The Blog

Bar none, the most important asset in your Chattanooga business is your client and customer list. This is even true if you are in a “capital-intensive” business with significant material assets. In fact, I’d be very interested to hear someone make a strong case that it isn’t true in EVERY business. I’ll paraphrase Andrew Carnegie who famously said (my paraphrase): … Read More

War drums beating in Iran. Impeachment (?) proceedings. Democratic primaries. Weird economic signals. There is literally SO MUCH that can rob you of your greatest asset as we move forward into 2020. And in case it wasn’t obvious, I’m talking about your focus. As a local Chattanooga business owner, you’ve gotta play a bigger game this year, and be more … Read More

By the time you actually get to reading this, there is a very good chance that you’re reading a voice from the last decade. 🙂 I make it a practice to prepare my posts to Chattanooga clients and friends a few days in advance, and RIGHT NOW, it is still 2019. But 2020 is beckoning, and is probably already here … Read More

In this holiday season full of conflict and impeachment, I’m ever more encouraged to see outside of my own situation, and practice empathy for those around me. And as the years go along, I’m increasingly aware of how this holiday season is a time of joy for many, as well as a time of pain for a significant portion of … Read More

The plot to one of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time, Christmas Vacation, centers on one holiday hope: the year-end bonus. Clark Griswold, as “the last true family man”, decides he will use his promised year-end bonus to install a pool in his family’s backyard. When the dream fails to materialize, Clark gets upset at his boss and … Read More

Let me start out by once again reminding you that we are nearing year-end (as if you really needed my reminder). And Chattanooga business owners are extremely well-positioned to make a dent through proper tax planning more than any other population. We’re right here, should the impulse strike you: (423) 648-8272 On the personal side, you should consider these basic … Read More

We only have one more month (less!) to make any moves that might affect a whole host of things on your tax bill. I have some examples of what I mean here today, but suffice it all to say: If your business revenues, expenses, structures or results changed in a significant way this year, shoot me an email through the … Read More

Right in the middle of the bloody depths of civil war, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving which should take place every year. His entire Thanksgiving proclamation (written by his Secretary of State, William Seward) is worth taking in, or even reading aloud, but the opening is particularly powerful: “The year that … Read More

We’re turning the corner into the holidays, and it’s a massive selling opportunity for your Chattanooga business … if you use it. But I’m not referring merely to holiday promotions. Those are almost to be expected at this point. What I have for you today is a story that might help you throughout the entire year — holidays included. And … Read More

You can either train your Chattanooga employees and risk that they leave … or choose not to train them and risk that they stay. Think about that for a moment. Are you empowering your employees for growth? Does your leadership team (which might be just you) brainstorm ways to assist your employees’ education, certification achievement and overall professional development? Yes, … Read More