Archive By Section - Business Columns
Carl Kanowsky: Don’t let a battle cost you the war
Sometimes, my clients do exactly the wrong thing to anger their customers. They'll put up a big fight over $75, or they won't apologize when they've done something wrong. On the other hand, some of my clients have an innate sense of how to keep their customers happy, returning for more business and offering them glowing recommendations to other potential customers. I always counsel my clients before we begin any kind of battle, "Are you ...
Erika Kauzlarich-Bird: Program aims for speedy, informal resolutions
In an effort to settle disputes in the purchase or sale of a home quickly and informally, the Southland Regional Association of Realtors recently unveiled its new Ombudsman program.
Jerry Citarella: A stock, lots of eyes, then oops!
It was one of the most talked about events of the year: the stock that rocked the market - well at least until it actually started selling.
Brad Watson: A question of HOA legitimacy
Dr. HOA, I am trying to find out what the law requires for an HOA to be legitimate. I live in a very small community where the HOA does practically nothing, but demands $85 per month. We are having a lot of vandalism issues, and they do nothing to help fix the problem. I don't even think this HOA is legitimate because it ...
Ken Keller: The heart of your business: the management team
Heart attacks in the United States happen about every 34 seconds. The heart is a very efficient muscle except when it becomes damaged. The human heart is to the body what the management team is to a company. How healthy is your "company heart?" Is your management team strong and effective, or damaged and struggling? Management guru Peter Drucker wrote that a manager's job consists of five key parts. The first part is that he ...
Ken Keller: Nine questions plus two hours equals a better organization
Peter Drucker, along with best-selling authors Jim Collins, Jack Welch and Rick Warren have co-authored the book "The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization." I added four questions to the list that I believe are worth answering.
Carl Kanowsky: A lesson in investigation
Employer, a Delaware corporation based in California, hears rumors that its Japanese branch is having "accounting" issues. So it conducts an investigation and hires a private investigator firm to handle it.
Erika Kauzlarich-Bird: Successful short sales require diligence, hardships
Record-low interest rates and favorable resale prices during first quarter 2012 made housing in California more affordable than at any other time on record.
Brad Watson: A few tips for how to look at a prospective HOA
DR. HOA, I am in the market to purchase my first condominium, and I am nervous after hearing horror stories of associations not maintaining buildings and outrageous special assessments. What should I be looking for to ensure that I make a good investment? -Amy H. Hello Amy, I applaud your due diligence prior to purchasing in a condominium association. All too often, buyers proceed with the purchase of a condominium without performing the vital research ...
Jerry Citrella: There’s always a fee or charge
I've heard a lot of confusion lately about fees and charges for financial advice or products. I believe I've touched on this here before, but let's go a little deeper into it.
Ken Keller: Empowering or imprisoning your employees?
It has been nearly 68 years since American, British, Canadian, Free French and Polish troops landed on the beaches of Normandy in the Great Crusade to free Europe from the Nazi grasp.
Carl Kanowsky: A most deserving Man of the Year
It was the year 2000, and I had a dilemma.
Jerry Citarella: Trusts as retirement plan beneficiaries, Part II
Editor's note: Part two of a two-part column.
Ken Keller: How is your business achieving its goals?
The first four months of 2012 are in the history books. How did your company do? How did you do? Having a tactical orientation is great but an owner has a responsibility to be strategic. Simply put, anyone can drive, but the strategic thinker looks at the map and plans the route for the trip. Failure to do so could mean costly delays, running out of gas, arriving late to the destination. Napoleon Hill's "Think ...
Erika Kauzlarich-Bird: Successful short sales require diligence, hardships
A bank will do whatever it takes to recoup as much as it can, but a short sale is relatively straightforward when negotiations involve just a buyer, a seller and a lender.
Articles by Section - Business Columns
Disaster recovery — is your business prepared?
Is your business prepared for a disaster? While it is not something any of us like to think about, businesses should have a disaster plan in place.
Joe Klocko: The conundrum: supply and demand, wages and the skills gap
Most people understand the basic economic principle of supply and demand and incorporate it into their daily decisions. They may not do it consciously, but economic decisions are made every day by each and every one of us.
Ken Keller: Learning from the Pumpkin Patch
Last week I provided the Pyramid of Business Success, a nine layered structure. Layer seven was the Growth Plan.
Bob Khalsa: State’s pending sales at four-year high, share of distressed sales drops
The recent rise of pending home sales to the highest level in nearly four years supports experts who believe California's home resale market will achieve full bloom this spring.
Ken Keller: The Pyramid of Business Success
I've long admired Coach John Wooden's "Pyramid of Success." In business, whatever blueprint, instructional manual or paint by number kit being used before the enterprise launches is quickly tossed aside once the doors open. After that, it becomes a freelance-thing or a free for all, for those lacking mentors, a Sherpa or the time to figure it out.
Peter Bellas: Now that we’ve been forecasted
Once again we are upon the season of forecasts. A quick perusal of any investment website will turn up some very rosy and optimistic forecasts for the coming year and a least a few doom and gloom predictions.
Ken Keller: Keeping yourself motivated
One challenge of being a business owner or holding a position of leadership is keeping motivated.
Bob Khalsa: Real Estate Talk
January is typically a dormant time of year for the residential real estate market in the Santa Clarita Valley, yet this market recovery is so unusual that no one was surprised when statistics showed January posted the highest sales total for the month in six years.
Buying distressed properties
Real estate development during the Great Recession has proven to be a very challenging endeavor. Even seasoned professionals have found themselves struggling to service debt on projects that are producing monthly net negative cash flows.
Ken Keller: Do the right thing, quickly
Last week I wrote about the 2012 Gallup Poll where only 21 percent of U.S. adults rated business executives with high or very high in honesty and ethics.
Ken Keller: What is it that you believe in?
In the course of working with business owners and leaders, I have observed that the organizations that are the most successful over the long run are the ones that have a strong focus.
