http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGq5chzf1_k
On this episode of Basso On Business we visit a Long Island institution....Eddies Pizza of New Hyde Park. This isn't just your everyday joint. They have a unique business model and have been around for over 70 years. Take a peek inside the running of a successful retsaurant.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
May I Have Another...Tax That Is
Unemployment is still on the rise and making ends meet in the tri-state region is becoming increasingly difficult. While there are signs of some slight recovery in some sectors of the region, I think most would say that we are certainly not out of the woods yet. Employees and employers alike are stretched to the brink and many are breaking altogether.
Enter the MTA. I trust my readers have been following the fiasco regarding the ridiculous budget problems the MTA have been having. Well, now they are our problems. I freely admit that the mass transit system in our area is a necessity and businesses and families cannot function without it. It clearly supports our ability to conduct business and have fruitful lives zipping from Jersey, NYC, Westchester and Connecticut. That being said, I still don't agree with the egregious tax that will be levied on employers to pay for the shortcomings of failed management.
The new payroll tax will be roughly .34 for every $100. I am not a math-a-magician, but that could add up to some serious bucks even if you are a modest size company. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are the bread and butter of the economy. I feel as if there is a target on my back and lurking at every corner is another roadblock put up to impead forward progress.
I suggest we write our lawmakers and work on a solution that does not involve making it harder for business owners to operate. Think of what really happens when a business owner has less money...they hire fewer people, do less renovations, squeeze their suppliers, delay payments, and the whole mess ends up hurting the general public the lawmakers are supposed to serve.
Participate in our government or the government will gladly participate in your life whether you like it or not. Don't just complain about it, let's all try to be part of the solution. In the meantime my fellow entrepreneurs.....stay positive and change you business model if necessary to adapt to current market conditions. Taxes and death are a certainty.
Enter the MTA. I trust my readers have been following the fiasco regarding the ridiculous budget problems the MTA have been having. Well, now they are our problems. I freely admit that the mass transit system in our area is a necessity and businesses and families cannot function without it. It clearly supports our ability to conduct business and have fruitful lives zipping from Jersey, NYC, Westchester and Connecticut. That being said, I still don't agree with the egregious tax that will be levied on employers to pay for the shortcomings of failed management.
The new payroll tax will be roughly .34 for every $100. I am not a math-a-magician, but that could add up to some serious bucks even if you are a modest size company. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are the bread and butter of the economy. I feel as if there is a target on my back and lurking at every corner is another roadblock put up to impead forward progress.
I suggest we write our lawmakers and work on a solution that does not involve making it harder for business owners to operate. Think of what really happens when a business owner has less money...they hire fewer people, do less renovations, squeeze their suppliers, delay payments, and the whole mess ends up hurting the general public the lawmakers are supposed to serve.
Participate in our government or the government will gladly participate in your life whether you like it or not. Don't just complain about it, let's all try to be part of the solution. In the meantime my fellow entrepreneurs.....stay positive and change you business model if necessary to adapt to current market conditions. Taxes and death are a certainty.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Basso On Business: Monday Night Magic - NEW EPISODE
Check out the latest installment of Basso On Business: Monday Night Magic. Click below to view.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG8rMLfW-fw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG8rMLfW-fw
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Procrastinators Perish
I would bet that anyone reading this article would agree that we all procrastinate from time to time. The reasons run from, "I just don't have enough time" to "my spouse will not let me", or my favorite, "I'll get to it tomorrow". No you won't. Trust me, you won't. The problem is not someone else or even the time to do something that needs to get done. This clear issue is you.
I know I always have issues getting things done that I am not very good at. For example, my spackling ability stinks. It never seems to come out flat enough to look good with a coat of paint. While I have done it many times, I don't really care for it that much. I am certain that is part of the reason I am not good at it . I put off doing it until I can't stand to look at a ding in the wall. It's kind of like a self fulfilling prophecy.
In business this type of disease can have disastrous consequences. I have a business friend that told me (no really it's a friend! I have no issue with the following) she just can't seem to find the time to call one of her clients back after they leave a message with a complaint. Well, on this occasion she did not call back in a timely manner and the client went elsewhere.
Was she really too busy? I bet you not. The fact is that she is not good at any sort of conflict. She is great at what she does...but that is not enough. So how do you solve this type of thing? Is there procrastinator anonymous? Maybe, but I have a few potentially easier suggestions.
1. Designate a more appropriate person to handle things that are better suited to their skills. This is not avoiding the issue; it is using the correct resources at your disposal.
2. Have a written set of procedures on how to deal with certain issues or tasks. This will make getting them done work more like a checklist and seem less daunting.
3. Work on improving some of the skills you don't like, get good at them and you may actually enjoy it!
Don't be the procrastinator that perishes. It's tough enough out there right now. You need every advantage you can get.
I know I always have issues getting things done that I am not very good at. For example, my spackling ability stinks. It never seems to come out flat enough to look good with a coat of paint. While I have done it many times, I don't really care for it that much. I am certain that is part of the reason I am not good at it . I put off doing it until I can't stand to look at a ding in the wall. It's kind of like a self fulfilling prophecy.
In business this type of disease can have disastrous consequences. I have a business friend that told me (no really it's a friend! I have no issue with the following) she just can't seem to find the time to call one of her clients back after they leave a message with a complaint. Well, on this occasion she did not call back in a timely manner and the client went elsewhere.
Was she really too busy? I bet you not. The fact is that she is not good at any sort of conflict. She is great at what she does...but that is not enough. So how do you solve this type of thing? Is there procrastinator anonymous? Maybe, but I have a few potentially easier suggestions.
1. Designate a more appropriate person to handle things that are better suited to their skills. This is not avoiding the issue; it is using the correct resources at your disposal.
2. Have a written set of procedures on how to deal with certain issues or tasks. This will make getting them done work more like a checklist and seem less daunting.
3. Work on improving some of the skills you don't like, get good at them and you may actually enjoy it!
Don't be the procrastinator that perishes. It's tough enough out there right now. You need every advantage you can get.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Fight for Charity - Basso On Business/New Episode
Click the link and enjoy the video...You can even watch a past episode
http://liadvantage.com/BassoonBusiness/tabid/188/Default.aspx
http://liadvantage.com/BassoonBusiness/tabid/188/Default.aspx
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
You Make Your Own Reality
I watch the news, read the papers and search various news sources very regulary. I do my best look at a variety of sources and tend to form my own opinion of what reality is. Reality is a an intersting thing because each and everyone of us live in our own reality. You see things in black and white, I may see things in shade or grey or maybe violet. Well, maybe not violet, but you get the point. Our own personalities, background and perception make up what is our truth.
It is not to say that their are not absolutes. A rock is generaly rock and when it rains you tend to get wet, thats not really what I am talking about. I mean the more elusive truths. More specifically on America's mind today and everpresent in the media is the economy. Ah yes, the economy. Show me one person that really understands how the global economy works and we will most certainly disagree that it's true.
I am certain that there are many people that get the gist of it and fewer that can claim they are econmists. I am sure they are intelligent and well intentioned individuals....but their ecomomic reality may not be yours. Making us simple folk understand what is really happening is a daunting task and I have not heard from any pundint or braintrust that has actually explained it so we can all get it. Heck, maybe that's the entire point.
What I know is that my reality says that I do have a personal impact on the economy at large. I can quietly and simply make decisions that affect my micro(family and business) economy. When I make sound personal and business decisions it affects my family, my staff, my clients and my business relationships in a positive way. Isn't that the best way to help the economy at large?
Some may say that I am oversimplifying the challenges. Maybe that's a bit true. Make your own reality a good one by doing your best to make solid decisions that have lasting positive affects.
It is not to say that their are not absolutes. A rock is generaly rock and when it rains you tend to get wet, thats not really what I am talking about. I mean the more elusive truths. More specifically on America's mind today and everpresent in the media is the economy. Ah yes, the economy. Show me one person that really understands how the global economy works and we will most certainly disagree that it's true.
I am certain that there are many people that get the gist of it and fewer that can claim they are econmists. I am sure they are intelligent and well intentioned individuals....but their ecomomic reality may not be yours. Making us simple folk understand what is really happening is a daunting task and I have not heard from any pundint or braintrust that has actually explained it so we can all get it. Heck, maybe that's the entire point.
What I know is that my reality says that I do have a personal impact on the economy at large. I can quietly and simply make decisions that affect my micro(family and business) economy. When I make sound personal and business decisions it affects my family, my staff, my clients and my business relationships in a positive way. Isn't that the best way to help the economy at large?
Some may say that I am oversimplifying the challenges. Maybe that's a bit true. Make your own reality a good one by doing your best to make solid decisions that have lasting positive affects.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
I Just Don't Get "It"
I often wonder why some people just don't get "it". That certainly depends on the "it" you are referring to. In this case I mean taking simple satisfaction and pride in a job well done. Too many times I have seen shabby work in walks of life; the waiter at a restaurant, the receptionist at a business and any large public utility or cable company. It seems to be pervasive in modern American society and you would not think this would be the case based on the principles this country was built on. What happend to make this type of apathy so rampant?
Maybe it is a sense of entitlement because we have become accustomed to being on top of the economic food chain for so long . It could be that our purley consumer driven marketplace and the demand for better, cheaper, faster is taking a toll on our pyche and pushing people to the brink in the chase of the all mightly dollar. I am sure you have some of your own ideas on what caused this near epidemic.....so, what do we do as individuals to help stem the tide?
I remember washing dishes in college and thinking geesh, this is not what I want to do the rest of my life. Nevertheless those dishes came out clean and on time and I took pride in getting the job done right. This is not a knock on dishwashers(everyone has their nitche in the world), but rather a simple philosophy about your self value, worth and pride. If we all spent time truly showing the pride in whatever we do on a daily basis it would be infectious.
Not everyone will get on board, but it seems to me that life is better when you have a purpose. Hey, take a step today and stop being that grumpy waiter, grubbling receptionist or gruff cable company employee. I bet you not only feel better, but will move forward in every facet of your life.
Maybe it is a sense of entitlement because we have become accustomed to being on top of the economic food chain for so long . It could be that our purley consumer driven marketplace and the demand for better, cheaper, faster is taking a toll on our pyche and pushing people to the brink in the chase of the all mightly dollar. I am sure you have some of your own ideas on what caused this near epidemic.....so, what do we do as individuals to help stem the tide?
I remember washing dishes in college and thinking geesh, this is not what I want to do the rest of my life. Nevertheless those dishes came out clean and on time and I took pride in getting the job done right. This is not a knock on dishwashers(everyone has their nitche in the world), but rather a simple philosophy about your self value, worth and pride. If we all spent time truly showing the pride in whatever we do on a daily basis it would be infectious.
Not everyone will get on board, but it seems to me that life is better when you have a purpose. Hey, take a step today and stop being that grumpy waiter, grubbling receptionist or gruff cable company employee. I bet you not only feel better, but will move forward in every facet of your life.
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