CEO Tools Blog » recession help http://www.ceotools.com/blog Your source for business management and software Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:02:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Wall Street Journal: Great Recovery Think-piece http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2010/10/wall-street-journal-great-recovery-think-piece/ http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2010/10/wall-street-journal-great-recovery-think-piece/#comments Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:04:29 +0000 ceotools http://www.ceotools.com/blog/?p=669 The Wall Street Journal recently published a nifty article entitled “Tough Times Call for New Plans” — check it out for some good ideas on looking at your plans for the next few tough years. 

WSJ Great Article \”Tough Times Call for New Plans\” 

 With best wishes, Kraig

]]> http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2010/10/wall-street-journal-great-recovery-think-piece/feed/ 0 12 Seasons of Business: Improve Cash / Financing http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2010/07/12-seasons-of-business-improve-cash-financing/ http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2010/07/12-seasons-of-business-improve-cash-financing/#comments Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:10:37 +0000 ceotools http://www.ceotools.com/blog/?p=640 How do we improve cash/financing during this slow recovery?  By managing our company’s credit better!  Use Tatum LLC’s ideas: get to know your lender’s needs and positions, and respond accordingly to them.  Identify in advance what to do when/if your lender cuts your credit line by 20% or more; most have already done that without telling you. Or, they’ve toughened up your lending trigger points.  Next, forecast 16-weeks out on cash flow, for internal use, and then give that forecast a “haricut” with safety valves before sharing with lenders.  Trade price for payment with customers and suppliers to improve your cash flow.  Finally, get new, auxiliary lines from private sources (angels and private placements), SBA lenders (who are now supported by the otherwise-errant stimulus funding), local and community banks and credit unions. 

Regardless of the particular lender, manage your credit better with the timeless Tatum article on lending and credit:  click on the following address http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/01/recession-ideas-from-tatum-llc/ and then print out the free PDF by clicking on “Managing Bank Relationships…”

You’ll be glad you checked it out!   With best regards,  Kraig

]]> http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2010/07/12-seasons-of-business-improve-cash-financing/feed/ 0 Intriguing Website: US Debt Clock.org http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/12/intriguing-website-us-debt-clock-dot-org/ http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/12/intriguing-website-us-debt-clock-dot-org/#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:01:10 +0000 ceotools http://www.ceotools.com/blog/?p=512 An amazing and intriguing website that shows live, ongoing clocks of US spending, debt, and the like:  .  It’s alarming and amusing at the same time — check it out!  Hope we can slow it all down, maybe reverse it, but we’ve seldom seen a clock run backwards…hope springs eternal.  Very best, Kraig
]]> http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/12/intriguing-website-us-debt-clock-dot-org/feed/ 0 Economic New Normal / New Reality http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/10/economic-new-normal-or-new-reality/ http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/10/economic-new-normal-or-new-reality/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:32:47 +0000 ceotools http://www.ceotools.com/blog/?p=437 This recession has already been the longest, deepest and most impactful on Americans (and the World).  Here is a list of things my own presidents’ group came up with as the “new normal” or new reality of our world going forward.  Right or wrong, this list is a good checklist for you to think about as you plan your business’ future.  Click on  to see what we came up with.  Very best wishes, Kraig ]]> http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/10/economic-new-normal-or-new-reality/feed/ 0 Ways to Engage Employees http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/09/ways-to-engage-employees/ http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/09/ways-to-engage-employees/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:31:00 +0000 ceotools http://www.ceotools.com/blog/?p=407 We asked our readers to share ideas, tips, and tools they use to engage employees for success during this recession/recovery.  Wow, did they ever come through!  Nearly two dozen  – just click for a free PDF printout to get some really helpful hints to improve your business immedeately!  With best wishes as always, Kraig

]]> http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/09/ways-to-engage-employees/feed/ 0 12 Seasons of Business – September '09 http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/09/12-seasons-of-business-september-09/ http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/09/12-seasons-of-business-september-09/#comments Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:26:37 +0000 ceotools http://www.ceotools.com/blog/?p=398 Click on  for a one-page economic update with ideas for getting employees more engaged in your business success.  In this update, we asked our readers for ideas on what has worked for them to get employee engagement.  We’ll publish those ideas in about a week, but here’s the first instalment!  Very best, Kraig

]]> http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/09/12-seasons-of-business-september-09/feed/ 0 12 Seasons of Business – August 2009 http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/08/12-seasons-of-business-august-2009/ http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/08/12-seasons-of-business-august-2009/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:08:55 +0000 ceotools http://www.ceotools.com/blog/?p=349 To maximize results and at the same time get more buy-in from your people, delegate the important elements of your recession recovery plan. An easy and sure seven-step delegation process is offered here for your use, and we know it will help hugely! Just click  and take a look. With best recovery wishes, Kraig
]]> http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/08/12-seasons-of-business-august-2009/feed/ 0 How's Your Business Measure Up? http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/07/hows-your-business-measure-up/ http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/07/hows-your-business-measure-up/#comments Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:20:23 +0000 ceotools http://www.ceotools.com/blog/?p=340 During the past six months, over 100 new tools and tips have been posted for improving business performance here in this blog.  Why not take just ten minutes to scroll down through these helpful hints to see how your own business measures up?  Guarantee that when you do that you’ll find a new idea to make more money!  Please try it…we’re getting rave reviews from many businesses benefitting from these free fixes.  Very best wishes, Kraig ]]> http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/07/hows-your-business-measure-up/feed/ 0 Sub-Contract to Up Your Efficiency! http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/03/sub-contract-to-up-your-efficiency/ http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/03/sub-contract-to-up-your-efficiency/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:15:10 +0000 ceotools http://www.ceotools.com/blog/?p=219 What if you sub-contracted some of your machine-time, people-time and systems-time so that you don’t have to curtail, cut or eliminate in those areas?  We’re hearing stories of this concept from all over America. 

Examples include printers sub-contracting time on their presses that they can’t fill themselves, machinists subbing time on their Davenport automatic screw machines, consultants jobbing out their professional or technical employees’ time to other non-competitive consulting firms or even clients.  Is there a possibility for you in this gem of an idea?

]]> http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/03/sub-contract-to-up-your-efficiency/feed/ 0 From: Remodelers Advantage® PowerTips http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/02/from-remodelers-advantage%c2%ae-poweretips/ http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/02/from-remodelers-advantage%c2%ae-poweretips/#comments Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:25:07 +0000 ceotools http://www.ceotools.com/blog/?p=215 One of my favorite groups to speak to and work with is – the international industry organization for remodelers.  A recent article in their newsletter tells of  one of their member CEOs – he sent an email to all his people telling of the company’s plan to survive this recession and asking that each employee take two days off each month during 2009 without pay, but they could use paid vacation days and sick days instead; plus they could take all the days in one time period to really have that vacation.

Not only was this well-received by the employees but they also knew the company had a plan (see below: the number one concern of employees is that management has no plan).  And…whichever way they took the days off would be beneficial to the company, cash or cash-accrual-wise.  It works!  A win-win, and you can do the same.  Many thanks to our good friends at Remodelers Advantage ®

for all their good work in helping us all through these tough times.  For any of you in construction, check out this great outfit:  they’re delivering for their Members big-time.

Very best, Kraig

]]> http://www.ceotools.com/blog/2009/02/from-remodelers-advantage%c2%ae-poweretips/feed/ 0