Articles by Fred Kaplowitz

Good to Great

In his new book, “Outliers”, author Malcolm Gladwell claims that the difference between good and great is about 10,000 hours. In studying great musicians, artists, business people and other creative types who practice their trade, he noted that the “great” performers, those who are truly outstanding, have devoted 10,000 hours…

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The Good. The Bad. And The Ugly

This is the story about a good customer service experience and a bad customer service experience from the same company, all in about a space of 37 minutes. On a recent business trip, I was slowly making my way from Toronto to NYC, when a severe thunderstorm interrupted those plans…

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Woodstock

Forty years ago this weekend,the seminal event that defined a generation took place in Bethel NY. At this “quaint little music event” held on Max Yagur’s farm in Bethel NY, millions of young people, hippies, flower children and other labeled types of people descended on this town for a weekend…

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Lots of small business owners bump their heads against figurative walls when trying to grow. No matter what they do, nothing seems to change. I would like to suggest that perhaps the simple Goldfish can offer some aid in illustrating my point today. Anyone who has owned more than one…

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Here are some sobering statistics for any small-business owner: “Two-thirds of respondents to a recent survey by online marketingcompany Performics say, ‘the recession has fundamentally changed the way theythink about saving and spending money now and the future’. What’s more, the’2009 Online Buyer Economic Trend Study’ showed 8 out of…

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Strawberry Fields

Management Tips from the Beatles Andrew Sobel, a management consultant and author of Strategy and Business says, “the Beatles are a textbook example of how to forge cooperation and creativity inside an organization”. To paraphrase Sobel, he says there are at least four lessons to be learned from the Beatles…

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Social Media Thoughts

You know, we are doing something wrong. I see so many bowling centers, mini golf courses, FEC’s and other types of entertainment facilities that are so proud they have a Facebook page that they cannot wait to show and tell it to every body who will care to see it….

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The CMO

I think every entertainment center should have a CMO. The CMO is the one who insists that getting things done is more important than thinking about getting things done. The CMO knows when someone in the organization (hope it is not you) is so hung up on getting it perfect…

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While the current recession may be easing, or so we are told, many small businesses are still reacting the way they have always reacted in difficult times; they cut price on their product and/or services. Some are more creative than others. Some will package products together for a one price…

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vacation

Leaving JFK yesterday i watched the anxiety on the faces of most travelers. Would they get through security on time for their flights? Would their bags get to the destination on time and would they have a safe flight? It was just another consumer buying decision. Every buying decision involves…

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