Octane: September 2008

Fueling the Entrepreneurial Engine

In this issue:

September 2008

In This Issue:

Doing The Right Things When Faced With Employee Illness
Beth Kloos

Added On: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:01:35 GMT

I’ve been tested before. Like most entrepreneurs, I’ve dealt with ornery customers, economic downturns and powerless leaders. After all, that’s part of the entrepreneurial experience.

Everything I Learned Not to Do in Business, I Learned from Business
Michael Vann

Added On: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:01:48 GMT

I was recruited out of my corporate consulting gig to become the number two in a small, but rapidly growing, service business. From all appearances, the owner—let’s name him “Bill”—was a successful entrepreneur.

What's in it for Me? How I Define Company Ethics
Todd Palmer

Added On: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:59:29 GMT

To me, business ethics is simply about doing the right thing. What that means may differ from company to company, but the principle is universal.

In the Wake of a Cheat
Diane Dufour

Added On: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:02:43 GMT

My reputation, both personal and professional, is everything to me. After all, you are nothing if you are not true to your word. I don’t believe there’s such thing as “business ethics.”

Getting Back on the Right Path
Vivek Gupta

Added On: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:51:03 GMT

I own Sanmarg Private Limited, a company that is at the forefront of the media industry in India. For the most part, our success had been fruitful; we were, by and large, quickly becoming giants in our business community.

When Legal and Ethical Principles Collide
Kurt Thomet

Added On: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:01:11 GMT

But what has really stuck with me is one principle that continues to define how I run my business: Being right is not always the best tactic in legal disputes.

The Art of Turning Down Business
Richard Zwicky

Added On: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:10:19 GMT

When we first started Enquisite—a search marketing, analytics and metrics provider—we were trying to create an entirely new market that focused solely on search-related aspects of Web sites.

What's a Handshake Worth?
Jason Kulpa

Added On: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:56:49 GMT

Most businesspeople would scoff at the idea of doing business based on a handshake. In today’s litigious society, many deals that have been inked on paper and reviewed by teams of attorneys are still contested in bitter court battles.

A Lesson in Ethics
Philip Wilson

Added On: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:47:18 GMT

When I buried my grandfather 15 years ago in Guatemala, I was amazed at the people in attendance.

Maintaining that "Nice Guy" Image
Bob Pritchett

Added On: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:03:15 GMT

John was a great guy, and I couldn’t bear the thought of firing him, so I went ahead and placed him in a shipping management position that had opened up.