Monday, July 22, 2024

How Businesses Fail to Scale

The key to avoiding failure as a company grows is ensuring that business leaders agree from the very start on what its products, ideal customers, and internal processes are. Solidifying these is critical before scaling up, as they clearly define a company’s business model. 

Failing to do this step is one of the primary reasons some startups fail in the scaling process, as they didn’t have a clear vision of where their company should’ve gone before the unprecedented growth took place.

Here’s a closer look at what scaling means and its potential impact on your growing business.

Monday, July 15, 2024

Buying a Business With Zero Money Down

There are a lot of people who would like to be business owners, but there is one small problem that is keeping them from pursuing their dream: lack of available capital. The assumption is that without a large bank account, it is impossible to purchase an existing business.

Although it is not as easy, is possible to buy a business with little to no capital.

How can you buy a business with zero money down? The answer in short, is creativity.

You will likely need to find a seller who is willing to finance at least a portion of your purchase, and you will need to find other alternative forms of financing.

Read more here to learn the ropes

Monday, July 08, 2024

Are You Stuck In Your Own Head?

Ten years ago, happiness researcher Gretchen Rubin set out to find the framework for a happier life. Testing the wisdom of the ages with scientific research, she learned how to strengthen her relationships, increase energy and more.

But a few years ago, she started to notice that she felt stuck in her head — disconnected from other people and from herself. 
Suddenly, I [Gretchen] realized that I’d been treating my body like a car that my brain was driving around town. But it was actually my body — through my five senses — that was my essential con­nection to the world. I didn’t want to come to the end of my life and think, “So many things happened to me. I wish I’d been paying attention.”

Monday, July 01, 2024

WPO Chicago I Member Denise Press Featured in Fox Business

A recent study done by Morning Consult for Visa that surveyed small business decision-makers found that just 52% of U.S. small businesses have adopted AI in their operations, while about half of non-adopters are planning to follow suit within the next two years. Of those that have implemented AI, 85% say their use of AI has increased compared to a year ago.

"There is a recognition that AI and the advancement of technology is important in small business," Denise Press (pictured), Visa's head of small business for North America, told FOX Business in an interview. "There was an equal weight of, 'I don't know how to get started' and not knowing how to get started and not being experts in AI and/or new technology."

Read full story here.

Monday, June 24, 2024

Quit Micromanaging Your Talent Instead of Trusting Them

If you learn one thing from Anne Mahlum’s eight-figure success with Solidcore, make it this: Your relationship with money could be holding back your business. If you have a scarcity mindset rather than trusting yourself to go out and make more funds when you need them, it’s going to be hard for you to scale up as an entrepreneur. Also, if you’re micromanaging your talent instead of trusting them, you’re wasting your time.

“Think about how you were spending your time six months ago,” Mahlum says. “If you’re trying to scale and you’re spending your time the exact same way, something’s wrong. You’re never going to get there.” 

Monday, June 17, 2024

Honoring WPO Chicago Member Ellen Wheeler, Partner at Foley & Lardner

WPO Chicago member Ellen Wheeler (pictured) has been nationally ranked in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA for her work as a derivatives enforcement attorney.  Ellen is a Partner at Foley & Lardner

Ellen says, "I’m especially thankful and grateful for the wonderful clients I’m honored to serve and support. Additionally, congratulations to my colleagues who also earned recognition from Chambers this year."

On behalf of the entire Women Presidents Organization, we congratulate Ellen for this prestigious honor.  We are so proud of her!