Arizona business leaders know a strong economy depends on more than balance sheets and quarterly growth. Employees need safe housing, reliable childcare, food, health services and education. Across the state, nonprofit organizations provide much of that support while employing Arizonans, purchasing goods and services, and helping communities develop into places where businesses … [More]
Choose a Credible Issue
A public position is easier to explain when it grows from the company’s work. A manufacturer may speak about energy or water. A healthcare employer may focus on licensing and staffing, while Medicaid funding affects the entire field. A builder may address housing supply, zoning or infrastructure issues. Before speaking, leaders should identify how an issue affects the … [More]
Advocacy without Losing Trust
Public Policy Is Already in Your Business Plan
Every Arizona business operates within decisions made at city hall, the state Capitol and regulatory agencies. Voters make consequential decisions at the ballot box, too. These choices shape utility costs and permits, tax policy reaches balance sheets, and access to skilled workers affects day-to-day operations. So does the strength of the communities where employees and … [More]
Beyond the Check: A Business Case for Community Partnership
Every company depends on conditions it did not create alone. Employees need reliable childcare, healthcare and transportation. Employers need trained workers; commercial districts benefit from arts, culture and safe neighborhoods. Nonprofits help provide this community infrastructure every day, while grantmakers supply funding that allows many of those services to reach people … [More]
From the President: Building on What Already Works
I've been in rooms full of women business owners for a long time now. And here's the thing nobody tells you about leadership: Sometimes the boldest move isn't changing everything. It's protecting what's already working. That's where I'm starting my year as president of NAWBO Phoenix. I could tell you about my big new vision, my five-point plan to reinvent the chapter, all … [More]
From Launch to Longevity: Planning, Capital and Insurance as Milestone Partners
Talent and expertise get you started — but it’s strategy that keeps you moving. Timing, positioning and a durable foundation are what help a business endure growth cycles, regulatory pressure, changing risks and stakeholder demands. For many NAWBO members, that journey begins with an ambitious vision and quickly becomes a series of decisions that feel complex — and … [More]
Spaces That Leave Their Mark. Defy Norms. Define Space
At its core, design is about emotion. It is the feeling you experience when you walk into a space and something simply feels right. It is the energy that draws people in, encourages them to linger and creates a lasting impression long after they leave. Whether in a restaurant, hotel, retail environment or sanctuary at home, the most memorable spaces connect with people on an … [More]
Why Self-Leadership Is the Skill Most Executives Never Develop
Does your leadership development program have a crucial gap in it? And when was the last time you really took time to look at your own leadership and whether it was effective in these times of disruption? Leaders are trained to manage performance, inspire teams, communicate vision and navigate change. What they rarely learn is how to manage themselves — their energy, their … [More]
What Your Banker Wishes Every Business Owner Knew
The banker’s view: what separates businesses that thrive from those that struggle
As 2026 rolled around, so did my 22nd year of being a commercial banker. Twenty-two years of meeting with business owners, from startups to companies generating $250 million in revenue, from single-member enterprises to multi-owner corporations. I have met with medical practices to manufacturing firms, industrial companies to professional businesses, and in all my interactions … [More]
July 2026 – President’s Message
Whether they are called myths or urban legends, I’ve heard a variety of them when it comes to data centers. In this section earlier this year, one of our stories addressed a few, such as claims they are overloading the electric grid and claiming endless amounts of drinking water. (Negative on both counts.) But with so many of the myths still making the rounds, allow me to put … [More]
Sky’s the Limit
Arizona Aerospace Summit to focus on making state a global aerospace hub
Separate roads, same destination. That was the challenge when the Arizona Technology Council was looking for a way to help accelerate collaboration and innovation throughout Arizona’s growing aerospace economy while highlighting the state’s expanding leadership in aerospace, aviation, space and defense. The solution debuts July 15 at the 2026 Arizona Aerospace Summit … [More]
Wow!
Worlds of Work creates pathways for high school students to find career fit
Dream or nightmare. Either can come true when it comes to finding a career that fits. And if it’s the less desirable outcome, “If only I knew” often is the resulting response. A surprise is the last thing anyone needs while career planning, especially when the journey begins at a young age. That’s where Worlds of Work comes in. Worlds of Work — WOW for short — is a program in … [More]
Reaching Out
Specialist makes Council’s case for projects throughout Arizona
For those who have attended meetings where decisions were made about a proposed data center, energy project or the like in Arizona, odds are one of the speakers addressing decision makers was Cepand Alizadeh, the Arizona Technology Council’s government relations specialist. In fact, odds are very good since he logged more than 6,500 miles in his car over the past year to get to … [More]
New Program Offers Coaching to Prepare for Next Roles as Leaders
It’s hard to prepare for a company’s future without the topic shifting to leadership by the “next generation.” Instead of adding one more item to the in-house to-do list, help is available through a new offering from the Arizona Technology Council. The development program Emerging Leaders Council is underway with a cohort that includes a chief operating officer; a director of … [More]
Welcome Aboard
New directors offer variety of experiences to benefit Council
Neil Calfee, executive director, Economic Development + Innovation Zones, Arizona State University Knowledge Enterprise; David Felix, senior manager of Regulatory Affairs, SRP; Bipin Jayaraj, chief digital and information officer, Benchmark; Bob Krakauer, chief financial officer, Verrus; and Tom Sullivan, chief operating officer, Air2O, are the newest members of the Arizona … [More]
Inaugural Arizona Manufacturing Showcase Sets a High Bar
When the Arizona Technology Council’s Arizona Manufacturing Catalyst Committee was looking for a way to bring the state’s manufacturers together, little did they realize the results would be more than memorable. “The committee was formed with the express purpose of creating a center of mass for the diverse manufacturing ecosystem to come together, define common goals and … [More]
Arizona Talks Essay on Civic Engagement
Who has the most powerful influence on a politician? Is it the lobbyist? Is it the special interest group? Is it another more powerful politician? It is none of those. The most powerful influence on a politician is an informed constituent. Even better is an informed small business owner constituent. I want to help teach you how to harness your power to influence elected … [More]
The Age of Answers: Is Your Business Ready to Be Recommended by AI?
For years, businesses focused on the “Age of Search.” They optimized websites, chased keywords and worked to appear on Google’s first page. But consumer behavior is shifting. We are entering the “Age of Answers.” Instead of typing fragmented keywords into a search bar, potential customers are asking complex, conversational questions to AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and … [More]
