Author: Tony Novak
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“I hope you weren’t looking to read good news this morning”
A few clients and other people have commented about my lack of response to recent government actions. Some, I notice, seem to be enjoying an emotional buzz about jockeying for their potential share of the $2 Trillion government aid package. In short, it’s just that there isn’t much worthwhile for me to say about any…
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Does this marketing strategy make sense?
I’ve been a subscriber to The Wall Street Journal for almost 40 years. I started way back in college, about age 19, after responding to a special offer to students. While I had already cultivated an interest in current events, reading the publications of Time, Esquire, Popular Science and The Wall Street Journal really helped…
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How am I helping business owners survive the crisis
I might be known around here as the “crisis management guy”. In fact, most of my professional career was spent creating a path forward to help local small businesses climb from economic disaster. Until now, it was mostly a bad joke among peer CPAs. Now it is the most important professional focus that we need…
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Ten tips on how to manage the small business cash flow crisis
Day by day, the real financial impact of the shutdown is sinking in for more Americans. Hardest hit are those who operate a small business. I recognized the early signs of this dramatic impact coming 10 days ago and shifted my tax advisory practice to a small business crisis management practice, drawing on the lessons…
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Ten productive things I can do for my small business during this shutdown: (please share your list for inspiration)
Sharpen my skills on remote communication platforms – Zoom, Skype, Messenger, Face Time – especially for document, web page and screen sharing and group call features. Focus on the online transaction part of the business. Spend more time learning: reading, online courses, podcasts, certification Clean up and organize the supplies and inventory Schedule calls daily…
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First steps in crisis management for small business owners
For many business owners, dealing with a widespread community shutdown like this is brand and previously imagined new territory. I notice that many of the business challenges we face now are similar to what we faced after superstorm Sandy seven years ago. I dug into our past experience plus pulled from advice from our business…
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Small business crisis management starts with strategic communication
This time of crisis brings a need to spend extra time reevaluating our business strategies. This is a critical first step. The world’s major small business service providers like Intuit, Google and banks are already helping their networks of small business advisers offer practical help. I’ve already taken five additional training hours with past week…
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Our immediate response plan
The world we knew changed in a flash. I’ve retooled my work to focus 100% on response to the effects of this shutdown issue. Crisis management strategy is something many have not dealt with before. Having lived though years of another devastating crisis and spent countless hours on strategic recovery for my own business and…
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Crisis response message
This short message will go out to business clients ASAP: “Over the past four days I’ve switched my small business advisory practice from cautious planning to full-fledged crisis management. Obviously the intent of this work is to stay ahead of the impact but that is especially difficult with the situation changing by the hour. My…
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Honorable James Dannenberg resignation letter
This letter is reposted here because it is the best written rebuke of the Supreme Court I’ve ever read. The Chief Justice of the United States One First Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20543 March 11, 2020 Dear Chief Justice Roberts: I hereby resign my membership in the Supreme Court Bar. This was not an easy…