Always deals with decision makers
An entrepreneur’s goal is to operate at the highest level possible. You’ll increase the odds of making a deal if you pitch the decision maker, whether that person is another business owner or a corporate executive. Your mission is to get to the person who writes the checks and move on to the next opportunity if the answer is “no.” Even when Th e Applegate Group Inc., my multimedia communications and consulting company, was based in the dining room of our suburban Los Angeles home, I resolved to always deal directly with the top person. My strategy raised eyebrows, but as a fi nancial writer, I was interviewing and profiling decision makers every day. Companies claim to empower employees and work collaboratively, but the truth is, someone has to say “yes” or “no.” It took courage to quit my prestigious job at the Los Angeles Times to write a weekly small business column, write books, and consult with big c ompanies s...