Strategy and Planning


Recent Strategy and Planning Articles

Your Business Needs a "Special Sauce"

The most successful businesses define what sets them apart--almost to the point of obsession.  Read more

Why Smart Entrepreneurs Care About Gay Marriage

Hundreds of thousands of gay couples could soon hear wedding bells. Here are five ways for entrepreneurs to capitalize on them.  Read more

Starting up? Plan for the Long-Haul

When you're starting a company, you're focused on the here-and-now. But the long-view is just as crucial for success. Here's a checklist to guide you.  Read more

Why Zuckerberg's Super PAC Won't Speak for Start-ups

Facebook's CEO and other tech execs want a Washington lobby group. But the needs of small tech start-ups may not be on their agenda.  Read more

Does Your Business Need a Sequester?

The end of the first quarter is the perfect time to evaluate where your business stands. Here's why it might pay to take a page out of the government's playb...  Read more

4 Ways Pope Francis Masters New Leadership

While the world watches, the new Pope is already making strategic moves that will go a long way toward bolstering his reputation.  Read more

A Job Listing Should Be Like a Love Letter

You're not looking for generic employees. So why are you writing generic job listings?  Read more

Cory Booker: Start-ups Will Define America's Future

The Newark mayor and video-site founder spent the past week hanging out with hackers, founders, and tech geeks. Here's why.  Read more

Move Innovation Beyond Product Design

Just because you've implemented a system doesn't mean your work is done.  Read more

New Crowdfunding Site Aims to Understand Manufacturing

For backers of crowd-funded physical products, the mantra has always been 'buyer-beware.' Here's how a new crowdfunding site, Crowd Supply, seeks to fix that...  Read more

Why I Nominate a Southwest SVP to Head the SBA

The Small Business Administration needs a leader who can run a large organization that provides the highest level of customer service.  Read more

7 Habits of the Ultra Wealthy

Is the secret to success hiding in plain sight? Here's what you need to know about getting ahead (that others don't).  Read more

Stumbling Towards Revenue: The Case of 3 Hot Web Companies

Foursquare, Pinterest, and Tumblr have plenty of users; now they need to make money. Here's how they plan to do it--and why it may be a challenge.  Read more

8 Essential Parts to a Business (And How They Work Together)

A small business is a system in which all parts contribute to the success or failure of the whole.  Read more

Bristle at Customer Complaints? That's the Last Thing You Want to Do

You may be tempted to view negative feedback as a nuisance. But, if you respond the right way, it's a gift.  Read more

Want to Grow Your Business? Figure Out What You Suck At

Stop telling yourself that no one can do things as well as you can. You're wrong, and it's impeding your growth.  Read more

Why 'Win-Win' Negotiating Is the Surest Way You'll Lose

When it comes to deal-making, you should master this simple three-step strategy of the self-made wealthy instead.  Read more

Stop Selling Me Porn

A rash of books and articles instructs career-minded women on how to live their ideal lives. Why I've stopped listening.  Read more

How to Set Demanding-Yet-Doable Sales Goals

Sales expectations should be beyond an employee's comfort zone, but not so high that they're unattainable. Here's how to find the right balance.  Read more

How to Fix the Unemployment Rate

The calculation underlying the U.S. unemployment rate is broken. It needs to be corrected. Soon.  Read more

What to Do When Speed and Quality Are At Odds

Sometimes you have to miss a deadline to make sure you maintain what really matters to your customers.  Read more

What Al Gore Predicts for the Future

The 45th U.S. vice president, Apple board member, and Kleiner Perkins partner explains what's next.  Read more

What a 'Big Bang' Disruptor Could Do to You

A new innovation theory suggests your product could be wiped out suddenly, and swiftly. Here's what you can do about it--and up-and-comers can too.  Read more

FACT OR FICTION? It Takes Money to Make Money

Most people say they can't start a business because they don't have the capital. The self-made wealthy say that putting personal capital at risk is the last ...  Read more

3 Steps to Keep Growing

Your business is not a start-up anymore. How do you allocate capital and resources to create sustainable growth?  Read more

Know-How is Good. "Know-Who" is Better

In this video, we learn from the grand master of money, Warren Buffett, why networks are just as important as knowledge.  Read more

The Simplistic Brilliance of 'Pawn Stars'

Why do I find a TV show about a Las Vegas pawn brokerage so interesting? Rick Harrison, the store's owner and show's hero, is all the inspiration I need.  Read more

Why You Get Things Wrong (And What You Can Do About It)

A Harvard Business School professor addresses three common start-up dilemmas--and how to make good choices when you face them.  Read more

Meet the Man on a Mission to Teach the World to Code

Hadi Partovi wants to expand computer science education. Here's how he got Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and a few other famous friends to spread the coding g...  Read more

Avoid Getting Stung by the Affordable Care Act

Yes, your health-care-benefits costs are going to go up. But if you play your cards right, you may have more flexibility than you think.  Read more

The Real Reason Andrew Mason Was Fired

When times are good, maybe it's OK to be a fun CEO. But when your company struggles, fun certainly won't suffice.  Read more

When It's Time to Take the Back Seat

An entrepreneur can become an inhibitor to growth for a company passed the start-up phase. It may be time to disengage.  Read more

Judge the ROI of a Trade Show: 4 Steps

Trade shows can either be a sinkhole for your money, or a great way to uncover new customers. Find out fast.  Read more

VCs Bet $1.4 Billion on Big Data in 2012

According to a new report, total investment dollars went down last year, but the number of deals and exits soared.  Read more