Every Move Matters
Every Move Matters “In planning, never a useless move; in strategy, no step taken in vain.” — Sun Tzu If you’re like most small business owners I know, you’re busy almost all the time. The problem is that being busy doesn’t always mean being productive. Days get filled with tasks that feel urgent but don’t […]
Visionary Leadership
Visionary Leadership “To foresee a victory which the ordinary man can foresee is not the acme of skill.” — Sun Tzu This morning, I was reading The Art of War, Chapter 4, and came across the story of Han Hsin. His strategy seemed absurd—his own generals doubted him, and the Chao army mocked him for […]
Focus on What You Can Control
Focus on What You Can Control This morning I read this: “That which depends on me, I can do; that which depends on the enemy cannot be certain.” — Sun Tzu This passage reminds me of the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change […]
Timing is Everything
Timing is Everything “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.” Timing can make or break a business. Sun Tzu understood this well—acting too soon wastes resources while waiting too long risks losing your advantage. For small business owners, knowing when to act is one of the hardest but most […]
Meetings That Matter
Meetings That Matter “In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers, with provisions enough to carry them a thousand li, the expenditure at home and at the front… will reach the total of a thousand ounces of silver […]
Know Yourself, Know Your Competition
Know Yourself, Know Your Competition “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” Sun Tzu’s advice isn’t just for generals—it’s a lifeline for small business owners. To build a business that lasts, you need to understand two things: your strengths and weaknesses, and the strategies […]
Victory Isn’t the Finish Line
Victory Isn’t the Finish Line This morning, as I was reading The Art of War, this passage jumped out at me: “[Tu Hsiang] entered Nan Haio, destroyed three of their camps, and captured much treasure. However, P’an Hung and his followers were still strong and numerous, while Tu Hsiang’s troops, now rich and arrogant, no […]
Work Smarter: Building Your Business Without Starting from Scratch
Work Smarter Building Your Business Without Starting from Scratch This morning, I was reading The Art of War and came across this passage: “The wise general sees to it that his troops feed on the enemy, for one bushel of the enemy’s provisions is equivalent to twenty of his…. in transporting provisions for a distance… […]
Hiring Smart
Hiring Smart Lessons from The Art of War This morning, I was reading the “Waging War” chapter of The Art of War, and one line stood out to me: “Those unable to understand the dangers inherent in employing troops are equally unable to understand the advantageous ways of doing so.” It made me think about […]
Stop Getting Stuck
Stop Getting Stuck How to Keep Your Business Moving Forward This morning, while reading The Art of War, I came across this passage: “Victory is the main object in war. If this is long delayed, weapons are blunted and morale depressed.” It made me think about how often this happens in small businesses. As owners, […]
Plan Like a Pro: Lessons in Strategy and Leadership for Small Businesses
Plan Like a Pro Strategy and Leadership for Small Business: Lessons from The Art of War This morning, as I was reading The Art of War, I came across this passage: “Li Ching of the Tang proposed ten plans to be used against Hsiao Hsieh, and the entire responsibility of commanding the armies was entrusted […]
Win Big by Starting Small
Win Big by Starting Small Lessons from The Art of War When Big Bets Go Wrong Years ago, when I was running a home health agency, I made what I thought was a game-changing decision. I invested more than $250,000 in a Honeywell® telehealth solution. I was convinced it would revolutionize patient care and drive […]
