Learning to be a great leader takes training. There are countless leadership training courses, classes, videos, books and even degrees available for people who truly want to be great leaders. Much of the training available is excellent; however, when you look at the majority of the great training out there, it was developed by men for men. Women can still use it, of course, but … [More]
Close the Sale at Hello!
Some people feel they aren’t cut out for sales while others love it, thriving on the adrenaline of a closed deal. The bottom line is that we are all selling something: an idea, our opinion, a product, service or decision. Whether at work, on the road, with family or with friends, we tap into the ability to persuade and negotiate with others. That, my friends, is sales. Some … [More]
Three Lessons for Lasting Leadership
Too much. Tired of reading long lists about how to be a leader? A better leader? An effective leader? But, think about the few, core characteristics that create lasting leaders. Not the job jumpers, but leaders who stay and create sustainable success. Who are they? Simple searches will provide the lists of attributes associated with lasting leaders. You have read these lists … [More]
Why Video Should Be Part of Your Business Strategy
Despite the fact that most brands know they should be using video as a part of their business strategy, most aren’t. Here are some of the most important reasons why you should be using video, which will help give you the push you need to finally use this powerful technique for reaching your target customers. Videos are More Compelling than Other Forms of Content We are … [More]
Be Bold and Courageous
"Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did.” —H. Jackson Brown Most of us have something we promised ourselves we would do in this lifetime that we haven’t done yet. We tell ourselves it is because we don’t have the money, we don’t have the time, and we don’t have the right support or resources … [More]
Business Advocate … Not JUST the Title of the Tempe Chamber of Commerce’s Newsletter #truth
So what happens when your 5,000-square-foot commercial kitchen floor gets ripped up and the city denies your permit for construction unless you come up with an additional $30,000? Besides freak out … I’ll tell ya, you call Wonder Woman. The holiday season was upon us in no time and as we put a close to our best year yet, we reveled in excitement for what was to come next. … [More]
Tempe Leadership: Thirty Years of Community
Since 1985, Tempe Leadership has worked with more than 700 community leaders to make a difference for the next generation. Each class takes the opportunity to develop positive solutions to real problems. Projects have ranged from the development of a business resource guide, to improving the effectiveness of the City of Tempe Boards and Commissions process, to working to … [More]
Advice for Women in Business
Celebrating the success of great leaders isn’t just about the accomplishments of what one individual has achieved. Rather, it is an opportunity to recognize your own potential and carve out a path that will allow you to reach new heights, achieve goals and celebrate with those who have supported you along the way. This is the goal of the Tempe Chamber of Commerce’s Women in … [More]
AZ Tech Council Spring 2016 President’s Message
Talk about timing. I had just arrived in Washington, D.C., recently to lead Arizona’s delegation for the annual DC Fly-In, an opportunity for members of the nation’s technology community to share their hot button issues directly with lawmakers. Suddenly, Capitol Hill was ground zero for one of our topics: cybersecurity. That day the word came out a hacker or hackers had just … [More]
Preparing for the Future
The Arizona Technology Council has partnered with the Arizona Commerce Authority on separate yet related initiatives to prepare the state’s workforce for technology jobs expected to be in demand well into the future. While their joint efforts actually began nearly two years ago, both organizations are starting to see a more solid game plan take shape for preparing more people … [More]
Congressman turns to students in STEM fact-finding
When it comes to a fact-finding trip for members of Congress, that often can mean they pack their passports and head off to exotic lands for meetings with heads of state. For the representative of Arizona’s 3rd District, the destination was Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale to meet with front-line experts in science, technology, engineering and math … [More]
Fast growth for SciTech Festival
Barely beginning its fifth year of existence, the Arizona SciTech Festival already ranks as the third largest science and technology festival in the nation, only surpassed by Washington, D.C., and New York City. Newcomers Fountain Hills, El Mirage and Surprise are among more than 50 Arizona communities and 800 organizations partnering to stage more than 1,000 events in 2016 as … [More]
Cybersecurity Summit comes at the right time
If the statement “Cybersecurity is the No. 1 priority for the FBI nationally” comes as a surprise, the third annual Cybersecurity Summit should take the mystery out of this revelation. The statement is not just hype for the May 5 summit that will be presented by the Arizona Technology Council, Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance … [More]
Big Plans
While size may make a company nimble when it first launches, that same size can become more of an obstacle when it comes to providing benefits for the team. Following the adage “there’s strength in numbers,” the Arizona Technology Council is offering plans that can make participating member companies as competitive as more established organizations when acquiring … [More]
Council names two newest board members
Rick Nielsen, the regional director of engineering for Cox Communications’ Southwest Region, and Teresa Snyder, vice president of marketing for Scottsdale-based OneNeck IT Solutions, have been named to the board of directors of the Arizona Technology Council for three-year terms ending Oct. 31, 2018.Nielsen leads the engineering team for Cox’s largest region, covering Phoenix; … [More]
Addition to Tucson staff
Tracy Sole de Hoop has joined the staff of the Arizona Technology Council as director of operations and events for its Southern Arizona office in Tucson. In her role, she will direct the Council’s operations and events schedule in Southern Arizona and will be an integral part of expansion plans for Cochise, Santa Cruz and Yuma counties. Sole de Hoop’s entry into the Council … [More]
2016 Global Growth: Just Do It. Take Action.
“Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.” It seems it would be great if we had one growing customer for our business located right across the street. Then we could spend all our time right there, crossing the street if there were ever any issues. We wouldn’t have to worry about cross-cultural issues and adding a layer of complexity to … [More]
Build Your Global Team
Chances are, if you’re going global or thinking about it, you won’t have all the resources you need on staff and won’t know all the right resources outside the firm that can help you reach optimum success. Small and medium-sized companies need help; you can’t hire all the people you need. We know it’s a challenge and we work hard to help members connect with the people they … [More]