Sadly, most business presentations are really pretty dismal.  Despite the high stakes involved (convincing our boss to back a cherished project or a customer to buy into our solution), survey after survey reveals that only about one quarter of internal business presentations are rated as good or better by their audiences, while 75 percent languish as mediocre, poor, or terrible. Read more...

From crowded gyms to new hobbies, the beginning of the new year is usually a time to make personal resolutions. But according to a new Manta poll, only 23 percent of the general public made resolutions at the beginning of 2017. Small business owners, on the other hand, are much more committed to setting actionable goals for both their business and personal lives. For instance, Manta’s poll found 66 percent of small business owners set business resolutions while another 54 percent set resolutions for life outside of work. Read more...

We’re asked to make tough decisions, have tough conversations, take on tough workloads, inspire tough people and achieve tough goals. There are emotionally-charged conversations to hold. Deadlines are tight and the pressure is on. Read more...

Most people think succession plans are limited to passing a business on to family but it can be to management, too, says Brad Frank, a partner with the Minneapolis office of Barnes & Thornburg. Read more...