Posts by Kevin Chern
Why 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 MoreAre You Leaving Growth Opportunities Buried in Your Data?
“The goal is to turn data into information, and information into insight.” — Carly Fiorina, Former CEO of HP The Challenge: Many businesses are stuck in a growth rut, thinking they need new products, a bigger budget, or shiny new channels to make progress. But what if your next big leap is already hiding in…
Read MorePrepared or Perished? How to Build a Crisis Management Plan That Protects Your Brand
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father of the United States If there’s one thing every executive should tattoo on the inside of their strategic brain—it’s that quote. We live in a time when a single post can erase a decade of brand equity, a rogue employee can…
Read MoreWhere Did the Money Go? How Smart Budgeting Can Transform Your Hiring Strategy
“A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” — Dave Ramsey, American radio personality and CEO of Ramsey Solutions Let’s be blunt: Most organizations don’t have a hiring problem—they have a budgeting problem disguised as one. The typical hiring strategy resembles a fire drill more than a business…
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