Having a business not only survive but thrive in this environment may seem overwhelming. There is so much going on to keep up with, including the new jobs programs that are supposed to help small business owners, the uncertainly of income taxes,  the erratic stock market,  a new balance of power in Washington and the European economic crisis...

How often do you receive advice about your business that you don’t take literally? Many of us discuss our business plans with consultants, business coaches, other local business owners, and family but it takes a special type of person to take the advice and essentially apply it to their business. At Basso on Business, we would like to highlight particular individuals who not only listened to the recommendations we presented them but took action! Our “Actions in Action” blog will quote our past featured business owners of 2010 and prove that when you act on advice and forge forward, positive change will flourish...

The act of refrigeration is simply the removal of heat from an enclosed place or a material.  Simple, right?  I bet Jeff Tempone from East Coast Refrigeration in Bohemia, NY begs to differ.  Everyone in the Western civilized world takes the simple luxury of ice as a given, but not Jeff. He works long hard hours making sure his clients stay cool. 

His technical skills are unsurpassed and he can fix nearly anything mechanical. That's how he got his start working in the refrigeration business. Like many small business owners, he learned a trade and opened his own shop. For the last five years he has worked hard making his small enterprise grow....and then he realized he was really stuck...

Everyone talks about the Long Island “brain drain” and how lack of jobs and affordable housing are driving the youth off Long Island, but as a business owner or working professional, what can we do to stop this slow exodus of young talent?

The members of the Long Island Elite (LIE) asked themselves the same question, and the result was the Believe symposium taking place on Monday, November 15^th, 2010.  The mission for the Believe Symposium is to empower Long Islander’s to create a better environment to raise a family, start a business and live a prosperous life. By challenging our youth to envision their future and take steps toward their goals, we will help them believe not only in themselves but the possibilities that lie ahead right here at home...

You just can’t fake leadership. When Coach K led his Duke basketball players to 27 post seasons in his 30 years at the school and became the most winning active coach in NCAA Tournament play, no one doubted his leadership skills. Even Coach K himself said, “I don’t look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.” Leadership begets results. During the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr.’s ability to inspire the masses earned him not just the Congressional Gold Medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Nobel Peace Prize, but also the respect of the nation and generations to come. Leadership begets results.

So when corporate executives are unable to guide their teams to success, why do we still call them leaders? Too many times, titles and suits dictate our view of management, when really, we should be examining results. As always, start by turning inward. Look at your own effectiveness.

How can you objectively review your leadership capabilities? What do you do to grow and develop these strengths and temper your weaknesses?