The invaluable business lesson I learned from one of Asia’s wealthiest entrepreneurs — As a consultant, I’m inside my clients’ corporate offices several times a month. And after doing this routine for over 35 years, I can tell what a company’s management philosophy will be about just by the looks of their lobby and conference rooms. I’ve worked for some clients that haven’t…

The zero-budget marketing approach — My business partner and I both grew up in small towns. But when we started our consulting practice in 1992, we had big city dreams. We aspired to work with the best companies. …

DTC companies are turning to physical retail in an attempt to prove they are more than just hype — “They make your forehead look big,” my straight-shooting wife belted out with a chuckle. “Okay…” I said, slightly offended. “How about these glasses?” hoping for a more confidence-building response. “Now you look like that televangelist preacher from the 90s, Jim Baker,” she replied. “I think we’re done here,” I said…

How to build a bootstrap marketing approach with limited resources — Starting a business is akin to trying to build a utopian colony in the middle of the jungle. …

The best decisions in life come with a high element of risk — Most of us have dreams we don’t tell others about, much less dare to pursue. As a 28-year-old closeted intellectual, my secret dream was to go to Harvard someday, which was laughable considering I was an unpolished redneck from the swamps of Loxahatchee, Florida. However, just for kicks, I still…

It all comes down to which voices they listen to — Despite my desire to talk turkey as a kid, the only conversations that ever happened at my house over Thanksgiving dinner revolved around ink, photography, color registration, paper prices, and subscription numbers. …

For the hardworking entrepreneur needing some insights and inspiration — I have an odd relationship with books. While I’ve never considered myself an expert reader, I have over 2500 books in my collection. I treat the covers, binding, and pages as sacred texts and get upset when people mishandle or mistreat books, yet I insist on highlighting critical sentences inside…

It’s time we let go of malls and office buildings and move on with the challenge of rebuilding our lives — Let’s be honest: Do we need another mall, office building, or corporate campus in our lives? It’s doubtful. …

Some thoughts on why leaders appear to be coming apart at the seams in their office — Body language is everything to me. How someone stands, sits, walks, breathes, and even blinks tell us so much about how they’re feeling, what they’re thinking, and what specific triggers light up their eyes with delight or flush their faces with silent anger or fear. But what about their clothes? …