Lessons for Small Business from Big Business - Blackberry

by Dr Greg Chapman

Blackberry is in trouble. At one time it was the phone of choice for the corporate world. Even the US president had one. It had excellent email security and integrated well with other business software products.

All that changed with the new generation of phones. Blackberry failed to keep up and saw its market share collapse, even in its niche of choice - corporates. It now seems to be looking for a buyer, but what’s it worth?

It has certain technologies and patents that may be of value to others, but the biggest part of the value for any company purchase is usually the Goodwill for the business as a going concern. Purchases of assets such as patents are pretty much what you get in a fire sale especially as there seems to be little that’s unique in its latest offerings that might appeal to another Telco with its own patents. They may have value to a new entrant.

Ad of the Month – Honesty

by Dr Greg Chapman

Over the years businesses have tried many different strategies to advertise their business, but few have tried warts and all honesty. While most will not lie, but gilding the lily is certainly the norm. Well here is an ad which presents the unvarnished truth, which did get quite a response for the advertiser.

The Purpose of Your Business

by Dr Greg Chapman

Most the business plans I see read like novels, and if they were in libraries, they would be classified as science fiction. At some time, most business have prepared a business plan. Often at the early stages, and are filled with the optimism of the inexperienced, but once exposed to the reality of the market place, these plans regularly get forgotten on the shelf gathering dust.

I point out, that none of these possibly worthy goals is the purpose of your business. It might be the reason you went into business, but not its purpose.

The purpose of your business is to make a profit. If it’s not, you are running a charity. Nothing wrong with charities, which are non-profit, or even loss making organisations, but that is not the purpose of a business.

Your New Year’s Business Resolutions for 2016

by Dr. Greg Chapman


Every year at this time we have an opportunity to start with a clean slate. Well not absolutely clean, because we know what hasn’t worked in 2015, and what we could have done better. We certainly would like to achieve more this year, but where to start?

Wouldn’t it be great to have a simple step-by-step tool that provides a focus, uses your strengths, and comes up with very clear objectives for your business?

Business Plans - Essential or Useless?

by Dr Greg Chapman

Most the business plans I see read like novels, and if they were in libraries, they would be classified as science fiction. At some time, most business have prepared a business plan. Often at the early stages, and are filled with the optimism of the inexperienced, but once exposed to the reality of the market place, these plans regularly get forgotten on the shelf gathering dust.

General Truman once said “Planning is essential but plans are useless”. Perhaps this thought was prompted by a 19th century German Field Marshall von Moltke who said “No plan survives contact with the enemy.”