What method do you find most effective in recruiting new hires?
A. Want ads in the paper B. Internet ads B. Recruiters C. Word-of-mouth referrals
Please visit www.kcsmallbiz.com and let us know how you weigh in on this issue. We will print the results—along with a new survey question—next month. August Survey Results: Last month we asked about whether you had a succession plan in place. Here’s what you told us:
Biz Beams
“It’s a hard lesson, but no matter how much you really want an employee to work out, if you know in your gut that it isn’t working, you need to take care of the problem and move on.”—Kathy Dodd, The Corridor Group
One-Minute Idea
Are you new to networking? Or worse, do you feel like it’s always the same old routine? Try having a goal in mind before attending each event. Is your purpose to learn, or to make new contacts? Know ahead of time the types of people who will be attending. To add a little spice, make a bet with yourself that you will take away three business tips, or five solid contacts. Or, before you attend an event, have in mind two business questions you would like answered, and spend your networking time discussing those issues with your colleagues. Challenge? Solution!
Challenge: I’ve been in business for 10 years, and I’m in a rut. Even worse, I believe my employees are feeling the same way. The tension is a huge elephant sitting in the room that everyone knows is there, but no one talks about. I worry that our customers are starting to pick up on it as well. If we don’t pump some life and enthusiasm into the business soon, I think it’s going to implode. I realize I’m being melodramatic, but I also realize I need to take some big steps soon if I’m going to keep the company, and myself, healthy. I just don’t know where to start. Do I start with motivating employees? Rethinking goals? Any suggestions?
Solution: First, let's acknowledge you and your team for a nice accomplishment. If you look at small business survivability, being around for 10 years in no small task. Acknowledge yourself and your team for this accomplishment. Often, we spend 10 units of energy beating ourselves up and studying what is wrong for every one unit we put into being grateful for what is working. Next, let's find some ways to infuse some excitement! How do you make it more fun? A bigger goal, or a rededicated effort to not only get by with customers, but to dazzle them, or collectively figuring out a way to give everyone a really large raise based on the business's additional performance (so this is not a cost). Since you are concerned about the motivation of employees, include them in the planning process to get their "buy in." Additionally, if they have worked in your business for some time, the probably have some great ideas they have yet to share with you. I also suggest reading a book called The FISH! Philosophy, which takes a specific approach to improving the work environment. It's a quick read is pretty simple to incorporate into a company. Good luck. May your next 10 years be even more fun and profitable than the first 10!
Curt Clinkinbeard is regional director, KU Small Business Development Center. He can be reached at (785) 843-8844, or www.kusbdd.com.
Small Business: Number Portraits
93.7 The percentage of sole proprietorships in the surveying and mapping industry showing a profit.
91.2 The percentage of certified public accountants (sole proprietorship) showing a profit.
90.8 The percentage of school and charter bus drivers (sole proprietorship) showing a profit.
75.3 The percentage of insurance agency and brokerage sole proprietorships showing a profit.
55 The percentage of sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores (sole proprietorship) showing a profit.
35.4 The percentage of computer and electronic products manufacturers (sole proprietorship) showing a profit.
Source: www.bizstats.com
If you would like to contribute to the Grab Bag page, please email Ellen Jensen at
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