“I cornered the market on losing money,” says David Pomije, the founder of video-game retailer Funco Inc., about the time before Funco began to work.
“I had three to four failures.” In fact, he was hired by the bank that liquidated one of his business failures to dispose of some assets, Commodore computers sold via mail.
She?s the person who runs the numbers, assesses the risk. He?s the one who always says yes. Together, the husband-and-wife owners of Dino?s Greek fast-food restaurants demonstrate the beauty that can be found in a business partnership.
What do Pomeranians have to do with banking?
For David Reiling, CEO of Sunrise Community Banks in St. Paul, those miniature dogs were the key to gaining millions in deposits when he was scrambling for customers in California.
Steven Schussler, creator of the Rainforest Caf?, talks a mile a minute, and about every fifth thing he says makes you laugh out loud.
Joe Heron, CEO of Ardea Beverage, likes to press a six-pack of his company?s airforce Nutrisoda into every visitor?s hands.
Steve Bloom, CEO of the fast-growing Pragmatek, hugs business colleagues that he hasn?t seen for a while, and will do the same for strange reporters upon request.
These are three things I know about these local business owners becaI have the best job in the world: I get to call up anyone and request an interview, and almost all will say yes. (Note to the 1 percent who have rejected me so far: Please see the words ?so far? in the preceding phrase.)
?I feel happy. I feel healthy. I feel terrific,? we shouted, all 250 of us, at the behest of Dave Anderson, founding chairman of the Famous Dave?s restaurant chain.
And then louder, he urged, so we bellowed: ?I FEEL HAPPY. I FEEL HEALTHY. I FEEL TERRIFIC.?
Behold the power of the deadline: it causes magazines to be published, political campaigns to be ended, and in the case of the Upsize Growth Challenge, ambitious business goals to be met.
It?s time for all business owners to stand up and thank their lifeline.
You know who I mean: that crucial person you call whenever a crisis or a triumph hits your business.
We?re proud to announce a call for nominations for the second annual Upsize Lifeline Awards. That?s the unique celebration designed to emphasize the role that mentors, advisers, confidantes and champions play in the life of every growing company.
I got to visit the Wizard of Oz in late August, also known as Dick Schulze, the founder and chairman of Best Buy Co. Inc.
It really is like visiting the Emerald City, in their spectacular corporate campus in Richfield. You give your name to the security guard, then go through a metal detector. You approach the bank of receptionists in the visitors? area and give your name again.
Upsize was virtually dead for three long weeks in July. That is, our Web site, dev.divistack.com, was out of commission, auctioned to a stranger in California by the company that registers our domain name.
It didn’t take long for the vultures to circle. People left voice messages saying they couldn’t access our Web site or send us e-mails. “I hope you’re not out of business,” they’d cheerily say, then detail their story ideas.
[corn] “It’s just like watching the corn grow,” says Craig Kruckeberg, talking about generating 20 percent revenue growth each year for the last six at his family-owned company, Spray Control Systems Inc. “It’s kind of boring here....