business plan

Profits vs. Growth, yes. Maximize Profits, No.

By Tim Berry

Understand the inherent tradeoff between profits vs. growth. I’m struck by how much business writing and thinking takes optimizing profits as the objective. Maximize your profits. I disagree. Usually the optimal is not maximizing profits, but rather maximizing the value of the business, which often means a balance between profits and growth. In general, a... Read More »

10 Prevailing Myths Of Business Ownership

By Tim Berry

I was asked about common myths of business ownership, that people still believe in 2019. I came up with a list of 10 common myths. Do you agree? That the business idea matters. As if ownership ought to depend on having the big idea. As if people steal ideas, or that’s even possible, much less... Read More »

Business Success: Talent, Skill, or What?

By Tim Berry

I received this question: Is succeeding as an entrepreneur a matter of luck or do only the talented ones make it? And this is my answer: Luck isn’t enough, and talent isn’t enough either. You can have either one, or even both, and still fail. What you’re missing, with your question, is the work. Business... Read More »

Do We All Undervalue Bootstrapping?

By Tim Berry

In business schools, in popular blogs, in business publications, and in general discussion of starting a business, we undervalue bootstrapping. We teach starting a business as if every new business requires sophisticated venture capital. I understand how this can be... Read More »

5 Simple Rules for Better Business Decisions

By Tim Berry

They teach decision sciences in business schools. Those of us doing business, either as entrepreneurs, business owners, or careerists, talk a lot, and think a lot, about business decisions. We all want better business decisions. I’ve taken some of those courses and heard a lot of the talk, and I’ve survived running my own business... Read More »

Adam Osborne on Product Release Brinkmanship

By Tim Berry

Adam Osborne, author, computer entrepreneur, personal computer pioneer, used to say "adequate is good enough." Interesting to what extent, if any, that still applies to software publishing Read More »

What? Me do a Business Plan? But I’m Not a Start-up!

By Tim Berry

Ask the owner of a small-to-medium company about a business plan. Expect the answer: "Business plan? but I'm not a start-up. Why would I want a business plan?" They don't all answer that way, but too many do, and it's... Read More »

8 Successful Companies That Had to Pivot (Infographic)

By Tim Berry

My thanks to Paula Andruss for this infographic on Entrepreneur.com: Read More »