Arizona’s economic researchers say 2014 looks flat and steady. At least, say the optimists among them, we’re not going backward. The problem is jobs. One of every five Arizona workers has a job in two industry categories, either “retail” or “professional and business services.” Arizona’s 2013 job growth in these critical categories lagged behind national growth. Arizona … [More]
Governor Janice Brewer, State of Arizona
Since the statewide economic slide of the recent recession, Arizona economic development agencies and business leaders have focused on diversifying the state’s economy beyond the boom-and-bust industries of tourism and construction. Efforts have ranged from identifying sectors built around the “knowledge worker” whose employment helps drive an economy forward and upward to … [More]
How Does the Fitness Sector Shape Up?
When it comes to staying fit in Phoenix, it can be easy as climbing Camelback Mountain no matter what time of year it is. But many fitness operators have bet people want a little help even in what has been a challenged economy, and that bet is paying off. For Becky Renner, an Arizona regional developer for Orangetheory Fitness, the area’s outdoor recreational opportunities … [More]
Be a Bankable Leader
Why won’t my employees just do what I tell them? Why am I struggling to motivate my team? Why aren’t they giving me the performance I need? These are common questions that plague many leaders. Often, companies promote to leadership employees who are competent technical professionals — who know how to build a bridge, negotiate a deal or justify a capital expenditure. But whether … [More]
Trade Across the Border
Going global is where growth opportunities lie for many businesses. Arizona companies may find Mexico and Canada inviting options to consider. MEXICO Those looking at Mexico may find themselves in good company, as 34 percent of Arizona’s exports currently go to our southern neighbor and 35 percent of what we import comes from there. “Mexico is Arizona’s largest trading … [More]
Rights and Wrongs in Intellectual Property
Business owners tend to underestimate their intellectual property, says Lee Fraley, a partner in the Phoenix office of law firm Snell & Wilmer who specializes in IP and works with many entrepreneurial businesses in acquisition transactions. “They think patents is all of IP, but it’s much more than that — it’s anything that gives a company a competitive advantage.” The … [More]
Rethinking Leadership Development
Why do most training programs fail to change behavior? One of the main reasons is most focus on the characteristics of leadership; they do not go below the surface, but, instead, focus on visible factors and address them by teaching concepts, tips, introspection and what great leaders do. But leadership, organizations and people are dynamic. Every factor needs to be understood … [More]
Carrie Martz: Learning from Challenges
As Carrie Martz, chief executive officer of Martz Parsons, has learned first-hand over the years, there is not one main ingredient to becoming successful in a highly competitive field. Instead, she notes, building up her full-service and integrated marketing, advertising and public relations agency to where it is today has required a combination of approaches, combined with a … [More]
Social Media Lead Generation
OptifiNow, an industry leader in SaaS-based solutions designed to optimize the effectiveness of the sales force, is establishing the industry benchmark by launching Social onDemand, the first social media application designed specifically for use by a sales team. Social onDemand empowers sales teams to acquire leads, nurture prospects and convert customers via social media … [More]
Click and Create a Website
Strikingly, a mobile-optimized website builder for non-coders, has launched the world’s fastest website builder — a new feature that allows anyone to build a personal profile website with a single click, simply by using their Facebook profile. Strikingly creates this mobile-optimized site by intelligently combining the person’s profile picture, work experience, geographic … [More]
Drive Real Content to Attract Online Engagement
ScribbleLive is a content provider that places real-time content on a user’s website from his or her brand through stories, to create distinction and differentiation. The fee-based Scribble powers live event coverage, product launches, second screen, live blogging, real-time journalism, on-the-fly storytelling or whatever a company’s real-time needs may be. It also creates new … [More]
Legal Videos Inform on Social Media and More
Arizona social media attorney Ruth Carter posts videos every week about common legal questions related to business legal services. Business owners can subscribe to her YouTube Channel to get the latest information on social media and tech issue of the day. Areas include trademark & copyright, business law best practices, First Amendment & privacy, blogging, social media … [More]
Grabbing a Slice of the Pizza Segment
Fresh pizza in four minutes? This is part of the edge the owners of fast-casual eatery Fired Pie feel they’ve found in the popular pizza segment of the restaurant industry. The short cooking time is enabled by real brick ovens that hold a steady 600˚ F and a proprietary method of pressing the dough with a hydraulic press that holds it in place and sears it. Offering a … [More]
New Platform for Sale of Precious Metals
Scottsdale Mint, locally based fabricator of precious metals, has entered into a strategic partnership with Singapore Precious Metals Exchange as the Exchange’s only certified broker in North America. The partnership will allow United States- and Canadian-based investors to participate in the world’s first physical gold and silver exchange, with peer-to-peer bullion trading … [More]
Innovator Puts 3-D Model Technology Toward Full-Scale Buildings
3-D printers is a hot and exciting technology whose use has inspired imagination in diverse fields. Retired engineer Brian Korsedal saw an application to housing construction and, about a year ago, began putting 3-D modeling to use with full-sized buildings. Observing, “Everyone wants to do 3-D-print houses,” the founder of Arcology Now! Inc. says, “The algorithms and physics … [More]
NextFort is the Next Generation of Data Centers
NextFort recently became the newest addition to Chandler’s technology-focused Price Corridor, opening in early December its cutting-edge concept in data centers that increases energy efficiency up to 40 percent over conventional data centers. Along with innovative designs in power distribution and facilities architecture are changes in the facility’s cooling design. “Most … [More]
TPP May Drive International Trade and Investment for Arizona
Negotiations are continuing on the U.S. Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which aims to broaden trade between the United States and 11 other countries — Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Arizona trade with TPP countries — exports and imports — supported nearly 278,000 jobs in 2011. Notwithstanding controversy … [More]
Meet Me at The Henry
The latest in a long line of restaurant concepts by Sam Fox, this one is touted as the greatest neighborhood restaurant — and it may very well be. Included in this fully remodeled office space located near 44th Street on Camelback in the Arcadia neighborhood is a coffee bar (named XV), full-service restaurant, full bar, extensive patio, demonstration kitchen and … [More]
