Presidents Advisory Committee (PAC)

A Great Business Idea For The Greater Good

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:09:10 0000

PAC friend Frank Cheswick has a neat idea for a business that provides a benefit to society.

Changes Coming To 401-K Plans

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 09:52:36 0000

The Department of Labor recently issued regulations that require 401k service providers (investment advisors, brokers, custodians, recordkeepers and third party administrators) to disclose retirement plan fees to plan sponsors and plan participants. Initial plan sponsor disclosures will be required at the end of the first quarter 2012 and plan participant disclosures will be required shortly thereafter.

Can You See Around The Corner?

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:51:56 0000

The people PAC serves-Presidents of small and midsize companies-don't have economists on staff. But, that doesn't mean that small business men and women can't have a glimpse of what the future holds.

Communicating Your Vision To Your Organization

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 09:17:57 0000

As much time as we spend on our message to the customer, we spend very little time on the message we're sending to the people within our organization. If this is your reality, perhaps it's time to think about the consistency of your internal communcations. After all, it's the people inside your company who have to deliver on the promise you make to the customer.

Are you connecting effectively?

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 16:05:48 0000

Today, most people have multiple email addresses, at least a couple of phone numbers, and a number of accounts with social media outlets. How does the President of a small business efficiently and effectively navigate these touchpoints to stay "top of mind" with customers, employees, and other important stakeholders?

PAC Member Survey Results

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:36:54 0000

The results of the annual PAC Member survey are in, and this article discusses the results.

Are Your Financial Statements Prepared Correctly?

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:36:35 0000

At a recent PAC meeting, members discussed the benefits of upgrading financial statements to review or audit status.

People Are Always The Key

Mon, 6 Sep 2010 21:18:17 0000

Josh Robbins, President of Geckotech LLC, talks about how his organization responded to the sudden departure of a key person.

Its' What You Say AND How You Say It

Fri, 6 Aug 2010 09:03:03 0000

It’s one thing to communicate with your stakeholders during good times; it’s another when times get tough. While I’m a pretty good wordsmith, I’m always very concerned that what goes out from my office sends exactly the right message in exactly the right tone.

Sometimes it's the decision you DON'T make

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 08:49:37 0000

This story comes from Mark Tepper, President of 1to1 Card, http://www.1to1card.com: I was fortunate that my company grew from mid 2008-mid 2010, despite The Great Recession. When I joined PAC in 2008, I believed that my business was ready to go to the next level, and I was anxious to build a sales team around a Sales Manager I was looking to hire. I thought my PAC group would give me the support and feedback I needed to make the best possible hiring decision. What I got was much different than what I expected. My fellow PAC members challenged my decision to recruit a Sales Manager. They said I wasnt ready because I didnt have a structured Marketing Plan in place to provide my sales team the best chance of success. Frankly, I was a little hurt. I was preparing to make an offer to a dynamic (and expensive) sales person who, I was convinced, would help me. However, upon reflection, I took the advice. I committed to writing a Marketing Plan. During that process, it became increasingly clear to me that I was doing the right thing, and that the advice I got from my peers was correct. Today, in mid 2010, I am now prepared to build my sales team, and I have the complete support of my PAC group. I am convinced that, without their feedback in 2008, I would have made a bad decision that would have cost me some six-figure amount and set my growth plans back by at least a year. It was not easy for me to open myself up to the groups challenge. I dont like feeling vulnerable. But, Im glad I did. If you are a President of a company, as I am, I hope you are not thinking about the important decisions you face in isolation. I believe its critically important that you get impartial perspectives on the strategic issues you face. PAC has provided that for me.