paul-terry

Wisdom from Melissa Joy Manning

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 03:47:50 GMT

Here is some of Melissa’s great advice for others considering a small business of their own:

Make sure it’s what you want to do.

If you really love doing something consider how it will change when it becomes a business. I meet a lot of people who loved a hobby but when they had to economize it on a daily basis, found that they lost all joy in it.

Know that your life will change

Your friendships, relationships, how you view the world…everything. When you take charge of your life by forging your own path, a lot of lessons will come forward that you didn’t consider. In some ways, it’s like a veil lifts in how you see the world. Remaining true to yourself and your passion will carry you through any unexpected reaction or loss that success may bring to you.

Always, always, always listen to your heart.

If you are true to yourself you will always succeed.

Where Did The Time Go?

Thu, 28 May 2026 18:02:36 GMT

This is the question we all ask, and perhaps small business owners ask the most! Many time management experts say that the key to managing our time well and being productive is figuring out what is most important and making time to do that first. But how can we do that when it all feels so urgent?

The pros and cons of the To Do List

Many of us keep detailed to-do lists. Our list will grow and grow and can become so long that it’s easier to focus on the “simple stuff” we can quickly complete and check off the list. We put off the tasks that will be most strategic for our business, the tasks that will help us grow and be a success.

Multi-tasking

As small business owners we wear many hats and must often multi-task. We have the tendency to want to do it all ourselves (even when we are stuck) and we don’t want to delegate (or don’t know how to). We are often completely consumed in the business without making time to work on the business , or we let personal stuff get in the way of how we run our business.

The effects of overwhelm

There can so many emotions tied up with how we spend and “manage” our time, too. When we have too much to do we can get overwhelmed and frustrated. Our actions become non-productive. We procrastinate (ignoring what we know we must do) or we sabotage ourselves (purposely doing something counterproductive), and we end up paralyzed – blaming ourselves and sometimes even giving up.

The 80/20 Rule

One way out of this overwhelm is by paying attention to the Pareto Principle or what is often referred to as the “80/20 Rule”:

If you can figure out which tasks are producing your business’ results, you can spend more time on those activities and less time on others. Often if a task makes you feel uncomfortable or if you are putting it off, it may be a sign that it needs your attention!

How to Start

Perry Marshall, author of 80/20 Sales and Marketing , recommends that we flip our daily to do list . “If there are 10 things you need to do today, odds are that one task is worth 10 times more than the rest. It is natural to want to put that off and get the other tasks done first. You need to switch that around and first focus on that one thing that is most important.” Do you need to re-write a social media post; call back a disgruntled customer, update your financials for a loan? Focus on that key task first.

The Big Rock Theory

When I talk to my business students about time management I share the same essential message. The first step is to identify the priorities — or BIG ROCKS — for your business and then structure your time to put them first. If you are a small business owner (particularly if you are just launching your businesses) you really cannot do it all. You need to focus on the key 10-20% of your business that can bring the best results now. Once you have some comfort in or mastery over that area, you can expand your focus.

Time to Take Action

Now, it’s time to take action! Starting first thing tomorrow…

Some suggestions:

Look at your to-do list and pick only three tasks for the day – tasks that are the most important for your business right now. (What task will help you make money now? What task will build a key business skill now? What task will help solve the most critical issue?)
Tackle only one task at a time.
Set a start time and end time for each task to keep yourself focused.
Pick someone to hold you accountable and share what you are doing with them.
Get rid of distractions: clear other work away; turn off email, put down your phone - get to it!

The reality is that your to-do list will never go away and it will probably always be long. It may be helpful to write down all your tasks so they don’t keep swimming around in your head. But the goal is to not get distracted by your list. And sometimes is important to put away the list entirely. Our best business breakthroughs often come when we aren’t focused on our business. Sometimes it is only when we take a break that we can gain perspective.

Learn more about Advising Owners and Management

Elements of Effective Mentoring

Thu, 28 May 2026 17:58:00 GMT

ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE MENTORING

“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” – Steven Spielberg

January is National Mentoring Month so it feels like the right time to be talking about small business mentoring — a key ingredient to success for every entrepreneur .

At some point, we all need guidance, a sounding board, and a cheerleader to navigate through changes, growth, and challenges in our business. Guidance can come in many forms — from a business “buddy,” through a peer support group, or directly from a trusted business adviser or a team of advisers. No matter the form, what is most important is that our mentors encourage us to look closely at issues and opportunities, and to maximize our potential. With their support, we can develop our business skills, take risks, and be successful.

Our support system must include people who have been in our shoes.

We must surround ourselves with subject-matter experts and experienced small business owners who have dealt with similar challenges first-hand and can help us make sense of the clutter and make decisions with relevant, timely advice.

Though we believe that the best small business mentors are other small businesses owners, success in business does not qualify someone as a good mentor. That person must also be a skillful listener and motivator, know how to ask questions, and know when and how to give honest advice. In addition, the best mentors open doors to a wider network that can support us and our business.

To sum it up, we believe that effective mentors…

Listen carefully to what you say (and don’t say)
Understand your needs and respect your point of view
Ask questions and challenge assumptions
Guide based on their own experience/expertise
Share relevant and immediately actionable advice, and
Are accessible and supportive over the longer term.

Above all, the mentor-mentee relationship should be a partnership, based on mutual respect and trust.

Learn more about Advising Owners and Management

Mentoring Matters

Thu, 28 May 2026 17:54:04 GMT

What really matters to us as we move through life? For many of us, it is family, friends, good health and making a difference in the world through the work we do.

I re-read the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson and watched a documentary on his life and last his few months. Jobs didn’t ever seem to give up. He pushed himself and others to be different and make a difference. He is an example of someone who had a passion for life, a commitment to make an impact, and a curiosity that never went away. Jobs felt that “the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe to be great work.” He went on to say that “the only way to do great work, is to love what you do.”

Do we all have this passion and enthusiasm? Are we committed to being a success no matter what stands in our way? Most small business owners are driven… to do something our own way and to be a success. Yes, we want to be financially successful but other types of success matter to us, too: doing something unique, being remembered, teaching others, and leaving a legacy — something that will last.

But what happens when we get stuck? What if we cannot stay connected to the passion? What if success feels elusive and failures do not all become lessons learned? Innately, we know we must keep moving forward and that we will learn from our failures if we can figure out a different path. (Of course, trying to do the same thing the same way over and over is not wisdom, it’s insanity.) Success usually doesn’t just show up. We have to go out there and get it…tackle it, embrace it, own it.

Sometimes we have trouble figuring out the next steps on our own, though. There may be too many options. We may be spinning our wheels on one particular issue. We may hesitate instead of taking action. When we stumble and panic, who can guide us and nudge us forward? Finding someone we trust to mentor us can be critical.

I had a client who is a long-distance open water swimmer. When his group is on a long swim they have escorts in kayaks, rowboats, and inflatable motorboats. As he explains, the escorts “look out for our safety, fending off other boats, telling us where we are, where to go, they feed us. They make sure we are okay in mind and body. They are our cheerleaders and companions in our journey to the goal.”

Small business owners also need guides through rough waters. We need escorts, cheerleaders, and supporters as we deal with changes and difficulties in our businesses. We might be forced to move locations unexpectedly, have an important employee abandon us, or struggle to make the business financially sustainable. In these times, mentors are essential.

According to the Startup Genome Report , “having helpful mentors” is key to entrepreneurial success. This survey of 650 startups found that “the right mentors significantly influence a company’s performance and ability to raise money.” Though we may not have the data to prove it yet, I believe mentoring matters for all small businesses, both new and established. With great mentor support, we can all become the small business owners we want to be. We simply need to look around our circle of friends and supporters and ask.

Learn more about Advising Owners and Management

A Personal Support System

Thu, 28 May 2026 17:44:45 GMT

1. Support Partner

The support partner is your unconditional “business friend.” Ideally, this person is someone in a business like you who can listen, give emotional support for your business issues, and provide constructive feedback on business dilemmas and opportunities. The relationship is bi-directional – each support partner helps the other. You each take turns listening and giving/getting advice. You may agree to meet weekly, catch-up, share problems and successes, and then use your partner as an objective reviewer for your weekly plans.

You could meet in person outside, by phone or video chat. The meeting should be a check-in for ongoing support and follow-up. It is important that this relationship is on-going (at least bi-weekly) and long-term (at least 6 months). That way, your support partner gets exposed to your business issues and understands the context and the players in your world. Your meetings can be a catalyst for positive change and an opportunity to talk discreetly about business issues outside of your own business environment.

2. Peer Support Group

This strategy involves gathering several “business friends” into a support group of peers – people in business at similar stages of growth and open to getting and giving help to colleagues. They could be in the same industry but they don’t have to be. This group could meet monthly on Zoom to share concerns and common goals and to provide one another with useful information. Like the support partner strategy, each member of the support group gets encouragement but to an even greater extent, since the support is coming from a group of three to six people. You can prepare for a meeting ahead of time and focus on a work-related goal.

At the meeting you can get creative brainstorming support from a small group of people all focused on you. You will provide the same support and business feedback for them – each person taking 15-30 minutes of group time to discuss the issues, present some options, take feedback, and promise to implement a solution. Before the next meeting, you will complete your tasks, as there are other people waiting for your results! This accountability factor is very helpful. Your support group will be expecting to hear about your progress at the next meeting and your success related to implementing next steps.

3. Business Mentor

We all know people who know more about being in business than we do. These are people that we approach as our advisors or “business mentors.” This person could be a small business owner or business professional like a banker or an accountant, a larger (and friendly) competitor, or simply a friend wise to the ways of business.

The relationship is usually very professional, managed carefully, and used only when appropriate. Once a mentor has been located and established (even if informally), you must respect the advisor’s time (which, after all, they are giving you for free). Show that you value their time and professional advice by staying within the meeting timeframe agreed upon, communicating your appreciation for their support, and following up by email to share your progress and the results of their advice.

4. Team of Advisors

This group is a voluntary board or team of advisors that may only meet annually. This is a broad-based group of people who volunteer to meet together for you, follow your agenda, review your issues, and give their individual and collective advice. This group may include a senior manager in your industry, a successful entrepreneur, your friendly attorney, or accountant, or even an established competitor in your field – who wants to give back and help you!

You need to find and invite the right mix of experts and set up the meeting. You will want to prepare an agenda beforehand. The idea is that there is time for you to talk about your business and key issues/challenges and then have time for them to share their advice. You will have a group of incredible experts focused specifically on you and your success for 1 to 2 hours. Their compensation is that you will take in their advice, implement it and follow-up about the results. They will delight in your progress and success. In addition, they may get to develop a new network of peer supporters for their own businesses.

Each of these four business support strategies are valuable . Depending on your needs, you can use just one or all four to support yourself and your business. Start by picking the one that most appeals to you, seems the simplest to get going, and has the most potential to bring you tangible results. By committing to this process, you are committing to make your business work. Asking for and getting help from others will help you succeed!

A PERSONAL SUPPORT SYSTEM?

Being a small business owner can be isolating. By creating your own personal support system, you can combat that feeling, get guidance with business next steps and find the motivation to take action.

Here are four personal support strategies that are simple to set-up, easy to maintain, have a built-in accountability factor and are proven to work!

Learn more about Advising Owners and Management

Planning For Business - Risk and Success

Thu, 28 May 2026 17:42:24 GMT

Many people start small businesses and often seem to fail. Risks always exist in business.

You can reduce those risks if you make time to plan in advance. This means defining your business offerings, doing specific market research, recognizing the essential management skills you need, and projecting realistic financial expectations. In short, you can reduce risks when you write and use a plan . Small business owners often say they don’t have time to write one. There is too much to do and they want to just run the business. (Or, they may be intimidated by the planning process or simply procrastinating.)

It’s true that some small businesses start without planning and do very well. However, once a business is launched and things get complicated, it can be confusing to figure out next steps. A good plan can help you focus. Business experts disagree about the importance of writing a business plan. Some research has found that writing a plan greatly increases the chances that a person actually goes into business. There are others,, like Steve Blank, who say that real entrepreneurs don’t write business plans.

I actually agree with Blank’s approach. In his classes, he’s pushing students to constantly talk to people and test their theories as they plan. A hands-on, real-world approach is central to how I teach entrepreneurship, too. You cannot write a plan in a vacuum and expect it to serve you well. You must connect with people and constantly test your assumptions.

Writing, implementing, and maintaining a plan is hard work. Planning means learning to take the pulse of your business — over and over again. You have to be open to new ideas and be willing to learn from your mistakes. There is a reward. You will have an operational management tool, a marketing plan, financial projections, and a means of communicating your business to others.

The primary purpose for writing a plan, though, is for the process itself . It forces you to be objective and critical, identifying weaknesses, challenges and opportunities and setting benchmarks to track progress. Doing research, talking to people, and analyzing your operation will give you confidence to continue with the business. It’s really important that the plan reflects your unique owner perspective.

The plan is a foundation from which each owner’s business judgment, personal feelings and intuition are measured. You write it in a format that is easy to update. To be truly useful, a plan should be a dynamic document — current, accessible, and appropriate for the business . Don’t waste time making a pretty document unless required. It doesn’t have to be perfect. The is that it is useful for you and your business.

A plan doesn’t guarantee success but it can help prevent serious mistakes. It helps you stay attentive to the important details, industry trends, new directions, and business growth. A good plan will help you maintain profitability, acknowledge and minimize potential risks, and develop confidence for future opportunities.

So how do you find the time to write a business plan? You don’t. You are always planning. Your plan is never done but your planning process is your key to good management.” So, write that plan (or revisit your old one). It could be well worth your effort!

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Getting Into Business By Jumping In

Thu, 28 May 2026 17:36:21 GMT

GETTING INTO BUSINESS BY JUMPING IN!

Emerging entrepreneurs can be a different breed. They are excited about their business ideas and are driven by their passion… but it may also be somewhat blinded by so many options. How do people start a business with their eyes wide open and set themselves up for success right from the start?

Passion is essential

First, passion and conviction are essential. You need to know who you are and what you really want to do. Then there is the choice of business complexity model and knowing your product or service inside and out. Y ou want to be ready to eat, drink and breathe business ownership… and wake up and do it again the very next day.

Know your market

Even if you have the best business idea and you are confident in your ability to make a product or provide a service and set up a successful business model, the great arbiter of success is the marketpla ce. Your business concept must also be viable to your target market. How do you know your expectations are not fiction? To get the answer, you must talk to people, survey potential customers, or clients, and test your assumptions.

Test your concept

Once you have an idea of the marketplace, you want to test the concept. You can “pop-up” in someone else’s space or test your product at a street fair or makers fair. Your friends could hold events in their living rooms. You can convince a friend with a retail shop to set up a trunk show. You could sell in-line. If all goes well, the any of this will make you feel secure that your idea is a good one and that you want to own and run a business.

Can you now say YES to these 5 key questions?

Do I really enjoy being in business?
Can I attract the customer or client who will appreciate my business and will pay for it?
Am I good with customers and can I provide excellent service?
Does my business model make money or will it at least break even “soon”?
Can I envision myself persevering for the next 18 to 24 months to really establish my business?

Time for planning

Some degree of prior business planning is essential. To help guide you, you can take a class, read a book, or ask an experienced business owner for support. However you do it, the purpose of a plan is to define your business offerings, specify your market, outline essential management skills needed, and create realistic financial projections with a well-timed series of action steps.

Your final plan will be a useful document for potential investors, funders, or business partners. But the primary purpose for writing a plan is for the process itself . It forces you to be objective and critical, identifying weaknesses, challenges and opportunities and setting benchmarks to track progress. Ultimately, it will give you confidence to get into and continue with the business.

Take the plunge – jump in

So, you have perhaps made some initial sales for friends and family? You have carved out time on weekends to work on the business. You are still excited about doing it. Actually, it is all you can think about. How do you take the plunge from part-time to all-in?

These are many different ways do it – either as stated or combined:

Wait until you have raised all the start -up money – through savings, bank loans, or crowd fundraising.
Convince your family to lend you money (with no interest) and agree to pay back within three years.
Approach your employer and negotiate to work part-time and use that extra day to work on your business.
Move from employee to a contractual arrangement - set your own hours and make time for the business
Find an active or silent partner to invest in the new business and cover expenses for the first year.
Marry well and/or use your future inheritance to support your entrepreneurship habit!
Quit your job, go all in, and use credit cards to get you through the cash flow negative start-up period.

The path to small business ownership is unique

It depends on your tolerance for risk, your access to capital and cash flow, your skills and experience running or managing a similar enterprise, and your support systems. Time, money, and the prospect of failure are common hurdles for almost every small business owner starting out:

How do I find enough time to devote to my business?
Do I have enough funds to support myself while the business develops over the first 12-24 months?
Can I respond well to short-term failures as I navigate my way to long-term success?

You may struggle to find the right strategy to launch your business but if you have the passion, some success from testing, solid financial projections, and a strong support network… YOU CAN DO THIS!

Are entrepreneurs crazy?

Sometimes yes.

But that’s just what may be needed - to jump in and swim! Some start in the shallow end of the pool and tip-toe down the stairs. Others lower themselves down the ladder until they are fully immersed but continue to hold onto the edge. And then there are the ones who leap off the diving board straight into the deep end.

No matter what your approach, just make sure you can see the edge so you can make your way back to solid ground as needed. But if you really want to swim in the world of small business ownership, you first just have to get into the water, get wet and learn to swim well.

Learn more about Advising Owners and Management

Great Customer Service

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:47:02 GMT

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE: SEVEN 7 PRACTICAL TIPS

Of course, it is ALSO important that businesses offer excellent and effective products or the services the customer really wants, that the price is fair, that the location (retail or on-line) is convenient and the information is clear and consistent. The people providing the service must be qualified and come well recommended. BUT, to get repeat business and referrals – the business owner and staff MUST pay attention to customer service!

As business owners, we do NOT want any of the following to happen:

A client or customer calling about a “late” delivery before you get a chance to call first
That you failed to follow-up on a request for additional information as promised
That a client was left on hold without appropriate information of what to do or where to go next
That the client is not happy and cannot reach someone to complain or get help and support

A negative buying experience (and the results from thousands of students in classes and workshops) is almost always linked to “lousy and shoddy” customer service. Good customer service is essential for all businesses to exist for the long-term! Being able to provide it with all transactions and on a consistent basis is not just possible but must be essential for small business owners.

Here is some basic behavior we need to have as small businesses. This is directed by the owner and needs to be followed consistently if there is really going to be a commitment (by owners and managers) to customer service.

1. Commitment to quality service .

Everyone in the business is committed to creating a positive experience for the customer and always try to “exceed customer’s expectations.” This should happen on every encounter – from the first point of contact and throughout the period of service and continued in any follow-up reminder in person, by phone or on-line.

2. Know your products and your policies.

Everyone who works for you must know what they are doing – know about your product line or your service offerings – in order to gain and keep a customer’s trust and confidence. There should be complete clarity on what you offer, what guarantees you give and what would be done if there was any error or mistake is made.

3. Know your customers .

The objective of every small business is to “ get and keep customers. ” To do this, you need to know everything you can about your customers. Talk to people and listen to what they say so you can prepare in advance for any key issues. If there ever is a problem, get to the core of customer dissatisfaction BEFORE it happens.

4. Treat people with courtesy and respect .

Every contact with a customer — email, phone, letter, or face-to-face meeting, leaves an impression. The impression is often stronger than the service being offered . Manage the impression,” you can affect the customer’s behavior! Most customers come back if you resolve a complaint. They often become your advocate! If you give them immediate resolution, you’ll win their repeat business. Research shows that 95 percent of dissatisfied customers will do business again if their complaint is resolved on the spot.

5. Always provide what you promise .

Fail to do this and you’ll lose credibility — and customers. If you guarantee a quote within 24 hours, get the quote out in a day or less. If you can’t make good on your promise, apologize to the customer and offer some type of compensation or restitution. Stay in touch and “get back to them.”

6. Focus on making customers, not making sales

Remember that keeping a customer’s business is more important than closing a sale. Research shows that it costs six times more to attract a new customer than it does to keep an existing one. You need to keep the client – and not always make the sale.

7. Make it easy to buy .

The buying experience in your store, on your website or through your catalog should be as easy as possible. Eliminate unnecessary paperwork, help people find what they need, explain how products work, and facilitate transactions. Make it an effortless experience so that people will tell others and will come back.

To be competitive and stay in business within these economic times, we need to treat our clients, customers, and vendors with respect. They are our stakeholders and we need their loyalty, referrals and repeat business to stay and thrive in business. “At your service” is a practice without question .

When we think of the most important issue in business, we always come back to customer service. In every consultation, workshop, or class, we ask two questions and get amazingly similar results:

What small businesses do you like to do business with?
What small businesses do you NOT like to business with?

The common answer is always good (or bad) customer service . Customers, clients, vendors, and professionals all want to do business with businesses and business owners they like – that treat them well, give excellent service and follow-up and have consistent and fair policies for exchange.

The Complexity of Business

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:31:49 GMT

A common issue for small business owners is the relationship between business skills or management capacity and the complexity of the business.

If you start a new small business slowly, you may be able to handle everything yourself. If you only have one or two products or a limited customer/client base, your systems can be quite simple. But at that simple level:

Can you be financially sustainable?
Will you generate enough sales and cash flow to reach break-even and be profitable?
Will you be able to hire an employee to help you in the business?

To create a self-sufficient business, you will need to scale up and this will increase your business’ complexity. As you do this, your business skills and management capacity must keep pace and be in balance. To grow the small business, things get complicated… perhaps more than you can manage well.

Is it better to wait until you have all the skills to handle the increased complexity?
Do you grow now and hope you develop the skills “on the fly” to be successful and sustainable?
Should you hire someone with more expertise to help you?

This is such a critical area. To meet your business’ increasing complexity, there are six essential areas:

1. Pay attention to the your weak links.

Your lack of skills in any key area of your business can limit your success. You know your areas of weakness may be cash flow, operations or managing others? Identify a key weakness and make it a strength.

2. Improve your own business skills now.

Find the help you need NOW before your current knowledge limits you. Take a class, follow relevant blogs, finding a peer mentor, or a business adviser. Put time aside for your personal business management education.

3. Bring in others with the skills you need.

You do not have to know how to do everything! Be smart and hire someone who is better than you - an outside professional or an employee with skills in the specific area such as a bookkeeper or an employee good at sales.

4. Take a leadership role.

You may love making your own products. But to have a successful business you may need to find a way to make the product at a cheaper price – an employee under your supervision, or an outside co-packer.

5. Put good systems in place.

You cannot take on larger projects, additional clients or more employees without clear, documented systems. It is hard to hire and train someone if it is written down. Without good systems, it is also harder to take a break!

6. Don’t stop planning.

Growing a business can feel like a set of spiral movements. Your careful responses to challenges creates a foundation for growth. Planning helps take the pulse of your business. So, identify your weaknesses, challenges and opportunities and create a plan to take your business to the next level.

Wendy's Wisdom

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:18:43 GMT

Wendy’s Wisdom – Making Chocolate/Lessons Learned

In the past, as a coordinator of Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center‘s Business Planning Class, I helped small business entrepreneurs plan their new and emerging small businesses. Wendy Lieu, a graduate of the 12-week Business Planning Class, shared her wisdom during a class graduation. As of owner of Socola Chocolatier, Wendy Lieu handcrafts delicious artisanal confections and has a vibrant retail and on-line business – in downtown SF and at the SFO Airport. Here’s what she shared with the graduates at a recent graduation:

Wendy’s Lessons Learned

1. If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never do it.

There is never a perfect moment to start a business or take that next step. You will learn as you go along, so don’t wait for just the right moment. You will always need to make changes and adjustments along the way. Some things will work and some things won’t. Pivot and keep on moving!

2. Start with one step.

Looking at your to-do list can feel overwhelming and sometimes paralyzing. You can get things done. You just need to start with #1. Prioritize and set short, attainable goals that can be completed in the day and the week.

3. Be obsessed with your numbers.

If this business is truly your calling, create a solid business plan and remember to review it every month. Track your numbers, review the results, and make changes if needed. Your financials are your key business metric.

4. Challenges are a given.

There will be difficulties, so get over it. Laugh it off if you need to and move on. Sometimes you’ll try something out and it doesn’t work out. You tried. It seemed like a good idea. Now try something else!

5. Work out – keep active.

Sitting in front of a laptop or a chocolate table all day will drain you. Your health is just as important, if not more important, than running your business. Your business starts and ends with you. Take care of yourself.

6. Treat your employees with respect.

Treat employees like family (that you like). Make sure they like working for you, are learning from you, and understand their contributions to the overall success of the business.

7. Surround yourself with successful business owners.

Other small business owners have experienced similar challenges. They can help you or send to others who can. You are not alone. Get out and connect with others who have already solved the problem you have. .

8. Focus ON your business.

Don’t get stuck attending only to daily operations. You need to be paying attention to the business as a whole, its future and its long-term sustainability. Do your business well day-to-day but where will you be in 5 years?

9. Dreams don’t work unless you do.

You will be exhausted and wonder if it’s worth it. That’s normal. Remember that you decided to forgo the easy path in order to control your own destiny. What you get in return is the pride from working on the thing that you are most passionate about. It reminds me of this Jim Carey quote…“You could fail at what you don’t want to do, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love!”

Teaching Entrepreneurship

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:45:36 GMT

I taught classes for many years, starting as an ESL teacher in Europe and Canada while in my early twenties. I discovered valuable, practical lessons teaching ESL—that we learn through hands-on, practical experience, and that it is easier to do something new and potentially scary when we feel supported and we’re having fun!

To teach English to new immigrants I used the art of play, street theater and shared humor to help students deal with a new environment, develop trust, and face their fears related to using a language. Together we learned about culture and language out loud and in full view of each other, developing a classroom based on trust. Students took their new knowledge and courageously put it into practice on the bus as they went home.

Established and emerging entrepreneurs also deal with an unknown environment and many fears. They are often wedged between the fantasy of what they hope will happen with their enterprises and the reality of money, management, and marketing. This can be exciting and scary.

When teaching business owners, it was also helpful to use a hands-on approach and involve the whole class or cohort in the process. Humor was key, as well as helping to foster excitement about learning together. Teaching entrepreneurship is not just about lecturing (although content and theory is important), it is a doing process. Students need to take what they learned in class, collaborate with others, apply it, and see what works.

Business workshops or classes can introduce business skills, demonstrate social media and traditional marketing techniques, and present critical and real world financial projections. However, it is also important for students to get out into the real world themselves. They need to test their assumptions. Then they can use the classroom for sharing, reporting back, and group problem-solving sessions with actual business models. The class became an important learning community, collaborative environment, and support system.

When I taught small business classes, students researched how their business idea fit in the marketplace with face-to-face interviews. They exposed their ideas to the reality of the numbers by doing rigorous financial analysis, and then they developed a practical, realistic plan of action that they could test week by week. This plan had to be adjusted in the marketplace and then their own level of confidence and excitement revealed the right directions, with the class support there to help.

The focus was on empowerment and building confidence as well as teaching entrepreneurial skills. Small business owners needed to tap into their passion and also have the ability to mitigate risks. It is important for business owners to continually cultivate the right balance of business skills and intuition.

By guiding students through an engaging curriculum, giving them access to resources and mentors, and providing direction related to good management practices, we helped entrepreneurs launch and sustain many, many successful venture. The process was fun and richly rewarding for both student and teacher, because in the best learning environment, the teacher is learning from the students, too. I learned a lot teaching every class and working with each student.

A Beginner's Mind

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:35:25 GMT

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”

In Japan, the phrase shoshin means “beginner’s mind.” According to the Buddhist monk and Zen teacher Suzuki Roshi, this is the goal of Zen Buddhist meditation practice—to have a beginner’s mind, a mind open to everything and ready for anything.

In his book, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind , Suzuki Roshi writes, “In the beginner’s mind there is no thought…of achievement, no thought of self, we are true beginners. Then we can really learn something. The beginner’s mind is the mind of compassion. When our mind is compassionate, it is boundless.”

Keeping a beginner’s mind could also be at the heart of a successful entrepreneurial venture.

For the emerging business owner , everything is clearly in a beginning stage. Everything will seem new and groundbreaking. The idea may not be tested, the business is a new concept and the owner may be just starting to understand the complexity of business ownership. To develop a unique business model and a specific selling proposition, the new owner will need to be creative, respond to a changing marketplace, have set-up internal operations effectively and deal with continual competition. The emerging business owner will need to stay open to what can be learned and then put it into practice in the business.

For the established business owner, a certain degree of success has been attained. Yet, this business owner will still be trying to re-invent themselves and explore a consistent and effective approach to business. There is the introduction of new products, design of new services, and also outreach and retention of more clients. This established business owner will also be attempting to implement sustainable practices and a management style that is more transparent.

Staying open and keeping that “beginner’s mind” can lead to “ah ha” moments, whatever our level of expertise or experience. Through the beginner’s perspective, every business owner can stay flexible and compassionate—both within themselves and with all other stakeholders

Being a successful small business owner is a significant blessing. This is the chance to run a business just as the owner wants to do it… not how someone else is telling them to do it. Yet, the established business owners are also beginners. Every day there are new lessons learned about how to adjust to changes. Eventually the established business owner will be able to make a difference in comparison with other small businesses and have a positive impact on the community.

As a small business owner, one can begin – again and again. The business can bring the customers, the employees - all the stakeholders - to appreciate the beginner’s mind – one business transaction at a time.

Ownership Transition at the Good Life

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 22:26:43 GMT

 How long have you worked for The Good Life Grocery? I have worked at GLG for over 18 years. It was my first real job when I was a teenager in high school. I was excited to work in my neighborhood and at a job where I could meet new people. I liked the everyday challenges and excitement of the grocery business and there were opportunities for growth. I wanted to be financially independent and live on my own, and I knew that I had to take on every opportunity to obtain more responsibility so that I could earn a higher hourly pay.

How has your role in the business changed over the years? I was hired in 2004 as a Courtesy Clerk (or “Bagger”) at the Potrero location. From there I become a Cashier, the Accounts Payable Clerk, and then the Store Supervisor. (This role was a great fit with my education from San Francisco State in Business and Accounting.) From there I was promoted to Assistant General Manager at the Bernal Heights store and then Store Manager at the Potrero store - managing both the Grocery and Deli Departments as well as Customer Service. In 2016, I become General Manager, overseeing the management and financial at both locations. I became a minority owner/partner of the business in 2021 and 50% owner/partner in 2025. I continue to work as The Good Life Grocery’s General Manager and CFO.

What inspired you to want to be an owner of the business and when did you start to consider it? In 2013, I almost left the business to work for a much larger organization that was offering me higher pay and lifetime benefits. As much as I loved working at Good Life, I didn’t see the future in it for me at the time. I gave Kayren and Lester my resignation notice. Their reaction to me wanting to leave made me reconsider, and I started looking at GLG as my lifelong career. Since then, I knew I wanted to become the owner of the business one day and I have worked towards that goal ever since. Kayren and Lester made it clear that they wanted the business to live on well past them. I have also cared deeply about the employees that I work with every day. I knew that if I could become an owner, I could give others some of the opportunities that Kayren and Lester gave me. I could help employees become financially secure, feel connected to the business, and proud of themselves and their accomplishments.

Since becoming an owner, have your thoughts or intentions about small business ownership changed? No, because I’ve actually been thinking like an owner for several years. I have worked closely with Lester and Kayren to manage the business and I’ve seen the challenges that small business owners face. I have been fully committed to this job and the success of the company for many years prior to becoming an owner.

Ownership transitions can be a stressful time for any small business and a lot to figure out. What do you think made this transition successful? There is so much trust, respect, and patience between the three of us. Also, we’ve all had the same goal – for The Good Life to continue to thrive as a successful business for many years to come, bringing the community together with good food and good people. Becoming an owner was a business transaction but it felt personal and emotional. I am honored to have their trust and to have been given this opportunity Also, Paul Terry was a major help with the ownership transition, too. He facilitated necessary meetings, kept records of agreements, and kept us on track with deadlines and working towards our goal. Without Paul’s hard work and help keeping the wheels turning on this transition, it may not have happened! Ultimately, it was the combination of a solid relationship and the attention to all the details that made this transition a success.

How did the pandemic affect the business? The pandemic brought positive light to grocery stores as essential businesses and our customers were very appreciative that we were there for them every day without fail during some really scary times. The pandemic also brought us waves of employment applications and qualified candidates wanting lots of responsibilities. Supply chain issues are really what affected us the most. We weren’t able to get our everyday products easily so our buyers worked extra hard to find other options from other suppliers to keep food staples on the shelves for our customers.

On a personal level, how do you manage through these challenging times? I try to take it day by day when the job feels overwhelming. I have always been a person that likes a challenge. It is overcoming those challenges that is most rewarding. The feeling of getting through it, working with a team to find resolution, and then finally accomplishing the goal are worth all of it. I am a goal setter, and though it may take me longer than expected to accomplish the goal, one day, I know I will get there. Other than my family (I am married with three kids under 5 years old) and my close relationships, overcoming challenges at GLG is what brings me joy.

What should people know about managing a grocery store that you think they don’t? There are a million different pieces to the puzzle and sometimes the pieces change sizes. We are constantly trying to figure out how to rearrange the puzzle to keep it complete. Having a strong team and the ability to be flexible is extremely important. Every day there is something new. Our employees are our biggest asset. Investing in them helps them feel connected and committed to the business. Many employees may never see grocery as a career

opportunity but there are some who find out along the way that this is their passion and they want to learn it all.

How is business doing now? The Good Life Grocery isn’t going anywhere! We are working hard to offer our customers the best shopping experience. We are proud to say that we will soon be offering online shopping options with pick-up or delivery service. I want our customers to know that we will go the extra mile to find the product they are looking for. If it is not in our stores, we can special order it. We welcome feedback and we encourage customers to request items that they would like to buy in our stores. Most customers don’t know that we also do special order catering. We can do anything from a pasta dinner for 100 people, to a beautiful charcuterie board cheese platter for the holiday table.

The Good Life Grocery , a beloved San Francisco natural food store on Potrero Hill (since 1974) and in Bernal Heights (since 1991), is entering a new era of leadership! Lester Zeidman retired from the business after 40 years as co-owner. Long-time employee and General Manager Samantha Zuvella has joined Lester’s wife Kayren Hudiburgh as co-owner of the business.

Small business ownership transitions can be difficult, yet through a gradual, step-by-step approach The Good Life Grocery made this transition comfortable and seamless for the owners, employees, and customers alike. We interviewed new co-owner Samantha Zuvella about her experience working with The Good Life Grocery and becoming an owner.

Learn more about Ownership Transition & Exit Planning

A Successful Management Transition

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 22:19:31 GMT

A Successful Management Transition

Are you thinking about transitioning out of a leadership role in your business? Stepping away does not have to mean giving it up completely. It could mean removing yourself from day-to-day operations or delegating management responsibilities so the business can continue to function smoothly without your constant presence.

In any business transition—whether it involves a change of business ownership or just a change in management, we encourage business owners to consider these steps:

1. Assess your current business

Before making any big management change, understand the value of your business and the strength of your existing systems. Be sure to ask key questions and audit your business.

Have you built business assets (both tangible and intangible) that have value?
Do you know what your business is worth?
Do you have operational systems that can be understood by others in your business?
Do you have key employees that could take on increased responsibilities?

2. Address training and control

If you the owner plan to step away from the business, your employees need to be prepared to take on more responsibility and you must give up some control. If senior staff are taking the reins, they need to know the business and understand what will be expected. You may need to hire new senior management who must get up to speed and gain your trust (and your employees’ trust). Any manager (or eventual owner) needs to understand the business inside and out and develop the skills needed for success. Your role will be to facilitate all of this.

3. Take your time

In any big business transition – whether a change in business ownership or a change in management – a thoughtful, step-by-step process is ideal, if possible. A gradual transition allows for a new manager/owner to grow into their role. It can take time to gain confidence and also credibility with all stakeholders. You will be able to assume a more advisory role. By then you will be ready. If selling your business is the goal, you will need time to prepare and find the right buyer. So… look at a realistic timeline and set the right pace for you.

4. Get help

It can feel impossible to focus on a future transition while attending to the day-to-day demands of the business. You are managing services, employees, cash flow, marketing, and day-to-day operations. How can you focus on your transition goals when other aspects of the business need your attention now? An advisor, support partner or support group can help you create a transition plan and stay accountable within a realistic timeline. Your accountant or bookkeeper can help you understand the financial ramifications of any change. At some point, you will also have legal issues. Get the professional help you need to make the right decisions.

5. Your identity as a business owner

Your whole identity may be wrapped up with your business. You may think you want a change yet feel reticent about losing control of the business and or the change of personal identity with your business. Perhaps you want to stay involved with a merchants group, or may no longer be invited to certain business networks. Without your business identity, you may need to redefine or reinvent yourself. As a small business owner, you pour your heart, time and money to make your business succeed. If leaving, you want to get the compensation you have earned and see your business continue to flourish after you step away. Creating a solid transition plan with a realistic timeline and a good support team can help make this goal a reality.

Learn more about Ownership Transitions & Exit Planning

A Successful Family Business Ownership Transition

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 22:14:11 GMT

Transition is a process

First, effective ownership succession is a process with time to gather all the critical metrics and develop a plan – and for everyone to feel comfortable phasing in or out of the business. Unless there is a reason to hurry, it is preferable that the current owner take some time to phase out of their role, and the new owner(s) slowly phase in.

Communicating about the business to all generations

If you plan to pass your business on to the next generation, engage them in positive ways – from an early age. Talk about the business to give an appreciation for the work and the impact that it has in the community. There may your business struggle so be sure they also see what you love about this business and why they might, too.

When they are able to work in the business, can you frame it as an opportunity instead of a burden? (Just because someone is your close relative, does not mean they want the business as much as you do.) Ideally this starts with a relationship built on trust. You can both be honest about what you want for yourself and for the business.

Setting up the next generation for success

How do you reach a point where the next generation is passionate about the family business and you feel ready to put them in charge? Each family business is unique and there are many paths to answering this question.

Here are some ways to get there:

Give the next generation important opportunities to work in the business . Ideally years before an actual succession takes place, the next generation should be getting experience in the business, perhaps even working different jobs and in different departments. You want your family members to develop their skills. You want them to get hands-on experience as well as learn about the culture of the business and start understanding the business inside and out.
Encourage the next generation to follow their outside interests . You want the next generation to want to be a part of the family business. Though it might seem counterintuitive, there is value to the family business if the next generation get work experience elsewhere. They will gain skills, build confidence, and create their own identity working in another business environment. If and when they decide to return to the family business, they will bring those skills and that confidence with them, and the family business will be all the better for it.
Key tasks and delegation . Each family member wants to find their own place in the business. This will help everyone understand how they fit into the business and to each other. This is especially important in a family business with both family and non-family employees. Existing employees also want to understand how the incoming family member fits into a particular role in the business. Will a new family member have goals; will they too have to listen to and take directions and also need to create metrics to measure progress.
Key roles and responsibilities . Your roles are important for you as the current/departing owner. The exercise of defining your responsibilities can make take stock of all the things you do. What are the responsibilities and critical skills necessary to run the business? What parts of your job play to your strengths? What is most challenging? Writing out this “job description” can help clarify the job/roles for the family member joining the business, including what aspects of your current role you want to pass on first.

Give the next generation specific areas of responsibility . Are there specific aspects of the business where the eventual new owner of the business can sink their teeth into and make their own? By taking responsibility for one aspect of the business, they will develop their skills and implement their ideas within certain parameters, and you get to practice giving up control. New members can take on new areas of growth; can become the head of technology or could apply their skills in financials analysis and/or making meetings work.

Share the challenges. It is important that you don’t shield the next generation from discussions about the challenging aspects of the business – when there is a loss of client; a production error or employees who must be re-trained. This will give a more complete understanding of the business. You would hope that they may bring some fresh ideas or new perspectives. Invite them to share their ideas on ways to help the business in the short-term and over the long-term. Apply their solutions and see if they can be implemented and measured.

A changing business – timing is everything

The next generation may want to make changes that will affect the way business is done or how technology is used. They may want to add new services or products to match a changing target market. You as the departing owner may see the value in certain changes. It can be difficult to watch the business going in a different direction. This is a common tension for family businesses. The timing of how to “control” different aspects of the business get shifted, needs to feel comfortable for both the outgoing and incoming owner. If changes feel too fast, you, as the departing owner, may resist implementation and/or sabotage the change. If change feels too slow, the incoming owner may decide that this is not the right fit for them as nothing will ever change!

Letting go – moving on

This may be the hardest step you as an existing owner will ever have to take. It is understandable that after pouring your time, energy, sweat and heart into your business for years it can be very difficult to let go and let others take charge. The business has most likely been central to your identity for decades. The owner of this business is who you are in the business, within the community and within the industry in which you travel. This “letting go” will be a very, difficult process. It will require honest discussion with you and all others. Then, there may need to be a written agreement on the stages of a transition and a timeline for getting there. Yet, once these decisions have been made, you will be able to create a framework for a successful transition.

Creating a succession plan – a peaceful transition

You and your family don’t have to stumble through succession planning alone. It should be a team effort with support from an accountant, an attorney, and a business advisor and/or mentors. They can help you set a reasonable timeline, guide you through the process, help you create a framework for the transition and understand how this leadership change will impact your business.

Learning about other family business’ experiences with succession planning can be invaluable as well. The changing of the guard can be peaceful and very empowering for all concerned. This is always an essential step for the long-term success of any business. Drop the reins and let other family members take up the slack. With a careful and in-depth plan, you will all be ready. You will have people who are qualified to take over; they will bring energy, passion, and new, exciting ideas; the business will continue and grow.

In the end, you will not regret it. You not only started and have grown a successful business but determined how it will continue well into the future.

Good work, boss!

Every small family business faces unique and unusual choices unlike other small businesses. This is true when the founder(s) or family business owner(s) decides to explore transitioning from management, reduce their ownership share, leave the business (and/or perhaps even consider selling it to a non-family member).

However, in order for a smooth transition of management oversight and/or business ownership from one family member to another, there are some important considerations that everyone needs to face.

Is the current owner willing to give up “control” of the business and perhaps new management?
Is the potential new business owner(s) sensitive to the founder’s needs related to control and change?
Will the new owners have a passionate commitment and be competent to manage this type of business?
Can the business “pay” any price/value of the business requested by the departing founding owner?
Is there a transition plan that both the out-going and in-coming owners can create together?

These are several considerations that all need to be addressed and solved. No small feat!!

Learn more about the Ownership Transition & Exit Planning

The Exit Planning Audit: Are you ready to go?

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 22:04:24 GMT

An exit planning business audit is a tool to help you specifically evaluate your readiness for an ownership transfer and determine if your business is a good sales prospect. Will your business be attractive to a buyer or will it need improvement prior to offering it for sale? Is the business’ goodwill of high enough value to attract interested buyers, or are you better off selling physical/tangible assets and simply closing the business?

Here are some initial business audit questions to consider when exploring a business ownership transition:

Your business exit motivations:

Why do you want to exit your business?
Do you want to see the business run by a specific person or team?
What do you want to do next after selling the business?
Do you want to leave completely or stay involved in some way?
Do you have any fiscal or emotional conditions for a business sale?
Do you have a vision for your business even after you aren’t involved?

The status of the business readiness:

Do you have up-to-date financial statements that match your tax returns?
Have sales revenues and profits consistently increased over the past few years?
Does your business have a distinct competitive advantage?
Does your business operate with clear written procedures and agreements?
Can your business operate without you, or with you in a different role?
Are there staff and other support that will continue with any new owner?
Does your business have opportunities for growth?

Your answers to these questions (and more!) will help you determine the right next steps for you and your business, and the best timeline for an ownership transition.

A business exit can be complicated and we encourage you to start thinking about your business exit well in advance. You want time to consider what an exit would mean for you and your business well before you are ready to make this change. You want a transition that won’t negatively affect your employees and the vendors, clients, or customers reliant on your business.

Don’t wait until your business is struggling or you are desperate for a change before you act. With thorough exit planning, you can improve your readiness to transition and the value of your business!

At some point, most small business owners will ask: What is next for me beyond this business?

“I want to pursue something new.” “I’m burned out.” “I wonder if I could sell this business.” “My family member or employee wants to take over, and maybe it’s time.” “Retirement sounds good!”

If you are having a similar thought, it may be a good time for a business audit. A business audit is essentially a business check-up — you are assessing the health of your business so you can make well-informed decisions about next steps. A business audit is a great management tool to use at any stage of business… ideally annually!

Learn more about the Ownership Transitions & Exit Planning

Business Exit - Are you ready?

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 21:57:08 GMT

Many tech entrepreneurs think about their business exit from day one. Acquisition is central to their business model. But most smaller business owners don’t think about it at all… they are too busy getting into business or staying in business! An exit plan should be a part of every entrepreneur’s business planning process — though this is the least understood part of the business plan and often ignored.

Don’t wait. Think about a business exit now.

No matter how successful you are in business and how much you love our work, you should think about what will happen to your business when you no longer actively manage or run it. At some point down the road—a couple of years or decades from now—you will leave your businesses (or your businesses will leave you). Personal circumstances might change or burn-out could happen. You may be ready to pursue a new endeavor or want to retire. Or someone could approach you about buying your business.

Business exit options

You may not be able to predict your business’ success, your future interests, or the direction of the marketplace. But you can start thinking about the business exit options that could be a good fit for you. There are a variety of ways to exit your business. You could pass it to a family member, partner, employee, or other business stakeholder. You could sell it to an outsider. You could liquidate it and sell the assets, or you could file for bankruptcy. How will you figure out what is best for you and your business?

Envisioning the future options

We encourage you to think about your business and what it might look like when you are not at the helm.

Is your goal to create a legacy business that will last forever?
Do you ultimately want to pass the business on to a family member?
When you are ready to stop running the business, do you hope to sell it?
Would you want the business taken over by an employee(s), partner, or other internal stakeholder
Would you want to sell to an outside party?

The vision for your business will change as your business develops and circumstances change, but thinking about your business’ trajectory, including your exit, is a key part of strategic planning and business growth. (If you are in a business partnership, it is important that you have an ownership agreement, from the beginning, which spells out what will happen if one or more partners wants to exit the business.)

Planning your transition

When you are ready to think seriously about transitioning away from your business, you need a business exit plan . Just as a good business plan is an important part of business start-up, a good exit plan is key to a smooth transition away from the business.

There is an ownership transition planning process. This includes identifying or clarifying your motivations and goals, assessing the current strengths and weaknesses of the business, and creating a transition or business sale timeline with clear benchmarks. Then, the business owner can stay accountable to their plan. It is key that every small business owner feel ready for every next step and also include a feasible and straightforward plan to guide them through their ownership transition.

BUSINESS EXIT… ARE YOUR READY?

Learn more about the Ownership Transition & Exit Planning

My First Business Partnership

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:41:36 GMT

The first business I owned in San Francisco was a retail food business. It was a crash course in how to launch a small business from scratch and what it takes to start and manage a business partnership.

Know your business partner

My business partner, Michael, and I were good friends before we went into business together. We lived in a house collectively with ten other people and spent a lot of time in the shared kitchen. We enjoyed cooking big meals and feeding everyone. At the time, Michael co-owned a small manufacturing business. As we became friends, I helped in his business and we discovered a complementary work style and a similar approach to business management. We both saw a small business as a potential vehicle for “right livelihood” and shared a collaborative approach to decision-making. It didn’t take long before we connected on a common business idea and decided to start a food retail business together.

Start with a good foundation

By the time we agreed to go into business together, we had a solid foundation for a business partnership. Michael had started a business from scratch and had essential technical and computer skills. I had been to business school in Canada had helped other friends start businesses.

So, we discovered what was most important was that:

We liked and trusted each other and we already knew we could work well together,
We had complementary skills, and were both committed to working hard and planning ahead,
We were comfortable with taking a measure and shared a passion… for gourmet food.

Agree on a viable business model

Our first idea was a catering business, making and delivering gourmet lunches to corporate offices. We would use our home kitchen to keep it simple and lower costs. However, we quickly learned that making food in a home kitchen wouldn’t be legal. It also couldn’t easily scale. We then researched buying an existing restaurant. We identified a restaurant, researched the legalities using the kitchen, building out space, and hiring staff. But the complexity of a restaurant would require more capital than we could raise. Given our skills, timeline, and budget, we decided to compromise and start a gourmet deli.

Do the shoe leather research – street by street

We scouted neighborhoods for good foot traffic and reasonable rent. We viewed spaces on Haight Street, Potrero Hill, West Portal, Noe Valley, and Inner Sunset. Finally, we found a tiny storefront on Fillmore Street - an old laundromat available for sub-lease from the master next door, a tennis racket repair shop. The space was the right price and we negotiated a fair lease. There was a hospital nearby and many new retailers moving into the neighborhood. But we had another problem. There was an established deli right across the street. So, we pivoted. We signed the sub-lease for our new gourmet cheese shop Cheshire Cheese. We were off and running!

Share the load

We spent the next six weeks planning and building the storefront. It was a community effort. The two of us focused on legalities and product ordering, and we recruited friends to help with carpentry, plumbing, interior design, and graphics. We figured out how to share responsibility for the business, each taking charge of certain aspects given our interests and skills. The partnership was working well.

Our partnership success

The success of our partnership and, I believe, any business partnership was based on planning, shared values, and a passionate commitment to a common ideal and purpose. We had very compatible personalities and work styles that had been tested on past experience running our collective household. Due to his business development and my business degree, we had complementary skill sets and areas of business expertise. It was obvious we had good communication, joint decision-making, and really enjoyed each other’s sense of humor. Before opening we had a solid plan on how to market and manage the business… and make it work financially!

My partnership with Michael started with Cheshire Cheese and continued on into two other businesses. This hands-on business partnership experience continues to inform my consulting work today. Owning a business with others can be an incredibly rewarding experience — but to work well it must be based on a solid foundation and good planning.

Learn more about the Partnerships & Joint Ventures

Family Business Advice

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:38:55 GMT

Owning and operating a small family business – whether you are a business founder or part of the next generation to operate the business – is very different from running a small business with people who aren’t family members. We asked two local businesses to share their thoughts and advice related to the family business experience. One is part of a multi-generational family business and the other has been in business with her husband for over 20 years.

MARTY SANCHEZ, third generation of Casa Sanchez

As a part of the third generation of a successful San Francisco Bay Area family business, Marty understands the dynamics of multi-generation family businesses and shares this advice:

On playing to your strengths

In every family business, each person has a strength that really helps the family – it could be related to sales, bookkeeping, organization, etc. You must learn who you are and figure out your strengths and then engage in the parts of the business that you are good at and where you can make a difference.

On communication and compromise

With family, you sometimes speak without thinking first. Nagging is a common way of communicating in our family businesses. This is not the best way to communicate, but it can be effective! You must not forget that the strength of the relationships is the strength of the business. Family business means compromise. This goes for out-laws (in-laws), too, who may not fully understand the family dynamics and have their own ideas for the business.

On personal vs. business time

One holiday many years ago when the family was together, we couldn’t stop talking about the business. Someone said, ‘Let’s not talk about business at all on Thanksgiving and Christmas’… and we’ve stuck to it! This makes holiday time extra special.

On growing up in a family business

Kids get involved with a family business organically. They hang out at the business after school every day and start to help out. They learn about it without even knowing it. It’s ‘Take Your Kid to Work Day’ every day! As kids get older, they can feel obligated to help their parents, siblings, or other family members. Guilt can play a large role as they don’t want to abandon the family. We need to be sensitive to these feelings and make sure that those in the next generation feel comfortable talking to someone in the family about the business and their role in it.

On compensating family members

There needs to be a clear understanding about how compensation is handled for family members and how pay and raises are calculated. Imbalances in pay or a lack of clarity lead to resentment. Create clear compensation rules that are related to roles, tasks, hours worked, etc. and put it in writing.

On getting outside support

When an issue comes up, it can be hard to talk about it openly, and in a way that leads to resolution. A family member may be unhappy but may not feel comfortable talking about it. It has been really helpful for us to meet with a mediator to discuss issues, find ways to compromise, and move forward.

On family pride

People love to support family businesses and they love to hear that I am the third-generation in our family business. Customers recognize the commitment, passion, dedication, and hard work and want to support us. I’m very proud to be a part of a family-owned business.

DEBORAH BOWES, CO-OWNER OF FELDENKRAIS CENTER FOR MOVEMENT & AWARENESS

Deborah has co-owned Feldenkrais Center for Movement & Awareness with her husband, Cliff Smyth, since 1996. Here are her tips for other businesses owned and operated with a life partner:

On communication, compromise and sharing the load

Agree on the steps to take next and be willing to compromise and sometimes follow your partner’s dream. Try to share the stress. Be attentive to when your partner needs a break and give it to him/her.

Be honest with what you want to do and the kind of support that you need. Allow each other to work from his/her strengths. Give a lot of support when your partner is doing something the he/she doesn’t like to do or doesn’t want to do. After all, there’s always going to be some of that! Make specific times for work meetings and take notes. It’s so easy to forget who agreed to what.

On managing conflict

Don’t talk about work before going to bed. Go for walks to talk out difficult issues. When you both are around your employees, be professional with each other. Keep any private issues at home.

On work/life balance

Home support is essential. Share tasks related to cooking and cleaning and use a housecleaner if that is helpful. If you get grouchy after you have worked all day, come home hungry and there’s nothing to eat in the house. Have food in the freezer ready for a quick meal or get take out once a week.

Your business depends on your own self care and health. It is as important as everything else you do. Stay hydrated and try to fit some type of movement or exercise into your day. Laugh together and relax together.

< Partnerships & Joint Ventures

Operating a Family-Owned Business

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:35:30 GMT

At Paul Terry & Associates, we have experienced family-owned business dynamics. Paul worked for his father’s sawmill manufacturing business while in high school and college. His first two businesses in San Francisco were partnerships with a married couple. Paul’s daughter Jenny has been an integral part of PT&A when she’s not running her family farm with her husband.

Owning and operating a business with family can have a lot of advantages, especially related to trust and a joint commitment to the enterprise. This is often essential in the early stages as everyone in the business is driven by their passion for creating the product or providing the service. But once the “honeymoon” stage is over, things can get more challenging and complicated, as additional business skills are required. Careful attention must be given to operating the business and relating to one another as business partners and not just family members.

Roles and responsibilities

Every business needs clearly defined roles and responsibilities for the people associated with the business especially when the owners or the employees are family members. With a family business, every issue affecting your business relationship could easily spill over into your personal life. It is essential to:

Create job descriptions outlining each person’s role, specific responsibilities, and revise when necessary.
Set regular meetings (monthly/quarterly) to discuss tasks, responsibilities and how decisions are made.
Confirm that employees who aren’t part of the family know how to deal with the family lines of authority.

Communication

When you have a personal and a business relationship with someone, communication requires extra care. It can be easy to be critical with a relative in ways that you never would be with a non-family member

Simple rules of good communication must still apply.

Address issues as they surface in a respectful, honest, and open way.
Approach your interactions from a place of respect and trust.
Refrain from talking about personal issues at work when around people who aren’t family members.
Spend time with your family members when you don’t talk about the business.
When needed, bring in an outside mediator to help resolve the issues that you can’t fix alone.

Governing family structure

Just like any other business , it is very important to have written agreements. This can include both the governing and operating structure as well as the roles and responsibilities of each owner, particularly related to decision-making. Everything may be working fine… until it isn’t.

For a family business, it is very important to consider these questions:

How will family partners evaluate each other’s work? Will there be performance reviews?
How will family partners be compensated? Does everyone make the same amount?
What happens to profits from the business and how are they divided?
What happens when one partner no longer want to own/run the business? Who gets the first right of refusal?
What is the policy for bringing other family members into the business?

Like all joint ventures, every family-owned business needs an ownership operating agreement. This agreement should include an operating agreement as well as a succession or exit plan to protect both the business and the personal relationship of the owners.

Getting support

It is tempting to try and “go it alone” and take care of issues within the family instead of discussing your problems with outsiders. But outside support – whether from a trusted business advisor or another family-owned business – can bring different perspectives and solutions. An advisor or mediator can help you address underlying issues that may be difficult to bring up or handle without support. They can also help you implement and maintain better business systems and make adjustments as needed.

Gellert Family Business Resource Center
This University of San Francisco center provides family-owned businesses with access to networking and practical family business information and helps promote next-generation leadership.

<Partnerships & Joint Ventures

A Father-Daughter Business Partnership

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:31:22 GMT

Unoeth: A Father-Daughter Business Partnership

After a trip to Ethiopia to visit family, Xiomara Rose-Tedla’s father brought back a leather messenger bag as a gift for Xiomara. That bag and the interest it received from friends and strangers alike led to Xiomara and her father, Dagne Tedla, to found UnoEth in 2015. UnoEth, which means ‘one Ethiopia,’ partners with artisans and small business owners in Addis Ababa to produce handmade leather handbags, totes, backpacks, duffels and accessories.

An interview with Xiomara Rosa-Tedla, co-owner of UnoEth

What was your experience with entrepreneurship before launching UnoEth? I have a degree in Business with a concentration in Marketing, which led to a career in Advertising, Marketing and Merchandising. This background gave me the foundation and knowledge on how to start a business. My inspiration, though, is my mother, who has been an entrepreneur for many years. Watching her grow her law firm inspired me in so many ways to launch my own business. She is an incredible role model and sounding board. I love that being a business owner allows me to design my own life. I create my own schedule and the pace for my growing brand.

In launching your business, what kind of support did you get from immediate family members? Initially, our immediate family members were our biggest supporters. They were the first to purchase our merchandise, offer their expertise in legal, marketing, tech support, and they helped promote our business to their personal networks. Word of mouth spread like a wildfire and helped us grow our brand without costing us a dime.

How has being a young Black woman impacted your experience as a small business owner? I repeatedly faced challenges in launching and growing our business. One of the main obstacles is funding to grow. Statistically, Black women receive the lowest amounts of funding compared to any other gender or race.

What happened to your business when the pandemic hit? When the pandemic first hit, we were almost at a standstill. Fifty percent of our business came from in-person events across the country and all of our major events were canceled. Online sales were slow because we were out of stock in our best-selling styles. We were waiting to receive product from Ethiopia but all cargo shipments were on hold for several months. Things turned for the better after a surge of support for Black-owned and small businesses in late May-June 2020 after the murder of George Floyd. We received a huge lift in sales and press, which carried on throughout the year.

How has your business had to change in order to survive and grow? Since we were not able to sell in-person, we had to pivot and focus on driving sales online. We increased our advertising spending on different platforms and saw a lot of success in our efforts. I am happy to report that we are now doing well. Business is up and we are so grateful to be healthy during this global pandemic.

What advice do you have for other small family business owners? When we first launched UnoEth, my father and I had to learn how to communicate as business partners, which is totally different than our regular father-daughter dynamic and required a lot of patience. Understanding our different working styles and how to effectively communicate was essential to creating a seamless working dynamic.

What advice do you have for other young, Black, female small business owners? Create a strong business plan. This will create a solid foundation and a roadmap to success.

What excites you most about the future of your business? What excites me the most is duplicating our business model and working with more artisans all over the world. It gives me great joy to witness our partners’ businesses grow and to see our customers enjoy and wear the products that we create.

 Any specific products to promote? Our Telak Messenger bag is our first original style that sparked the idea of launching our brand and is still today’s best seller. It inspired us to create our line of handmade, leather handbags, backpacks, wallets and more. Check out our entire line at unoeth.com .

This interview was originally conducted for the USF Gellert Family Business Resources Center’s blog .

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Partnership Advice from Small Business Owners

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:26:39 GMT

PARTNERSHIP ADVICE FROM SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

There are many factors that must be considered when operating a business with others. We asked some of our clients to share their partnership advice for entrepreneurs who are considering business co-ownership.

Here’s what they had to say!

Shamita Dhar of Coyote Coast Youth & Family Counseling

Shamita and her business partners co-own a counseling business that provides therapeutic support services to teens and families experiencing emotional, behavioral, and substance-related difficulties.

Why did you decide to go into business with other people?

Being a part of a team is extremely rewarding. We each have important strengths, which complement one another and support a balanced approach when making important business decisions.

What do you love about owning a business with others?

I like the security of knowing that if one of us is having an off day, there are two others dotting “I”s and crossing “T”s. Building a business is filled with opportunities for both successes and failures. It certainly feels better experiencing either case when one is not alone.

What is most challenging about co-owning a business?

It is inevitable that tension will build when one or more partners fails to pull their weight or during periods when a partner experiences a crisis of confidence or some ambivalence about the work.

How do you deal with these challenges?

With solid agreements, direct communication, and healthy boundaries—without these, we can end up feeling misused and mistreated. Fairness is essential for a working partnership.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs considering a business partnership?

Talk through every possibility and establish a solid partnership agreement, no matter how close you may be. In fact, the closer you are, it is even more imperative to outline clear and specific agreements about how to work within the partnership and exit the partnership.

Jane Lin of Urban Field Studio

Jane and her business partners provide a full range of urban design services, including strategy, design, conceptual architecture, and urban design education and communications.

Why did you decide to go into business with other people?

Two or three is better than one! It is good to share responsibility. You can do more as a team. And, it makes life outside of the business more flexible since we can cover each other when we go on vacation.

What do you love about owning a business with others?

I really like collaborating with my partners. I learn a lot from them. They are not just business partners but mentors. I feel that I contribute to something bigger than just myself when I work as a team. We all contribute energy, knowledge, encouragement, skill, support, and friendship to each other.

What is most challenging about co-owning a business?

Distributing responsibilities requires daily tending. But, that’s what running a business is all about!

How do you deal with this challenge?

TALK. Say exactly what you feel and state what you want. For tougher moments it’s good to have a third partner who can hear you both out. And, when you don’t get your way, have a good attitude about getting what you desire next time and understanding that it’s for the long haul.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs considering a business partnership?

Think of your potential business partner like a travel partner. Use a similar filter as if you are choosing a travel buddy. This is a long journey and you may get lost. Can you handle being stuck somewhere with this person? Will they help you figure out what to do next? Will you choose the same path forward?

Write a partnership agreement. The biggest deal is the partnership agreement. It’s like wedding vows and a pre-nup (but not as romantic). The value of your business is maintaining a strong relationship between you and your partner every day. If that is strong, your relationship with your customers will also be strong.

What do you wish you had done differently?

There is not that much I would do differently, but I do need to remind myself to give props to my partners as much as possible. I want to practice gratefulness in what they do every day. And, I want to make sure we are connected as much as reasonable.

Deborah Bowes of Feldenkrais Center for Movement Awareness

Deborah co-owns the longest established Feldenkrais Center in the Bay Area offering individual sessions

related wellness services and partners with her husband Cliff Smythe

Deborah’s partnership advice for other small business owners:

Make a plan. It is important to plan for the changes that the future inevitably brings. Not only to decide what will happen but design a process for working through change.

Communicate openly. Good communication skills are essential, as well as being able to have difficult conversations and still be friends, and work through different goals and values. There will be times when you want to go in a different direction than your partner. If you want the business to grow and develop, you have to accept the difference and see how you can make it work for everyone. Then you can be happy to be in business.

Trust is essential. You have to trust each other; you must trust that your partner will be honest, and fair. You may not be best friends but you both must consider each other’s needs and want the best outcome for both of you and in turn, for the business you share.

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Starting a Business Partnership

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 18:20:07 GMT

Starting your own small business can be a leap of faith. Starting a business with others can be an even bigger leap. How can you be sure that your business partner(s) will be the right fit – with you and the needs of the business? How do you know that the partnership will last?

First, you have to ask a lot of questions – both of yourself and the other person. You need to understand what you each bring to the business, how you will work together, and how you will handle the challenges.

When our clients start a business in partnership or create a joint venture, we suggest a three-step process:

STEP ONE: Self-assessment

Before getting deep into conversations with a potential business partner about the details of the business relationship, each person should ask themselves some initial questions:

Why do I want to do this business?
What is my work style and my strengths and weaknesses?
What are my goals for the business?
What is my level of commitment to the business?
What roles do I really want in the business?
What are my expectations from a partner?

STEP TWO: Dialogue

After each person has a better idea of what they want and what they could bring to the partnership or joint venture, they need to sit down together to discuss mutual expectations. By talking it out, it will soon be clear if this could be a good business relationship.

Do you share similar values and a similar approach to business ownership?
Do you trust each other?
How will your individual qualities and skills work together?
In what areas do you agree or disagree?

A strong business partnership or joint venture should have at least three benefits:

Good chemistry

You and your business partner must actually like each other! You will be making many important decisions together. A foundation of mutual appreciation and respect is essential to get through tough times and make being in business a lot more fun.

Clear communication

You both/all need to be comfortable and willing to talk with each other regularly. You need to be able to share opinions and feelings honestly and deal with them promptly. You also need a framework for making important decisions and a process for how to deal with conflict.

Benefits for all

You each must be contributing something unique to the relationship – a specific skills, an area of expertise and a management style that will complement the other partner(s). Each person should bring something critical to the business, such as financial resources, marketing expertise, or important connections. And both you and your partner(s) should feel you are gaining something from the partnership to make it worthwhile.

STEP THREE: An agreement in writing

After going through the self-assessment and dialogue with a potential partner, you may discover that a partnership is not the best business relationship for you or the business. Great discovery! Maybe one person would be better as an employee/contractor for the business instead of a co-owner. Or, there is someone else out there who would make a better partner.

If the process thus far makes it clear that you still want to proceed as partners, a written agreement (signed by both/all partners) is critical. It should include specifics related to roles and responsibilities, ownership percentages, compensation, decision-making and conflict resolution. The agreement should also include a process for reviewing, amending, and exiting the agreement and leaving the business if needed.

Take the time necessary to figure out that you and the other person(s) are the right match and you all have what it takes to start the business together. Then put it in writing! This solid foundation is essential for any business partnership and will make the overall business work so much better.

< Partnerships & Joint Ventures