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The Anonymous CEO

Praises and gripes - but mostly gripes - from behind closed doors with fellow business owners.



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I Want to Fire My Sales Team
January 14, 2011

There is nothing more worrying than blank stares at a sales meeting (including from the sales manager). I wish I could fire them then and there.

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Is Losing a Client Best for Biz?
January 12, 2011

I just turned down a deal that one of my reps brought to me where the (longtime) client wanted a substantial discount. I know I should feel like I did the right thing, but I hate losing a client and hate losing the revenue.

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Why Am I Still Doing Biz in This City?
January 5, 2011

Why stay in NYC? I'm trying to justify it to myself everyday. The snowstorm cleanup was just to icing on the cake. Between supporting civil servants (half out on fake disability) who are my half-ass competitors and dealing with NYC agencies like the Dept of Buildings it is close to impossible to run a business, pay my people a decent wage, collect from customers, and make any kind of a decent profit. Seriously somebody talk me off the ledge!

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Worst Snow Cleanup Since the 70s
December 29, 2010

I own a business in Brooklyn where on Tuesday morning, many streets were still not plowed. It took me an hour to get to work (normally 20 minutes).  I have not seen the City in this bad shape since John Lindsay ran it. What is going on?

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Business Outlook for 2011
December 13, 2010

Signals so far from our major retailers indicate that business will be flat, at least for the first 6 months. However, we expect a significant increase in our online business compared to last year.

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Response to: Should I Fire that Lying Client?
December 10, 2010

Have you thought about talking to your client? If they are not lying to you, then finding out why they feel it is necessary to lie to your staff might prove a great insight as to either how your staff is performing or what the client's expectations are. I would explore this first, if that doesn't work then maybe finding a new client is in order.

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Should I Fire that Lying Client?
December 2, 2010

I have a client that is lying to my staff (but never to me - yet). I want to fire them so badly because I don't do business that way, but they are 15% of my revenue. Not sure what to do.

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What NYC City Council and the USSR Have in Common
November 30, 2010

I just read that the NYC City Council is meeting to discuss whether or not Walmart should be allowed to have a store in NYC.  Can someone please please please tell me why a government body has any say what so ever in whether a company can open a store?  If it is wages that they are worried about, I am sure that whomever decides to work there can make the decision for him or herself (or work somewhere else that pays more).  Hey, I am a small business owner and not pro or con big business, but I resent the fact that the City Council is viewing Walmart as the USSR probably viewed a commercial enterprise in the 1950s.  Note to City Council - the USSR tried to control everything and fell apart.

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Clueless Employees
November 19, 2010

Many employees only see how much money you make and fail to consider all the expenses and costs of running a business.

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Micromanage or Murder. Is There an Option In Between?
November 19, 2010

Please help!  My salespeople tell me that they don't want me to micromanage them, but they aren't getting the job done.  Talented and putting out an effort, but just not enough.  So I guess murder is not an option?

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