General / Business Articles
Playing to Your Strengths
Posted April 24, 2013
Today I'm thankful for Marcus Buckingham, my boss and my father because they provide inspiration and motivation to "play to my strengths." 
For some individuals it takes decades to figure out what their strengths are and what makes them thrive (not just what they are good at). For some,… read more here
Do customers/clients think you’re a chicken or a pig?
Posted December 4, 2012
By Scott Scheffey: When Steve Nock was president of Inclinator Company of America, I loved going to meet with him. Besides valuing them as a client, I used to leave there with some of the best business analogies. (He retired. We still call Inclinator a client.) One was too good… read more here
Are you talking to or sharing with people?
Posted November 20, 2012
By Scott Scheffey: I recently attended an industry seminar in Nashville, TN for small marketing & creative firms. One of the speakers was the founder of a Canada-based strategic storytelling firm. I'm not kidding. Some guy is making a lot of money helping organizations uncover, understand and craft their stories.… read more here
Networking, selling or just playing a game.
Posted November 5, 2012
By Scott Scheffey: I was one of the judges at The Lancaster Chamber's Business Expo a few weeks ago. They gave us a sheet listing different categories and asked us to select the top three for each. I can tell you that walking through a trade show or expo takes… read more here
I’d like to read more books, but it takes so darn long.
Posted June 28, 2012
By Scott Scheffey: I can read a Stuart Woods book in about two sittings. I can’t say that for business or self-help books. I begin those by picking up a highlighter and having a pen nearby. The better the book, the longer it takes to finish because I spend so… read more here
Who – and what – are your biggest competitors?
Posted June 14, 2012
By Scott Scheffey: We recently started working with M.H. Eby, an aluminum trailer and truck body manufacturer with headquarters and one of its plants in Blue Ball, PA. Its big industries are horses and livestock. These guys really get it. They follow industry stats, they look closely at their competitors… read more here
Be a leader worth following
Posted May 22, 2012
By Scott Scheffey: Leadership has become a big business. There are books, videos, framed quotes, blogs, seminars and consultants … all waiting to make us more effective leaders – at all levels – within our organizations. There are leaders people are paid to follow. Examples are abundant in the military… read more here
Are you afraid to fail?
Posted May 8, 2012
By Scott Scheffey: I have a rule: I try to avoid doing things in public (at least around Lancaster) that may make me look silly or be seen as a failure. I think I‘ve always had this cautious approach … in work and life. Thank goodness Milton Hershey didn’t feel… read more here
Does Avis really try harder?
Posted April 17, 2012
By Scott Scheffey: Since the early 60s, Avis has been using variations of the motto “we try harder.” They adopted it when they were the #2 car rental business (behind Hertz) and wanted to give consumers a reason to choose the underdog. It’s a great strategy for any business …… read more here
Disney is a great place to visit. Even better without young kids.
Posted March 27, 2012
By Scott Scheffey: My wife and I just took our two 20-something kids and their significant others to Disney World for a long weekend getaway. Now that was fun! That makes four straight all-adult Disney vacations for us. Yes, the Disney experience is magical for young children. But take my… read more here