Today I would like to discuss what we are seeing from the consultant’s standpoint with businesses around the world. What are we seeing now that the recovery, slow but steady, is starting to take hold?

When I speak to groups, I like to give them a little homework to help make them aware of what’s going on in the world of Generation Y. I will ask them to pay attention to the media and articles they see about millennials or Gen Y and to determine how many of them are positive and how many of them are negative. Overwhelmingly, most articles are negative towards Gen Y, or at least the headlines are.

Have you taken a hard look at technology lately? It has really changed dramatically! In Florida, I met with a client who is from Switzerland, and he was tucking his children in bed at night through an iPhone. It is absolutely amazing what we can accomplish with technology these days. The way we do business has also changed completely in the twenty-first century. For example:

Like some of you, in our house we have a junk drawer stuffed with miscellaneous items, just in case we might need them someday. For example, one time I found a great deal on 9-volt batteries, and knowing they would come in handy at some point, I tossed them into this drawer. When that day arrived, I opened the junk drawer, dug around and they were nowhere to be found. After digging around a few more times, I finally called out to my wife, “Sue, what did you do with the batteries?” She responded, “I never touched them.” So I decided to do some more digging.

Talent acquisition has been very hot topic lately. A lot of my clients have been asking, “If unemployment’s so high, then where are all of the good people?” I have analyzed recent employment trends from the perspectives of both the solopreneur and the business owner. Today I would like to flip this topic and discuss it from the perspective of the job seeker. What is their responsibility?

Lately I've been talking a lot about trend spotting and looking ahead at the employment market. Recent employment numbers are giving us some good insight into where these trends are headed. In my last post, Bringing in New Talent: Employment Trends, I focused on what these numbers mean to the solopreneur, or the seasoned professional ready to step out on his or her own as a consultant. I would like to explain what these new trends and opportunities mean for businesses.

When it comes to employment, we've gotten used to hearing nothing but negative reports and bad news from the markets over the last couple of years. However, in the last 90 to 180 days, a lot of positive news has emerged, and the most recent jobs report really stands out. What does this new trend mean, and what is the market saying to all the entrepreneurs out there?

These days, you have probably heard the term “micro trend.” Basically, a micro trend is when up to 1% of the population moves in a certain direction, by purchasing a certain product, using a certain tool, etc. Once a micro trend is underway and 1% of the population begins to move toward that trend, there is a momentous shift. The power and influence of that micro trend can actually change culture. 

A while back, I spoke with a guy named Hollis Half, whom I steal a lot of great quotes from. One that has really stuck with me is, “Teachability is man’s capacity for growth." It’s about always being open to learning something new. As true as this is, at times it can be difficult to do. Even avid learners can get stuck sometimes. Even if you are committed to constant improvement, by constantly reading and trying to stay ahead, you can still get stuck. Everything cannot be learned from a book. Some things you have to experience.

In my last post, The Definition of a Solopreneur, we explored the evolution of the word entrepreneur and what it means in today’s world to take that leap. Now, I would like to expand on this concept of solopreneurship and discuss a few key points.