You probably know that Jet Ski, Styrofoam and Xerox are all registered trademarks. Yet, they have become synonymous with the entire category of products in which they compete. 

Most business owners are afraid to talk to anyone when they are ready to sell their business. They fear the competition will find out and use it to their advantage. However, there are more things to fear than your competition. 

Yes, the litany of woes that small businesses can attribute to this pandemic is not small: Businesses closing, scared staff, customers gone and, adding insult to injury, a do-nothing Congress.

While stay-at-home directives for non-essential activities have eased, personal automobile usage remains below pre COVID-19 usage levels as many people continue to work from home. Reduced personal travel, cancelled entertainment events, increased unemployment and countless behavioral changes also continue to decrease automobile usage below historic levels.

Now that December has dawned, corporate communicators will soon find themselves facing a yearly task: creating a holiday message from the c-suite to employees. In years past, this was generally an easy task (“At this festive time of year, we wish you and yours…”), this year calls for more.

When I began my career in family business consulting nearly 20 years ago, I met Dean Fowler, one of the early thought leaders in the field of family business and author of several books, most notably Love, Power and Money.

On March 27, the President signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, into law.  The CARES Act added the Paycheck Protection Plan to the Small Business Act at Section 7.  15 U.S.C. 636(a)(36)(A)(viii).  

The madness of this year, 2020, has revealed an acute need for leadership.  Great leaders recognize that certain leadership qualities are being tested now like never before, and the strength of the following qualities will have extraordinary impact far beyond the direct setting in which one currently leads:

The vim and vigor of a patriotic spirit can easily transition to entrepreneurial pursuits. Military veterans and entrepreneurs require dedication and drive, along with faith and optimism. These all-too-familiar characteristics are what carried many veterans through their daily military routines and duties.

Business owners and executives considering the sale of a company have important decisions to make at three different phases: Before Negotiations (the swim), Purchase and Sale (the bike race), and Closing and After (the run).