Business owners can react emotionally to suggestions that major changes are needed in the organization to achieve the desired success level. Read on for tips to objectively evaluate your company so you can attain your professional and personal goals.

When clients balk at the price of your services after the work has been completed and the invoice is signed and paid, it’s usually because they talked to an unscrupulous and inexperienced plumber. And that plumber said he could have done the work for less. Read on for some tips to handle that in your company.

Boilers and chillers switched off, running efficiently and minimally for as long as possible, can keep comfort needs in a better balance with energy consumption.

While some high-end retail furniture stores insisted we were in a recession, most of the showrooms I spoke with swore the opposite — still busy and still a backlog of orders to push out.

Most home service companies will encounter a business crisis. If you don’t have a strategy to deal with the fallout, you could jeopardize your company’s reputation.

Good publicity is good for your business, so don’t hesitate to let your local area know about sponsoring events; donating time, money or materials to a charitable cause; or providing expert, topical advice for potential customers.

A lot of heart and technical skills can start a contracting business. But business expertise will make it a success.

Spending time at construction sites is essential to delivering a quality project to your clients. This attention to detail often strengthens your relationship with them, makes you a better engineer and helps win repeat work from them.

A few years ago, a client shared a book recommendation with me: “Ego is the Enemy,” by Ryan Holiday. Now, this is one of those grandiose titles that immediately makes my eyes roll. Here we have some know-it-all stating the obvious in a 250-page “business” self-help book.