You’re not alone if you’ve hired the less-than-perfect (okay, maybe completely wrong) person to work on your website, help with getting found on Google or run your social media. It sucks. It’s frustrating. But it doesn’t have to be that way. When it comes to choosing the perfect digital marketing partner, there has to be a fit. Not just the basic … [More]
Now Is NOT the Time for ‘Business as Usual’
Recently, I sent out an email to my clients urging them to make one simple change. I asked them to stop trying to be normal. Why? If you’re having challenges in your business right now, or if you’re hitting up against something again and again, it’s likely due to the fact that you are trying to do business as usual. Even if things are going well for you right now, … [More]
Engage Your Workers, Increase Your Productivity
Do your workers seem bored and listless, as if they’re just going through the motions? “Yeah,” you say, “but I can’t do anything about it. Work is work. At least they get a paycheck.” But all work — or at least all workplaces — are not created equal. Whether or not you think you should have to engage your workers, you do. Engaged workers are more efficient workers, according … [More]
Today’s War for Talent – How Do You Keep Your Best Employees?
The meeting was unexpected — your right-hand person, the one you’ve been grooming to take on your role someday, just gave notice. You didn’t see it coming. She seemed happy at work. As a matter of fact, she told you so in the last one-on-one meeting two months ago. She was recruited on LinkedIn, by a competitor who made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. And now you have … [More]
What Leadership Style Propels Your Success?
Spending many years of my professional life in a very male-dominated industry — public accounting — then opening my own business as a leadership development and business coach, I have become very aware of two prominent leadership styles in the business world. Both have their merit. However, to build a highly successful business, leaders can’t always rely on one approach to … [More]
The 2018 Business of the Year Award goes to …
The Tempe Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards honor one small business and one large business that serve as a positive role model to others and are active in the Tempe community. This year’s winners were announced on June 29th at the 2018 Tempe Chamber Annual Luncheon. The Chamber awarded MAC6 as the Small Business of the Year. MAC6 provides a collaborative … [More]
The Chamber Recognizes Outstanding Volunteers
The 2018 Spirit of Tempe award was given to Frank and Judy Woertz. This power couple has provided more than 40 years of service in Tempe. Their State Farm Insurance agency is recognized as one of the leaders within the entire company. Recently, Frank Woertz was named Volunteer of the Year in 2015 and also served as chairman of the Ambassador committee for two years. He was … [More]
Tempe.Pledge.Green is growing!
The Tempe Sustainability Pledge is a Tempe Chamber program where businesses commit to reducing their environmental footprint. In the last six months, the program has grown by 30 percent with new pledge takers and social media activity. Recent Tempe.Pledge.Green companies include SunTrac, TCH, The Deneau Law Firm, MAC6, Junior Achievement of Arizona and Pixel Photography. … [More]
18th Annual Sun Devil Football Kickoff Luncheon
Friday, Aug. 24, 2018, at Tempe Mission Palms This year’s luncheon was one of our best yet. Thank you to all Sun Devil alumni and fans, elected officials and dedicated volunteers who made this event a success. And a very special thanks to our partners who made it all possible: ASU Alumni, Sun Devil Club, San Tan Ford, Wells Fargo, ASU, Edward Jones, United Dairymen, … [More]
Re-cap, Re-Vamp, and Rev-Up for 2019
While the heat is finally behind us, it’s time we reflect back on our accomplishments of 2018 and look forward to the planning of a new, exciting year. As small-business owners ourselves, the Arizona Small Business Association understands the challenges of staying fresh and relevant in the marketplace. Sales, marketing, personnel, profitability — all key components you need … [More]
The Voice of Small Business
Public Policy — it sounds boring until you realize how crucial it is to your success as a small-business owner. While it is not uncommon for many legislation and legal processes to install new rules and regulations that hinder your operations as a business owner, we are lucky to operate in Arizona, where our lawmakers are partial to small business and understand it is the … [More]
‘LESS EXPENSIVE’ Shouldn’t be the Goal for Your Employee Health Plan
“Less expensive” is like “less moldy.” What we really want from our food is freshness. These are two fundamentally different things. With healthcare, what should the goal be, then? Well, how about: More people want to work for you because of it and your competitors can’t poach them away. While some companies still cling to the dream of less expensive health insurance, there … [More]
Keep Moving Forward
I love my job. I get to spend a lot of time talking to folks with big ideas. As the principal of a brand and marketing agency, I’m approached by entrepreneurs every day — passionate people who don’t know where to start. Many of them are already overwhelmed, because they’re too focused on the finish line. So, we grab a cup of jo and I ask them to start at the beginning. It’s a … [More]
You Have Your Sales Quota. Now Blow through It!
First, let’s define it. “Quota” and “goal” — two words often used interchangeably in the sales world defining different levels of results. Please consider the following definitions when setting sales revenue numbers for 2019. “Quota” (budget or objective) defines the minimum sales expectation for the year. Reaching a quota could result in maintaining employment status and … [More]
Identity Theft Affects Everyone: How to Help Protect Your Employees
In 2017, there were nearly 1,600 data breaches in the U.S. alone. The number of identity theft cases also hit record highs. In total, 16.7 million Americans had their identities stolen. That same year, identity thieves made off with nearly $17 billion. Identity Theft Often Begins at a Victim’s Workplace The tactics identity thieves use have changed significantly in recent … [More]
Member Success in Metro Phoenix
One of our favorite Phoenix-area events celebrates our amazing Global Chamber® “global tribe” with special emphasis on new companies and executives. This summer, we were treated at our Welcome! Adapt! Thrive! event to some of the first public comments by the new dean and director general at Thunderbird School of Global Management, Sanjeev Khagram, Ph.D. Dean Khagram comes to … [More]
Avoid These Exporting Pitfalls
We were pleased to recently host three extraordinary top executives speaking about opportunities and challenges with product exporting. The process includes complications in compliance, ethics, communications, insurance, currency, intellectual property rights and competitive pricing. We discussed common pitfalls of new exporters and how to deal with those issues that are often … [More]
Stay Up to Date on Trade
The United States announced this summer that the U.S. Trade Representative has been asked to “identify US$200 billion-worth of Chinese goods for additional tariffs at a rate of 10 percent.” This is a new tariff initiative following recently announced tariffs of 25 percent on US$50 billion of electronics and other imports. This new round of tariffs is directly related to China’s … [More]
