Sunday’s WSJ Small Business Section had an interesting article update on banks willingness to loan money to small and mid size businesses.
As a business owner, president or CEO, what is your personal relationship with your banker? When asked by friends, whose’s your banker, do you respond with a name of a bank or your actual banker or trusted advisor from your local branch of a national firm or your regional bank advisor?
Need a SBA loan or your LOC increased? Do you schedule monthly phone calls or quarterly “sit down” reviews with your banker? Are your key performance indicators (KPI’s) or rearview and dashboard snapshots meaningful and telling on the financial health of your business.
In keeping with my recent “Kick Starting 2011” theme, are you setting you and your company up for success? Please look into a local peer group, leadership lab or advisory board that provides you monthly support and creates a honest sharing, safe place to discuss the “undiscussable’s” with other like minded business owners. It may be one of your most meaningful decisions you will make in 2011.
Published by edstillman
I grew up in Carlsbad, north San Diego County, lost my dad as a teenager, went into the USAF for four years and hired on with 3M in 1969. Received my AA from Santa Barbara City College, BA and Masters from Redlands University and after 33 plus years, I retired from 3M in 2002. As I look back on my life, I have been creating myself and developing my skill sets to be a business coach and a Vistage Chair. I am president of SEOT, a "personal improvement" consulting firm spending most of my time working with Central Texas executives running small to medium size for-profit companies who are focusing on improving their profitability greater than their competition. My area of interest is assisting senior executives in creating a better balance between business commitments and personal relationships. I also facilatate three leadership labs each consisting of a dozen owners, presidents and CEOs. We meet monthly both in a group setting as well as in a 1-to-1 coaching session. Our focus is to sharpen each others' skills in becoming better leaders, making better decisions and taking ourselves and companies to that next level.
Who are we? My members are experienced top executives who recognize that they don’t have all the answers and who actively seek the company of successful peers—both to give and receive insights and ideas. My members mine the 200 plus years of chief executive experience that comes together in our monthly meetings and members are eager to offer their own experience and insights in the process.
As a group, we spend our time exploring topics members can't discuss anywhere else. My members have many other places where they can engage in idle, "cocktail party" chatter. Our mission is to provide the setting for discussing the "undiscussable."
Where or who can you go to for confidential, honest feedback to assist you in minimizing your personal "Worry List"?
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Austin Vistage | Ed Stillman 