Business Coaching

Dr. Rick Franza, Professor of Management at the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he discusses how small business owners develop a sense of purpose. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: Business owners, especially when the business is small, can often feel bogged down in the daily activities of running a business. How important is it to have a sense of purpose to keep you going? Rick: Some people start businesses with the goal of

If you have been a regular reader of my columns over the years, you know that I have always been a proponent of grit and resilience. However, I have also been written of the value of failure and what we can learn from it. One of my favorite podcasts is Freakonomics Radio, hosted by one of the co-authors of the enormously successful #1 bestselling book of the same name, “Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything.” This weekend, I listened to an episode of the four-part series,

Dr. Rick Franza, Professor of Management at the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about how businesses can show appreciation to their constituents. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: This time of year, it’s natural to be thinking more about thankfulness and gift-giving. Why is showing appreciation important for a business? Rick: It’s always a good idea to show appreciation. It comes to mind this time of year, but you should think about

Dr. Rick Franza, Professor of Management at the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about the importance of timely payment to vendors and employees. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: A struggle that small businesses sometimes face is paying their bills on time. Why is it important to make those payments in a timely manner, especially when it involves employees, contractors, and vendors? Rick: If you don’t pay on time, it sends a

Dr. Rick Franza, Professor of Management at the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about the future of electric vehicles, especially in Georgia. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: We’re hearing a lot about electric vehicles (EVs) being the wave of the future, especially here in Georgia. What is the outlook for the EV market? Rick: Electric vehicles are inevitable. It’s not a question of if they’re coming, but how fast they will

As a sports fan, this is one of my two favorite times of the year. One of those times is in early spring when the NCAA’s March Madness coincides with the start of the Major League Baseball (MLB) season, the Masters, and the end of professional basketball and hockey’s regular seasons. However, the middle of fall rivals that time with MLB’s post-season, the intensity of the middle of the college and professional football seasons, and the start of the college and professional basketball seasons. I often think about what goes