How prepared are you for the challenges of running your small business? What energizes you to make it through tough times and just how transparent are you (and should you be) to your employees and everyone else that you discuss your business with? If you felt like your business was about to shut down, could you imagine reaching out to the New York Times with an offer to share the experience with thousands of people? Paul Downs thought it would make for a good story and he wrote for the NYTimes.com for 4-years before writing a “year in the life of my business” book: Boss Life.
You’ve never read a business book like Boss Life. The book quickly joined our list of “must reads” for all current and potential business owners. The work is the most honest and transparent business book that we have ever read and we encourage all of you to read it.
Today, Paul Downs joins Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean on the Small Business Show where they dig a bit deeper into Paul’s story, into Boss Life and into the work ethic that has kept Paul in business for over 30-years.
Listen in and then help your fellow small business owners out by doing a quick review of the Small Business Show on iTunes.
00:00:00 Small Business Show #83 September 7th, 2016
00:01:05 Boss Life author Paul Downs – “Not suited to working for other people”
00:05:15 2008 Recession – laid off half staff – sure I was about to go out of business.
00:06:00 What would it be like to drive a business into the ground?
00:07:09 Make the offer
00:09:33 (Don’t) Hide until you’re successful
00:11:25 Think through your problems by talking about them and writing them down – this is what the NYT Blog did for Paul
00:13:45 Hang onto your threads. They’re all you’ve got.
00:15:13 Define your own definition(s) of failure
00:16:12 Be a clear thinker
00:16:57 Share your problems – with real Small Businesses “Real Businesses” – Love this.
00:21:23 The genesis of Boss Life – The experience of running a business
00:29:57 Understanding profitability
00:31:55 Being candid won’t kill you.
00:34:04 Find out about Paul Downs Custom Conference Tables
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