Business Tips Part One

Treat Them As You Would Like To Be Treated

The best rule of thumb is to treat your client the way you would like to be treated. The size of the company is not relevant — a one-man shop or a national brand — without happy customers, no business can sustain itself in the long run. Don’t complicate it; use your personal experiences as your guide. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Business Consulting

The single most important action should be understanding the reason behind the nosedive. Though it sounds elementary, it is surprising how many stakeholders jump to action without knowing what the proper action needs to be. Don’t panic – use qualitative and quantitative methods. The time to take action is after you are sure you have found the issue(s). – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Business Consulting

Defining your wants and needs is by far the most significant step that should supersede any other. Without a clear outline of the “what, when, and how,” every other action taken is either meaningless or destined to fail. This should be followed by leading by example — don’t ask your team to do something you wouldn’t do yourselves. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Business Consulting

The only true difference is the perception of the recipient. One can choose to utilize it or choose to take it personally. We have no control over how someone communicates or their motives. However, we can choose what we get out of the communication. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Business Consulting

The concept of an “agile leader” is an unfortunate subcategorization that is both vague and conceptually already covered in servant leadership. Agility, in terms of adaptability in decision making as well as process management, has and will be one of the cornerstones of time tested business practices that have been successfully utilized for decades. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Business Consulting

A negative or positive state of mind is a symptom, not the cause, and should be treated as such. The underlying cause is a matter of world view. Do you choose to see failures as learning opportunities as opposed to a negative incident? That view will determine how you process said incidents. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Business Consulting

Stress in a productivity context is a moot point because it is a symptom of other issues, including time and task management skills, prioritization, and perception. Stress in this setting is almost always addressable via refinement of skills and practices that are readily and publicly available. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Business Consulting

Say it with me: “I don’t know. I will get back to you on this.” This particular phrase is the best friend of any true leader. It is an absurd assumption that someone knows it all. This is also a good way to gauge a new team or team member: If, in a meeting, anyone has all the answers, it should be considered suspicious. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Public Relations Consulting

One of the rather repeated mistakes in self-promotion is “overselling.” Self-promotion is one of those propositions that fall in the “under-promise and over-deliver” category. Additionally, it is substantially more desirable for the results to be evaluated and praised by others. Hence leading to less “self” and more “promotion” that can’t be doubted or second-guessed. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Business Consulting

Talent development is a matter of taking the long-term view with the matching resources and patience. Be it in education or the real-world, cultivating human capital in a dynamic and comprehensive way requires appropriate time and resources. Too often companies either lack the vision or the resources to implement consistent education, mentoring and period evaluation, which leads to failure. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Management Consulting

If the intent is to have a long-term “fix,” there is really only one sure way: be genuine. There is a mutual self-interest on both sides of the relationship. Your co-worker is likely to be just as interested in a relationship that will help their career as you are. Start by asking them how you can help with their work and career goals, which will lead to the same question from your perspective. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Business Consulting

It is not really hard to create additional revenue in most businesses. The real question is if it is feasible or does it interfere with any other aspect of the existing business model? Is the timing correct? Will it cannibalize existing revenue streams? Once those and similar questions are answered, additional revenue streams can be explored and implemented. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Business Consultant

Crowdfunding is no different than any other business relationship: folks trusting you and investing money in you and your business. Hence it is important to be authentic—be honest about your concept and needs, be honest about intentions and, most importantly, maintain consistent channels of communication. All those actions will lead to trust, which in turn is helpful if anything goes awry. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Chief Marketing Officer

Though product and services comparison may work, it is a short-sighted approach. Comparison in a crowded market may, in some cases, even be harmful by providing additional exposure for competitors. A more sustainable approach, however, is a combination of providing education and creating a customer-centric organization. These organic differentiations are long-term and not subject to fads. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By: Chief Operating Officer

In my experience, one of the least asked questions is, when do we reach the dreaded “diminishing returns?” Many entrepreneurs and senior executives incorrectly assume that all things have to consistently improve, which in turn results in some repetitive non-ROI-yielding activities. It is extremely important for advisors to be mindful and reiterate the need for factual evaluation. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

As someone that has worked 16-plus years ly, the single most important cultural tool is cross-collaboration. Remote teams that integrate cross-collaboration among team members tend to create deeper and more personal relationships. It ultimately tends to translate into deeper personal bonds that not only help maintain but also evolve the organizational culture. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By Kamyar Shah – Business Consultant

Rapid growth entails change, which tends to create friction. That sort of friction tends to manifest in a wide range of symptoms such as quality control issues, customer dissatisfaction as well as internal conflicts. Those symptoms are just that—symptoms. The underlying causes are virtually always within growth and scaling projects that were not planned or not executed properly. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By Kamyar Shah – Remote CMO

Much like any other service provider, recruiters depend a great deal on information to provide the best possible result. Hence, it is important to be proactive and provide them with a complete background as well as a “narrative” of what you are trying to accomplish. The more details and guidance one provides, the more likely that the recruiting efforts will result in the desired outcome. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By Kamyar Shah – Remote COO

The simplest way to exponentially grow inbound leads in later stages of a business is to adopt the “big fish, little pond” methodology. Secondary venues, or “little ponds,” that are unlikely to be overcrowded by others will allow the business to be the “big fish.” This approach, however, requires an immense amount of creativity and experimentation to find the proper and converting “little ponds.” – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By Kamyar Shah – Read more about Management Consulting & Operations Management

Though there are many tools and platforms that make fundraising more accessible, there is still a lot to be said about self-funding. A self-funded company tends to signal several positive attributes that are highly desirable, including self-discipline. Though this may not apply to all business environments, it should be the first option to be considered. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By Kamyar Shah – Chief Marketing Officer

Though communication is the obvious answer, there is more to it. Communication at its face is great; however, in order to have the proper impact on stakeholders, those communications have to be above board. That usually translates into being accepted as a person of consistent integrity that will report objectively at all times. Without that perception, communication is not effective. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By Kamyar Shah – Chief Operating Officer

Boundaries are less about explicit expression than actions. For boundaries to be of any impact, there have to be consequences that are obvious enough. Those actions and consequences can be as simple as making sure the other side notices that they have been ignored on purpose, or as complex as explicitly and publicly emphasizing that they have been ignored for a specific reason. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

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Though there are many different ways that may help avoid family pitfalls, one of the safest ways is a clean-cut separation of family and business. Creating a formal separation in which personal and family issues do not carry any merit when it comes to business-related matters will have the best chance for long-term success. Alternatives are more susceptible to occasional and repeated failures. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

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Polite and factual statements are virtually always the best way of approaching most conversations, even the difficult ones. In this particular instance, it is just as important what is being said as how it is said—conveying that a relationship may not be as productive and effective while encouraging them to find alternatives would be the optimal approach. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

By Kamyar Shah – Interim CMO

One of the rather easy ways to evaluate and improve onboarding, be it in a high- or low-stress environment, is having a complete feedback loop with all stakeholders. This would allow for feedback from all levels, including the new employee. This kind of dynamic feedback allows for quick tactical pivots to improve the onboarding quickly and effectively. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

by Kamyar Shah – Interim COO

Stress, much like a task, has to be managed. It boils down to understanding and accepting that being stressed is part of the journey. That acceptance then leads to awareness, which should be turned into actionable tasks to manage it. Those tasks, however, have to fit the individual needs. It can be as simple as an hour walk or as elaborate as a combination of meditation and yoga. Awareness is key. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/01/09/feeling-anxious-about-your-business-16-ways-to-cope-with-entrepreneurial-stress/#d20db0c615a3

by Kamyar Shah – Chief Marketing Officer

Though the standard considerations such as viability, earning potential and other similar factors should be the main basis of the decision, a secondary factor is often overlooked: dual purpose. A side hustle can and should have more than just a single goal of earning money. It should also help determine if it is the right business to eventually grow or do full time. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/01/08/16-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-you-pursue-a-side-hustle/#5d4c98bb1f88

By: Kamyar Shah – Chief Operating Officer

Emotional decisions, both in personal and business lives, tend to have debatable outcomes at best. A better way is to formulate those doubts into tangible hypotheses that can be proven or disproved. Then it is rather simple: Consult with peers, collect and analyze data or do both. The end result is rather straightforward: Either the concern is legit or it is not. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/01/07/is-it-time-to-walk-away-from-your-startup-idea-15-ways-to-decide/#36693ee639af

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Be better than you were yesterday. Personal and business lives are always evolving, and we encounter obstacles that we have to overcome. The goal is not to be perfect or to achieve something spectacular. Hence progress and improvement can only be measured in context. Being better in one area than you were yesterday is not only simple to understand but easy to achieve. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/01/07/15-ways-to-actually-achieve-your-new-years-resolutions-in-2020/#15dab7092189

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When and if an employee asks about additional ways to contribute, it is a good sign that they are ready for more responsibility. Granted, said employee has to be above-average at the current job duties. Additional consideration should include factors such as cultural immersion and product-specific know-how. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/01/06/15-clear-signs-your-employee-deserves-a-promotion/#54a6bac6c1ad

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A promotion to a managerial role will inherently alter the dynamics between peers. However, the language used to express that can provide context and help; it is easy to contextually explain that the relationship is evolving. That approach can be extremely helpful for all parties to “buy-in” to the new dynamics and even become an active actor in helping achieve goals that benefit all. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/01/06/promoted-to-management-15-ways-to-navigate-workplace-relationship-changes/#40c32ec947f2

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I have had the pleasure to work with many entrepreneurs over my career. The single factor that all the successful ones had in common was their reading habits. It goes something along the lines of there being a time block set aside to catch up on readings. Short of a disaster that has to be dealt with, that time is nonnegotiable and will stay off-limits for any other activity. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/12/30/15-daily-habits-of-great-leaders/#512ebced42ca

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Entrepreneurship by nature requires sacrifices both in your personal and business life: be it sacrificing personal time to learn a new skill to help the business or the willingness to terminate a friend that was not a fit for said business. Hence, if there is little to no willingness to be flexible enough to sacrifice, starting a business should not be an option. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/12/23/13-essential-skills-and-traits-of-successful-business-owners/#6528c24eaca3

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Looking for a new job is not something that needs or should be hidden. That is where the honesty part will help the pivot. If need be, inform your management of your career development goals. There is a real possibility that they may even help. This also means that you need to illustrate that it is not impacting your duties, to which you are morally obliged. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/12/12/job-hunting-15-ways-to-keep-up-with-your-current-job-while-you-look/#7a53f7392d14

Nothing lets you see your progression or regression toward your goals better than data. Be it qualitative or quantitative, data should be your first stop. Now the interpretation of that data is the next step. Unbiased evaluation will add an additional layer of certainty. Combine those two and there is really little room for “feelings” or “doubts.” The data will lay down the road map to success. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/12/11/14-ways-to-balance-your-long-term-goals-with-day-to-day-business-tasks/#66e126ac11b2

The notion that there is a shortcut to being perceived as a leader is not realistic for most people and situations. There are some temporary and short-lived efforts that can elevate some exceptional young people into the spotlight, however, it is unlikely for it to be permanent or widely noticed. Even the thought of there being a shortcut should be considered a maturity issue. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/12/11/15-proactive-strategies-that-establish-entry-level-professionals-as-leaders/#1cdeac51114a

What has worked for me and many of my clients is a simple mental review of “why.” Why did you start doing it? In business, as in life, any project that was started had an initial goal. That goal was motivating enough to start that project—recalling the reason is usually enough of a motivation to keep going. The main advantage of this approach is in its simplicity and efficiency. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/12/06/finding-inspiration-in-the-day-to-day-15-ways-to-set-yourself-up-for-success/#1cd9048a2581

Education and collaboration are still some of the best ways of avoiding pitfalls. A serious entrepreneur has to put their ego aside and consider either one in order to decrease the likelihood of “rookie mistakes.” It can come in different forms, such as meeting with peers regularly to discuss business or having subject matter advisers that augment the entrepreneur’s know-how. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/11/26/15-common-pitfalls-to-avoid-as-a-new-business-owner-or-entrepreneur/#600d810653fe

Asking about the end results or impact of any advice should be a standard question after each piece of advice is received. It can be as simple as, “To what end?” The answer will not only provide clarification but will also allow the recipient to individualize the steps as well as the motivation needed to implement the advice. Clear goals will lead to better tactical and strategic adjustments as needed. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/11/25/15-essential-questions-to-ask-your-mentor-or-business-coach/#7567e2033e2c

Irrelevant from the purpose of the change, consistency in actions matter. Wanting to achieve change will inherently require consistent actions, which in turn is also one of the main reasons why desired results can’t be achieved without it. It requires a mechanism that results in consistent actions that are greatly influenced by consistent motivation. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/11/20/14-ways-to-embrace-and-accept-change-in-your-life/#579ea5ee59c5

One of the rather reliable ways to diagnose potential excess in workload is to match progress to initial timelines. Once the “noise” is cleared up, i.e. reasons that could have affected progress, it is simple to see what delays were caused by time or resource limitations. Combine that with frontline feedback and the data set for decision making is sufficiently usable. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/10/29/is-your-business-overwhelmed-by-heavy-workloads-here-are-10-signs-to-look-for/#1d8ef357290a

Yes, introverts have it harder when it comes to some aspects of a business. That being said, it is no different than any other obstacle that can be overcome by a wide range of solutions, including adjusting client acquisition and contact point workarounds. It is an issue that can be limiting, but only if it is allowed to. Don’t allow it to limit you. Limit its impact. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/10/17/15-coaches-share-how-introverted-leaders-can-succeed-in-an-extrovert-world/

Though one would think that being enthusiastic in an interview is a no-brainer, I have witnessed the opposite. In my experience, the candidate too often concentrates on appearing knowledgeable but misses the vital aspects of enthusiasm. It is almost equally a problem with employers. All the knowledge and expertise in the world cannot replace the enthusiasm needed to overcome daily obstacles. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/10/16/these-13-nonverbal-cues-could-hurt-you-during-a-job-interview/#2f08ee1449bd

Balancing corporate outings is not difficult if the basics of the end goal are the starting point: teamwork. Considering that the most likely goal of such an endeavor is to improve both individual and team performances, the planning should involve team feedback. Using both individual and team input in planning is going to inherently result in more interest and better outcomes for the event. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/10/04/14-major-considerations-for-leaders-planning-an-employee-retreat/#54d1a53d67f4

Innovation, and even scaling a business, is inherently a risky proposition. One of the most time-tested ways of managing the risk is to start on a small scale to achieve “proof of concept.” Though it doesn’t magically eliminate all the risk, proof of concept will allow for proper analysis and preparation for larger rollouts. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/10/03/heres-how-to-take-business-risks-responsibly-according-to-12-professional-coaches/#ad3fcc07badf

Among many other ways, I have seen work is to show your impact by calculating a theoretical ROI. Since most employees don’t have access to employer financial data, it may be hard to calculate one’s impact. However, with a bit of creativity and solid reasoning, one can create a compelling illustration of your contributions. It is worth mentioning that such a method would rely heavily on proper reasoning. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/10/02/13-coaching-professionals-explain-how-to-ask-for-and-negotiate-a-raise/#17828a6713fc

It is no secret that daily routines are detrimental to long-term productivity. That being said, combating this particular issue is not complex: allow for change within the routine by adding and subtracting variables. One day make a call to an old mentor; next day, catch up on some fun readings; the next day, have lunch with a friend. The gist is rather simple. Even routines can accommodate loneliness. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/09/30/12-ways-to-get-out-of-your-head-and-combat-entrepreneurial-loneliness/#3cb96ca2aaf7

The first step in making such a determination is to establish your personal criteria. Evaluate based on how it makes you feel versus the reality of facts. Such a determination is vital in that decision-making process. And remember, my reality is not the same as your reality. An environment that you may consider toxic because of its hyper-competitiveness may be the optimal setting for another person. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/09/27/13-signs-your-workplace-is-toxic-enough-to-warrant-quitting/#6b49021551dc

Deciding if a particular model is working or is effective is not a matter of perspective, it is a matter of data. A company that has been in existence should have access to historic data that lends itself to in-depth analysis. The only real question is who should examine the data and provide conclusions: I happen to be a proponent of using external entities for such evaluations to avoid bias. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally published at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/09/26/overhauling-your-business-model-15-steps-you-should-take-to-begin-the-process/#3ab395f56af7

When considering all the available tools and methods, it is easy to forget that end users are human beings that can’t be reduced to ones and zeros. Though it may be considered outdated, I have found that there is no real replacement for face-to-face interactions. Lack of resources may prevent face-to-face interactions, but it should be considered the top method in truly understanding customers. – Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group

Originally posted at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/09/24/know-your-audience-15-strategies-for-creating-your-ideal-client-profile/#59c63e971597