Business tips: spend wisely

Many people consider me to be a Jekyll and Hyde when it comes to spending company money. This is my short bit of advice to all you business owners out there!

Business is booming. You’re booked up until January 2012, everyone’s occupied and happy. Why not celebrate and go out for a beer with the guys, or better still book an all expenses paid weekend away for everyone? Lavish some love on your team.

When it comes to the tools you (or your team) use every day, go mad and buy the best available. When we get a new starter, they are asked what machine they’d like (people usually go for a high spec MacBook pro and cinema display). This isn’t cheap, but if you’re hiring, business must be good and you shouldn’t be short of cash!

Buy great coffee, comfy chairs, whatever books are necessary and copious amounts of fine tea. Encourage them to go on training courses and attend conferences. Never forget, your team is the company’s most precious asset and making them feel loved and appreciated is the best money you can ever spend.

Hopefully, you’re sat there agreeing with me and not thinking I’m a madman, but there is another side to consider.

Business tips: steer 030 magnetic

It may be an age thing, but over the past few years with the advent of instant communication such as email, Basecamp and Skype, people are ceasing to acknowledge their receipt of messages and tasks. This is frustrating and it can lead to all sorts of problems.

Business tips: create a great team

This appears to be a ridiculously obvious thing to talk about but surprisingly overlooked by many. A team of people that work effectively together is a very rare thing indeed and the bigger the company, the bigger the issues.

Business tips: don't trust professionals

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Business tips: cash is king

Over the years I have created and built up a few businesses. People often ask me what are the must do’s, and I often speak to Universities and business groups about these ideas. This article is the first of hopefully many, and perhaps the most important of them all: cash is king.