<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Ash & Cedar Consulting]]></title><description><![CDATA[Boutique advisory helping owners turn growth into structure, clarity, and execution through diagnostics, consulting, and fractional leadership.]]></description><link>https://www.ashcedar.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 20:17:22 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.ashcedar.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Why Execution Breaks Down as Service Businesses Grow (And How to Fix It)]]></title><description><![CDATA[There is a point in nearly every growing service business where nothing is technically broken, yet everything feels more difficult than it should. Jobs are still getting completed. Customers are still coming in. Revenue may even be higher than it has ever been. From the outside, the business appears healthy. Internally, however, execution begins to lose its consistency in ways that are difficult to diagnose if you are only looking at top line performance. This pattern shows up frequently...]]></description><link>https://www.ashcedar.com/post/why-execution-breaks-down-as-service-businesses-grow-and-how-to-fix-it</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ea306dc992063310d250a0</guid><pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:53:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4085a8_e1b8f04e70d14d668e2deeef52f332b0~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Ash &amp; Cedar Consulting</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Practical Guide to AI in 2026: Tools, Use Cases, and What Actually Matters]]></title><description><![CDATA[Artificial intelligence has moved quickly from a niche topic into something that shows up in everyday conversations across industries. For many people, exposure has been surface level. They have tried a chatbot once or twice, seen headlines about job disruption, or heard that AI is the future without much clarity on what that actually means in practice. The reality is more nuanced. AI is not one tool, one platform, or one capability. It is a collection of technologies that serve different...]]></description><link>https://www.ashcedar.com/post/a-practical-guide-to-ai-in-2026-tools-use-cases-and-what-actually-matters</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69d51702f2ad0bf9f6fec0f9</guid><pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:54:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4085a8_05d9439b43784b61bd6ce590bb5c9550~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Ash &amp; Cedar Consulting</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Growth Creates Operational Strain in Central Kentucky Service Businesses]]></title><description><![CDATA[Why growth creates operational challenges for Central Kentucky service businesses, and how internal structure impacts execution, efficiency, and long-term performance.]]></description><link>https://www.ashcedar.com/post/why-growth-creates-operational-strain-in-central-kentucky-service-businesses</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69bd611bbd46da1f6b26cddb</guid><pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:24:02 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4085a8_a68cc72cd3d843b5800aad7394f515d1~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Ash &amp; Cedar Consulting</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Companies Are Laying Off Employees Right Now (And What Smaller Businesses Should Do Instead)]]></title><description><![CDATA[Over the past year, layoffs have become increasingly visible across the business landscape. Companies such as Amazon, Target, and Starbucks have all made deliberate decisions to reduce headcount and simplify internal structures. At the same time, Macy's has been closing underperforming locations while reinvesting in stores that demonstrate stronger performance. These developments are often attributed to broader economic conditions. While macroeconomic pressure certainly plays a role, it does...]]></description><link>https://www.ashcedar.com/post/why-companies-are-laying-off-employees-right-now-and-what-smaller-businesses-should-do-instead</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69bc007b0e7e4ab64754af33</guid><pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:04:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4085a8_beca3f3826ef44718484146f511d6bf5~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Ash &amp; Cedar Consulting</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Growth Changes the Job: Leadership Under Growth]]></title><description><![CDATA[Growth often changes the job of leadership before anyone names it. This reflection explores how businesses outgrow proximity-based leadership, why execution starts to feel heavier, and what strong leaders do to adapt without breaking what already works.]]></description><link>https://www.ashcedar.com/post/leadership-during-growth</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69811a131dce0ff3f107123a</guid><category><![CDATA[Leadership & Growth]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:18:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4085a8_b5cc85620fd343989a0f9c991122c6ea~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Ash &amp; Cedar Consulting</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>