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.
“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” — Cool Hand Luke
Too many organizations still follow the same communications strategy:
Ready. Fire. Aim.
Communication becomes an afterthought unt...
If you operate a multi-unit retail chain, chances are your stores tell the story of your company’s history. Some locations are new, others are decades old. Product assortments have evolved, fixtures h...
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work with several high-growth companies. Some expanded organically by opening new locations, while others accelerated growth through acquisitions. Both s...
Recently, I appeared on Derek Colin's Growth Xperts Podcast where we discussed how Gray Cat's approach to consulting takes it to another level.
Being an Operational Consultant means that Gray Cat del...
Your lease is expiring. A newer shopping center has opened nearby. A better location with improved visibility and traffic has become available.
The opportunity is exciting—but so is the risk.
Every ...
 Most successful businesses begin with a simple idea—and an entrepreneur determined to make it work.
Whether the company starts in a garage, a spare bedroom, or around a kitchen table, entrepreneurs ...
More than a decade ago, I began writing a monthly blog focused on helping small businesses improve their operations, marketing, leadership, and strategic planning. Much of the content was inspired b...
Being an Operational Consultant means that Gray Cat needs to prove to new clients and in particular the top management, that we deliver results. Â
Not vaporware, real trackable and verifiable results...
In this podcast clip, I speak with Bea Guzman about the key to happiness through a balanced lifestyle. Â
Yes, I view my life in 24/7 terms and because of that, can extract happiness from a number of ...
Is that your corporate communications strategy?
For many organizations, it certainly looks that way. A customer issue erupts, a competitor makes an announcement, a social media post gains traction,...
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If you operate multiple stores, chances are no two locations are exactly alike. Some are newer, some have been remodeled several times, and others are still operating with fixtures, layouts, and me...
“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 peopl...
