Meddlesome

Retreat! Does taking your staff away from daily activities for an extended off-site meeting return benefits? We'd get together for a few days twice a year. The real benefit to our team came from socializing with peers. Jim and I, as business owners, learned a lot about our people during these sessions. Was it worth it? We think so, but tune into our stories and make up your own mind.  Ho...

Taking an existing brand and changing it comes with not only challenges but also hazards. In a follow-up on Episode 2.07 "Branding," we discuss rebranding an existing entity. We relate stories about others' rebranding efforts and our own. As usual, Ken can't make up his mind, er, ah...has a diverse set of conflicting opinions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ken puts Jim on the spot by having him dissect a load of corporate speak about layoffs and the impact of AI on a business. Unintentionally, this has ended up being a follow-on from Episode 2.14 "Consultant Lingo Bingo" and is a great study in attempted [Epistemic Capture-]( https://product.sustainability-directory.com/area/epistemic-capture/resource/1/ ). Can Jim make sense of it? Could any o...

What do you really do as a business? Do you need to become an expert in accounting or Human Resources to have a successful business? Or should you leave that to someone with more experience? In these stories, we share our experiences trying to be jacks of all trades, how that worked out for us, and offer advice on when to DIY and when to call for help. This is a critical skill for starting and gro...

In the first of what will likely be a long discussion on project management, Jim and Ken introduce you to the idea of a project. This isn't some academic view or anything that will get you a certificate of accomplishment. But it is a realistic view of the deep complexities of managing a project and how to be successful at it. In this episode, we discuss project startup and sponsorship. Hosted on A...

Unless you're very lucky, travel is an inevitable part of entrepreneurship. Long days, short nights, sleeping in strange places, and road food are par for the course. It can be grueling, taxing both the mind and body. In this episode, we offer some serious and humorous tips for surviving on the road. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So you're an independent contractor or have a firm with hundreds of employees. How do you set the rates you charge your clients/customers? Too low and you'll go out of business. Too high and you won't get any business. Do you care about competitor rates? Do you just spitball? The answer is within reach. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jim and Ken investigate the pervasive use of jargon in the consulting industry and how it obscures effective communication. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jim and Ken share their journey through the complexities of decision-making in both business and life, highlighting our struggles with indecision and analysis paralysis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim and Ken examine the relationship between chaos and business strategy, questioning if chaos can drive productivity within organizations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss strategies for managing the inevitable conflict that occurs as a business owner or consultant or employer or... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the complexities of hiring interviews and all the mistakes we made! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why some clients cling to their problems instead of seeking solutions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we delve into the humorous yet poignant reflections of a management consultant grappling with the challenges of explaining his career to his mother throughout the years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We had a lot of trials and tribulations over branding. From lawyerly to simple our brand evolved. But ultimately, it's the company's product that matters. Also, we can't figure out logos. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim and Ken discuss the value of consultant reports. You get a few tips on how to improve your reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim and Ken talk about loyalty programs. Airlines, stores, hotels, and online services all offer some form of them. Is it worth the effort? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SCRUM, GTD, Object-Orientation, Seven Habits...All have some value but rarely do silver bullets cure all. Take the best parts and leave the rest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim and Ken discuss how a consultant (or entrepreneur) should dress in front of clients or prospective clients. Client +1 is the take away...though we both admit we have no fashion sense. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few minor clarifications to our Smart People Dumb Procedures episode Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our philosophy was people are smart and will do the right thing...except when they don't. Smart people can, and often do, dumb things, particularly when it involves mindless tasks. We talk about balancing people doing the right thing and corporate policies and procedures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listeners demanded to know how we became consultants and entrepreneurs! Well OK, one listener asked politely if we'd tell this story. And he was related to Ken. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim and Ken discuss what behaviors and rules an organization needs to thrive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim and Ken talk about change initiatives in a company. How fast can you move? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode, Jim and Ken tease changes in our approach for our new season starting September 21st, 2025. It's a bit of a "sausage" being made but we thought you might enjoy it and hearing about some upcoming changes to our podcast. Hey we're learning here... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.