Business Issues

One thing that will make or break a business is cash flow, meaning not being able to understand how to control, maximize or minimize your cash flow. More than making your company profitable, being constantly, chronically behind on your cash flow makes running your business complicated, it will cause you stress, will lead to your company having a poor credit rating, upset vendors when you're behind on paying, and your clients and employees will perceive your overwhelm and see you as incapable.

In my book, The Four Cornerstones of Business, I stated, "There are four things that will hurt your business if you're not paying attention-- leadership, time management, cash flow, and marketing." Two things will kill your business outright, cash flow and marketing. Marketing is a necessary cornerstone of business-- it is everything you do to promote your business, not to be confused with branding, marketing is getting your product in front of your target audience.

The natural attrition rate of any business declines over time and without marketing, new customers won't know you exist and old customers will stop using your business and your business will die. Generating new clients comes when you market i.e. promote your product or service.

Tune in today, Thursday, September 12th, 2019, at 8 am and 2 pm PST on www.awoptalk247.com to listen to the Ask Christina First Radio Show.

The good-hearted business owner and what that means in different parts of your business is something I speak on often because I know I am not alone. I know plenty of you are like me, you run your business with the intention of helping others and making the world a better place.

The good-hearted business owner and what that means in different parts of your business is something I speak on often because I know I am not alone. I know plenty of you are like me, you run your business with the intention of helping others and making the world a better place.

Tune in today, Thursday, September 5, 2019, at 8 am and 2 pm PST to on www.awoptalk247.com to listen to the Ask Christina First radio show.

This week I'd like to discuss customer service. What does customer service mean to you? How does customer service affect your branding and the systems within your business?

One thing I'd like to begin by making clear is that customer service is not an absolute; it is not something that is done in one particular way. Thinking of customer service as an absolute can cause systems to develop that may not be appropriate for you or your business. Customer service covers how you interact with customers. From the moment a customer walks into your store or the first time they meet you.

What does customer service mean to you? How does customer service affect your branding and the systems within your business? Customer service is not an absolute-- it's not something done in one particular way. Thinking of customer service as an absolute can cause systems to develop that may not be appropriate for you or your business.

Tune in today, Thursday, August 22, 2019, at 8 am and 2 pm PST to listen to the Ask Christina First Radio Show and hear the Customer Service, You and Branding episode on www.awoptalk247.com

Every small business owner has experienced answering their business phone to a frantic customer or client with an urgent problem. I gave a talk once and had a gentleman ask me how to apply the time management tips I give when it comes to customers or clients who come to you with something urgent. If you're like me, and I'm sure you are then you know that as a small business owner it’s not uncommon for customers to call or drop by with an urgent issue, or at least an issue they consider urgent. 

Every small business owner has experienced answering their business phone to a frantic customer or client with an urgent problem. This week on my radio show I will help you understand true urgency and how you can deliver a high level of customer service and manage your time.

Tune in today, Thursday, August 15, 2019, at 8 am and 2 pm PST to listen to the Ask Christina First Radio Show on www.awoptalk247.com

Systemic systems are the systems you have inside your business, whether you're aware of them or not (inventory management, client/data management, passing information from one person to another within your team, how your accounting gets done, how your product is delivered, etc.). In relationship to branding, your systems cultivate the branding your business has. But beyond being a high or low-cost service and matching the level of customer service to my product, your systems are built around being a good-hearted owner. I suspect that your systems are built for a higher product than that which you offer.