Articles by Bill Schoeffler and Catherine Oak

Oak is the founder of the consulting firm, Oak & Associates, based in Northern California and Central Oregon. Oak & Associates. Phone: 707-935-6565. Email: catoak@gmail.com.

Creating Key Performance Indicators

How is the best way to measure the business’ success? Often business owners have a good grasp of the financial indicators and sales of their business. Knowing sales is important — owners might know off the top of their head …

Creating Key Performance Indicators

How is the best way to measure the business’ success? Often business owners have a good grasp of the financial indicators and sales of their business. Knowing sales is important – owners might know off the top of their head …

Planning for Uncertainty

The traditional business plan includes short-term and long-term goals and projections. But, how do you plan when you can’t guess what will happen? Some things are shifting faster than you can keep up with or are changing based on politics. …

The Power of 98/2 Delegation

Delegation is a critical skill for managerial and leadership success. Successful leaders and managers delegate to engage people, leverage the special skills, and get more done. Even the most talented person has a capacity limit when they do everything themselves. …

Business Disaster Planning

Each year businesses and individuals are impacted by disasters. However, a disaster does not have to be widespread to paralyze an agency. Every business (including your clients) should have a Disaster Preparation and Recovery Plan. The better the plan, the …

Planning for Uncertainty

The traditional business plan includes short-term and long-term goals, and projections. But how do you plan when you can’t guess what will happen? Some things are shifting faster than you can keep up with, while other things can drastically change …

Pay Owners for What They Do!

Owners are the firm’s leaders and need to set the right example and tone for the rest of the people in the firm. If they do not set their compensation based on what they are each doing, resentment can occur …

The Secret Behind ‘The Secret’

It has been said, “those that can see what they desire will have their dreams.” This is the power of intention. This idea has been catching hold because of a movie called “The Secret.” This movie and corresponding book focuses …

Guerilla Strategies to Grow Your Firm

Recently I attended an incredible five-day Guerilla Business School in Los Angeles, put on by a training organization called Peak Potentials. The schools are taught by real hands on successful business men and woman who have made millions or even …

Managing Agency, Company Relationships the Easy Way

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in Insurance Journal’s Satire Issue, August 15, 2011. The content in this issue is not real and is not to be taken seriously. It’s supposed to be humorous. Seriously. We all know the importance …