Managing Up in a Down Economy: 17 Imperatives for Success

By Barry Banther

Is it possible to grow a business in any economy, good or bad? Yes, it is, if you know what to do. Barry Banther has been the lead consultant on over 400 engagements to improve business performance – sales AND margins. He knows what to do!

Tragically, most business leaders rely on just one or two strategies and abandon those every time the economy changes. That does not work. In this book, you will discover 17 Imperatives necessary to produce consistent and sustainable bottom-line growth - the same imperatives used in those 400 engagements.

You will learn how to:

• Involve everyone in driving down costs
• Gain new market share monthly
• Partner with your suppliers
• Develop close ties with financial partners
• Ensure team morale

Get started TODAY with proven action plans that will grow your sales AND your margins.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barry Banther
• Release date: Apr 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9798985466720

Barry Banther

Barry Banther knows lasting leadership, and he learned it with over four decades of hands on experience: first as a leader of a nationwide broadcasting company, and then as the founder and CEO of two professional service firms. His clients include both multinational Fortune 500 companies as well as closely-held and family-owned businesses across America.Barry has written over 50 leadership development programs used in industries around the world. His latest book, A Leader’s Gift: How to Earn the Right to be Followed, achieved #1 Bestseller status. This body of work earned him the highest professional accreditation from the Institute of Management Consultants. It also caught the attention of three Governors who appointed him to serve in their administrations.Two of Barry’s proudest achievements are being selected as Family Ambassador of the year by Family First (home of the All Pro Dad initiative with super Bowl Coach Tony Dungy), and receiving the Jack and Ruth Eckerd Legacy Award along with his wife Janice for four decades serving Florida Family Businesses.

Book preview

Advanced Praise for Managing Up in a Down Economy: 17 Imperatives for Success

This is a collection of Barry Banther’s incredible business wisdom broken down into manageable sections, so that business leaders know what they need to do now. This is all real, practical advice on the actionable steps to take in the 17 common areas where leaders struggle. Barry walks leaders through what to do and more importantly, how to do it. Barry’s charm, empathy, and knowledge are evident in every chapter, as he guides you through today’s tough situations. Get this for every manager and leader on your team!

— Mary C. Kelly, PhD; commander, US Navy (retired);

author of The Five-Minute Leadership Guide

Barry’s unique concepts and tools described in Managing Up in a Down Economy will provide any business owner, or leader, a clear step-by-step action plan to guide their business through the toughest of economic times. This book is a must-read for all leaders who want to proactively prepare their organizations for the complexities that surround any business during times of turmoil. Barry’s insights will challenge you to put pen to paper and create your game plan in preparation for, or in response to, a down economy.

— Fielding Alderman, general manager,

PDI (Plumbing Distributors Incorporated)

This book is pure gold. Managing Up in a Down Economy provides page after page of fantastic leadership advice and actions. Barry’s thirty-plus years of advising great leaders in both public and private organizations, provides a high level of wisdom that every leader should read and quickly put the 17 Imperatives into action. If you want to avoid the quicksand of a down economy, find the courage to read this book and heed the advice of one of the world’s greatest thought leaders.

— Peter Stark, president, Peter Barron Stark Companies;

author of The Competent Leader

Barry has made running this business enjoyable and helped me be calm in making decisions. He has made our organizational transition easy.

— Champ Perotti, president and CEO, William Perotti & Sons,

a ninety-five-year-old family business and client of

Barry Banther over three generations

Barry has worked with me and my leadership team for years. (Implementing these Imperatives) I can promise you this: if you are thinking of hiring Barry, it will be the smartest business decision you ever made.

— Elliott Wiser, former president, WTVT—CBS Tampa;

founder, Bay News 9

Barry’s presence in developing our management team, their accountability and their skills quickly resulted in an 80 percent improvement in hiring success and retention; implantation of a scorecard system and the coalescence of our management team around a common language of objectives, measurement and accomplishment.

— Robert N. Stern, president, Castle North Corporation

Barry’s knowledge, accessibility, and willingness to guide and direct us, has been very instrumental in our growth for over a decade. Since working with Barry our company has begun to work more as a team, as we have become more efficient in our processes and procedures.

— Chad Cahill, president, Cahill Homes

Managing Up in a Down Economy

17 IMPERATIVES FOR SUCCESS

Barry Banther, CMC, CSP, CPAE

Certified Management Consultant

Certified Speaking Professional

Member, Speaker Hall of Fame

Ignite Press

Fresno, CA

Copyright © 2022, Barry Banther

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical (including any information storage retrieval system)—without the express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations for use in articles and reviews wherein appropriate attribution of the source is made.

Publishing support provided by

Ignite Press

5070 N. Sixth St. #189

Fresno, CA 93710

www.IgnitePress.us

ISBN: 979-8-9854667-0-6

ISBN: 979-8-9854667-1-3 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 979-8-9854667-2-0 (E-book)

For bulk purchase and for booking, contact:

Barry Banther

www.Banther.com

[phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, web addresses or links contained in this book may have been changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The content of this book and all expressed opinions are those of the author and do not reflect the publisher or the publishing team.

The author is solely responsible for all content included herein.

All Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021923361

Cover design by Swamynathan

Edited by Emma Hatcher

Interior design by Jetlaunch

FIRST EDITION

They are exceptional. They cover my mistakes and missteps quietly and confidently. Simply put, the staff of Banther Consulting deserve all the credit for our year-after-year growth since 1994.

I gratefully dedicate this work to:

David Banther, managing partner;

Ruth Banther, partner, Family Business Services;

Julie Ambrose, executive assistant, Client Services;

Farah Vann, talent acquisition and recruiting specialist;

Tiffany Theen, online media support;

Sarah Calabrese, project assistant;

And two former executive assistants: Bev Costa and Jackie Becker.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Occasionally, I look back over the five decades of my professional career and think about who has influenced the way that I think, the way that I have built my speaking and consulting business. The list includes dozens of men and women. Some were early teachers, some were colleagues, and many were even clients. These eight individuals changed my life:

Beecher DuVall and Clayton Croom; high school teachers who challenged me beyond the classroom.