Falling in Love With Growth
As everyone on the Inc. 500 knows, building a company can be exhilarating. Just don't forget what got you there. Read story
Norm Brodsky
Will My Cash Flow Catch Up With My Stupidity?
Dear Norm, I'm 34 years old, and I'm struggling to get my business up and running. I feel as though I'm riding on the edge of disaster, trying to ho... Read story
Sometimes Less (Revenue) Is More
Norm, My home-based design business sells store fixtures and related equipment to the retailers we work with. I try to operate on a 25% to 30% gross... Read story
It Takes a Company
If your best salesperson leaves, how do you make sure you don't lose your best customers, too? Read story
Ask Norm
How do you know when it's time to sell -- and other questions from our columnist's readers Read story
Get Lost
Taking more vacations increased the value of my company. How cool is that? Read story
Norm Brodsky, Recession All-Star
Inc. columnist Norm Brodsky just sold three businesses. Two of them were started just as the economy slipped into recession, in 1990 and 2000. ... Read story
The Offer: Part 11
I'll be over here if anyone needs me. Read story
The Offer: Part 10
In which our columnist finally finds the pot at the end of the rainbow. Read story
The Long Road to Nirvana
Part One Norm discovers that getting a substantial offer for your business can actually be a little scary. Part T... Read story
The Simon Cowell of Sales
Few things are more fun--and productive--than critiquing someone else's sales performance. Read story
"You Do What?"
"I import dirt," he said. And if he can keep his focus, it just might work. Read story
Not All Fabulous Ideas Make Money
Here's an idea I recently got from a reader named Pat, who lives in New York City. Pat's tired of having his car get nicked and dented whenever he leaves ... Read story
Follow the Numbers
It's the best way to spot problems before they become life-threatening. Read story
How Do I Meet a Nice Lawyer?
I recently got a question from a reader named Aaron, who's been in the records storage business, just like me, since 2002: "The challenge I am facing now,... Read story
How Do I Get My First Customer?
I recently got this question from a reader named Doug: Hi Norm, I'm a typical start-up and can't seem to get my "first customer." I've start... Read story
What Goes Around ...
Remember Nova? You may recall that that's the outfit that tried to buy my company. We spent much of last year negotiating and for a while there I really ... Read story
Do You Really Know Your Problems?
Entrepreneurs have a tendency to see what they want to see. Read story
Creeping Expenses
What a great response to my recent blog post, "I Will Lose Everything... Read story
Tivo Alert!
Try to check out MSNBC's "Your Business" this Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET when you'll find me serving as one of the judges in the Elevator Pitch contest. I'm u... Read story
Why Business People Should Be Scared
Politics is not my favorite subject, and it's not my favorite activity. I get a little involved in local politics. I support a few local politicians. But ... Read story
Have I Changed My Mind About Multilevel Marketing?
I recently received an impassioned, well-written letter from a business owner named Jerry. Here it is: Hey Norm, I happened to find an... Read story
What Are You, a Bank?
You probably lend your customers more money than you realize. Have you checked lately? Read story
Stan O'Neal Failed the First Rule of Leadership
I've been following the recent troubles of Merrill Lynch CEO Stan O'Neal with interest, though not much sympathy. After reading an excellent article in th... Read story
I Will Lose Everything
I recently received the following question from a reader named Scott: I started a transportation company two years ago in Virginia. It grew ... Read story
My Visit with Ahmadinejad
I walked out on the roof of my building the other day and was a little surprised to see someone who looked a lot like the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmad... Read story
Proof That Good Entrepreneurs Can Make Bad Investors
Or how I figured out how to handle my own money. Read story
Biz tip: It's all about building the relationship
I usually go out on the first sales call with any new sales person we hire. After we leave that first meeting, the new sales person's comment is usually, ... Read story
Looking for Advice?
Would you like to have me visit your company, analyze your business, and offer suggestions on how you might improve it? I'm looking for volunteers. The de... Read story
Don't Be Afraid to Share Your Idea
People are always asking me for advice -- and I encourage you to send any questions you may have to asknorm@inc.com -- but something funny often happens w... Read story
Biz Tip: Watch How Others Do It
Here's this week's business tip: It's important to learn from what other people do -— both the things they do well and the things they don't... Read story
Welcome to the Inc. 500 Conference
Inc.'s annual conference honoring the fastest growing private companies in America opens today in Chicago. If you're at the conference, please come by and... Read story
How Do I Take the Next Step?
Here's a question I got from a reader named Jose: "I'm a one man band. I do it all -- sales, invoices, labor, everything. I have a few clients, a... Read story
Free At Last
There's nothing like getting rid of those personal guarantees. Read story
Business Tip of the Week
Here's my business tip this week: Treat your customers as if they're prospects. You know how this tends to work: When you have a prospect you're t... Read story
What Do All Entrepreneurs Have in Common?
Ask most people that question, and you'll hear a lot of talk about risk-taking and passion and independence. But here's the real answer: They all want to ... Read story
Sell!
You can tell something's happening. It's in the air, and it's in the n... Read story
Where Do You Learn How to Run a Business?
Here's the kind of question I get all the time. It comes from a young man named Tony Wagner: "I am just starting out and would like to know, Where would ... Read story
Taking On Starbucks
How independents can hold their ground. Read story
For Entrepreneurs Who Feel They Have Nowhere to Turn, This Is The Place to Turn
Welcome to The Morning Norm. If you've read my column in Inc. magazine, you may know that when I take on a new venture I insist that it meet thre... Read story
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