The key to business is to find out what customers want and sell it to them. Conversely, when customers don’t want something or you can’t compete; avoid that business. 24/7 Wall St. published an interesting article on dying industries:  http://bit.ly/2qZO48a .

Some of these dying industries are fairly obvious, bookstores for example. We know Amazon is a difficult competitor. Stationery is another industry under pressure.  How often do you substitute an electronic card for a paper product? Even the demand for paper office products is lower. I have finally ditched my paper calendar for an electronic version. That’s one small print job gone forever.

When people decide to move, most immediately put up a For Sale sign on their current home hoping to sell the property as quickly as possible. In some cases this may not be the best investment strategy.

If a family has funds for an additional down payment, they may want to consider keeping their current house and renting it. The advantage is that renters will pay off the mortgage.  Then, the property owner will end up with a property free and clear in the future. Over time, rentals generally increase their value, providing better cash flow for the homeowner. Additionally, if interest rates increase in the future; a low interest mortgage will have substantial value.

I stopped by a lunch spot for a quick meal and ordered a salad. The server carried my food in one hand and two customers’ drinks in another.  On the way to the table, she sneezed. However, she was unable to cover her mouth and sneezed directly into my salad and the two drinks. Without missing a beat, she placed my salad down in front of me and walked away. I pick up viruses easily. I could have eaten the lunch and taken a chance or asked for a new salad. I chose the latter. Let someone call me picky, but it wasn’t worth risking a cold.    

The manager wasn't happy redoing the salad, but he did. However, while waiting, I witnessed the same server coughing and sneezing in the kitchen and over other plates. 

When I was done I spoke with the manager. I asked if he felt it was a good idea to have an obviously sick person serve customers and work with food in the kitchen. He shrugged his shoulders, listened, and we both moved on. For me, I won't be going back.  If the manager didn’t care about employees sneezing over food, I couldn’t help wonder what happened in the back that you can’t see.   

Other times I have experienced sneezing cashiers, sales people who coughed into a right hand before extending it to shake mine. I offered a knuckle bump instead. 
Managers have a responsibility to insure customers are protected. Part of the protection is not to allow sick staff to serve or be in contact with customers. As we enter the cold and flu season establish a sick day policy. Insist folks stay home when ill. 

A question I deal with frequently is how much freedom to give staff and how to make sure that staff does not misuse this freedom. King David wrote after hearing from the Lord, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, otherwise they will not come near to you.” (Psalm 32:8-9, NIV)

I was in a meeting with a colleague who was reviewing “Tom’s” work as a website development person. Just as the meeting started Tom turned his attention to his smart phone, and then looked up. I was hoping he turned off the device. Instead twice more Tom took his attention from our meeting and shifted it to his electronic device. I was already a little irritated going into the meeting because we were behind schedule, and I was concerned about how we were going to get everything done in a timely manner.