http://www.richmondbizsense.com Richmond's Homepage For Business News Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:46:57 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/10/01/guest-opinion-how-crocs-got-their-bite/ http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/10/01/guest-opinion-how-crocs-got-their-bite/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:31:25 +0000 Stan Maupin http://www.richmondbizsense.com/?p=22166 Last weekend I wore a pair of “U-Va. orange” Crocs to a football game. I got laughed at, but I learned a valuable business lesson, writes Stan Maupin. ]]> http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/10/01/guest-opinion-how-crocs-got-their-bite/feed/ 12 http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/08/13/guest-opinion-the-geometry-of-a-business-plan/ http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/08/13/guest-opinion-the-geometry-of-a-business-plan/#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:21:21 +0000 Stan Maupin http://www.richmondbizsense.com/?p=20819 The successful business leader is often the one who can “triangulate” bits of information and turn them into useful information]]> http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/08/13/guest-opinion-the-geometry-of-a-business-plan/feed/ 1 http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/01/29/guest-opinion-mistakes-are-the-best-teacher/ http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/01/29/guest-opinion-mistakes-are-the-best-teacher/#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:02:46 +0000 Stan Maupin http://www.richmondbizsense.com/?p=15264 There has been a warehouse full of books written about what makes businesses successful, and you can find a lunch meeting every week with a speaker from the latest fast-growing company. But listen to them carefully. Usually, their story will be filled with examples of how they avoided pitfalls or built something better based on a mistake or failure, writes Stan Maupin in this week’s Guest Opinion. ]]> http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2010/01/29/guest-opinion-mistakes-are-the-best-teacher/feed/ 1 http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/11/27/guest-opinion-a-gps-for-business/ http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/11/27/guest-opinion-a-gps-for-business/#comments Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:42:26 +0000 Stan Maupin http://www.richmondbizsense.com/?p=13623 Many businesses develop a plan that provides great directions to their destination. But somewhere along the way, they run into a roadblock or take a detour]]> http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/11/27/guest-opinion-a-gps-for-business/feed/ 0 http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/09/18/guest-opinion-let%e2%80%99s-make-a-deal/ http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/09/18/guest-opinion-let%e2%80%99s-make-a-deal/#comments Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:47:17 +0000 Stan Maupin http://www.richmondbizsense.com/?p=11557 When the economy was growing, it was the seller who wanted to focus on the last year and use trends to project future performance. Today, the tables are turned and the buyer is more likely to point to the last 12 months and to expect a “haircut” on price. They may also mention the economic uncertainty and use that to lower their offering price]]> http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/09/18/guest-opinion-let%e2%80%99s-make-a-deal/feed/ 4 http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/08/07/guest-opinion-how-full-is-your-glass/ http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/08/07/guest-opinion-how-full-is-your-glass/#comments Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:56:16 +0000 Stan Maupin http://www.richmondbizsense.com/?p=10305 We all know people who see the glass as half-empty and others who see it as half-full. Business owners and financial officers looking for funding seem to fall into the first category, while bankers and other lenders have the latter view. But they agree on one thing: No one is happy]]> http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/08/07/guest-opinion-how-full-is-your-glass/feed/ 0 http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/06/12/guest-column-the-late-payer-dilemma/ http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/06/12/guest-column-the-late-payer-dilemma/#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:58:02 +0000 Stan Maupin http://www.richmondbizsense.com/?p=8427 Collecting accounts receivable is a challenge even when the economy is booming. Today, it has become a matter of survival for some businesses. The bankruptcies continue in Richmond, and will probably not slow for some time. In this week’s guest column, Stan Maupin explains the risks of extending terms]]> http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/06/12/guest-column-the-late-payer-dilemma/feed/ 5 http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/04/24/six-reasons-it%e2%80%99s-a-good-time-to-sell-a-business-%e2%80%93-and-why-you-shouldn%e2%80%99t-care/ http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/04/24/six-reasons-it%e2%80%99s-a-good-time-to-sell-a-business-%e2%80%93-and-why-you-shouldn%e2%80%99t-care/#comments Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:11:09 +0000 Stan Maupin http://www.richmondbizsense.com/?p=6855 There are two important concerns to think about: maximizing the return on your capital and meeting your personal needs]]> http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/04/24/six-reasons-it%e2%80%99s-a-good-time-to-sell-a-business-%e2%80%93-and-why-you-shouldn%e2%80%99t-care/feed/ 1 http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/03/13/oped-the-outlook-calendar-index-is-improving/ http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/03/13/oped-the-outlook-calendar-index-is-improving/#comments Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:13:07 +0000 Stan Maupin http://www.richmondbizsense.com/?p=5550 It might not be the kind of economic indicator that is quoted in the Wall Street Journal, but I think my appointment calendar for the past few months suggests some interesting trends. First, it seems that business people are adjusting to the economic crisis. Many were stunned into inaction in late 2008. But like the ]]> http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/03/13/oped-the-outlook-calendar-index-is-improving/feed/ 0 http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/02/13/oped-boomer-businesses-blindsided-by-recession-ask-%e2%80%9cwhat%e2%80%99s-next%e2%80%9d/ http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/02/13/oped-boomer-businesses-blindsided-by-recession-ask-%e2%80%9cwhat%e2%80%99s-next%e2%80%9d/#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:36:19 +0000 Stan Maupin http://www.richmondbizsense.com/?p=4537 Editor’s note: The views expressed in Friday Op/Eds are those of the writer and are not RBS. Last summer I met with the owners of a local business to discuss ways to grow. They had just finished their 15th year of modest but steady growth in sales and income. Some recent successes had given them ]]> http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/02/13/oped-boomer-businesses-blindsided-by-recession-ask-%e2%80%9cwhat%e2%80%99s-next%e2%80%9d/feed/ 54