Carl Hughes

This column is dedicated to all of you who truly have an interest in improving your worth in the marketplace. Read more»

All facilities and equipment deteriorate with use, weather and age. While we expect to replace certain capital items, many of us do not plan well for this significant expense. Read more»

This is generally an accurate saying for all of commerce but particularly descriptive of the challenging retail propane markets we face every day. Since we can agree that our retail propane markets are competitive, it stands to reason that – to reach our goals – we need top sales professionals who are the best equipped to bring in the highest quality of new customers. Read more»

In his latest book blink, author Malcolm Gladwell (also author of The Tipping Point) examines how people make snap judgments. He is fascinated by how, in many circumstances, the snap decisions are better than those using more analysis and information. Read more»

I pose this rhetorical question to examine some of the decisions we make in our propane companies that fly in the face of reaching for maximum financial performance. Read more»

Many family owned businesses in this industry do a lot of things very well, yet can blunder terribly when it comes to financial matters. These errors can cost the family significant value and prevent it from achieving the very goals it set out to achieve when the business was started. Read more»

Sibling rivalries. Father–son power battles. Non-active vs. active shareholder issues. Patriarchs unable to relinquish the reins to the next generation. A family-owned propane company's conflicts come in all types and variations. Read more»

Family-owned propane companies are significantly more complex in their organizational dynamics than the traditional mom and pop label often used to characterize them. Read more»

The universal goal of most family-owned companies is to see the business continue long-term and for it to be passed down from generation to generation. Read more»

Family owned businesses are unique in personality, behavior and culture. They operate with the complexities associated with the three overlapping components of ownership, the business and the family. Read more»