Jay Goltz

Biography

Jay Goltz started a picture framing business right out of college, a decision that was not the conventional wisdom of the times. The business grew quickly and before long was twenty times the size of the average frame business, making it by far the largest in the country. Jay soon expanded into other related businesses and now each is at the top of its field. When Jay realized there was a lack of real-world advice for small businesses, he wrote his first book, The Street Smart Entrepreneur: 133 Tough Lessons I Learned the Hard Way. It has been translated into three languages. Now a popular speaker, Jay Goltz has become the Voice of Small Business through his keynotes, New York Times blog and broad media exposure. Jay is widely recognized for his unique ability to bring clarity and insight to complex, often confusing, small business challenges. Keep up with Jay on his blog "You`re the Boss" at NYTimes.com.

Jay Goltz has been the guest speaker for conferences sponsored by Inc. Magazine and has spoken to both large and small business audiences. He is the lead small business blogger for The New York Times. Jay has been written about nationally by multiple business magazines.

As a business speaker who actually runs a business, Jay is well known for his ability to connect with an audience. His speeches give solid, real life business examples, lots of motivation and plenty of take-home value. From self-employed individuals up to Fortune 500 managers, anyone in business will benefit from his refreshing approach.

Whether you need a keynote speech, a workshop leader or speaker for your seminar, Jay Goltz will customize a memorable speech to fit your meeting goals and agenda.

Publications

The Street-Smart Entrepreneur: 133 Tough Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

This highly recommended book is full of sage insights for entrepreneurs and managers. Covering a range of topics which include tips on interviewing prospective employees, marketing and finance, successful entrepreneur Jay Goltz is insightful in his advice.

With a table of contents and index, the book is constructed in an anecdotal fashion. Goltz waxes philosophical about a variety of subjects in a common format; he shares "What I Used To Think" and then "What Nobody Told Me" before summarizing his experience in a lesson - hence, the subtitle of the book.

He is brutally honest. For example, in Lesson #38 he tells the entrepreneur that "You could be the worst person to do the hiring at your company." In Lesson #37 he shares his successful hiring experience in using the BATH test to make a good hiring decision. I found Goltz`s Lesson #7 insightful when he concludes that "Two out of three ain`t bad when you`re talking about price, quality, and service." His Lesson #67 about giving year-end bonuses is instructive.

Titles

Nobody Told Me: The Job Description of the Boss
Most "bosses" do not have the benefit of having a job description and proper training. Jay outlines the key elements that will help redirect their energies into building an effective organization that will build the business.

The Power of Being a Little Bit Better: Execution Over Brilliance
Business people are always looking for the big idea that will propel their company to double in size. Jay illustrates how running a better company will have a profound impact over the long haul.

Using Left Brain Strategies to Succeed in a Right Brain World: Misconceptions and Missed Opportunities
A frank discussion of the challenges of running a business in a creative field where you work with people that have a more creative mindset than a business background -- it's not about compromise, it's about collaboration.

Customer Service as a Competitive Weapon: Is the Customer Always Right?
Jay reveals how using conventional training and worn-out cliches will end up with mediocre customer service at best. His approach will help staff truly understand what they should be doing and why, resulting in happier employees and customers.

The Entrepreneur Within: Driven to a Fault
Insights into the mindset and personality traits of the entrepreneur, including the opportunities, the struggles, the glorious successes and the seldom discussed dark side. The thin line between driven and obsessive.