On the December 23rd broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed Business Development for CPA's & Attorneys with Robin Hensley, President of Raising The Bar and author of the eponymous book and DVD, Raising The Bar: Legendary Rainmakers Share Their Business Development Secrets.
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Here Robin reveals varying marketing strategies for different types of services firms, as well as commonalities in approach. She also addresses practical aspects of the marketing process for professional services to accomplish concrete goals and objectives. Robin also discusses key insights from her book about common processes, building good will, networking, and relationship building that are shared by the notable subjects of her book.
Robin was with Ernst & Young for five years and the Atlanta law firms of Kilpatrick Stockton and Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers in both marketing and business development roles for more than six years. She is now a business development coach who specializes in coaching attorneys and CPA's who are at the top of their game to maximize their rainmaking skills.
Check out Robin's new blog and her new LinkedIn Group!
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
You can also download podcasts of Gross Reality from iTunes by searching for "Gross Reality" and clicking on the specific podcast you want to listen to. You can also subscribe on iTunes to automatically download "Gross Reality" every week to listen on your iPod, iPhone, or computer.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Gross Reality's Dec. 16 Show w/ Tim O'Rourke: Cut Costs In The Changing Business Landscape By Outsourcing Personnel via PEO's
On the December 16th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed how to cut costs in this changing business landscape by outsourcing personnel with Tim O'Rourke, President of WorkLife Financial.
There are increasing pressures on companies relating to HR issues thanks to increasingly numerous and complex workplace rules (ie. Safety, Time off, Sick Leave, Overtime, Disability accommodation,
Diversity management, Age, and Gender issues in pay and harassment) as well as more complex benefits choices and needs. The costs for businesses to comply are becoming overwhelming.
PEO's are a strategy to help manage this complex load by removing this burden from management and letting an organization that is set up to handle it, with the inventory of choices, compliance machinery, and experience, for a fee.
This is part of how businesses are having to reset the way they work in this new economy, with lower revenue and more pressures. The goal is to remove burdens and to focus the talents and energy of a company's people on making money, taking care of the customer, generating revenue, and keeping the heartbeat of the business alive.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
There are increasing pressures on companies relating to HR issues thanks to increasingly numerous and complex workplace rules (ie. Safety, Time off, Sick Leave, Overtime, Disability accommodation,
Diversity management, Age, and Gender issues in pay and harassment) as well as more complex benefits choices and needs. The costs for businesses to comply are becoming overwhelming.
PEO's are a strategy to help manage this complex load by removing this burden from management and letting an organization that is set up to handle it, with the inventory of choices, compliance machinery, and experience, for a fee.
This is part of how businesses are having to reset the way they work in this new economy, with lower revenue and more pressures. The goal is to remove burdens and to focus the talents and energy of a company's people on making money, taking care of the customer, generating revenue, and keeping the heartbeat of the business alive.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Friday, December 11, 2009
Gross Reality's Dec. 9 Show w/ Pauline Reynolds: Minimizing the Tax Bite - Year End Tax Tips and Planning for 2011
On the December 9th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed how to minimize the tax bite by planning ahead for 2011 with Pauline Reynolds, CPA, Shareholder at HLB Gross Collins, P.C.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Minimizing the Tax Bite - Year End Tax Tips and Planning for 2011 w/ Pauline Reynolds
Be sure to listen to Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show on America's Web Radio today at 5 ET!
Today's guest is Pauline D. Reynolds, CPA, Shareholder of HLB Gross Collins, P.C. On today's show, Steve will talk with Pauline about tax planning and savings opportunities to make the most of your money, especially relevant at the end of the year and the beginning of the new year.
Click here to find show notes and more information on Gross Reality.
Today's guest is Pauline D. Reynolds, CPA, Shareholder of HLB Gross Collins, P.C. On today's show, Steve will talk with Pauline about tax planning and savings opportunities to make the most of your money, especially relevant at the end of the year and the beginning of the new year.
Click here to find show notes and more information on Gross Reality.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Gross Reality's Dec. 2 Show w/ Carlos Quintero: Sales Excellence (Series 1)
On the December 2 broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed how to drive excellence and accelerate growth in sales forces with Carlos Quintero, President of Sales Effectiveness, Inc.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Friday, December 4, 2009
Gross Reality's Nov 25 Show w/ Arnold Stange: Europe's Economic Outlook
On the November 25th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed Europe's economic outlook with Arnold Stange, International Tax & Legal Partner of HLB Affiliate firm Dr. Stückmann and Partner.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Sales Excellence (Series1) w/ Carlos Quintero
Be sure to listen to Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show on America's Web Radio today at 5 ET!
Today's guest is Carlos Quintero, President of Sales Effectiveness, Inc. On today's show, Steve will talk with Carlos about how he helps senior executives drive excellence and accelerate growth for their sales forces.
Today's guest is Carlos Quintero, President of Sales Effectiveness, Inc. On today's show, Steve will talk with Carlos about how he helps senior executives drive excellence and accelerate growth for their sales forces.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Business Builders Team Business Seminar - Tomorrow, Dec. 2 - Succeeding in the "Cloud" w/ Jerry Huskins
The next Business Builders Team Business Seminar is tomorrow, December 2, and will feature Jerry Huskins, Managing Director & Co-Founder of Astadia, Inc.
Succeeding in the Cloud: Boost Your Power & Drop Your Costs
All the latest buzz in the IT arena surrounds Cloud Computing and Virtualization and many businesses are already heading that direction. Learn what it's all about, how it can and will impact your business, and how you can decrease your expenses while increasing the power of your technology.
Cloud Computing for IT Effectiveness
With many applications and platforms available today, it can be challenging for business owners to navigate options and maintain consistency in information from one technology to the next.
Minimize hardware and complicated software needs and see tremendous gains in efficiency paired with notable reduction of expense. Lead your business to more effective outreach, more effective sales activity, reduced overhead, and increased profitability.
This seminar will be on Wednesday, December 2nd in Buckhead, directly across from Lenox Mall. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Please contact klaconi(at)grosscollins(dot)com for more information or to reserve your space!
Jerry Huskins has 26 years of experience growing, investing, founding and buying technology enabled businesses. His focus is on corporate development, business process modeling, software development, out-sourced CFO services, valuation, accounting and venture equity and debt.
Astadia is an international management and technology solutions firm that helps businesses become more productive in sales, marketing, customer support and employee performance.
Succeeding in the Cloud: Boost Your Power & Drop Your Costs
All the latest buzz in the IT arena surrounds Cloud Computing and Virtualization and many businesses are already heading that direction. Learn what it's all about, how it can and will impact your business, and how you can decrease your expenses while increasing the power of your technology.
Cloud Computing for IT Effectiveness
With many applications and platforms available today, it can be challenging for business owners to navigate options and maintain consistency in information from one technology to the next.
Minimize hardware and complicated software needs and see tremendous gains in efficiency paired with notable reduction of expense. Lead your business to more effective outreach, more effective sales activity, reduced overhead, and increased profitability.
This seminar will be on Wednesday, December 2nd in Buckhead, directly across from Lenox Mall. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Please contact klaconi(at)grosscollins(dot)com for more information or to reserve your space!
Jerry Huskins has 26 years of experience growing, investing, founding and buying technology enabled businesses. His focus is on corporate development, business process modeling, software development, out-sourced CFO services, valuation, accounting and venture equity and debt.
Astadia is an international management and technology solutions firm that helps businesses become more productive in sales, marketing, customer support and employee performance.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Business Builders Team Business Seminar Dec. 2 - Succeeding in the Cloud w/ Jerry Huskins
The next Business Builders Team Business Seminar is Wednesday, Dec 2, and will feature Jerry Huskins, Managing Director & Co-Founder of Astadia, Inc.
With many applications and platforms available today, it can be challenging for business owners to navigate options and maintain consistency in information from one technology to the next.
Cloud-based business applications can drive a company toward increased efficiency and reduced overhead. By embracing change and operating in the cloud, businesses can minimize hardware and complicated software needs and see tremendous gains in efficiency paired with notable reduction of expense.
This seminar will be on Wednesday, December 2nd in Buckhead, directly across from Lenox Mall. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Please contact klaconi(at)grosscollins(dot)com for more information or to reserve your space!
Jerry Huskins has 26 years of experience growing, investing, founding and buying technology enabled businesses. His focus is on corporate development, business process modeling, software development, out-sourced CFO services, valuation, accounting and venture equity and debt.
Astadia is an international management and technology solutions firm that helps businesses become more productive in sales, marketing, customer support and employee performance.
With many applications and platforms available today, it can be challenging for business owners to navigate options and maintain consistency in information from one technology to the next.
Cloud-based business applications can drive a company toward increased efficiency and reduced overhead. By embracing change and operating in the cloud, businesses can minimize hardware and complicated software needs and see tremendous gains in efficiency paired with notable reduction of expense.
This seminar will be on Wednesday, December 2nd in Buckhead, directly across from Lenox Mall. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Please contact klaconi(at)grosscollins(dot)com for more information or to reserve your space!
Jerry Huskins has 26 years of experience growing, investing, founding and buying technology enabled businesses. His focus is on corporate development, business process modeling, software development, out-sourced CFO services, valuation, accounting and venture equity and debt.
Astadia is an international management and technology solutions firm that helps businesses become more productive in sales, marketing, customer support and employee performance.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Europe's Economic Outlook w/ Arnold Stange
Be sure to listen to Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show on America's Web Radio today at 5 ET!
Today's guest is Arnold Stange, International Tax & Legal Partner of HLB Affiliate firm Dr. Stuckmann and Partner. On today's show, Steve will talk with Arnold about Europe's economic outlook.
Today's guest is Arnold Stange, International Tax & Legal Partner of HLB Affiliate firm Dr. Stuckmann and Partner. On today's show, Steve will talk with Arnold about Europe's economic outlook.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Gross Reality's Nov 18 Show w/ Joe Treanor: Technology Talk – The Gap Between Capability & Usage
On the November 18th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed the gap between capability and usage in technology by management with Joe Treanor, President of RoseBud Technologies.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Technology Talk – The Gap Between Capability & Usage w/ Joe Treanor
Be sure to listen to Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show on America's Web Radio today at 5 ET!
Today's guest is Joe Treanor, President of RoseBud Technologies. On today's show, Steve will talk with Joe about the gap between capability and usage in technology.
Today's guest is Joe Treanor, President of RoseBud Technologies. On today's show, Steve will talk with Joe about the gap between capability and usage in technology.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Gross Reality's Nov 11 Show w/ Christopher Graham: Defensive Strategies to Protect Your Net Worth
On the November 11th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed defensive strategies to protect your net worth with superlawyer and tax specialist Christopher Graham, of The Private Client Law Group.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Defensive Strategies to Protect Your Net Worth w/ Christopher Graham
On the November 11th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed defensive strategies to protect your net worth with superlawyer and tax specialist Christopher Graham, of The Private Client Law Group.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Business Builders Team Business Seminar Nov 11 - Embrace and Adapt in an Economic War Zone w/ Karen McClelland
The next Business Builders Team Business Seminar is tomorrow, Nov. 11, and will feature Karen McClelland, Business Regeneration Practice Leader, HLB Gross Collins, P.C.
Our current economy presents many dangers as well as opportunities for businesses. In challenging times, a business owner must proactively seek new and different operating methods. By rethinking the business model and incorporating new techniques, businesses can embrace the global business challenges of today and focus on achieving accelerated bottom line growth.
Through a unique pyramid approach incorporating enterprise transformation, change integration, value process improvement and other specialized tools and techniques, a business can begin revamping and regenerating toward sustainable growth.
This seminar will be on Wednesday, November 11th in Buckhead, directly across from Lenox Mall. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Please contact klaconi(at)grosscollins(dot)com for more information or to reserve your space!
Karen McClelland has 25 years of experience in delivering profits in the areas of change integration, business regeneration, shared services, supply chain, franchise systems, finance and technology integration. Her executive roles with PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM provide the depth of expertise required to effectively deliver solutions to companies in retail, distribution, manufacturing and construction. She has successfully led companies in the reinvention of their business model and engaged the company in the solution while transferring best practices to the employees.
Our current economy presents many dangers as well as opportunities for businesses. In challenging times, a business owner must proactively seek new and different operating methods. By rethinking the business model and incorporating new techniques, businesses can embrace the global business challenges of today and focus on achieving accelerated bottom line growth.
Through a unique pyramid approach incorporating enterprise transformation, change integration, value process improvement and other specialized tools and techniques, a business can begin revamping and regenerating toward sustainable growth.
This seminar will be on Wednesday, November 11th in Buckhead, directly across from Lenox Mall. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Please contact klaconi(at)grosscollins(dot)com for more information or to reserve your space!
Karen McClelland has 25 years of experience in delivering profits in the areas of change integration, business regeneration, shared services, supply chain, franchise systems, finance and technology integration. Her executive roles with PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM provide the depth of expertise required to effectively deliver solutions to companies in retail, distribution, manufacturing and construction. She has successfully led companies in the reinvention of their business model and engaged the company in the solution while transferring best practices to the employees.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Gross Reality's Nov 4 Show w/ Mike Cadger: Transparency in Healthcare Pricing – How Much Does it Really Cost?
On the November 4th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed the cost of transparency in healthcare pricing and the benefits that can be derived from this transparency with Mike Cadger, of the Georgia Healthcare Leadership Council.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Transparency in Healthcare Pricing – How Much Does it Really Cost? w/ Mike Cadger
Be sure to listen to Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show on America's Web Radio today at 5!
Today's guest is Mike Cadger, of the Georgia Healthcare Leadership Council. On today's show, Steve will talk with Mike about the cost of transparency in healthcare pricing and the benefits that can be derived from this transparency.
Today's guest is Mike Cadger, of the Georgia Healthcare Leadership Council. On today's show, Steve will talk with Mike about the cost of transparency in healthcare pricing and the benefits that can be derived from this transparency.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Gross Reality's Oct. 28 Show w/ Bob Brown: From Business Man to Politician ... Plans to Impact Government
On the October 28th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed the topics of business and city government with Bob Brown, Owner of Red Baron's Antiques and Candidate for Mayor of Sandy Springs.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: From Business Man to Politician ... Bob Brown's Plans to Impact Government
Be sure to listen to Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show on America's Web Radio today at 5!
Today's guest is Bob Brown, Candidate for Mayor of Sandy Springs. On today's show, Steve will talk with Bob about his background as a business man and his future as a politician, with a desire to impact the government of the City of Sandy Springs, Georgia. Election is November 3, 2009.
Today's guest is Bob Brown, Candidate for Mayor of Sandy Springs. On today's show, Steve will talk with Bob about his background as a business man and his future as a politician, with a desire to impact the government of the City of Sandy Springs, Georgia. Election is November 3, 2009.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Gross Reality's Oct. 21 Show w/ Karen McClelland: Breathe New Life Into Your Business: Challenge, Solve, & Implement
On the October 21st broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed the topic of business regeneration and transformation with Karen McClelland, Business Regeneration Expert with HLB Gross Collins' Regeneration Services.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Steve opens every show with the theme of "the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly," a platform for the latest economic news.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm ET on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Breathe New Life Into Your Business: Challenge, Solve, Implement with Karen McClelland
Be sure to listen to Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show on America's Web Radio today at 5!
Today's guest is Karen McClelland, Business Regeneration Expert with HLB Gross Collins' Regeneration Services. On today's show, Steve and Karen will discuss how a challenged or stagnant business can begin a process of improvement or regeneration.
Reading Assignment:
The Demise of the Dollar (The Independent - UK)
Today's guest is Karen McClelland, Business Regeneration Expert with HLB Gross Collins' Regeneration Services. On today's show, Steve and Karen will discuss how a challenged or stagnant business can begin a process of improvement or regeneration.
Reading Assignment:
The Demise of the Dollar (The Independent - UK)
Friday, October 2, 2009
Gross Reality's Sept 30 Show w/ Cary Ichter: Managing Litigation Costs & How to be Prepared for E-Discovery
On the September 23rd broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed the topic of managing litigation costs & how to be prepared for e-discovery with Cary Ichter, Partner at Adorno & Yoss LLC.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Managing Litigation Costs & How to be Prepared for E-Discovery with Cary Ichter
Be sure to check out Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show LIVE on America's Web Radio today at 5! Today's guest is Cary Ichter, Partner Adorno & Yoss LLC. On today's show, Steve and Cary will discuss the topic, "Managing Litigation Costs & How to be Prepared for E-Discovery."
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Business Builders Team Seminar Tomorrow! Healthcare Reform: Intelligent Change or Disaster? An Enlightening Look at the Impact on Business
Get excited! Tomorrow is the next Business Builders Team Business Seminar, featuring James Purcell & Mike Cadger of Georgia Healthcare Leadership Council (GHLC). They will share with you their unique perspective on trends, updates and insights for the path that lies ahead.
The impact of our health care system on business is immeasurable. What happens in Washington will have a profound impact on business owners and individuals. What is really going on, where are the flaws, and what are practical options for decreasing costs and improving care?
This seminar will be tomorrow, September 30 at the Terry College Executive Education Center in Buckhead, directly across from Lenox Mall. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Update: Click here to view a EventStream podcast of this seminar.
The impact of our health care system on business is immeasurable. What happens in Washington will have a profound impact on business owners and individuals. What is really going on, where are the flaws, and what are practical options for decreasing costs and improving care?
This seminar will be tomorrow, September 30 at the Terry College Executive Education Center in Buckhead, directly across from Lenox Mall. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Update: Click here to view a EventStream podcast of this seminar.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Gross Reality's Sept 23 Show w/ Jeff Plank: Business Valuation - What is Your Business Worth?
On the September 23rd broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed our current economic situation and how it affects business valuation with Jeff Plank, Manager of Consulting Services HLB Gross Collins, P.C. The topic of this show is "Business Valuation - What is Your Business Worth?"
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Business Valuation - What is Your Business Worth? With Jeff Plank
Be sure to check out Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show LIVE on America's Web Radio today at 5! Today's guest is Jeff Plank, Manager of Consulting Services HLB Gross Collins, P.C. On today's show, Steve and Jeff will discuss the topic, "Business Valuation - What is Your Business Worth?"
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Gross Reality's Sept 16 Show w/ Jim Hansberger: Managing Your Assets in a Complex & Changing World
On the September 16th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed our current economic situation and how it affects asset management with Jim Hansberger, Managing Director of Wealth Management for The Hansberger Group at Smith Barney. The topic of this show is "Managing Your Assets in a Complex and Changing World."
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Managing Your Assets in a Complex and Changing World w/ Jim Hansberger
Be sure to check out Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show LIVE on America's Web Radio today at 5! Today's guest is Jim Hansberger, Managing Director of Wealth Management for The Hansberger Group at Smith Barney. On today's show, Steve and Jim will discuss the topic, "Managing Your Assets in a Complex and Changing World."
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Gross Reality's Sept 9 Show w/ Carlos Quintero: Making the Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Leader
On the September 9th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed sales leadership with Carlos Quintero, author of Catalyst5 - Making the Leap from Sales Manager to Sales LEADER and Founder of Sales Effectiveness, Inc.
The topic of this show is "Making the Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Leader." Now more than ever businesses are depending upon strong leadership and creativity in the salesforce, striving for growth in the face of a difficult economy.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
The topic of this show is "Making the Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Leader." Now more than ever businesses are depending upon strong leadership and creativity in the salesforce, striving for growth in the face of a difficult economy.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
On Today's Gross Reality: Making the Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Leader w/ Carlos Quintero
Be sure to check out Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show LIVE on America's Web Radio today at 5! Today's guest is Carlos Quintero, Author of Catalyst5: Making the Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Leader and Founder of Sales Effectiveness, Inc. On today's show, Steve and Carlos will discuss the topic, "Making the Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Leader."
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Gross Reality's Sept 2 Show w/ Gary Williams: Understanding Insurance and How to Save Up to 50% On Your Insurance Premiums
On the September 2nd broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed insurance with Gary Williams, Insurance Agent/Broker, who works nationally with wealth planners, accountants & attorneys, and banks. The topic of this show is "Understanding Insurance and How to Save Up to 50% On Your Insurance Premiums." In these economic times being smart about insurance can save you money while protecting your assets as well as your family's and business' future.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click here to listen to Gross Reality:
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Today's Show: Understanding Insurance & How to Save Up to 50% On Your Insurance Premiums w/ Gary Williams
Be sure to check out Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show LIVE on America's Web Radio today at 5! Today's guest is Gary Williams, Insurance Agent/Broker, who works nationally with wealth planners, accountants & attorneys, and banks. Steve and Gary will discuss the topic, "Understanding Insurance and How to Save Up to 50% On Your Insurance Premiums." In this economy in which every penny counts, this is an hour you do not want to miss.
Reading Assignments:
Organizational Chart of the House Democrats’ Health Plan Source: Joint Economic Committee, Republican Staff
Reading Assignments:
Organizational Chart of the House Democrats’ Health Plan Source: Joint Economic Committee, Republican Staff
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Gross Reality's August 26 Show with James Purcell: An Enlightening Look at Healthcare
On the August 26th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross had an important discussion about the current debate surrounding healthcare reform with James Purcell, President of Georgia Healthcare Leadership Council. Don't miss this special and timely episode of "Gross Reality" for a unique perspective on the lively debate that is going on across the country at the watercooler, at townhall meetings, in Washington, and on Wall Street.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Show Notes:
Sen. Robert Byrd calls for naming healthcare reform legislation featuring universal, single-payer healthcare after Kennedy (Miami Herald)
Nancy Pelosi jumps on bandwagon: Kennedy health reform 'dream' of universal healthcare will be real this year (Breitbart)
Who takes over the Senate HELP committee that has jurisdiction over healthcare reform now? (The Hill)
Obamacare won't cover illegal immigrants? Yes it will, says Congressional Research Service (Washington Examiner)
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Show Notes:
Sen. Robert Byrd calls for naming healthcare reform legislation featuring universal, single-payer healthcare after Kennedy (Miami Herald)
Nancy Pelosi jumps on bandwagon: Kennedy health reform 'dream' of universal healthcare will be real this year (Breitbart)
Who takes over the Senate HELP committee that has jurisdiction over healthcare reform now? (The Hill)
Obamacare won't cover illegal immigrants? Yes it will, says Congressional Research Service (Washington Examiner)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
An Enlightening Look at Healthcare: Trends, Updates & Insights with James Purcell, President of Georgia Healthcare Leadership Council
Be sure to check out an extra special hour of Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show LIVE on America's Web Radio today at 5! Today's guest is James Purcell, President of the Georgia Healthcare Leadership Council. He and Steve will have an important conversation about trends, updates, and insights regarding the current Healthcare reform debate that is happening in Washington and across the country. This is one hour you do not want to miss.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Gross Reality's Aug 19 Show w/ Barbara Babbit Kaufman: Attitude=Success
On the August 19th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed how attitude is the key to success with Barbara Babbit Kaufman, President of Chapter 11 Booksellers and BBK Enterprises, entrepreneur, author, and speaker. Barbara has in recent years been named one of Georgia Trend Magazine's 100 Most Powerful and Influential Georgians, a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, and one of the "Women Making a Mark" by Atlanta Magazine.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
America's Web Radio Today @ 5!
Be sure to check out Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show LIVE on America's Web Radio today at 5! His one-hour broadcast is designed to help you navigate the increasing hazards of doing business in this new economy.
Today's guest is Barbara Babbit Kaufman, Entrepreneur and Motivational Speaker. Steve and Barbara will discuss the effect of attitude on success.
Today's guest is Barbara Babbit Kaufman, Entrepreneur and Motivational Speaker. Steve and Barbara will discuss the effect of attitude on success.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Gross Reality's Aug 12 Show w/ Alex Perwich: Leadership in Business
On the August 12th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed true leadership in the business environment with Alex Perwich, President of Contained Energy, LLC, an authentic transformational leader and change agent who delivers results that exceed expectations.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click Here for Show Notes in Word format.
Reading Assignments:
Focus on Performance, Not Power by Colin Powell (Fortune)
Obama’s More-for-Less Health Care Doesn’t Add Up by Caroline Baum (Bloomberg)
Senior Citizens Left Off Government’s Swine-Flu Vaccination Priority List by Susan Jones
Where Have All The Leaders Gone? by Lee Iacocca
Obama's Health Care Plan Will "Eliminate" Private Insurance? (video)
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click Here for Show Notes in Word format.
Reading Assignments:
Focus on Performance, Not Power by Colin Powell (Fortune)
Obama’s More-for-Less Health Care Doesn’t Add Up by Caroline Baum (Bloomberg)
Senior Citizens Left Off Government’s Swine-Flu Vaccination Priority List by Susan Jones
Where Have All The Leaders Gone? by Lee Iacocca
Obama's Health Care Plan Will "Eliminate" Private Insurance? (video)
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
America's Web Radio Today @ 5!
Be sure to check out Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show LIVE on America's Web Radio today at 5! His one-hour broadcast is designed to help you navigate the increasing hazards of doing business in this new economy.
Today's guest is Alex Perwich, President of Contained Energy, LLC, an authentic transformational leader and change agent who delivers results that exceed expectations. Steve and Alex will discuss “Command & Control" in the business environment.
Today's guest is Alex Perwich, President of Contained Energy, LLC, an authentic transformational leader and change agent who delivers results that exceed expectations. Steve and Alex will discuss “Command & Control" in the business environment.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Gross Reality's Aug 5 Show w/ Roy Dickson: Real Estate's Effects on Business; Broader Economy
On the August 5th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed the real estate market, past, present, and future with Roy Dickson, President of Parc Communities and Expert Real Estate Developer.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click Here for Show Notes in Word format.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click Here for Show Notes in Word format.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
America's Web Radio Wednesday @ 5!
Be sure to check out Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show LIVE on America's Web Radio Wednesday at 5! His one-hour broadcast is designed to help you navigate the increasing hazards of doing business in this new economy.
Tomorrow's guest on Gross Reality is Roy Dickson, President of Parc Communities and Expert Real Estate Developer.
Reading Assignments:
5 Freedoms you’d lose in health care reform by Shawn Tully - cnnmoney.com
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/24/news/economy/health_care_reform_obama.fortune/?postversion=2009072410
Common Sense May Sink ObamaCare by Peggy Noonan – The Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203517304574306533556532364.html
Commercial mortgage delinquency up 585% by Katherine Conrad – Atlanta Business Chronicle
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/othercities/sanjose/stories/2009/07/20/daily104.html?s=industry&i=commercial_real_estate
Social Network Marketing: What Works by Sarah Jane Gilbert Interview with Sunil Gupta, Harvard Business School Professor
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6187.html
Inside the Great American Bubble Machine by Matt Taibbi: How Goldman Sachs has engineered every major market manipulation since the Great Depression – RollingStone
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/29127316/the_great_american_bubble_machine
I Still Hate You, Sarah Palin by David Kahane – The Republicans bring a knife to a gunfight, and lose again - NR
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NDE3MmE5MDVmMGM1YjQ2NmVhMjJkN2I2ZTcxMzhlNjU=
A Government Failure, Not a Market Failure by John H. Makin
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm/a-government-failure--not-a-market-failure-15191
Tomorrow's guest on Gross Reality is Roy Dickson, President of Parc Communities and Expert Real Estate Developer.
Reading Assignments:
5 Freedoms you’d lose in health care reform by Shawn Tully - cnnmoney.com
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/24/news/economy/health_care_reform_obama.fortune/?postversion=2009072410
Common Sense May Sink ObamaCare by Peggy Noonan – The Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203517304574306533556532364.html
Commercial mortgage delinquency up 585% by Katherine Conrad – Atlanta Business Chronicle
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/othercities/sanjose/stories/2009/07/20/daily104.html?s=industry&i=commercial_real_estate
Social Network Marketing: What Works by Sarah Jane Gilbert Interview with Sunil Gupta, Harvard Business School Professor
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6187.html
Inside the Great American Bubble Machine by Matt Taibbi: How Goldman Sachs has engineered every major market manipulation since the Great Depression – RollingStone
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/29127316/the_great_american_bubble_machine
I Still Hate You, Sarah Palin by David Kahane – The Republicans bring a knife to a gunfight, and lose again - NR
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NDE3MmE5MDVmMGM1YjQ2NmVhMjJkN2I2ZTcxMzhlNjU=
A Government Failure, Not a Market Failure by John H. Makin
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm/a-government-failure--not-a-market-failure-15191
Monday, August 3, 2009
Gross Reality Becomes a Weekly Show!
Due to overwhelming popularity, Gross Reality is now broadcast weekly! Be sure to tune in to Gross Reality live EVERY Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio! Archives are also available here.
Looking for honest discussion of relevant business topics? Seasoned guests with a proven track record of navigating challenges? Tips & techniques for navigating the new economy? Steve Gross' GROSS REALITY is a radio show dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times.
Gross Reality is not a show about money. Rather, it is about individual responsibility to define one's life. You can expect a pro-business perspective without being overly political. Listen to proponents of and educators for FREE ENTERPRISE, promoting individual responsibility and freedom within an ethical framework. Learn how to make your life productive, leave a mark, take pride in accomplishments and make a difference.
Looking for honest discussion of relevant business topics? Seasoned guests with a proven track record of navigating challenges? Tips & techniques for navigating the new economy? Steve Gross' GROSS REALITY is a radio show dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times.
Gross Reality is not a show about money. Rather, it is about individual responsibility to define one's life. You can expect a pro-business perspective without being overly political. Listen to proponents of and educators for FREE ENTERPRISE, promoting individual responsibility and freedom within an ethical framework. Learn how to make your life productive, leave a mark, take pride in accomplishments and make a difference.
The Frogger Economy
By Garold L. Markle
Remember the 1980s computer game with the animated frog whose mission was to cross several lanes of fast moving cars? To do so successfully, he had to hop forward twice then move quickly to the right, jump back a space, leap twice forward, sashay to the left and then scurry forward two more spaces – or some other derivation of this frenetic pattern. If the person with the joystick in his hand failed to move fast enough or made an untimely decision to leap left instead of rumble right, the frog was crushed. He was sent back to his place of origin and allowed to start again, this time with big scars and bad memories. A few more of these sad scenarios and the game ended for him completely. And, as you may recall the reward for navigating successfully across five lanes of speeding traffic was more of the same – a whole new set of obstacles traveling at an even faster pace with ever more opportunity to get crushed, drown or die.
Welcome to the Frogger Economy! And this time, the game is for real.
It seems that the economic landscape has changed so completely in the last few months that the primary objective for this game of Life has become survival. Prosperity is not even a stretch goal. Most people, along with the majority of companies that employ them, are not trying to get rich. They’re literally caught in a life and death struggle to stick around long enough for the game to change back to something less scary.
The problem is most of us don’t realize that we’re playing Frogger. And if we do, we don’t know the new rules of the game. Like a deer in the headlights we deal with rapidly approaching danger by freezing in our tracks. If we can’t continue to do what we’re used to doing, we freeze and await our inevitable oncoming destruction.
So, how does one deal with the Frogger Economy? More importantly, how is the leader of a business supposed to act with such a massive rules change? Here are five ideas I’m trying to follow and recommending to those I counsel. I’d be delighted to hear yours.
1. Think small. When big things don’t sell, consider selling lots of little things. What do your customers/prospects want? What can they afford to spend? What have they been asking for that you’ve neglected? Is it possible for you to scale things so that you can sell less to more? Ten $5,000 sales produces the same revenue as one sale at $50,000. Granted, it’s a much different business model, but if no one is buying the large items, moving in this direction might keep you alive until the bigger market returns.
With budgets for training and development being slashed along with headcount a good number of our best prospects for consulting work have been forced to delay bringing us in to help them. Rather than curse our bad luck we decided to offer a train‐the‐trainer program to teach them to install the program themselves. We’re also working on ancillary products that will aid in their home‐made training endeavors. When the market changes, many will have us come back in to help them take their programs to another level. In the mean time, we’re busy and our clients are able to reap the many benefits of our program. Most importantly, we’re not dead in the water. And who knows, we may come to find that this method of introducing our program will allow us to achieve much broader market penetration when more of the traditional consulting work returns.
2. Find Near Money. In a Frogger Economy you don’t have time for a complete business makeover. You certainly don’t have time for R&D. Going to the bank to beg for money will likely consume more resources than it is likely to produce. You need to pick a plan and execute. The primary objective of the plan should be to free up cash flow. Spend less. Make more. Find things to sell.
My daughter, Shanna, is the proud owner of a new restaurant. That’s the good news. Bad news is that she took ownership during the slow season in an area hit hard by the economic downturn. Rather than devoting substantial time to creating a business plan to appeal for operating capital from a local bank (which she may or may not be able to get), Shanna is focused on ways she might create more money now. To supplement her normal traffic, she created a series of “Meal Kits” that allow homemakers to prepare healthy and nutritious meals at home in half an hour or less with minimal fuss and no leftover ingredients. In the same week she conceived of the new product line she had professionally produced commercials running on the local radio station telling everyone all about it. And she traded the radio advertising for a hosted business meeting in her restaurant. Her objective is to find enough Near Money to make it to springtime when business should pick up again. Hop! Hop!
3. Keep your cool. Realize that amidst the danger is endless opportunity. Tight rope walkers don’t look down. They certainly don’t count the jagged rocks below and calculate how long they’ll be lying unconscious before their bloody corpse quits breathing. Rather, they face forward and focus on their happy destination. Glory comes to those who cross the chasm with sense of humor intact.
As most of you know, I speak to a lot of CEO groups. I recently had the pleasure to perform workshops for three Wisconsin TEC led by a savvy veteran chair, Mr. Emeran Leonard. When I asked Emeran how he managed to keep his three groups full during such a turbulent economy, he replied, “They have never needed the group more than in these uncertain times.” In each group Leonard had a sign posted that read, “We elect not to participate in the economic downturn.” Any question why Emeran has full groups?
4. Rally your troops. Don’t toil in obscurity. Don’t fret in isolation. If you go down and your business goes down, so do the people that work with you. Let them share the sense of urgency and understand what is at stake. As Marcus Buckingham says, the best leaders “rally their people toward a more optimistic future.”
When I met with my own staff to discuss the obvious challenges that we and others are facing I couldn’t help but draw an illustration. I drew a stick figure of myself in a small boat rowing furiously upstream away from a fast approaching waterfall. Then I drew three other people in the boat with me who would go over the falls if we didn’t make it. We talked a little bit about what we all had at stake before Gail (my wife and our webmaster) insisted that I put oars in the hands of my boat mates. The picture alone provided a sense of relief. You may be the leader but you certainly don’t have to go it alone. Harness the good ideas and energy of your whole team to significantly increase your chances of survival.
5. Move! Get Hopping! Take your best shot and go. This is no time for slow decisions. Survey the land, assess the dangers and haul froggy tail. As in competitive chess, no move is a move. When time expires your competition takes over. Do something! Do something now!
Whether you like the new game of business or not is irrelevant. You can curse the skies and damn your luck, but that doesn’t increase your likelihood of making it safely to the other side. One day we’ll look at all this drama in the rear view mirror and say “Wow! That was intense!” Hopefully, we’ll be doing that with a feeling of happy nostalgia. We’ll be regaling our grandkids about how we survived the most challenging times in American business history by playing a silly game involving a hyperactive frog.
Garold Markle is author of Catalytic Coaching: The End of the Performance Review and No More Performance Evaluations! Gary is also founder and CEO of Energage, Inc.
Remember the 1980s computer game with the animated frog whose mission was to cross several lanes of fast moving cars? To do so successfully, he had to hop forward twice then move quickly to the right, jump back a space, leap twice forward, sashay to the left and then scurry forward two more spaces – or some other derivation of this frenetic pattern. If the person with the joystick in his hand failed to move fast enough or made an untimely decision to leap left instead of rumble right, the frog was crushed. He was sent back to his place of origin and allowed to start again, this time with big scars and bad memories. A few more of these sad scenarios and the game ended for him completely. And, as you may recall the reward for navigating successfully across five lanes of speeding traffic was more of the same – a whole new set of obstacles traveling at an even faster pace with ever more opportunity to get crushed, drown or die.
Welcome to the Frogger Economy! And this time, the game is for real.
It seems that the economic landscape has changed so completely in the last few months that the primary objective for this game of Life has become survival. Prosperity is not even a stretch goal. Most people, along with the majority of companies that employ them, are not trying to get rich. They’re literally caught in a life and death struggle to stick around long enough for the game to change back to something less scary.
The problem is most of us don’t realize that we’re playing Frogger. And if we do, we don’t know the new rules of the game. Like a deer in the headlights we deal with rapidly approaching danger by freezing in our tracks. If we can’t continue to do what we’re used to doing, we freeze and await our inevitable oncoming destruction.
So, how does one deal with the Frogger Economy? More importantly, how is the leader of a business supposed to act with such a massive rules change? Here are five ideas I’m trying to follow and recommending to those I counsel. I’d be delighted to hear yours.
1. Think small. When big things don’t sell, consider selling lots of little things. What do your customers/prospects want? What can they afford to spend? What have they been asking for that you’ve neglected? Is it possible for you to scale things so that you can sell less to more? Ten $5,000 sales produces the same revenue as one sale at $50,000. Granted, it’s a much different business model, but if no one is buying the large items, moving in this direction might keep you alive until the bigger market returns.
With budgets for training and development being slashed along with headcount a good number of our best prospects for consulting work have been forced to delay bringing us in to help them. Rather than curse our bad luck we decided to offer a train‐the‐trainer program to teach them to install the program themselves. We’re also working on ancillary products that will aid in their home‐made training endeavors. When the market changes, many will have us come back in to help them take their programs to another level. In the mean time, we’re busy and our clients are able to reap the many benefits of our program. Most importantly, we’re not dead in the water. And who knows, we may come to find that this method of introducing our program will allow us to achieve much broader market penetration when more of the traditional consulting work returns.
2. Find Near Money. In a Frogger Economy you don’t have time for a complete business makeover. You certainly don’t have time for R&D. Going to the bank to beg for money will likely consume more resources than it is likely to produce. You need to pick a plan and execute. The primary objective of the plan should be to free up cash flow. Spend less. Make more. Find things to sell.
My daughter, Shanna, is the proud owner of a new restaurant. That’s the good news. Bad news is that she took ownership during the slow season in an area hit hard by the economic downturn. Rather than devoting substantial time to creating a business plan to appeal for operating capital from a local bank (which she may or may not be able to get), Shanna is focused on ways she might create more money now. To supplement her normal traffic, she created a series of “Meal Kits” that allow homemakers to prepare healthy and nutritious meals at home in half an hour or less with minimal fuss and no leftover ingredients. In the same week she conceived of the new product line she had professionally produced commercials running on the local radio station telling everyone all about it. And she traded the radio advertising for a hosted business meeting in her restaurant. Her objective is to find enough Near Money to make it to springtime when business should pick up again. Hop! Hop!
3. Keep your cool. Realize that amidst the danger is endless opportunity. Tight rope walkers don’t look down. They certainly don’t count the jagged rocks below and calculate how long they’ll be lying unconscious before their bloody corpse quits breathing. Rather, they face forward and focus on their happy destination. Glory comes to those who cross the chasm with sense of humor intact.
As most of you know, I speak to a lot of CEO groups. I recently had the pleasure to perform workshops for three Wisconsin TEC led by a savvy veteran chair, Mr. Emeran Leonard. When I asked Emeran how he managed to keep his three groups full during such a turbulent economy, he replied, “They have never needed the group more than in these uncertain times.” In each group Leonard had a sign posted that read, “We elect not to participate in the economic downturn.” Any question why Emeran has full groups?
4. Rally your troops. Don’t toil in obscurity. Don’t fret in isolation. If you go down and your business goes down, so do the people that work with you. Let them share the sense of urgency and understand what is at stake. As Marcus Buckingham says, the best leaders “rally their people toward a more optimistic future.”
When I met with my own staff to discuss the obvious challenges that we and others are facing I couldn’t help but draw an illustration. I drew a stick figure of myself in a small boat rowing furiously upstream away from a fast approaching waterfall. Then I drew three other people in the boat with me who would go over the falls if we didn’t make it. We talked a little bit about what we all had at stake before Gail (my wife and our webmaster) insisted that I put oars in the hands of my boat mates. The picture alone provided a sense of relief. You may be the leader but you certainly don’t have to go it alone. Harness the good ideas and energy of your whole team to significantly increase your chances of survival.
5. Move! Get Hopping! Take your best shot and go. This is no time for slow decisions. Survey the land, assess the dangers and haul froggy tail. As in competitive chess, no move is a move. When time expires your competition takes over. Do something! Do something now!
Whether you like the new game of business or not is irrelevant. You can curse the skies and damn your luck, but that doesn’t increase your likelihood of making it safely to the other side. One day we’ll look at all this drama in the rear view mirror and say “Wow! That was intense!” Hopefully, we’ll be doing that with a feeling of happy nostalgia. We’ll be regaling our grandkids about how we survived the most challenging times in American business history by playing a silly game involving a hyperactive frog.
Garold Markle is author of Catalytic Coaching: The End of the Performance Review and No More Performance Evaluations! Gary is also founder and CEO of Energage, Inc.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Gross Reality's July 22 Show w/ Gary Markle: Empowering Your People to Empower Your Business
On the July 22nd broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed "Empowering Your People to Empower Your Business" with guest Gary Markle, President of Energage and author of Catalytic Coaching: The End of Performance Review.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses grow and maximize efficiency while providing a positive environment for employees and clients alike. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every other Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click Here for Show Notes in Word format.
Reading Assignments:
Continuing our countdown to fascist medicine, only trying to be accurate, new tab for bailing out the nation’s banks, more information on government healthcare than you care to know - http://boortz.com/nealz_nuze/2009/07/21/
CBO Chief Criticizes Democrats’ Health Reform Measures, by Lori Montgomery - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071602242.html
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses grow and maximize efficiency while providing a positive environment for employees and clients alike. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every other Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click Here for Show Notes in Word format.
Reading Assignments:
Continuing our countdown to fascist medicine, only trying to be accurate, new tab for bailing out the nation’s banks, more information on government healthcare than you care to know - http://boortz.com/nealz_nuze/2009/07/21/
CBO Chief Criticizes Democrats’ Health Reform Measures, by Lori Montgomery - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071602242.html
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
America's Web Radio Today @ 5!
Be sure to check out to Steve Gross' Gross Reality radio show LIVE on America's Web Radio today at 5! His one-hour broadcast is designed to help you navigate the increasing hazards of doing business in this new economy.
Today's guest is Gary Markle, President of Energage and author of Catalytic Coaching: The End of Performance Review. Steve and Gary will discuss “Empowering Your People to Empower Your Business."
Today's guest is Gary Markle, President of Energage and author of Catalytic Coaching: The End of Performance Review. Steve and Gary will discuss “Empowering Your People to Empower Your Business."
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Gross Reality's July 8th Show w/ Jeff Chernoff: Business Advice from Consumer's Choice Award
On the July 8th broadcast (below) of "Gross Reality," Steve Gross discussed the Business Strategies of the Best of Atlanta with guest Jeff Chernoff, President of Consumer's Choice Award.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every other Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click Here for Show Notes in Word format.
Steve Gross is the executive director of Business Builders Team and a founding partner of HLB Gross Collins. His radio show is dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times. Listen live to "Gross Reality" every other Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Click Here for Show Notes in Word format.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Business Builders Team Seminar on Social Media & Business This Wednesday
Business Builders Team's next Business Seminar is THIS Wednesday, July 22 BBT will feature Tom Lennon, who will show us how to use social media in business to maximize your business' exposure and reach. Learn how other top executives are now making social media a central player in their overall marketing scheme and how to avoid being left behind the world of new media.
Studies show that in this economy, large traditional advertising budgets are going the way of the dinosaur, while online marketing budgets continue to increase. Social Media, with its "velcro" hooks, ease of use, and mostly free features, is gaining tremendous traction in the general population. When harnessed properly, Twitter, Facebook, blogs (Blogger, WordPress), and other sites/services provide companies and individuals with new ways to increase the viral nature of their message while gaining valuable feedback from consumers.
This seminar will be on July 22 at the Terry College of Business' Executive Education Center in Buckhead directly across from Lenox Mall at 3475 Lenox Road, Atlanta, GA. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Please email klaconi at grosscollins.com for more information or to reserve your space.
Studies show that in this economy, large traditional advertising budgets are going the way of the dinosaur, while online marketing budgets continue to increase. Social Media, with its "velcro" hooks, ease of use, and mostly free features, is gaining tremendous traction in the general population. When harnessed properly, Twitter, Facebook, blogs (Blogger, WordPress), and other sites/services provide companies and individuals with new ways to increase the viral nature of their message while gaining valuable feedback from consumers.
This seminar will be on July 22 at the Terry College of Business' Executive Education Center in Buckhead directly across from Lenox Mall at 3475 Lenox Road, Atlanta, GA. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Please email klaconi at grosscollins.com for more information or to reserve your space.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
House Democrats' Health Care Plan Flow Chart
This Flow Chart released by the House Minority Leader's Office illustrates the America's Affordable Health Choices Bill of 2009 (HR 3200) introduced on July 14 by House Leaders.
House Democrats Unveil Health Care Reform Measure; Markup Set for July 16
© 2009, CCH INCORPORATED. All Rights Reserved. A WoltersKluwer Company
Declaring the end of health insurance insecurity for all Americans, House leaders on July 14 introduced the America's Affordable Health Choices Bill of 2009 (HR 3200), a comprehensive reform bill that would raise approximately $581.1 billion over 10 years, mostly through a progressive tax on upper income individuals. The 1,018-page measure, which will be marked up by the House Ways and Means Committee on July 16, is also expected to cut Medicare spending by at least $500 billion.
Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y., told reporters that he is hopeful that the final Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate of the cost savings in the bill will be large enough to reduce the amount of revenue increases on wealthy Americans. A preliminary estimate of Medicare savings based on an earlier draft of the health care bill shows gross savings from the Medicare program of $500 billion over 10 years. The CBO estimate, released on July 8, shows that solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund would be extended by the bill.
Under HR 3200, approximately $544 billion in revenues would be raised through a surtax of 5.4 percent on married individuals with adjusted gross income (AGI) over $1 million beginning in 2011; a 1.5-percent surtax on incomes between $500,000 and $1 million; and a 1-percent surtax on incomes from $350,000 to $500,000. According to a committee explanation, the lowest two tax rates would be increased to 2 percent and 3 percent, respectively, if health care cost savings are not achieved by the bill.
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., said that Congress is on schedule to pass a budget-neutral health care reform bill in 2009. The goal is to pass reform legislation in the House and Senate before the August recess, or the recess will be cancelled, said House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif. Then, lawmakers hope to have a bill on the president's desk by the end of the first session of the 111th Congress, Waxman added. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said leaders are still negotiating for support from the fiscally conservative members of the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. She predicted that the final legislation will have a strong public option plan.
President Obama, in a written statement, said the House proposal will "begin the process of fixing what's broken about our health care system" He noted that the legislation would "lower costs, provide better care for patients, and ensure fair treatment of consumers by the insurance industry."
Obama said the public option would make health care more affordable and that increasing competition by offering more choices will keep insurance companies honest. The president praised the three key committees involved in drafting the House bill for their "unprecedented cooperation."
GOP Weighs In
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, immediately criticized the measure, likening it to an unpopular proposal from President Clinton to tax BTUs that passed the House but died in the Senate. "During a deep economic recession, it is criminal malpractice for Democrats to push a government takeover of health care and a new small business tax that will destroy more American jobs," Boehner stated. Republican Study Committee Chairman Tom Price, R-Ga., said the Democrats' plan would interfere with patient care through a massive government takeover of health care. "To pay for this enormous growth of government-run medicine, they seek to ration services for America's seniors on Medicare and levy a massive new tax on American small businesses --our nation's leading engine for job creation," Price said.
Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Fortney Pete Stark, D-Calif., predicted that the reform bill will pass the House with only about six Republican votes. The measure also contains other tax provisions, which have already passed the House with some bipartisan support, including delaying implementation of worldwide allocation of interest (which raises $26.1 billion over 10 years), limiting the use of tax havens to avoid U.S. taxation by foreign multinational corporations ($7.5 billion over 10 years), and clarifying the use of the economic substance doctrine ($3.6 billion over 10 years). The measure also requires that employers with annual payrolls exceeding $250,000 would have to pay a payroll penalty of 2 percent if they do not provide health insurance. Firms with annual payrolls above $400,000 would pay an 8-percent penalty. Some small businesses would be eligible for a new small business tax credit to help them provide coverage for their employees.
According to a preliminary estimate from the CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation released late on July 14, passage of the health reform measure would result in a net increase in federal deficits of $1,042 billion for fiscal years 2010 through 2019. According to the estimate, most of the increased deficit comes from $438 billion in additional federal outlays for Medicaid and $773 billion in federal subsidies that would be provided to purchase coverage through the new insurance exchanges. The other main element of the proposal that would increase federal deficits is the tax credit for small employers who offer health insurance, which is estimated to reduce revenues by $53 billion over 10 years, the estimate says.
Senate Reaction
The House plan to raise revenue through a surtax on the wealthy may be a nonstarter in the Senate as several members of the Senate Finance Committee let it be known that the provision had little support among senior lawmakers. "The House is the House. We in the Senate are a different institution," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., when asked whether he could back a surtax on the wealthy. "I might not agree with their revenues in respect to a policy plan but we expect that there will be differences," Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, a well-known moderate on the committee, told reporters following a private meeting with Baucus. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., another member of the Finance Committee, said he did not "see any appetite for it" in the Senate. "I don't think it's very likely," added Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., also a member of the Finance panel.
Senate Democratic leaders are hoping to see health care reform draft legislation by July 16 or July 17, and a markup held the week beginning July 20, according to senior Democratic aides. However, Baucus was unwilling to commit to that deadline. Instead, he promised to have a bill completed before the Senate leaves on August 7 for its summer recess.
Meanwhile, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee plans to hold a final vote on its health care reform bill early on July 15. The panel late on July 13 approved an amendment that would lower drug costs by creating a pathway for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve new competitors for biologic drugs, such as vaccines and cancer drugs.
By Jeff Carlson, Stephen K. Cooper and Paula Cruickshank, CCH News Staff
Declaring the end of health insurance insecurity for all Americans, House leaders on July 14 introduced the America's Affordable Health Choices Bill of 2009 (HR 3200), a comprehensive reform bill that would raise approximately $581.1 billion over 10 years, mostly through a progressive tax on upper income individuals. The 1,018-page measure, which will be marked up by the House Ways and Means Committee on July 16, is also expected to cut Medicare spending by at least $500 billion.
Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y., told reporters that he is hopeful that the final Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate of the cost savings in the bill will be large enough to reduce the amount of revenue increases on wealthy Americans. A preliminary estimate of Medicare savings based on an earlier draft of the health care bill shows gross savings from the Medicare program of $500 billion over 10 years. The CBO estimate, released on July 8, shows that solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund would be extended by the bill.
Under HR 3200, approximately $544 billion in revenues would be raised through a surtax of 5.4 percent on married individuals with adjusted gross income (AGI) over $1 million beginning in 2011; a 1.5-percent surtax on incomes between $500,000 and $1 million; and a 1-percent surtax on incomes from $350,000 to $500,000. According to a committee explanation, the lowest two tax rates would be increased to 2 percent and 3 percent, respectively, if health care cost savings are not achieved by the bill.
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., said that Congress is on schedule to pass a budget-neutral health care reform bill in 2009. The goal is to pass reform legislation in the House and Senate before the August recess, or the recess will be cancelled, said House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif. Then, lawmakers hope to have a bill on the president's desk by the end of the first session of the 111th Congress, Waxman added. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said leaders are still negotiating for support from the fiscally conservative members of the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition. She predicted that the final legislation will have a strong public option plan.
President Obama, in a written statement, said the House proposal will "begin the process of fixing what's broken about our health care system" He noted that the legislation would "lower costs, provide better care for patients, and ensure fair treatment of consumers by the insurance industry."
Obama said the public option would make health care more affordable and that increasing competition by offering more choices will keep insurance companies honest. The president praised the three key committees involved in drafting the House bill for their "unprecedented cooperation."
GOP Weighs In
House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, immediately criticized the measure, likening it to an unpopular proposal from President Clinton to tax BTUs that passed the House but died in the Senate. "During a deep economic recession, it is criminal malpractice for Democrats to push a government takeover of health care and a new small business tax that will destroy more American jobs," Boehner stated. Republican Study Committee Chairman Tom Price, R-Ga., said the Democrats' plan would interfere with patient care through a massive government takeover of health care. "To pay for this enormous growth of government-run medicine, they seek to ration services for America's seniors on Medicare and levy a massive new tax on American small businesses --our nation's leading engine for job creation," Price said.
Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Fortney Pete Stark, D-Calif., predicted that the reform bill will pass the House with only about six Republican votes. The measure also contains other tax provisions, which have already passed the House with some bipartisan support, including delaying implementation of worldwide allocation of interest (which raises $26.1 billion over 10 years), limiting the use of tax havens to avoid U.S. taxation by foreign multinational corporations ($7.5 billion over 10 years), and clarifying the use of the economic substance doctrine ($3.6 billion over 10 years). The measure also requires that employers with annual payrolls exceeding $250,000 would have to pay a payroll penalty of 2 percent if they do not provide health insurance. Firms with annual payrolls above $400,000 would pay an 8-percent penalty. Some small businesses would be eligible for a new small business tax credit to help them provide coverage for their employees.
According to a preliminary estimate from the CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation released late on July 14, passage of the health reform measure would result in a net increase in federal deficits of $1,042 billion for fiscal years 2010 through 2019. According to the estimate, most of the increased deficit comes from $438 billion in additional federal outlays for Medicaid and $773 billion in federal subsidies that would be provided to purchase coverage through the new insurance exchanges. The other main element of the proposal that would increase federal deficits is the tax credit for small employers who offer health insurance, which is estimated to reduce revenues by $53 billion over 10 years, the estimate says.
Senate Reaction
The House plan to raise revenue through a surtax on the wealthy may be a nonstarter in the Senate as several members of the Senate Finance Committee let it be known that the provision had little support among senior lawmakers. "The House is the House. We in the Senate are a different institution," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., when asked whether he could back a surtax on the wealthy. "I might not agree with their revenues in respect to a policy plan but we expect that there will be differences," Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, a well-known moderate on the committee, told reporters following a private meeting with Baucus. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., another member of the Finance Committee, said he did not "see any appetite for it" in the Senate. "I don't think it's very likely," added Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., also a member of the Finance panel.
Senate Democratic leaders are hoping to see health care reform draft legislation by July 16 or July 17, and a markup held the week beginning July 20, according to senior Democratic aides. However, Baucus was unwilling to commit to that deadline. Instead, he promised to have a bill completed before the Senate leaves on August 7 for its summer recess.
Meanwhile, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee plans to hold a final vote on its health care reform bill early on July 15. The panel late on July 13 approved an amendment that would lower drug costs by creating a pathway for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve new competitors for biologic drugs, such as vaccines and cancer drugs.
By Jeff Carlson, Stephen K. Cooper and Paula Cruickshank, CCH News Staff
Big Banks Don't Want California's IOUs
By Ryan Knutson (WSJ)
A group of the biggest U.S. banks said they would stop accepting California's IOUs on Friday [July 10], adding pressure on the state to close its $26.3 billion annual budget gap.
The development is the latest twist in California's struggle to deal with the effects of the recession. After state leaders failed to agree on budget solutions last week, California began issuing IOUs -- or "individual registered warrants" -- to hundreds of thousands of creditors. State Controller John Chiang said that without IOUs, California would run out of cash by July's end.
But now, if California continues to issue the IOUs, creditors will be forced to hold on to them until they mature on Oct. 2, or find other banks to honor them. When the IOUs mature, holders will be paid back directly by the state at an annual 3.75% interest rate. Some banks might also work with creditors to come up with an interim solution, such as extending them a line of credit, said Beth Mills, a California Bankers Association spokeswoman.
Meanwhile, on Monday morning, a budget meeting between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders failed to produce a result. Amid the budget deadlock, Fitch Ratings on Monday dropped California's bond rating to BBB, down from A minus, the latest in a series of ratings downgrades for the state.
The group of banks included Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., Wells Fargo & Co. and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., among others. The banks had previously committed to accepting state IOUs as payment. California plans to issue more than $3 billion of IOUs in July.
Ms. Mills of the CBA said some banks were concerned that there aren't processes in place to accept IOUs, and also worried about fraud issues. She noted that not all banks have set a July 10 deadline, and that dozens of credit unions in the state will keep accepting IOUs.
Wells Fargo's head of community banking, Lisa Stevens, said: "We're very disappointed, as are many Californians, that California has taken the unfortunate step of issuing IOUs in lieu of payments to some businesses and individuals."
State officials said they were disappointed by the banks' decision. Garin Casaleggio, a spokesman for Mr. Chiang, said: "We don't want anybody to suffer who can't redeem them when they need cash."
Write to Ryan Knutson at ryan.knutson@wsj.com
Business Builders Team Seminar - Social Media + Business: Don't Get Left Behind
The next Business Builders Team Business Seminar on Wednesday, July 22 will feature Tom Lennon as speaker. He will present how to use social media in business to maximize your exposure and reach. Learn how top execs are making social media a major player in their overall marketing scheme and how to avoid being left behind.
This seminar will be on July 22 at the Terry College of Business' Executive Education Center in Buckhead directly across from Lenox Mall at 3475 Lenox Road, Atlanta, GA. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Please email klaconi at grosscollins.com for more information or to reserve your space.
This seminar will be on July 22 at the Terry College of Business' Executive Education Center in Buckhead directly across from Lenox Mall at 3475 Lenox Road, Atlanta, GA. Sign-in and networking 7:30 - 8:00am; speaker until 9:30.
Please email klaconi at grosscollins.com for more information or to reserve your space.
Steve Gross' GROSS REALITY Debuts on America's Web Radio
Steve Gross, founding partner of HLB Gross Collins and executive director of Business Builders Team LLC, debuted his new, hard-hitting talk radio show, "Gross Reality" on June 24. For more about Steve, click here.
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every other Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Reading Assignments:
Contact your Representative to weigh in on what Washington is doing! The best way is to contact the Georgia delegation in Congress. It is reported that each email or letter is believed by legislators to represent 5,000 voters who feel the same way but have not written.
Link to 111th Congress (January 2009 to January 2010):
http://www.gda-online.org/Georgia%20111th%20Congress%202009.pdf
1. Inside Obama’s First Budget – where that $1.6 trillion deficit is going:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124536826475329427.html
2. Reaganomics vs. Obamanomics – classic contrast in differing strategies to boost economic success:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123431484726570949.html
3. Fannie, Freddie asked to relax condo loan rules – here we go again on the Barney Frank mortgage manipulation wagon:
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Housing/idUSTRE55L39120090622
4. Cash for Clunkers deal moves ahead – government deciding to be marketers for autos, as well:
http://www.reuters.com/article/earth2Tech/idUS216228605420090619
5. Obama says Second Fiscal Stimulus Bill not needed – generous of him, isn’t it! Will wait to spend more than 1.6 trillion to work next year:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=at6C_WYH2PkY
Listen live to "Gross Reality" every other Wednesday at 5 pm on America's Web Radio!
Reading Assignments:
Contact your Representative to weigh in on what Washington is doing! The best way is to contact the Georgia delegation in Congress. It is reported that each email or letter is believed by legislators to represent 5,000 voters who feel the same way but have not written.
Link to 111th Congress (January 2009 to January 2010):
http://www.gda-online.org/Georgia%20111th%20Congress%202009.pdf
1. Inside Obama’s First Budget – where that $1.6 trillion deficit is going:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124536826475329427.html
2. Reaganomics vs. Obamanomics – classic contrast in differing strategies to boost economic success:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123431484726570949.html
3. Fannie, Freddie asked to relax condo loan rules – here we go again on the Barney Frank mortgage manipulation wagon:
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Housing/idUSTRE55L39120090622
4. Cash for Clunkers deal moves ahead – government deciding to be marketers for autos, as well:
http://www.reuters.com/article/earth2Tech/idUS216228605420090619
5. Obama says Second Fiscal Stimulus Bill not needed – generous of him, isn’t it! Will wait to spend more than 1.6 trillion to work next year:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=at6C_WYH2PkY
Are You Ready for GROSS REALITY?
Looking for honest discussion of relevant business topics & seasoned guests with a proven track record of navigating challenges? Steve Gross' GROSS REALITY is a radio show dedicated to helping businesses and individuals survive and prosper in good & bad economic times.
Gross Reality is not a show about money. Rather, it is about individual responsibility to define one's life. You can expect a pro-business perspective without being overly political. Listen to proponents of and educators for FREE ENTERPRISE, promoting individual responsibility and freedom within an ethical framework. Learn how to make your life productive, leave a mark, take pride in accomplishments and make a difference.
Listen LIVE every other Wednesday at 5pm on America's Web Radio or check out Steve's archived programs!
Gross Reality is not a show about money. Rather, it is about individual responsibility to define one's life. You can expect a pro-business perspective without being overly political. Listen to proponents of and educators for FREE ENTERPRISE, promoting individual responsibility and freedom within an ethical framework. Learn how to make your life productive, leave a mark, take pride in accomplishments and make a difference.
Listen LIVE every other Wednesday at 5pm on America's Web Radio or check out Steve's archived programs!
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