reason is they know what they’re doing, and they do [...]
Tornado Warning? Be Prepared
What do you do when the weather report warns of an impending large-scale storm? You hit the hardware store for flashlights, batteries and candles, nail sheets of plywood over your windows, and make sure your storm cellar is ready for occupation. You buy gas for the generator if you have one, and you line up with your neighbors for milk [...]