Your response to the unexpected can be the difference between success and failure. Regardless of how well you prepare, you will be confronted with uncertainty, failure, and plenty of surprises. When I told my brother, Gerry, that I was going…
Have a clear mission and vision statement, and make sure your team is fully committed to it If your associates cannot explain the importance of your company’s mission and why it resonates with customers, you have some work to do.…
Sept. 1, 2020 | Miami Small Business Expo presentation Virtual business presentation from keynote speaker Michael Coles Last month, Michael Coles presented at Small Business Expo Miami's virtual event. Small Business Expo is Miami's BIGGEST business networking and educational event.…
Even in a digital age, customers respond to, respect, and remember the personal touch. Technology is one of the most effective ways to reach customers. If used wisely, it can replicate the warmth of face-to-face contact that has defined exemplary…
September 10, 2020 | The Art of Communication Podcast transformation Michael J. Coles, the co-founder of the Great American Cookie Company and the former CEO of Caribou Coffee, did not follow a conventional path into business. He does not have…
People's Point of View Some people are intimidated by working or associating with someone more capable or knowledgeable than they are. Others thrive on building relationships with those who have complementary skill sets and conflicting points of view. I made some…
This pandemic is impacting everyone. With many out of work and struggling to pay bills, people are forced to make difficult decisions about care for their pets. But during these trying times, there are still great stories of giving. My wife, Donna…
When I was 22 years old, I struck up a conversation with a businessman on a flight from New York to Detroit. As we made our initial descent to the airport, I asked him what kind of advice he would…
Michael Coles at Dorwins in Miami Beach Those without integrity will undermine your best efforts, diminish your effectiveness, and poison your company. To be that person of integrity, speak honestly, directly, and respectfully to everyone in your life and in your…
Lessons from Mentors I was lucky as a teenager to have found a mentor in Irving Settler. He taught me nearly everything I know about retail. I would not have been successful had he not been so hard on me or invested…