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For entrepreneur Lisa Richards, work is a picnic.

For entrepreneur Lisa Richards, work is a picnic
That is, $5 million worth of picnics in 1990 alone.
Looking at Lisa Richards, expertly directing her staffers on last-minute details for an America's Cup holiday reception, it's hard to believe that one of her first jobs in San Diego was disinfecting tuxedo shoes at Sears.
"I was starving, so I'd pick up any odd job I could, cleaning and shining shoes, waitressing or babysitting," said Richards.
At that time she was drifting, having left the University of San Diego in 1977 after her parents refused to support her "fun and games" for another two years, she said.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do, but I was having a lot of fun," she added.

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What happened when I misjudged several job

applicants and hired them.

The first thing you have to realize is that if you trust your gut alone, you'll make a lot of mistakes. Even if you get a recommendation from a trusted friend or colleague, the person you hire may not fit well in your culture. I've probably made more than 50 hiring mistakes in my time as entrepreneur, and they have happened at every venture I've been involved in. At BET, we hired an extremely well-credentialed CFO who embezzled almost $2 million and ultimately ended up in jail. At Salamander Hospitality, which owns and develops hotels and resorts, I hired a full-time consultant who was recommended by a friend. It didn't work at all.

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The Great Beer Crisis of 2008

If all your competitors were hurting badly, would you help out?

Published September 2008

The beer industry is as tough as any. It's dominated by a handful of big players, and the remaining craft and microbrewers -- some 1,400 businesses, most of which are local or regional -- must fight with them (and with one another) for every bar tap and every inch of shelf space. So when the market for hops went haywire last spring and panic buying ensued, you had to wonder how cutthroat the competition would get.

Hops are the conical green flowers that function as a preservative and also add flavor and aroma in beer. For the past decade, there has been a glut of hops, and prices have reflected that. But lately, as with so many commodities, the prices of some popular varieties of hops have jumped: They are going for $15 to $24 a pound, up from $3 or $4 a pound.

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Entreprenutty

by

Andrea Giambrone

President,

Think Shop Advertising & Communications

Home based business?  Better limber up!  I’ve discovered that “Jack (or Jill) Be Nimble” is great advice to anyone considering working from home.  Those of us who’ve done it come to discover that nimbleness is as vital to succeeding as talent and determination.

 When you work from a home office, you learn to answer phones, work the printer, as well as copy and fax machines, do your own filing, invoicing, shredding and hoisting.

Here you are, your own microcosmic corporation (regardless of whether you’re incorporated, an LLC or a DBA).  Every so often, you remember exactly what you’re in business for.  This usually occurs somewhere between re-starting the modem and realizing that the fax machine is jammed.

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