The Business Divorce

A business partnership is every bit like a marriage, and needs to be approached with the same thoughtfulness and consideration. When all is going well, everyone is happy and everything falls into place, but when problems arise, relationships can go downhill fast. Before you know it, the lines of communication dissolve, and people get nasty.

There are a number of factors that can cause business partnerships to fail, but more often than not, the reason is a lack of due diligence in choosing the right individual or company culture to begin with. In order to weather the ups and downs of long-term business cycles, the chemistry and balance of the business partnership must be right.

Remember these key points when choosing a business partner:

1. Have a similar work ethic.
2. Spell out the balance of power.
3. Have clear guidelines how decisions will be made.
4. Have a five year plan.
5. EVERYTHING to do with finances needs to be addressed, discussed and legally ironed out.
6. Address legal exit strategies for buying each other out if one or the other chooses to dissolve the relationship.
7. Keep communication lines open and don’t allow resentment or frustration to build.

Building a business is never easy because there are so many stresses involved. Pick your battles and learn to overlook the little things that don’t affect the true success of the business.

Most importantly, make a promise to follow your mother’s advice. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. More than likely, you will both move on to other business ventures, and in the end, you will find that the business world can be a very small place.

CNN "Women Nearly 50% of the Workforce"

CNN: Focusing On Your Job Search in a Down Economy

Women & The Workforce

Woman Business Enterprise Certification

I am so proud to announce today that firstPRO Staffing and Executive Search has been certified as a Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) by the City of Philadelphia. This certification is being offered through reciprocity due to firstPRO’s certification through from the City of Atlanta’s Equal Business Opportunity program.

With this certification, we look forward to working with the City of Philadelphia on projects that will encourage more growth for the city. As a Woman Business Enterprise, we will be able to take part in creating new proposals and offering our expertise whenever we can. Our goal is to continue building and expanding this prosperous city.

This certification also allows firstPRO to be counted towards the WBE contracting ranges for projects administered by the City of Philadelphia. This means we will be able to participate as a subcontractor/sub-consultant on City of Philadelphia competitive bids or proposal projects as a WBE. We will also be placed in the Office of Economic Opportunity’s (OEO) Directory of certified firms in order to assist City departments, agencies and prime contractors solicit WBE participation.

Women in the Workforce on CNN

Today, I had the privilege of appearing live on CNN in a segment called “Women in the Workforce.” The interview offered insights into the shifting dynamics of the economy and why more women are making their way into the workforce.

We’re calling it a “man” cession in that 82 percent of people who have been laid off are men. For the first time women are poised to take over 50 percent of the workforce. The industries that we are employed in are not the industries that have been hit the hardest.

With that said, I believe that now is the time for men and women to reposition themselves for future hiring trends. I predict that manufacturing and construction are the industries that will see a major shift in how jobs are done, and IT as the area where people need to reeducate themselves.

As men are being laid off, companies are using this as an opportunity to get a more diverse management base. There is talk of a new female economy because we control so much of the consumer dollar. Women are going to be a valuable force because we are making the decisions, financial and otherwise. So get ready, ladies. Now is the time to make this "man" cession an opportunity for us!

Business Etiquette for Tough Economic Times

In today’s uncertain financial climate, it is more important than ever to approach business and social situations with grace and thoughtfulness. We need to be mindful of others’ circumstances and add value to everything we do. Whether you have experienced a change in your financial security personally, or you are one of the fortunate individuals experiencing “life as usual,” a conservative attitude is the order of the day.

First and foremost, be a value to your place of business. Start earlier, stay later and skip lunch now and then. Kicking it up a notch will not go unnoticed by your management, and you will likely be rewarded for your loyalty and hard work down the road.

Be a positive force in your environment. Never complain, whine or speak poorly of the company. Be sensitive to management’s position. It is probably not a good time to ask for a raise, but you can always ask for a commitment to “revisit” the conversation when things improve.

It is always in good taste to spend your company’s money wisely. Approach any financial decision at the office with the same frugal attitude you would use at home. At firstPRO we have cut back on many of our monthly internal events, opting for every other month instead.

Do NOT bring your financial worries to the office. It is never polite to air your problems to your co-workers; it is always better to find your support system outside of the office.

In the end I believe that there is an upside to any situation, and the upside to a down economy is that we are developing conservative habits that will stay with us for a lifetime.