Businesses are in a struggle right now to justify their price-value proposition to a world that increasingly expects things for free. We expect to pay nothing, or as little as possible, for movies, music, knowledge, advice and more. We're willing to watch advertising in exchange for free goods - but even this has its limits, as we've installed ad blockers on our web browsers now. It happens to entrepreneurs and freelancers all the time. You encounter someone who asks you to perform your profession - whether it's consulting, art, a copy of your book, whatever - and they seem befuddled, or even insulted, when you let them know what you'll charge. It happens to me frequently. I write a blog, I
I have written quite a bit for Americans on working with international colleagues - but what about those from abroad who wish to do business here? Today, my first in a series about doing business in America. This one is about how to make a great first impression. Whether you're trying to land a job in a key interview, or seal a killer deal with an American partner, this advice should help ensure your victory.
Culture is one of those things that is difficult to define but easy to feel. We know when it's going wrong, but we are less sure about how to set it on the right path from the beginning. Often we feel like it's controlling us rather than the other way around. It's intangible, but critically important. It has a real impact on a business and its people. I was thinking about this the other day, watching the debate about the laws about gun control in our country. There's a lot of interest in changing the laws about guns among the population at the moment, but if we're being honest with ourselves, changing laws isn't going to be sufficient to effect the change that the young students of Parkland
In an increasingly globalizing world, you're more and more likely to have an interview with a person who is seeking to leave their homeland to take a job in another country. For many businesses, the decision to hire such a person will come with a decision-making process that will require more of a thought process. Do we want to sponsor the visa? What are the implications? It feels like a bigger jump than your run-of-the-mill hire. This is where your interview process is going to be, as usual, critical in ensuring you've made the right choice. If you're asking the right questions, you'll be able to find out some great details about these folks, because by virtue of their decision to become an
