The school of hard knocks

Never has there been so much time and space devoted to entrepreneurs - and I don’t mean the superficial but fun approach of Dragons’ Den and The Apprentice, writes Chris Ingram

Entrepreneurs versus CEOs

It’s assumed that entrepreneurs make good leaders, but I’m not so sure. They may be able to create something out of nothing, but that’s not the same as having the skill set of a business leader who can grow and control an organisation effectively, writes Michael Jackson

Negotiation: turning up the heat

In the early days of commercial television, I worked in a small agency in the media department, recalls Chris Ingram. I had to do a little of everything, while the big agencies we were competing against had specialist buying departments.

Prospering in a downturn

I always remember a West Coast venture capitalist telling me one of his favourite internet stories about a guy who was trying to raise money for an online venture called funerals.com, writes Michael Jackson

MD versus the volcano

As the economy becomes increasingly volatile, what must MDs, CEOs and owner-managers do to survive?

Powers of persuasion

Smooth talking will only get you so far when you’re looking to seal a deal

When pride gets in the way

When Yahoo founder Jerry Yang received a call saying that his fierce rival, Microsoft, wanted to buy the company, his initial reactions were outrage and rejection, writes Michael Jackson.

The value of failure

Although attitudes are changing in this country, there is still a marked fear of failure, writes Chris Ingram

My business heroes

I met Greg Brown at a restaurant in Laguna Beach, California. He had just taken over as CEO of Micromuse and the shares were at rock bottom trading at just $8, having been floated at $40 just six months before, writes Michael Jackson

Big in Japan

Respect for other cultures is important when you trade overseas, but don’t be afraid to be yourself, writes Chris Ingram

Riding out the credit crunch

Trouble in the credit markets has provided the only serious threat to the buy-out boom for years, writes David McClelland. But just how far will the screw tighten?

The transatlantic divide

However communications-savvy you may feel, it’s easy to be caught out when dealing with different cultures - even those that seem the most familiar, writes Chris Ingram

The joys of a lifestyle business

Running a company to give you time to pursue a life of leisure may be no bad thing, writes Michael Jackson

Staying on the ball

From public relations to managing volatile personalities, Chris Ingram finds plenty of business lessons in the topsy-turvy universe of football.

Heading for a crash?

The queues at Northern Rock branches around the country were a graphic reminder of how dependent modern economies are on a sound and stable banking system, writes Michael Jackson

What Tesco can teach us

It’s in the country’s nature to spurn a success story when it becomes too big. But rather than criticise Tesco, maybe the rest of us could learn a thing or two

How to negotiate

Running a successful company requires negotiating prowess. When it comes to getting the best deal, ensure you’re not letting yourself down

Living in denial

Success breeds confidence, but you need to be sure that pride doesn’t overwhelm your business acumen, counsels Chris Ingram

Tough choices

Every entrepreneur faces difficult decisions. Michael Jackson takes a look at some common business dilemmas and how to deal with them

What VCs want

Although private equity is getting a hammering in the media at the moment, there is one area that needs to be differentiated, and that is venture capital, writes Michael Jackson.

Second guessing the opposition

Playing out an imaginary scenario can help eliminate your weaknesses, writes Chris Ingram.

Mind games

Understanding how other people think is a great business asset. Chris Ingram takes a look at how a better insight into the minds of your competitors and partners can boost business success.

Organic growth vs acquisition

The best route to growth varies depending on the market and the nature of your business. Michael Jackson takes a look at which path to choose: organic growth or acquisition?

Sustainability or growth?

Michael Jackson asks, which one should you choose to expand your business empire?

Central casting concerns

It gets scant coverage at business school, but getting the casting right when you build a team is one of the most important things you will do if you are intent on creating a successful company.

The trouble with cool

Allow me to make a confession. I’ve been carrying a guilty secret around for quite some time, but only now do I feel able to share the burden...

Chairmen and their CEOs

Believe it or not, in the last ten years I’ve been chairman of around 30 companies, some public, some VC-backed. There was a time when I thought too much fuss was made about the importance of the relationship between the chairman and the CEO. Not anymore!

Creating the belief

A growing business will reach a point where one person can no longer do it all. The next step is to empower staff by giving them the confidence to take on projects by themselves...

Is AIM replacing venture capital?

The Alternative Investment Market (AIM) is viewed in some quarters as a source of finance that competes with venture capital, but by fulfilling different functions they can work together, says Anne Glover, CEO of Amadeus Capital Partners...

The age of the super accountant

Accountants used to be viewed as trusted entrepreneurial operators, but somewhere along the line this changed and they gained a reputation for being boring bean counters – if they were lucky – or gormless witch doctors if they weren’t. Now, the worm has not only turned, but I think we are entering a new era...

Acquisitions: The perfect union

As previously mentioned in this column, poor due diligence and badly structured deals can wreak havoc with any acquisition you make. But even if you deftly negotiate these difficulties, you’re still faced with the biggest challenge of all – how to successfully integrate your two businesses. Underestimate this challenge at your peril...

Dealing with stress, my way

I don’t know how many of you watched Colin Montgomerie’s dreadful second shot at the 18th in the recent US Open for what should have been his first major title, but those who did would recognise this as Monty’s ultimate pressure moment or, in more common parlance, ‘stress’...