The Gray Cat Blog
A growing library of practical business articles and insights created to help entrepreneurs, small business owners, franchisees, and multi-unit operators strengthen leadership, improve operations, drive growth, and build more profitable organizations.
Over the course of my career, I have learned that one of the most important skills a leader can develop has nothing to do with spreadsheets, strategic plans, marketing programs, or operating reports. ...
The conversation usually starts like this:
“Do you know your customers?”
“Absolutely. I know many of them by name.”
“Great. How are you going to tell them about your sale this weekend?”
…Silence.
...
I have always enjoyed technology. I was an early adopter of laptops, mobile phones, and social media. I joined LinkedIn when it had only a couple million users—long before it became the professional n...
For many entrepreneurs, passion and vision are what launch a business. But sustainable growth is built on something far less glamorous and far more important: financial discipline. Understanding your ...
Over the course of my career, I have been involved in hundreds—if not thousands—of negotiations. Some involved multimillion-dollar agreements, while others focused on something as basic as the cost of...
Being a fractional and/or interim executive presents a number of challenges.
Evaluating the talent at an organization is perhaps the most critical, yet touchy part of the role.
You have been instill...
The world’s strongest brands don’t become iconic because they have the best advertising.
They become iconic because they know exactly who they are—and who they are not.
Every successful brand has a ...
One of the biggest mistakes retailers make is assuming that once the grand opening is over, customers will simply continue to show up.
Unfortunately, that is rarely the case.
Many store owners inves...
Gray Cat sets itself apart by truly being an Operational Consultant. Â
In short there are three (3) areas that I genuinely focus on:
- Strategic Planning - Helping companies anticipate new challenge ...
Many of my clients don't necessarily lack the skill to solve their challenges, but they not only lack the time to determine what the challenges, they also the time/resources to solve the puzzle.
Gray...
“Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd…smiling.” — Roger Waters & David Gilmour
Death.
Public speaking.
For many people, those two fears rank surprisingly close together.
Why is that?
Most people ...
Throughout my life and career, I have been fortunate to benefit from the guidance of exceptional mentors. They challenged me, encouraged me, expanded my thinking, and helped shape both my professional...
