Simple and Vital nsight from Tim Berry: Americas Business Plan Guru

Sometimes it's the simple things in life that we forget about, but that are most important for our business growth.

Tim Berry, President of Palo Alto Software and a business planning expert, brings us "down to earth" with his tips for success in business.

It's now February, January 2007 is all gone, what have you done this past month and what will you do going forward to ensure your business success?

Although these tips are not tech related, it's best to have some "non-tech" every now and then.

Tim advises:

1. Take better care of yourself and your loved ones. Remind yourself that you should take the time to set your own definition of success, which might be wealth of billions and fame and buildings named after you, but might also be coaching the kids' soccer team and being home for dinner.

2. Adopt a planning process -- the whole process, not just the plan itself, but all the follow-through -- to improve management.

3. Take better care of your cash. Plan cash flow better, understand cash flow, manage the factors that influence cash flow.

4. Take a fresh look at the business and its market. Take a step away from the day-to-day routine and look at how you are meeting the fundamental needs of your present customers and how you might better meet their needs and those of other potential customers.

5. Take better care of your people, making sure that you appreciate how hard it is to lose one person and train another, making sure that people are fairly compensated, motivated, rewarded for specific successes, and, perhaps most important, that they fully understand expectations and performance compared to expectations.

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