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In 2016, Jaclyn Carpenter found herself in a situation she never thought she’d be in. Carpenter was the chief executive officer at Ideal Restoration and had been at the helm for a decade. A savvy businesswoman who learned the trade from her father, she was excited as she grew her business. But suddenly, the phone stopped ringing. “There was no work coming in one month. Then, the next month, still no work,” she says. “I reached out to my clients, and they told me the truth: ‘You’re screwing up. We’ve given you a lot

Culture affects a company’s bottom line and the longevity of its success, according to Russ Palmer, owner of Titan Restoration of Arizona. He says firms need to be deliberate about creating culture from the very beginning, even before the interview process. “At Titan, our big goal is to be able to build a company that can support 125 employees and their families. We want these 125 employees to be net promoters, people who love working at Titan and who believe in our mission,” Palmer says. “In order to create that many Net Promoters, our culture

Q: We have a valued and cherished employee who has suddenly developed a serious medical condition. We are a small company with 17 employees. We would like to extend time off with pay to her, but it’s not our standard policy to do so. Can we do this? A: As a business owner, you can certainly do as you wish, and she would benefit from the consideration you are giving her. One word of caution: In granting her this benefit, you are setting a precedent. Should other employees face a similar situation, would you treat them similarly? Treating one “special”