The following articles were published by www.midlandsbiz.com, Columbia Business Monthly Magazine, Pee Dee Journal, or Greenville Business Monthly.

Selecting the Right Web Design Company

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose “How did I ever get myself into this mess?”Who in the private or public sector has not had that painful thought? We sometimes develop partnerships based on first impressions and early conversations, only to face costly nightmares later! Of all the horror stories we have heard since starting our family of companies in 1981, many complaints (and regrets) surround technology, especially Web design. The following comments were made by angry readers and customers...  Read More »

Business Marketing: Innovate or Die!

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose If the Beatles or Rolling Stones began their careers today, there’s a good chance that they might fail! All facets of our society are evolving, and what worked in years past won’t work now. The technological revolution has changed how our culture communicates and how we use the media for news, advertising, information, and entertainment. In a 2010 Time magazine article, futurist Ray Kurzweil estimated that we’re doubling technological progress every two years....  Read More »

The Art of Building Successful Websites

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose Effectively marketing products and services to potential consumers in unique ways is critical for successful businesses. Every company identified as great in Jim Collins’ bestseller Good to Great demonstrated technological sophistication, using technology as a tool to accelerate success within the guidelines of their individual "Hedgehog Concept:" what they can be best at, are passionate about, and is most profitable to them. Technology in our society is...  Read More »

Putting Out the Burnout Fires

In this bear economy, entrepreneurs, leaders, and employees are working extra hours to complete work that once was the responsibility of two or more people. Combined with high stress levels and layoff threats, it can become too much to handle. People burn out and productivity diminishes. Stressed leaders cannot muster energy to motivate themselves, much less their staff, and employees on all levels begin to dread coming to work. They just try to “get by” until 5 PM—and then, you’d better not...  Read More »

Embezzlement - Is Your Company At Risk?

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose Embezzlement rarely registers as a concern for most business leaders. Few talk about it or realize that it can happen to them, yet it is more common that most people think! A business colleague recently shared a depressing story about a highly-paid bookkeeper with a long tenure at his company. The person was a strong spiritual model, friend, church leader, and a very nice person. She had also stolen large amounts of money from the business, paying her...  Read More »

You’re Fired!

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose In Good to Great, Jim Collins determined that great organizations hire self-directed, competent staff who have positive outlooks and are team-focused. If you make greatness your goal, as we did in 2007, staff who don’t fit into your vision will have to leave. There are ways to avoid hiring the wrong people in the first place. The tougher you screen applicants upfront, the less likely you’ll have to fire problematic employees later. All new hires should go...  Read More »

18 Ways to Keep Customers Happy

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose Our research and experience have shown that business is like travel: the smoother the customers’ ride, the greater the chance that they will patronize businesses, come back for more, and, ultimately, tell others about their positive experiences. Unfortunately, many clients today are stuck saying, in the words of the Rolling Stones, “I can’t get no satisfaction!” As noted by Jim Collins in Good to Great, great businesses promote customer-driven philosophies...  Read More »

Toxic Cultures…Transformed! Part V

Part V--The Results By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose In 2007, we set out to build a great family of companies with employees who exceed customers’ expectations. Our hypothesis was that if we had happy employees, they would provide better customer service, thus creating happy customers and ultimately, profit. As it turns out, we were right! (You can view the December 2007 speech where Mike set the goal for a positive culture at www.mikedubose.com under "Articles"). We had realized that our...  Read More »

Toxic Workplaces…Transformed! Part IV

Part IV – Harnessing Feedback for a Healthy Culture By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose  In our first three articles about creating positive, productive workplaces, we defined culture, listed symptoms of toxic environments, and outlined ways to conduct autopsies of organizational cultures. For the last several years, one of our goals has been to create a great family of companies where everyone looks forward to coming to work each day. We are happy to report that 100% of employee respondents...  Read More »

2011 Companywide Survey

In June of 2011, employees of the DuBose family of companies were asked to complete a confidential online survey dealing with their job satisfaction. By gathering their opinions on the companies’ successes and opportunities for improvement, company leaders hoped to get an accurate snapshot of their organizational culture. The survey can be read here. Individual names have been removed, but otherwise, no changes have been made. The survey can be read by clicking on the link below. Company Wide...  Read More »

Toxic Workplaces…Transformed! Part III

Part III – What Kind of Culture Do You Have? By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose In Parts I and II of this series, we defined what culture means and the symptoms of a toxic work environment. This installment will address ways for leaders to capture an accurate picture of their organizations’ culture. As we noted, some leaders are clueless about what is really going on in their businesses. Then, suddenly, profits are spiraling downward, they are in the midst of a major crisis, and it is often...  Read More »

Toxic Workplaces…Transformed! Part II

Part II – 27 Symptoms of a Dysfunctional Culture By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose  No business or organization is perfect. Even those deemed “great” by Jim Collins in his bestseller Good to Great are vulnerable to dysfunction, mistakes, and failure, and there are some people who are impossible to please (employees or otherwise). In Part I of our series, we examined culture and how it impacts relationships between employees, leaders, vendors, community, and profit. In this column, we will...  Read More »

Toxic Workplaces…Transformed!—Part I

Part I – Defining Culture   By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose  An organization’s workplace environment has a significant impact on staff, customers, leaders, and vendors—not to mention the bottom line! Whether a business, house of worship, non-profit, school, or branch of government, no two organizations have the same culture. According to Kate Klease of Vantage’s Business Strategy Blog, “Happy people are more productive and more willing to go the extra mile for your business.” When...  Read More »

Hiring Great Staff

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose Business leaders often say their staff is their most valuable asset, yet many fail to practice smart hiring practices. Employees’ skills and outlooks should align with the company’s mission, purpose, values, and vision. In fact, while researching his bestseller Good to Great, Jim Collins determined that hiring competent staff and placing them in the right positions is critical to business success. We took this philosophy seriously when we set out to build a...  Read More »

Building Innovative Organizations

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose Apple, Inc. seems perpetually one step ahead of the competition. The company accurately predicts future niches, generates popular, outstanding products like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, and keeps customers happy. As strategic marketing consultant Christine Thompson reported, “A key element of Apple’s strategic playbook is its relentless pursuit of consumer-delighting innovation.” Apple effectively gives customers what they want before they know they want it! The...  Read More »

Promoting Entrepreneurism in the Workplace

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose Most people think of “entrepreneurs” as being exclusively associated with the business world. Although this is the most common definition (and the one given by Webster’s Dictionary), we have seen many entrepreneurs in other sectors like government, education, and charities. Entrepreneurs thrive on generating ideas and then seeing those thoughts come alive in the business world (and other realms). They love to win and thrive on success. Entrepreneurism is...  Read More »

13 Rules of Electronic Communication Every Leader Should Know

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose Effective communication is an art that few people ever completely master. It takes time to learn how to transmit messages simply and concisely, but you surely know folks who can—and when they speak, people listen! The world of communication is evolving. Technology is rapidly advancing; in fact, some researchers say that our knowledge base doubles every two years. At the same time, we are bombarded with messages from our smartphones, televisions, computers,...  Read More »

Consensus Writing Guide

The DuBose family of companies designed the following guide for all staff to use when developing letters, e-mails, and documents. It ensures that everyone uses the same forms and spellings of words that have multiple accepted options and serves as a reference for staff within our companies. We update it frequently (in fact, we are currently in the process of updating the information contained in it now). This is our latest complete version to date and has helped our companies reduce stress,...  Read More »

Accountants and Lawyers: How to Find and Work with the Right Ones

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose We have heard many horror stories from unprepared business owners who lost time and money when they were sued needlessly. Complex laws, unexpected liabilities, and failing to have the right financial and legal systems in place can allow threats—though entirely avoidable—to escalate into major problems. These headaches can distract staff, drain valuable resources, and damage or shut down healthy organizations. Leaders need ongoing advice from the right,...  Read More »

Is Technology Hurting Your Business?

By Blake DuBose and Mike DuBose Fifty years ago, President Kennedy announced, “We choose to go to the moon.” Seven years later, American astronauts walked on its surface—a monumental feat. His vision brought about even greater technological innovation. Now, fast forward to 2011, when some experts are predicting that our technological knowledge will increase 32-fold over the next 50 years!   As a result, business leaders must deal with an ever-changing array of new software and gadgets. Many...  Read More »

Business 2011 – Fail, Survive, or Thrive?

As 2011 dawns, lights of hope are appearing at the end of the tunnel. South Carolina’s economy improved in 2010 and will continue its slow recovery 2011, according to a forecast released in December 2010 by University of South Carolina economists at the Darla Moore School of Business. However, serious monsters still threaten the American economy (e.g., a $14 trillion deficit, Washington political gridlock, high unemployment, complex healthcare bill, shaky stock markets, financially draining...  Read More »

Sample Staff Interview Form

Interview: ___________________________________   Date: _______________   CONFIDENTIALITY: What we discuss is solely between me and you. Any responses shared with staff will be generalized and your name will not be attached. GOALS: To make things better, more efficient, and ensure that we are leading properly; and to build great companies, outstanding people, and an organization where people look forward to coming to work each day. My role has changed to more of a chairman of the board,...  Read More »

Drawing a Clear Roadmap: Strategic Planning

There was a time when I thought that a business did not need a written strategic or business plan. As the business owner and leader, I kept all the plans in my head or locked in my business desk in a secret file for “my eyes only.” After 25 years of inventing, starting, managing, leading, succeeding, and failing in the business world, I know now that I was WRONG! It is critical that every organization or business has a written, detailed plan for the future: before you sign anything, before you...  Read More »