WHY GOLF REALLY FAILS TO GROW

During over 20 years within the golf industry I have read scores of articles analyzing golfs lack of growth. I have also witnessed countless programs designed solely to recruit new players of every age and demographic. The one constant is that all of the effort and money is being expended by those who have a vested interested in the game; primarily a financial interest. It’s certainly not hard to understand why equipment makers, golf retailers and course owners have been the driving force and why they might be puzzled by how little their efforts seem to be paying off. One culprit may well be our insistence upon viewing the issue from top down. While the keepers and merchants of the game debate what might be wrong, how they should address the problems and what results they expect; no one is making an in depth effort to find out how prospective and current players really see golf. Read more…

Detroit EM must embrace “Street Time” and absolute transparency

It’s time; without significant and swift intervention Detroit will financially collapse, there is no other possible outcome.  The argument that elected officials should have remained fully in charge makes the false assumption that reforms can be enacted at government speed. Government entities normally have the luxury of operating on government time because there is really no hurry when you’re not the one being directly affected. Solutions are often adopted that will not produce measurable results till far down the road, if ever. Read more…

Big Labor may be surprised by the lack of widespread outrage

Is Michigan finally ready to embrace a new way of doing business or will this be yet another futile chapter in our long history of courting change and then fighting it every step of the way? Judging from the overheated rhetoric, doomsday prophecies, mass demonstrations and political grandstanding; one would guess that the world had indeed come to an end quite a few days short of December 21st. As a life-long Michigan resident I know from experience that only one thing causes that much ruckus; openly defying unions. Read more…

Who Have We Become?

This year’s election was not about the economy, the candidates or the platform of any political party; it was about each individual’s values and how they affect where we are headed as a country. Every politically motivated attempt was made to divide us into classes or races or makers versus takers. This was all for show because we have already created deep divisions based on what each of us is willing to find acceptable. Read more…

MO Interview

“I have met my share of highly educated or supremely talented failures but I have rarely encountered a focused, persistent entrepreneur who did not ultimately succeed” (J. Krause)

Written by MO

Interview of:  James Krause

LongShot Golf Inc. – Founder/C.E.O.

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The True Cost Of Bailouts

Consider the current state of the countries small businesses who have been trampled in the rush to save the “too big to fail” primarily because they lack the political leverage to merit any consideration. The oft stated goals of economic and job growth will only occur when small businesses and private investors quit being treated as the water that can be bailed out to right the chosen ships. For every big company that is reorganized, thousands of small businesses are forced into a slow motion death spiral.

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Just Ask Us To Leave

How long will businesses owners stay if they are only “utility profitable” … or making barely enough money to keep the lights on? I like to work 60 plus hours a week without getting a paycheck as much as the next guy but it can only go on for so long.

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Government for Governments Sake

Organizational self awareness results when service to the creators (individuals, taxpayers, voters, members) is replaced by service to the interests of the organization itself. Rhetoric passes for leadership, access is denied to those with shallow pockets, problems are postponed, not solved and the status quo is always protected.

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Stress Solves Nothing

Negative situations tend to spawn the worst small business decisions, especially from the least experienced among us. A fire drill approach to problem solving can at best lead to overreaction and at worst downright panic. Small businesses in general lack resources and staying power, making it that much harder to react calmly when the wolfs at the door. Stress is the enemy of rational thought, identifying the magnitude of any threat minimizes stress.

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Small Business & Government

When you consider the total burden of federal, state and local taxes as well as the cost of complying with various mandates and regulations, government is the majority partner in your business. A partner that produces no income, adds nothing to your productivity and has no interest in your input.

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