Many of my friends accuse me of being a food snob. It’s true, I am. But, even greater than my appreciation for amazing food is that of truly outstanding and authentic customer service.  It doesn’t matter if I’m getting an oil change or a seven course meal, I remember much more about how I am treated than the actual goods or services I’m...

Have you ever played the game JENGA? It’s a fun-yet-terrifying game, the one with the small rectangular blocks of wood that are stacked in perpendicular rows to create a large tower while your job is to take turns at removing blocks from the lower tower in order to stack them on top to create an even taller tower. Of course, the fun (stress) of the game comes...

I’m not the typical character in your average modern business success story. I don’t have an MBA from a fancy school, I don’t come from an influential family, and I don’t have a resume filled with Fortune 500 companies. In fact, I’m a high school drop-out...

What do big box retailers like Macy’s, Target, Staples, and Toys ‘R Us all have in common? This year they will be open on Thanksgiving Day. Why? Because consumers demand it and holiday sales projections are down, sending retailers to scramble to bring in every consumer and every dollar they can get through their doors before they have spent their cash...

Over a hundred miles outside of LA, on the edge of the Mojave Desert, a scenario has played out that is mirrored in communities around the United States. As an exurb (a large community lying well outside of the suburbs of a major city) the High Desert is kind of forgotten by big businesses, not quite rich enough in natural resources (except sun and wind!) for major...

Going out of business is all the rage these days! In this economy, many small business owners are going out of business. Here's a few tips to keep up with this growing trend...