Practical advice from people who’ve actually built businesses

Expert insights to help you build a business that serves your life, not one that consumes it, grounded in real-world experience rather than theory.

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Actual Cogent client

Sales

8 minute read

· 7 hours ago

Your pipeline is not the problem

A manufacturer working with raw materials in a shop

Actual Cogent client

Manufacturing

6 minute read

· 7 hours ago

The hidden cost of “just-in-case” inventory

Two employees in protective gear going over a report on the floor of a food manufacturing facility

Actual Cogent client

Hiring

6 minute read

· 5 days ago

Why top candidates pass on your company before you ever hear from them

Actual Cogent client

Manufacturing

10 minute read

· 6 days ago

Shrinking margins? Don’t blame materials alone

Two employees at a marble and granite company working behind an illuminated stone front desk

Actual Cogent client

Sales

5 minute read

· 6 days ago

Cross-selling services without eroding trust

A business owner of a manufacturing company measuring materials

Actual Cogent client

Growth planning

7 minute read

· 6 days ago

Scaling without breaking

A woman with her back turned to the camera, facing two other women during a consultation

Actual Cogent client

Hiring

6 minute read

· 2 weeks ago

How AI is changing recruiting and hiring for small businesses

Actual Cogent client

Leadership

6 minute read

· 3 weeks ago

Field accountability in construction

Actual Cogent client

Financial Planning

7 minute read

· 3 weeks ago

Winning profitable work in a race-to-the-bottom market

Actual Cogent client

Social media

7 minute read

· 3 weeks ago

Social media recruiting for trades

Actual Cogent client

Transportation

8 minute read

· 4 weeks ago

Lane profitability and cost control for regional carriers

A group meeting on the floor of a manufacturing plant, led by a strategic operator.

Actual Cogent client

Leadership

10 minute read

· 4 weeks ago

From operator to strategic leader

A driver closing the back gate of a semi-truck for transport.

Actual Cogent client

Transportation

6 minute read

· 4 weeks ago

Three costly mistakes transportation owners keep making

A team of architects looking over plans in a conference room with awards on the wall with a business management consulting rep

Actual Cogent client

Culture

6 minute read

· 4 weeks ago

Scaling without cultural degradation

Two men smiling while working on countertop fabrication

Actual Cogent client

Succession

5 minute read

· 4 weeks ago

Preparing your business for sale 3-5 years out

Two engineers examining blueprints at a desk in an office

Actual Cogent client

Architecture & engineering

7 minute read

· 1 month ago

Admit it – you give away profit

Three employees troubleshooting a manufacturing process

Actual Cogent client

Leadership

6 minute read

· 2 months ago

ADHD within Small Businesses and why the real issue is not time

Actual Cogent client

Growth planning

7 minute read

· 2 months ago

Client concentration risk: The hidden threat to stability and valuation

Actual Cogent client

Hiring

9 minute read

· 2 months ago

Why most hiring problems start before the hire

Succession

8 minute read

· 2 months ago

The Silver Tsunami: Practical guidance for next-generation owners

Chemical manufacturer examining chemical inventory

Actual Cogent client

Manufacturing

5 minute read

· 2 months ago

Inventory as a cash flow lever in manufacturing

Actual Cogent client

Business Development

5 minute read

· 2 months ago

The silent profit killer: Why raising prices is not only acceptable – it is essential

Actual Cogent client

Cash Flow

5 minute read

· 2 months ago

Why stagnant pricing is draining your business

Everlasting Fence Company. Glenside, PA. Specializing in all fence types: Wood, PVC, Chain Link, Aluminum and more. Man writing in notepad on desk.

Actual Cogent client

Quality of Life

6 minute read

· 2 months ago

Overwhelmed: When everything feels important

Actual Cogent client

Quality of Life

6 minute read

· 3 months ago

Understanding the Portrait of Life®

Profit Platform

7 minute read

· 3 months ago

Understanding the benefits of the Profit Platform®

Actual Cogent client

Contractors

6 minute read

· 3 months ago

Estimating errors in construction that quietly kill margin

Actual Cogent client

Wholesale & distribution

5 minute read

· 3 months ago

How small distributors can beat the big nationals

Actual Cogent client

Finance

5 minute read

· 3 months ago

Net income vs. cash: Impact on ownership decision-making

Actual Cogent client

Manufacturing

7 minute read

· 3 months ago

AI in manufacturing

Actual Cogent client

Succession

7 minute read

· 3 months ago

Why succession strategy and planning is so hard for business owners – and how to overcome it

Actual Cogent client

Marketing

7 minute read

· 3 months ago

The hidden cost of poor social media marketing for your business

Actual Cogent client

Contractors

6 minute read

· 3 months ago

Do you understand communication within your construction business?

A woman in a light blue blouse speaks with three men in a wood-paneled office filled with framed certificates and professional awards. Business transition

Actual Cogent client

Succession

7 minute read

· 4 months ago

Preparing for an internal transition vs. a third-party sale

Actual Cogent client

Quality of Life

6 minute read

· 4 months ago

Can your business survive a family crisis?

Actual Cogent client

EBITDA

9 minute read

· 4 months ago

How to understand true EBITDA

Leadership

6 minute read

· 4 months ago

Most leaders misunderstand risk management

Two workers operate a large green Guifil industrial shearing machine to cut a long sheet of brown metal in a warehouse.

Actual Cogent client

Finance

6 minute read

· 4 months ago

Does revenue growth solve most business problems?

Two women work together in a modern office, seen through a glass wall with reflections. One woman sits at a desk looking at a computer while the other stands beside her, leaning in; shelves, plants, and personal items fill the background.

Actual Cogent client

Strategy

3 minute read

· 5 months ago

Our position on the AI revolution

Two men wearing suits cross a downtown street in Greensboro NC

Life

4 minute read

· 5 months ago

An open letter from our VP of Operations

Two professionals seated at an office desk reviewing information on a laptop during a meeting, with office equipment and documents visible in the background.

Actual Cogent client

Measurement

5 minute read

· 5 months ago

Can you manage what you don’t measure?

A low-angle view of a worker with a large equipment backpack climbing a metal ladder toward a bright roof hatch in an unfinished utility space.

Actual Cogent client

Strategy

6 minute read

· 5 months ago

Taking strategic planning to the next level

Actual Cogent client

Cash Flow

6 minute read

· 5 months ago

Is business cash flow the problem?

Three men in a warehouse stand by a large teal Marmo Meccanica industrial stone-polishing machine, monitoring its progress.

Actual Cogent client

Marketing

7 minute read

· 6 months ago

A starter guide to writing successful digital content

A woman in a blue sweater sits at an office desk and looks up to engage in a conversation with a colleague standing just out of frame.

Actual Cogent client

Marketing

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

On the platform: A deep dive on LinkedIn Strategy for small & mid-size businesses

A man with short, graying hair wearing a red polo shirt sits at a wooden desk and focuses intently on paperwork and a laptop.

Actual Cogent client

Finance

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Financial control: It’s time to master money management

Two men in white dress shirts and ties work together at a wooden desk in an office with red walls, focusing on a laptop screen. Top Business consulting firms

Actual Cogent client

Finance

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

The road to bankruptcy is paved with bad budgets and poor financial discipline

A young man in a grey hoodie and glasses gestures while speaking to a bearded man in a red shirt and black zip-up hoodie in a large industrial warehouse.

Actual Cogent client

Finance

3 minute read

· 6 months ago

Budgeting: Under-utilized & under-appreciated

A woman in a floral print top speaks on a desk phone while a colleague in a black blouse leans in to look at a computer monitor displaying security camera feeds.

Actual Cogent client

Finance

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Is your business’s tax burden weighing you down?

A young man with long hair tied back stands in a warehouse and carefully folds or organizes a stack of large white paper bags on a flat surface.

Actual Cogent client

Finance

3 minute read

· 6 months ago

How to improve cash flow when business growth takes place

Four professionals gather around a table in a bright conference room for a meeting; one man holds up a document with a diagram to show the group.

Actual Cogent client

Finance

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Profit planning using sound budgeting that actually grows your business

Actual Cogent client

Finance

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Mastering cash flow: Essential strategies for business success

Two colleagues in a bright hallway reviewing information on a digital tablet and a printed document.

Actual Cogent client

Sales

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

The secret to being a successful sales professional

A man pointing a pen toward a project management spreadsheet displayed on a large wall monitor during a meeting.

Actual Cogent client

Sales

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Sales funnel management: Seeing clearly into your sales process

Matik, Inc. Hartford, CT. C1 in the office reviewing a wall diagram top business consulting firm

Actual Cogent client

Marketing

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Marketing that matters: Turning values into competitive advantage

Lee-Smith Inc, Chattanooga, TN. man on the phone looking our for customers with another employee in the background.

Actual Cogent client

Sales

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Want more sales? Improve your brand identity

Cold Edge Technologies, Allentown, PA. 2 guys by the machine working

Actual Cogent client

Sales

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Forming strategic partnerships: A practical checklist for small business growth

A man leans over a desk to look at a computer monitor while a woman in a pink blouse types on the keyboard.

Actual Cogent client

Marketing

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

How to repair your failing digital marketing strategy

Stigler Supply, Cincinnati, OH. C1 man pointing to map showing woman and another man where to go.

Actual Cogent client

Sales

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

How to increase revenues through market segmentation

Two men in hats operate a red industrial screen-printing machine in a workshop setting.

Actual Cogent client

Process

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Why most small businesses don’t scale

Actual Cogent client

Business Analytics

3 minute read

· 6 months ago

Business analytics: Do you really need it?

Solid Refrigeration LLC. Minneapolis, MN. A2 2 women look at computer screen reports

Actual Cogent client

Finance

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Use your financials to stabilize your business

River Bend Hose Specialty. South Bend, IN. C1 welder in welding hat and torch

Actual Cogent client

Quality of Life

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Procedural systems: How structure creates the freedom business owners want

RDG Company. Greenville, SC. B1 woman in orange hat working in a manufacturing facility

Actual Cogent client

Growth planning

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

How to scale your company

Prestige Motorsports, Concord, NC. B1 man under car doing an oil change

Actual Cogent client

Strategy

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

3 ways to maintain long-term business success

Actual Cogent client

Strategic Planning

6 minute read

· 6 months ago

Clear examples of strategic planning that actually work

Actual Cogent client

Process

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

The structured improvement process

Tuck-Hinton Architects. Nashville, TN. D2. a man and 2 women engaging in a computer screen

Actual Cogent client

Strategic Planning

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Strategic planning importance for small businesses

Guerrero Plating Technology. Houston, TX. B5. Industrial plating and coating solutions.

Actual Cogent client

Process

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

How to adapt operations and scale your business

Davis Kane Architects. Raleigh, NC. D2. two men looking at blueprints on a table.

Actual Cogent client

Strategic Planning

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

How to start strategic planning without overcomplicating it

Cardinal Transportation. Columbus, OH. E4. EVENT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES man waving out of car window

Actual Cogent client

Quality of Life

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Your business is successful. Circle the wagons!

Associated Construction Company. Hartford, CT. A1 woman in hardhat looking at blueprints

Actual Cogent client

Leadership

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Daily habits that boost your lifestyle as an entrepreneur without slowing growth

Garwood Metal Company, Garwood NJ. Custom sheet metal manufacturing and finishing. B1 Men in manufacturing facility.

Actual Cogent client

Quality of Life

8 minute read

· 6 months ago

Setting Boundaries: The leadership skill that protects your business and your life

Stansbury Electric. Louisville, KY. Electrical contractors handling new installations, repairs and upgrades, as well as electric vehicle charger and solar panel service. Surge protection

Actual Cogent client

Growth planning

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Surge protection strategies

Stigler Supply. Cincinnati, OH. C1. Custodial Supply. 2 men looking at supplies

Actual Cogent client

Succession

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Succession without sacrifice

STVA Scaffold, Cypress, TX. A2. STVA Scaffold distributes and supplies complex scaffolding systems for industrial and construction businesses

Actual Cogent client

Quality of Life

3 minute read

· 6 months ago

Does your business have you in golden handcuffs?

Two men in white shirts and ties discuss operations while standing on a large factory floor to prevent burnout.

Actual Cogent client

Quality of Life

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Burnout: The hidden cost of success

Daytona Glass Works, Inc. Daytona, Florida. A technical quartz company leading the way in R&D and innovation in the fiber optic, medical, and semi conductor industries. B2

Actual Cogent client

Operational efficiency

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Improving operational systems: A guide to sustainable business growth

Discca Environmental Services. Greensboro, NC. A Full Service Mechanical, Electrical, and HVAC Contractor Serving the Commercial, Institutional, and Industrial Market. A2

Actual Cogent client

Hiring

6 minute read

· 6 months ago

Stop hiring friends & family: You aren’t helping anyone

Actual Cogent client

People

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Hiring and recruiting: How to attract the right people without burning yourself out

Heavy Machines Inc. Piperton, TN. C1. Specializes in forestry, scrap and heavy construction applications. Man in hat in front of a large machine.

Actual Cogent client

Process

6 minute read

· 6 months ago

Is it a people problem or a process problem? How to tell the difference and what to do about it

HydraTech Engineered Products LLC, based in Cincinnati, OH. B1. Trenchless Pipe and Sewer Repair Products with a man working in the facility.

Actual Cogent client

People

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Why your workplace culture might be driving people out the door

Three colleagues gather around a conference table to review architectural blueprints.

Actual Cogent client

Leadership

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Transformational leadership: The kind of leadership that changes people and performance

Matik, Inc based in Hartford, CT. Equipment Supplier.

Actual Cogent client

People

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

Refreshing your hiring practices: Intentionality, data, and transparency

ThermalTran Mechanical Inc., based in Wilmington, NC. HVAC Contractor. 2 men looking at hvac unit

Actual Cogent client

People

5 minute read

· 6 months ago

What do your employees want from you, anyway?

SR Trident, Inc. based in Gregory, Texas. Specializing in Industrial, Marine, and Civil Construction. Man in glasses teaching a group of 4 in the conference room. Surge Protection strategies

Actual Cogent client

Leadership

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Regaining business vision when the pressure is high

Waggoner Manufacturing in Round Rock, Texas. Young man in hat pointing to info on the walls.

Actual Cogent client

Leadership

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Adapting for growth: A comprehensive guide for leaders

Somdal Associates Architecture Firm in Shreveport, LA. Two people review plans.

Actual Cogent client

Quality of Life

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Do you enjoy your business, or is it a drag? (Part 2)

Accuvent HVAC Contractor in Houston, TX. Two men review a worksheet.

Actual Cogent client

Measurement

4 minute read

· 6 months ago

Employee productivity measurement: The why and the how

Cold Stream Logistics meeting and discussion. The owner, featured, listens intently to the conversation.

Actual Cogent client

Quality of Life

3 minute read

· 6 months ago