Making Your (Lack of?) Business My Business

But what makes a company strong? Is it a clear vision from management, a customer-driven work force, being a low-cost provider or enhancing sales by diversifying into new, value-added services? I would argue it's a difficult tap dance of combining all of the above.

The recently released "2002-2003 State-of-the-Industry Report," compiled by NAPL Chief Economist Andrew Paparozzi, seems to agree. And, since having strong leadership at the helm, committed employees and an efficient workflow that can turn around jobs quickly are a given when it comes to success, let's examine the critical importance of diversification more closely.