One of the biggest mistakes a new executive can make is walking into a company believing they were hired to fix everything they see immediately. I know because I've made that mistake. I entered a company with experience, confidence, and a pretty clear idea of what I believed needed to change. I saw opportunities almost immediately. Processes needed improvement. Accountability needed to increase. Certain parts of the organization needed structure, direction, and stronger leade

When companies talk about growth, the conversation usually centers around outside sales, marketing, product development, distribution, and new customers. But for a consumer-facing brand, two of the most important departments in the entire organization are often sitting behind a phone, computer screen, live chat, or email inbox: Inside Sales and Customer Service. They are often the first real human interaction a consumer has with your company. And they absolutely should not be

Through my consulting work with companies doing less than $10 million annually, as well as fresh start-ups, I've learned that one area often needs more attention: P&L management education. That’s what led me to write this article (or maybe more accurately, a lesson plan) on how I believe a P&L should be built, understood, and managed throughout an organization. Now, I know some CFOs may disagree with parts of my approach, and leaders running $50 million companies may look at

Every company talks about growth. Far fewer spend enough time talking about what could stop that growth. That is the true purpose of risk management. Unfortunately, many organizations misunderstand what risk management actually is. They treat it as an insurance policy, a legal requirement, or a checklist that gets reviewed once a year during budget planning. Others become so consumed by avoiding risk that they stop making bold decisions altogether. Neither approach is correct

When many people hear the words continuous improvement, they immediately think of cutting costs. Reduce labor. Negotiate better pricing. Lower freight. Trim expenses. While those are certainly part of the equation, they're only a small piece of what continuous improvement should represent. The best organizations don't view continuous improvement as an annual cost-cutting exercise or a manufacturing initiative. They view it as a company-wide mindset that asks one simple questi

What? No Quality Department? In manufacturing, engineering and quality are often closely connected. They work together every day to design products, solve problems, improve processes, and support customers. Because of that relationship, many companies make the mistake of placing the Quality Department under the Engineering Department. While this may seem efficient on paper, it often creates challenges that can negatively impact product quality, customer satisfaction, and long

Most people think business growth is about having a better product. They're wrong. I've spent my career studying what separates companies that thrive from those that slowly fade into irrelevance, and I've discovered a simple truth: growth isn't an event, it's a culture. Products can be copied. Prices can be matched. Technology eventually becomes a commodity. But leadership, execution, and the ability to inspire people to move in the same direction are competitive advantages t

The Business Story of Mike Timmons Most people think business growth is about having a better product. They're wrong. I've spent my career studying what separates companies that thrive from those that slowly fade into irrelevance, and I've discovered a simple truth: growth isn't an event, it's a culture. Products can be copied. Prices can be matched. Technology eventually becomes a commodity. But leadership, execution, and the ability to inspire people to move in the same di