For your consideration: Top 10 Things You Shouldn't Do When Running Your Business.

1. Don't put your self-interests above company interests.
2. Don't eschew tough responsibilities to those under you.
3. Don't bring personal problems and issues to work.
4. Don't vent frustrations to coworkers.
5. Don't keep change in a negative point of view.
6. Don’t try to be friends with your employees.
7. Don't treat employees unfairly favoring some other others.
8. Don’t get angry and blow up on people.
9. Don’t ask employees to do things you wouldn’t do.
10. Don't be surprised when someone tries to steal the credit for something you did!

Good luck out there.

Keywords: management, boss, employees, work, money, job

For your consideration: The TV Is Ruining Your Business.

We were talking with a buddy of ours (We’ll call him: “PlantKing.”) about his landscaping business. We’ll ad that this friend of ours also owns rental property as well. PlantKing loves his rentals. His landscape business . . . Well, let’s say that he doesn’t necessarily hate it, but he’s certainly tired of dealing with employees vs. tenants.

PlantKing has resorted to using a staffing service to find qualified personnel to aid him in his various jobs. He’s tried hiring on his own, but finds the whole mess of dealing with paperwork and attitudes simply not worth his precious time. PlantKing’s operations are small, and he’s still trying to get new jobs sold. He doesn’t want to worry too much about other issues outside of sales.

Here’s his latest employee scenario, and why the TV winds up ruining businesses:

PlantKing: “Hey, what are you doing?”
Employee Dude: “Just takin’ a quick break man.”
PlantKing: “What did I tell you about smoking on people’s property?”
Employee Dude: “I just wanted to get a quick couple of drags in . . .”
PlantKing: “What did I tell you about smoking around the fuel cans?”
Employee Dude: “Uhhhhhhhhh. Ummmmmm. Well . . .”
PlantKing: “You’re smoking a cigarette AND holding a gas can!”
Employee Dude: “Oh don’t worry, man. That one show: Myth Busters. They proved that you can’t blow up from smoking and holding an open gas can, so it’s cool.”

Employee Dude no longer works for PlantKing. Employee Dude was told numerous times that he wasn’t allowed to take smoke breaks in people’s yards. He was also told not to smoke around the fuel, etc., etc.

In this age of reality TV and instant information, however, Employee Dude knows better. He’s got an answer for everything—no matter how absurd.

MoneyKing’s tip for Small Business owners: The Employee Dude scenario isn’t a huge managerial conflict, but it will cost you time, sales and the efficient completion of a job. When you’re a small operation, you need the best help you can get at the cheapest cost. Maybe you should pre-screen prospective employees to find out if they really like watching TLC, and therefore know everything. They’re sure to be helpful at the worksite! Regardless, think about your interviewing strategies and your work plan to account for even the most basic nonsensical attitudes and behaviors of employees.

Good luck out there.

Keywords: money, time, employees, work, job, site, landscaping, fire, fuel, smoking, explosion

For your consideration: We’re All Looking For Diamonds.

If you’re trying to own, operation and manage a small business, you might as well buy some diamond or gold company stocks. These companies are in the same industry as you!

Whether you’re:

• Looking for equipment.
• Looking for supplies.
• Looking for temporary help.
• Looking for advertising.
• Looking for permanent help.

You’re looking for diamonds.

• Equipment is costly, and every dollar matters when trying to purchase a big ticket item to last 5 or 10 years.
• Supplies don’t cost a lot individually, but over time these little tick marks really start to add up.
• Temporary help can be costly and dangerous to your own equipment and customer relationships.
• Advertising is always a gamble that no one wants to spend money on, but everyone has to . . . Finding which method works for your business line is key.
• Permanent employees require time, attention and guidance. Time is the premium to the small business owner, of course. Do you have time to mentor?

You don’t want to waste your time. Like diamond mining, you’re spending so much time and effort to find that one piece to your business that will be a real asset, i.e.,

Here’s The Money King’s advice on what to do:

For your consideration: Top Ten Reasons To NOT Hire!

Wait, wait, wait! If you’re thinking that you might need help at your business, here’s some reasons to think twice.

1. You’re bad at hiring. Are you thinking of hiring because you’ve fired your last three employees in as many months? You might need to take a management class.
2. You don’t really need the help. If you’ve just let someone go, try working your business without them for a while. You might be pleased with the results.
3. The US economy isn’t so hot. Sad to say it, but the economy isn’t looking great. You might need to downsize, not the other way around.
4. Your cousin is a joke. This is for people thinking of hiring relatives, because their grandmother gave a recommendation. If your cousin is a joke, then pass. You’ll just wind up with lost equipment, supplies, time and (definitely) money.
5. You’re earning interest on that money. Everyday you don’t spend part of your budget on hiring another person is a day that you’re earning free interest.
6. You’ll spend less time on paperwork and personnel management. More people means more paperwork, insurance and possible headache. If the numbers don’t make sense for a hire—with associated support given the weak economy—wait for better times.

The Money Kings have a new subject for our readers: Small Business Bucks.

These posts will deal with saving and making money by running small businesses, starting them, closing them down and everything in between!

For your consideration: Naked Women Can Cost You Money!

You gotta be careful out there with naked women, for more than the obvious reasons!

Say you run a small handyman business.

• YOU advertise in the newspaper.
• YOU put a sign in your yard that says: “HANDYMAN. 20 YRS EXPERIENCE. (555) 555-1212."
• YOU answer all the calls.
• YOU set up the appointments.
• YOU drive around all day.
• YOU get yourself listed with the local chamber of commerce.
• YOU keep track of all the books.
• YOU do it all!

Minutes mean money in your business. Just like any business banking commercial will tell you on the radio.

BUT, you gotta watch yourself.

Because you’re putting yourself out there for the GP. A.K.A., the general public.

This means that all sorts of people just waiting to waste your time are calling you, booking appointments and breaking them, having you do estimates only to never call you back, etc., etc.

There’s one thing out there, however, that might not be on your WATCH OUT list: Naked Women.

Money Kings Tip:

If you ever roll up to do a house call, make sure when you enter a person’s residence you do so with some sort of pepper spray and a clear exit out.