What I read

  When a company begins to scale up, it may find itself faced with problems it just doesn’t know how to solve. When this happens, it may be time to consider bringing in a Chief Operating Officer (COO). However, that may not be the right fit for every kind of company. The goal of this article […] The post Fractional Chief Operating Officer vs. Chief Operating Officer first appeared on Kamyar Shah.

Have you ever had the perfect dinner at your favorite restaurant and the waiter brings you the dessert cart? The temptation is real as you stare at those decadent creations but you know you can’t finish one. All you need is a bite to make you happy. That one bite is very similar to the feeling […] The post Fractional Chief Marketing Officer vs. Chief Marketing Officer first appeared on Kamyar Shah.

There is every chance that at some point in your career you will need to take on advice on where to take your business. Maybe you will get this from a peer, a previous colleague, or it might be your manager. Either way, it might turn out they do not have the answer you need. […] The post Strategy Consulting vs Business Consulting: What's the Difference? first appeared on Kamyar Shah.

Are you wondering whether your business needs strategy consulting vs management consulting? While at face value they might seem the same, but there are key differences. In this in-depth guide, you’ll get to discover what strategy consulting is and isn’t, and what management consulting is and isn’t. Read on to explore how consulting can help […] The post Strategy Consulting vs Management Consulting first appeared on Kamyar Shah.

Leading a business to success requires a good amount of knowledge about operations and day-to-day tasks. These are what keep your business afloat. But you will likely miss out on market opportunities. That is unless you are incorporating yearly strategy sessions into your planning cycle. Worse, you may find that your competition has outpaced your […] The post What is Strategy Consulting (and Why You Need It) first appeared on Kamyar Shah.

The best process isn’t the perfect one. The best process is one that gets used. Once you learn how to avoid the mistakes that lead to impractical procedures, you can implement steps that build a stable foundation for your company. This article covers the in-depth functions of process management and how to create successful strategies […] The post Advanced Process Management first appeared on Kamyar Shah.

  Imagine that you’re training for a new role in another department. You have their SOPs, and you’re following them to the letter. The issue is that everyone else is not. What do you do when the processes are there, but there’s still something missing? Now that you’ve moved beyond the basics, it’s time to […] The post Intermediate Process Management first appeared on Kamyar Shah.

For a moment, imagine that you have to show someone how every process in your company works within 24 hours. Can you do it? Those who said yes probably have one of two things: Incredible luck or well-structured processes. But what is a process? And why do you need to manage them if there’s nothing […] The post Process Management 101 first appeared on Kamyar Shah.

If you take a minute and look at some of the articles about business management, you couldn’t be blamed for concluding that business consultants and management consultants have earned themselves a less than stellar reputation. Many conclude that business consultants have no future in small business for a variety of reasons including track record, cost, […] The post Business Consultants and Their Challenges first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

The Marketing Research Association reports that of all the developed products, only 40% make it to market. Even more shocking is that 40% of those that do make it don’t generate any revenue at all. Careful planning increases the chances that your product will not only make it to market but profit. First, choose a […] The post Advanced Product Development first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

Every year, over 30,000 products hit the market. However, according to Clayton Christensen, professor at Harvard Business School, 95% of these products will fail. Beating the odds doesn’t depend on luck. When you understand product development, you learn why so many products fail, and most importantly, how to create one of the 5% of products […] The post Intermediate Product Development first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

Every product started as an idea. The difference between products that outperform in their market and those that fail before taking off isn’t just luck. The best products rely on solid product development strategies to set them up for success. In this article, we’ll cover: What product development is The history of modern product development […] The post Product Development 101 first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

How many times have you missed the perfect opportunity because you waited too long? Don’t miss out on the benefits of growth because of a lack of action. A good plan is only as strong as its implementation. Here, you will find the tools to help you move forward confidently with your business’s growth. After […] The post Advanced Growth and Scaling first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

How many businesses have failed by trying to stay the same? In reality, the only constant is change, and the harder you try to resist it, the more problems your face. Thankfully, a reliable strategy that plans for your growth will save you endless future headaches. Strategy is what makes or breaks a business. Neither […] The post Intermediate Growth and Scaling first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

Where do you want your business to be five years from now? How about in ten years? If you haven’t thought this far, you’re not alone. In 2018, only 63% of businesses surveyed reported they had planned for more than a year in advance. Though more than half of businesses don’t use it, they’re missing […] The post Growth and Scaling 101 first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

“As the saying goes, hire for character and train for skills. Though it sounds cliché, it is even more fitting today than it was a few years back,” said Kamyar Shah, a business and management consultant at World Consulting Group, a management consulting firm. “There are several issues in hiring and recruiting in the current […] The post Should you hire for potential and attitude, or experience? first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

Show, Don’t Tell The mantra of “show, don’t tell” holds true here. In the technology sector, the best bet to illustrate your credibility is by providing case studies of current or former clients. If that is not available, demonstration of skill set is a good alternative: think webinars, tutorials, etc. Ultimately, credibility is proven by results. Show results […] The post Small Company, Big Success: 10 Ways To Prove Credibility To Your Customers first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO

Often, advice tells us to live in the moment. It keeps us from getting wrapped up in hypotheticals and denying the present reality. This method doesn’t mean renouncing control and letting life direct us instead of us directing our lives. The same concept applies not only to our personal lives but within our approach to […] The post Taking Control With Strategic Planning first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

Influential leaders are efficient decision-makers. Your overall success as a company depends on your abilities to evaluate information and make rational conclusions. At times, you may find that there is no easy choice to make. In these cases, you’ll need to rely on the quality of your information and your ability to interpret it. This […] The post More Ways to Use Facts for Better Decision Making first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

Life is full of good and bad decisions. Thinking back to our youth, we can all come up with a few examples. As we mature, we learn that bad decisions are usually made because of factors like a lack of knowledge, impulsivity, or not taking the time to think things through. We’re not perfectly rational […] The post Expert Tips for Analytical Decision Making first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

Investing in your employees’ growth is more than providing raises and promotions. The goal is to find out what’s important to each person on your team and give them ways to develop in those areas. According to Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends 2015, millennials valued training and development more than any other job perk, including flexible […] The post Employee Growth: Further tips for employers first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

The concept of project management is simple. Organize your efforts to see improved results. However, the execution of this idea often turns out to be more complex. If you’re struggling with your project management, take a look at the reasons behind your challenger, but avoid falling victim to common project management myths on the way. […] The post 10 Project Management Myths Debunked first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

Rarely do any business strategies involve staying the same instead of trying to grow. So what do you do when your profit and loss sheets indicate little or even negative change? Paying attention to your profit and loss statements can help you find new ways to improve. When you get an idea of where you […] The post 7 Tips to Improve Your Business’s Profitability for Retailers first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

How important is a clear communication strategy? A study by Watson Wyatt showed that companies that used effective communication were more than 50% more likely to report below-average employee turnover. Companies look at a yearly loss of nearly $27,000 per year for each employee. A communication strategy isn’t just nice to have–it’s a necessity for […] The post 7 Clear and Empathetic Communication Strategies first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.

Keeping track of projects is easy with a small team. Many startups do just fine with informal procedures and close communication. However, this setup only works until you start experiencing real growth. The growing pains companies experience when they have no project management office in place can cut growth before it starts. Like most problems […] The post 7 Reasons Your Startup Needs a Project Management Office first appeared on Fractional COO - Fractional CMO - Kamyar Shah.