Posts by Kevin Chern
The Small Businesses Marketing Strategy That’s Often Overlooked (The Referral Blindspot)
When is comes to small business marketing, Referrals drive the highest ROI. So why is it so often ignored? “People do business with people they know, like, and trust. And they trust who their friends trust.” — Bob Burg, author of The Go-Giver When small business owners think about marketing, their minds often go straight to paid…
Read MoreWhy Aesop’s Fables Belong in Your Home (And Your Business)
Introducing timeless stories to our kids is one of the simplest ways to prepare them for a complicated world. Aesop’s Fables, in particular, pack entire life lessons into a few short paragraphs. They help children (and adults) understand consequences, character, and relationships long before they step into a classroom or a company. The book…
Read MoreWhy Small Businesses Overlook Referrals
The Referral Blind Spot: Why Small Businesses Overlook Their Most Powerful Marketing Asset “People do business with people they know, like, and trust. And they trust who their friends trust.”— Bob Burg, author of The Go-Giver Referrals drive the highest ROI in small business marketing—so why are they so often ignored? When small business owners think…
Read MoreWhy Every Business Should Run An Affinity Marketing Program
“People naturally reciprocate kindness and opportunity. Give first, and watch what comes back.” If you’re investing in a Channel Partner Program to drive leads and growth, but you’re not running a formal Affinity Marketing Program, you’re leaving a powerful source of referrals—and goodwill—completely untapped. A well-structured affinity program that features a curated Marketplace of industry-adjacent, non-competitive vendors is one of the most cost-effective…
Read MoreAre You Investing in the Wrong Growth Channels?
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” — Michael Porter Not every growth plan dies with a bang. Some fade slowly, drained by investments in marketing and sales channels that look shiny but don’t move the needle. If you’ve ever watched your acquisition costs climb while your conversion rates stay flat, you’ve…
Read MoreHow Negative Feedback Impacts Your Business & How to Handle It Professionally
“Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” — Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com Your reputation is often shaped by what people say about you online. One negative Google review can be enough to turn away potential customers and hurt your business. It doesn’t matter how great your service…
Read MoreIs Your Sales Funnel Helping or Hurting Growth?
“If you’re not taking care of your customers, your competitors will.”— Bob Hooey, Inspirational Speaker. Setting the Stage A few months ago, I was called in to consult for a fast-scaling software company. They had a well-oiled marketing engine, dozens of leads pouring in monthly, and a charismatic sales team. On paper, everything looked golden.…
Read MoreThe Connector’s Manifesto
On the Dignity of Paid Goodwill, Strategic Generosity, and the Liberation of Value Creation A Manifesto by Kevin Chern, CEO, Sanguine “The essence of morality is to produce the greatest amount of good.” Jeremy Bentham We live in a world that too often glorifies unpaid effort while demonizing the idea that generosity and gain might coexist.…
Read MoreHow Do Top Businesses Keep Growing in Tough Markets?
“Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” — African Proverb A few months ago, I had a conversation with the CEO of a mid-market logistics company. Revenue had plateaued. Margins were thinning. Competitors were folding—or getting acquired. Yet somehow, they were growing. Not explosively, but steadily. Adding new clients. Launching adjacent services. Holding their margins.…
Read MoreAre You Scaling Too Fast—Or Not Fast Enough?
“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.” — James Cash Penney, founder of J.C. Penney Scaling a business is never a matter of chance, it’s the result of strategic planning, calculated decisions, and coordinated efforts across every aspect of the company. While growth is a universal goal for…
Read More