Why the Cheapest Option Can Become the Most Expensive Decision
I have spent enough time working in operations, sourcing, manufacturing, sales, and business development to know that controlling costs matters. Every business has a budget, and every dollar spent affects something else. If a company consistently pays more than it needs to, those decisions eventually show up in the margins. At the same time, experience […]
The Chicago and Geneva I Know Aren’t Defined by the Headlines
I have spent enough of my life around Chicago and Geneva to know that people who aren’t from this area often have a very specific picture of it in their heads. Chicago, in particular, can become a collection of headlines about crime, politics, weather, or whatever story gets attention that week. I understand why that […]
The Most Expensive Mistakes in Manufacturing Usually Start Small
When people think about costly mistakes in manufacturing, they usually picture major events. They imagine a machine breaking down, an important shipment arriving late, a product recall, or an unexpected shortage that halts production. Those situations certainly happen, and when they do, they receive everyone’s attention because the impact is immediate and impossible to ignore. […]
How Operational Thinking Makes Better Business Decisions
When people hear the word “operations,” they often think about production schedules, logistics, or the processes that keep a business moving behind the scenes. Those things are certainly part of it, but I’ve come to believe that operational thinking is much broader than that. To me, operational thinking is a way of approaching decisions. It […]
Why Businesses Should Spend More Time Fixing Processes Than Chasing Trends
Every year, there seems to be a new business trend that promises to change everything. One year, it’s a new management philosophy. The next is a technology platform, a sourcing strategy, or a productivity framework that everyone feels they need to adopt immediately. I understand why businesses pay attention to those conversations. Markets evolve, customer […]
Raising Future Leaders: Lessons Business Has Taught Me About Parenting
Connecting Leadership Principles with Fatherhood and Family Life Over the years, I have spent a lot of time thinking about leadership. I have seen it on soccer fields, in manufacturing plants, in sales meetings, and during international business trips. I have worked with great leaders and learned from a few not-so-great ones as well. Along […]
What Traveling Through Latin America Taught Me About Building Trust
Lessons on Relationships, Culture, and Conducting Business Internationally Some of the most valuable business lessons I have learned did not come from a classroom, a conference room, or a textbook. They came from traveling throughout Latin America, meeting people from different cultures, and learning how business is really conducted when relationships matter. Early in my […]