Gene Marks is president of The Marks Group, a ten-person Philadelphia-based consulting firm specializing in sales and marketing technologies. Gene is the author of six books, most recently, The Manufacturer's Book Of List (CreateSpace - October, 2013).
Project Grow
The 5 Words You Don't Want To Hear From Your Accountant
The last thing you want to hear is "hey, that's a great idea!" from the one person who's supposed to be giving you the great ideas.
Life Lessons
Looking at Very Old Photos Has Changed My Perspective on Business and Life in General
Shorpy.com is entirely photos of people in ordinary life long ago dealing with the same sort of stuff we deal with now.
Credit Cards
Your 'Minimum Purchase' Credit Card Policy Is Dumb
Whatever convinced you turning away sales is good business, it wasn't the math.
Ready for Anything
Why Middle-Aged-Men Are Such Lousy Sales Prospects
I know that I'm going to be in for a tough time as soon as I realize the a potential customer is a middle-aged guy.
Economic Conditions
These Are 3 Little-Known Metrics That May Tell Us if a Recession Is Coming
Because one IS coming. Sometime.
Project Grow
Thanks, But I Really Don't Want Your 'Help'
What can you do to "help" my business? Buy something. Vague promises aren't going to cut it.
Wealth
Will Getting Rich Make You a Jerk?
Believe it or not, if you weren't a jerk to begin with it could have the opposite effect.
Failure
This Entrepreneur Risked It All and Ended Up Homeless Handing Out Resumes on a Street Corner
Talk about embracing failure.
Work-Life Balance
The 3 Words That Define a Business Owner's Success
That "away from office" message doesn't signal laziness or complacency. It demonstrates competence and success.
Project Grow
Every Business Owner Should Listen to These 3 Very Non-Business (But Very British) Podcasts
The problems of one person or one business are seldom significant in the context of a big world with a long, long history. Paradoxically, that is very comforting.
Recruiting
Here's a Very Simple Solution to the Mystery of Why You Can't Find Employees
Start offering more money and better benefits.
Is It Sexual Harassment to Stare at Another Employee for More Than 5 Seconds?
Yes, but if your parents didn't teach you it's impolite to stare at people it will sound ridiculous when well-mannered adults write a rule against it.
Taxes
Thanks to the New Tax Law There's Never Been a Better Time to Hire Your Kid
But please, don't put your six-year-old behind the wheel of a forklift, OK?
Starbucks
Starbucks Is Now Open for Loitering and It's a Terrible Business Decision
The chain is now allowing anyone to use their spaces, regardless of whether they purchase anything.
Amazon
Amazon Just Confirmed My Biggest Fear About Cloud Applications
Amazon just upped it's Prime membership 20 percent, because who's going to do anything about it? Tony Soprano would understand the market dynamic.
