Dunkin' Donuts is in a Big Vat of Oil

What happened to the world’s one-time largest seller of coffee and donuts? Dunkin Donuts is trying to knock the sugar off the brand. The question is – Why would they even bother?

Full Disclosure: I like donuts, a lot. I don’t like coffee, much. With this in mind, for the life of me I can’t figure out what Dunkin' Donuts is doing with their brand? They have dreamed up so many new concepts over the “Starbucks Years” that it is sometimes difficult to determine what they actually sell, and where. 

  

A Donut Breakfast Sandwich?

This week’s Dunkin' news brings us the introduction of a breakfast sandwich between two halves of a donut.  Okay, call us suckers - but do they really think this is going to work?  I mean, how exactly do they intend to pull this combo off?  Are they going to deep fry my sausage patty before it drops in the fryer? All kidding aside, Dunkin' Donuts is trying hard by all estimations. They were once the premier brand for that early morning caffeine and sugar rush.  Now they are more like an outdated brand with an outdated logo and an outdated clientele.

Did George Karl Get Fools Gold with The Nuggets?

Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl was fired after being named the NBA "Coach of the Year". How in the world did that happen and what are the up to high on those Rocky Mountains?

George Karl must have thought they were kidding when he was called into Denver Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke's office a few days ago. He must have imagined a routine meeting to discuss possible off season moves. Maybe a little small talk about the great beaches abroad he would soon be visiting. Instead, the long time coach was fired by the very young billionaire with his father's money.


The question today is not whether George Karl got a raw deal in being fired by the Denver Nuggets. The question is how did a coach with 26 years of experience as one of the winning-est coaches in NBA history make it this far? That's right, George Karl should never have had a job in the NBA for so long to start with. True, he is a coach with a solid resume of wins, but he never really ended up winning anything important in all those years.

Small Business: How to Promote Personal Responsibility When the Boss Is Away

In my world of customer service and project management at a very large, very successful company -

I have thought long and hard numerous times about how my employees are "producing" while management is away.  

Whether it's a daily meeting or vacation, we all have times where employees are on their own.  So how do we go about motivating them to be productive, work independently, and seek assistance from others without necessarily going to the top?  Here are some suggestions:  

Delegation for future success:

It is important to let your employees know you trust them to make the right decisions.  Let's face it, some great future leaders are out there in your workforce.  I've found that instilling a great team concept with a goal (be it financial or otherwise) is paramount to employee productivity with little or no supervision.  One of the biggest mistakes newer managers make is not allowing their hires to make their own mistakes.  Giving away that power is tough when it's ultimately your butt on the line at the end of the day.  We will go into this in greater detail in future writings.

Small Business: Top 5 Steps to Increase Your Productivity

How many hours are you spending a day to build your business?  If you are like me you probably spend a lot of time counting them.  So, what's the result?  Whatever the result is, sure there is a way to get a better one.  Well the answer is pretty easy: Because there is always a way to do things better.

The fact is that you are an entrepreneur and not an employee, so instead of being paid for the time you work as an employee, you will be paid for the results.  Your goal is not to make things as long as you can, but the better you can.  And if we act as smart entrepreneurs we may probably understand that if you invest time properly you will not only save time, but we can also spend that time to do more and more to increase your productivity.

Careers: Staying Positive After Being Laid Off

B

ecoming laid off is one of the most difficult things any worker will face in their career lifetimes. While this can be a very devastating experience for a number of reasons, it is important to take positive steps in your approach to this situation. From taking a little much deserved time to yourself to reaching out to friends and family you haven't spoken with in a while, there are many ways to make a layoff into a more positive and rewarding experience.

Get out!

What we mean by this is for you to get out there and have a good time. Remember, you won't always have the free time that comes with losing your employment. Go do the things you have been putting off, just make sure you don't blow the bank on them! Life after a layoff should be filled with reflection and enjoyment before you dive back in to a full-fledged career search.

Small Business: How to Gain Insight Into Your Market When Starting a Business

Gaining insight into a business market is a very important process to undertake with any new or existing company. Below we explore the Internet, Social marketing, Customer interaction and other key opportunities for any size business.

Internet:
With the advent of the internet in recent decades, the ability to gather competitive, marketing and management advantages into your business has exploded. There are literally thousands of resources for gaining insight into your particular market without ever spending a dime. A simple web search is all that is needed to yield all sorts of data on your competitors in terms of their pricing, products, customers and target markets. By knowing what your competition is up to you, can then tailor your marketing, pricing and other business decisions with a simple click of the mouse. The internet is certainly a valuable research tool in gaining traction into your new businesses market.
Social marketing:
Twitter, Facebook and email are all key tools to use to determine your potential customers' needs and wants, as well as providing some exciting entertainment when launching into your new business venture. While social marketing is a valuable commodity, you need to be careful as we have all seen horror stories about how one bad Tweet or Facebook post can ruin your hard earned reputation. So it is important to realize both the exciting opportunities and numerous pitfalls when implementing your social marketing strategy.

Small Business: Creating a Brand From the Ground Up

So, you are thinking of a new way to brand your product, service or website? The following is the first in an installment of many articles dedicated to how to brand your company or product and what it means to do so.

First, we have to know a few things:

What does "Branding" mean?

Simply put, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from the competition.

In short the definition from any dictionary is:

1. kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like: the best brand of coffee.
2. a mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc.
3. a mark formerly put upon criminals with a hot iron.
4. any mark of disgrace; stigma.

Now we can disregard the third definition and the others fit what we are talking about. I like to think of a brand in the business world as a mark, both figuratively and literally. It's who you are so you better not mess it up!

Sports Business: The Challenges in Financing Sports

In earlier times the marketing manager of an athletic team would project sales, the engineering and production staffs would determine the assets necessary to meet those demands, and the financial manager's job was simply to raise the money needed to purchase the required plant, equipment and inventories. 

 

That situation no longer exists. Decisions are now made in a much more coordinated manner, and the financial manager generally has direct responsibility for the overall financial status of any business.

According to theory, a healthy economy depends on efficient transfers of funds from people who are net savers to firms and individuals who need funds. Without efficient transfers, the economy simply can not function. Thus, sport businesses, as individuals and government units, often need to raise funds. Stock exchange markets, merges, acquisitions, promotional techniques, athletes' transfers, diversification, product or market development and syndicated loans, constitute methods for increasing cash flow levels.

STARTING A BUSINESS? - THE PERFECT SOLUTION

STARTING A BUSINESS? - THE PERFECT SOLUTION

Executive suites are an affordable and practical solution if you are in the process of starting an independent business, or establishing a new practice as a lawyer, psychotherapist or other professional. The actual monthly cost of maintaining an office can vary from just a few hundred dollars to over a thousand depending on a number of factors. The most expensive executive suite offices are typically in high-end, Class A buildings with exterior windows, while the most economical are interior offices in located in Class B or C buildings. All executive suites generally provide basic services and amenities, which would generally include telephone and Internet access. Some will provide furniture, and most will include customized telephone answering, voice mail, secretarial and postage services. If you shop around you should be able to find accommodations to fit your requirements and budget.

"Our typical client is a lawyer, or other professional who came to us with limited budget and had shopped the expensive Class A executive suites first. Since we are in a well maintained Class B building, our rental rates are 30-40% less for both interior and exterior offices" says Stemie Penn, owner of a large Southeast Denver Executive Suite business. "Our tenants usually move to larger exterior offices as their business prospers. Also, the clients of our tenants don't feel intimidated when they come in because of the practical decor and the friendliness of the staff and the obvious cheerful interaction among tenants and employees they encounter here."


I am looking forward to reading your comments and thoughts on this matter.  A good debate to be had by all.


Learn more about this author, Brian Daniel Young

Check out all my articles over at Helium.com


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Small Business: Signs you are an Entrepreneur

You know you are an entrepreneur when...

• You're constantly trying to think up new ways to be successful, or new business ideas to try out. You're not happy just getting on with things; you aim for the top and won't stop until you get there! You're full of motivation and ambition, which is an essential quality for any entrepreneur to have.

• You find out how to do something if you don't know straight away. You love being challenged and always want to learn new things, whether it's through workshops, courses, or simply doing research in your own time. If you can learn new things to make you more successful, as well as more confident in business, then even better.

• You're always trying to offer business "advice" to your friends and relatives, even if they don't want to hear it. You just can't stop talking about it! It's on your mind 24/7. You'll take heed from other entrepreneurs, and will often carry around a notepad and pen just in case you get that spark of inspiration.

• You approach risks with a sense of excitement rather than caution. You're not adverse to risk in your business plan; you know that it's often by undertaking the most risk that you can reap the most reward. An entrepreneur knows that risk means profit, so as long as you attack it correctly, you can be in line for a huge pay-off.

• You look at other businesses and think you could do better. It's this type of confidence that means you probably will, and all entrepreneurs have to possess it.

• You're always thinking of how you can secure your next investment. Your business plan is at the forefront of your mind, and you always want to tweak it to make it perfect. You know that a good business plan is the key to getting investment, and you want to make sure that you do.

• You don't get upset if one of your ideas doesn't work out, you pick yourself up and get on with the next one. You understand that business is difficult, and that not everyone makes it all the time, even the most successful of entrepreneurs. It just makes you even more determined to succeed with your next business venture. This type of persistence is essential.

• You've just read this, and all the points apply to you!

About Brian Daniel Young