Well, this is awkward. I’m wondering, is it inappropriate to make a post after abandoning a blog for over a year? Would I be a complete hypocrite if I hid behind “I was too busy’ as an excuse for not delivering on the promise of a new and timely notions? Yes, and yes.

In fact, I believe my extended writing-hiatus is living proof that we don’t often do what we say we are going to do — even with the absolute best intentions. This doesn’t make us liars, but it shows how vulnerable we are to time and how...

Starting a business is hard.The experience is different for everyone and, for many, the realities of post-start-up honeymoon hit quicker than for others. After a year of preliminary research and development, I launched matlen just over 2 years ago. I am not a raging success (yet). I have not struck it rich (unlikely). I am not featured in a major business publication as one of the great minds of our generation (never). I am, however, the common business owner — the regular, vulnerable, hopeful entrep...

My knee was killing me. I tried everything: rest, ice, compression, elevation, sports-physio, Google/YouTube research, etc. Despite exhausting all resources, the pain would not subside and I had fallen victim to the double-edged sword of physical activity: health benefits vs. nagging injuries.

Orthopedic specialists had suggested the injury had come as a result of my feet: insufficient footwear caused the body to walk off balance, thus, creating tension in my knee and leading to injury. Several physio...

We had spent about 3 full-day sessions trying to map out the competition. In light of a recent loss of one of our most prominent (and profitable) clients, the executive team had decided that it was imperative that we learn as much as we possibly could about the competitor to whom we had just lost our favorite child, so-to-speak. What made the competition’s technology so much better? Why does their customer service render a better reputation than our own? How are they covering costs with such a low pr...

With the year winding down and our spirits being lifted by the joys of the festive season, there is no better time to reflect on the progress of 2016. As each year passes, it feels as though innovation moves us light years ahead, advancing us to a new era of modern business and ever-changing consumer behavior: this is the age of disruption.

It is fair to say that companies often struggle to accommodate such a rapid, relentless pace of changing preferences, technology and supporting processes. Only tho...

You don't sell stainless steel kitchen bowls.

Over the years, I have been privy to many sales masterminds, literature, strategies and sales processes. Well-crafted and thoroughly researched articles and books about the habits, actions and behaviors for effective selling are not hard to come by. I am the first to commend such authors for their efforts to help fellow business owners/leaders achieve prospecting success—

selling is a tough gig.

I'm sure you are familiar with the formula: validate...

We all take great pride in our homes. As our most valuable asset, we ensure that our homes are kept in pristine condition—even if it means looking outside our existing ‘budget’. We justify this expense by telling ourselves that if we invest in our home, it will only add to its current market value. But let’s be real: we really renovate because we like to keep up with the latest trends and popular paint colors as displayed on HGTV. No judgement here, we’re all guilty of this to some degree (e.g. the d...

The 30 second elevator ride with only you and the company CEO. The networking event at which you know absolutely nobody. Getting grilled by potential investors with legitimate questions that you'd hoped wouldn’t come up following a pivotal presentation.  Facilitating an 'open dialogue' session and hearing nothing but crickets. Getting scrutinized by a client when, in fact, you were absolutely at fault. The first tee at a company golf tournament where you’re grouped with your biggest prospect…and...

Marketing, as it was intended, is dead. A bold statement, indeed, but one worth the attention it seeks. What happened to marketing? When did it become solely about likes, shares, views and impressions? When did it become interchangeable with graphic design, fine arts creativity, casual freelancing and anti-corporate philosophical idioms?

Yes, the above line of questioning may come across as abrupt, conservative, ‘old-school’ and perhaps even harsh. The truth is, however, that marketing has become syn...

Brevity. When getting a point across, get to the point.