Matt Firestone

Last month, I explored why having a strong professional network is vital to business success. The primary focus was on building relationships and connections with people outside your company. I shared a three-step process for...

While you can’t pay bills with them, the real currency of business is relationships. They open doors and lead to opportunities that can pay off. The two primary business relationship types are internal and external. Internal...

When talking about good communicators, it’s common to think of orators making inspirational speeches. Historic speakers such as Winston Churchill, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., Vince Lombardi and Gloria Steinem...

I don’t know any leaders that wear a cape, sport a utility belt with boomerangs or have a sidekick. But some of their feats rate right up there with Superman, Batman and Spiderman. Being a leader is not about dressing up...

Many of us feel like we are firefighters rather than contractors on a typical workday. We arrive in the morning with the intention of completing a to-do list, only to spend much of our time putting out others’ fires. Then...

The mastermind concept isn’t new. The term “mastermind” dates back to Napoleon Hill’s 1925 book, “The Law of Success.” Hill describes groups of peers helping one another solve their most challenging problems. While a peer...

Each of us has a unique personality. Looking at your employees, even though two individuals may have the same skills, experience and job title, their personalities are probably quite different. When it comes to your business...

Increased profits, productivity and accountability are common business expectations. Business owners and managers build a team of hard-working industry all-stars, yet they never seem to win the big game and achieve the owner...

When the lights are off and no one is in the office, your business is still open. Even during regular business hours, most of your customers probably visited your website before calling. With the internet at most people’s...

It is hard to find a book, article or YouTube video on business ownership that does not include something about strategic planning. Some are quick how-tos, while others include lengthy, soul-searching processes. Most of these...

The first thing most people Think when they hear “succession plan” is retirement, which is typically the catalyst that puts the succession planning in motion. While some business owners think it only applies to transferring...

In the increasingly competitive process of hiring good employees, we need to use every tool available. In many cases, people rely on their instinct. I, too, have used this mindset in some hiring decisions. While some were...