STREET SMARTS  

Norm Brodsky


Norm Brodsky on Why Real Estate Still Rules

Is it better to own or lease real estate? Our columnist shares his advice.  Read story

Norm Brodsky on Expanding Upmarket

How can a staffing firm that works with unskilled labor expand into professional staffing placements? Our columnist shares his advice.  Read story

Norm Brodsky Explains Turns of EBITDA

What are turns of EBITDA, and why should you care? Our columnist explains.  Read story

Norm Brodsky Answers Your Questions

On co-owning a business and making a long-term investment  Read story

Norm Brodsky on Sales Compensation

The three factors to determine salary plus bonus compensation  Read story

Norm Brodsky on Exit Strategies

Planning to sell your business as you get closer to retirement  Read story

Norm Brodsky's Most Controversial Business Ideas

Veteran entrepreneur Norm Brodsky has made many mistakes—but he has a knack for learning from setbacks and using the knowledge gained through adversity to ...  View slideshow

Never Work for Chump Change

How much you should pay yourself, how to make the most of empty space, and what to do when under legal attack  Read story

The Days of Cheap Capital Are Gone for Good

The deal you put together in 2007 is no longer feasible today. Here's why.  Read story

A Deal Falls Through

Norm Brodsky's plans change when a deal to sell his company -- again -- falls through  Read story

The Rule of Three

Anticipating the torpedoes that can sink a deal  Read story

Selling My Company (Again)

I thought I cashed out. But then the credit squeeze changed my plans  Read story

Ask Norm: Business by Numbers

A reader asks how to deal with a change from using part-time accountants, to a full-time controller.   Watch video

Management Advice from Entrepreneur Norm Brodsky

Veteran entrepreneur Norm Brodsky answers readers questions about retirement, selling a business, and more.  Read story

When Negotiating, Always Listen Before You Speak

It pays to find out what the other side is thinking, then adjust your position accordingly  Read story

How to Fix Cash-Flow Problems

Cash-flow problems have just a few possible causes. More often than you might think, business is all about the basics  Read story

My First Year

When my start-up found itself face to face with catastrophe because of conditions beyond my control, I learned how to cope  Read story

Surviving the Recession

It requires conquering your fears and making the right choices. Many business owners won't do either  Read story

Our Irrational Fear of Numbers

No, you didn't start a company because you wanted to learn accounting. But you had better learn some – pronto – if you want to really understand your bus...  Read story

Whose Business is It, Anyway?

It's yours ! So don't apologize for setting aside your emotions and doing the right thing.  Read story

What the Financial Crisis Means for You?

The rules of small-business banking have changed, and that's bad news for the economy. But there are ways to cope, and there may even be a silver lining.  Read story

Secrets of a $110 Million Man

There are no guarantees when it comes to running a business. But the best entrepreneurs I know follow these guidelines.  Read story

The Knack… and How to Get It

Veteran entrepreneur Norm Brodsky, the man behind Inc. 's popular Street Smarts column, and Inc. editor at large Bo Burlingham, his longtime col...  Read story

How Do You Visualize Doing Something You've Never Done?

Dear Norm, When I was in high school, my father and I made furniture pieces that we sold at craft shows. The business could easily have grown, but m...  Read story

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

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