The year is young — now is a fine time for businesses to start doing the right things, to take charge of their social media strategy by evaluating trends and revisiting and refining their plans. Positive changes made now will position the business for better outcomes all year long. Gone are the days when companies can treat social media as an afterthought or a supplemental … [More]
Social Media – Where It’s Going and How to Keep Up with It (Part II)
Achieving goals of any sort involves doing more of the right — and less of the wrong — things. Marketing and social media goals are no exception. How can you better ensure your social media efforts will help you accomplish your brand’s objectives in this new year? Dos DO: Think first. Then post. Remember that what you post on your personal social media accounts can affect how … [More]
Unlocking Your Company’s Hero Potential
An idea can come from anywhere, or anyone — from the C-suite to the mailroom. Leaders don’t have a monopoly on innovation and strategic ideas. However, many people are afraid to innovate because they’re afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to fail! Throughout my career, I’ve bought and sold more than 250 business and handled billions of dollars in transactions, and one of … [More]
The 5 Most Cringe-Worthy Privileged Data Breaches of 2018
Privileged attack vectors and stolen personally identifiable information (PII) obtained have been a constantly paired news item throughout 2018. In 2019, we can expect privileged attack vectors to continue to reign as the No. 1 root cause of breaches for both consumer and business data theft. Below, I have compiled my list of the top-five most noteworthy breaches for this … [More]
Handshakes Speak for You
Have you ever wondered what your handshake says about you? Your handshake is like your business card. It conveys your confidence, credibility and influence without a single word being spoken. Studies have shown this one simple gesture can enhance a social situation and make a positive impact on others. In our culture, a handshake accompanies almost every introduction and … [More]
When Is a Strategy Not a Strategy?
Make no mistake — bad strategy can literally kill a company. In a 25-year study of 750 bankruptcies, researchers found that the No. 1 cause of bankruptcy was bad strategy. And anyone who has worked for a manager who didn’t have sound strategies knows all too well the frustration of drifting aimlessly with no strategic direction. But the secret no one wants to talk about is, … [More]
For Best Results in Business, Think Like a Designer
Most business leaders don’t need to be professional designers to effectively think like one. Thinking like a designer, otherwise known as design thinking, is a process that should be leveraged by all business professionals due to its effectiveness for big-picture planning. Design thinking is a ubiquitous process that allows companies to put themselves in a frame of mind that’s … [More]
Why Small-Business Assets Matter
When getting to know small-business owners, financial planners typically ask about their company’s value at that point in time. Unfortunately, many times, their first inclination is to share their latest bank statement or the amounts of various checking, savings and investment accounts owned by the company. While these are terrific indicators of cash-at-hand value, for many … [More]
It’s Lonely at the Top – and at the Start
According to Richard Branson, the billionaire CEO and founder of Virgin Group, “If you really want to grow as an entrepreneur, you’ve got to learn to delegate.” Starting a business — managing clients, networking, trying to balance long work hours with family life — can be a daunting task. But more and more people in Arizona are doing it — and many of them are doing it … [More]
Menacing Mistakes on Social Media
Social media marketing was once relatively new and mysterious and many just weren’t sure how to effectively use it. Today, it’s a much different story. The online world has changed dramatically and we see widespread use — and misuse — of social media by businesses all the time. Organizations of all sizes and in all industries struggle to meet the challenge of using social … [More]
Use Document Management to Conquer HR Challenges
Human resources managers are playing a growing role within business expansion; more than ever, they are expected to weigh in on company decisions with executive teams, engage in strategic planning, and foster employee wellness in a world of workers overwrought by personal problems. An HR document management tool can simplify these challenges. As if these responsibilities … [More]
Make Internal Comms Fun
Most employees dread the “Company Update.” Newsletters and messages often gather dust in staff members’ inbox — unopened and unloved. When this happens, chances are the business has a case of boring comms. Gone are the days when internal communications were an afterthought, comprising a quick email sent to all staff — job done. Nowadays, internal communications are … [More]
Tariffs: Up and Down the Arizona Craft Brewing Supply Chain
It may be stating the obvious to say that a tariff on any commodity will have a repercussion all along the supply chain it touches. Yes, that includes our favorite locally brewed beers. In Business Magazine spoke with Rob Fuller, executive director of the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild, to learn how President Trump’s recent tariffs impact these businesses and the businesses … [More]
Businesses’ ‘Magnificent Seven’ Investments
Every day, businesses lose money by not understanding or leveraging their investments. When one considers the financials of organizations, it is clear that a significant portion of those investments are not captured in financial statements. Why? Because these are the people-side or soft-side intangible investments the accounting industry has yet to document. This may be a … [More]
Five Cryptocurrency Tax Mistakes the IRS Takes Seriously
Since the release of Bitcoin in 2009, more than 4,000 alternative currencies have emerged in the decentralized banking market. For nearly 10 years, the IRS has sought to gain a foothold in what has since become a booming market with a rising number of participating asset holders. The recent Coinbase, Inc. case ruling makes it clear that the United States government is intent on … [More]
Mobile Billing: Growing Opportunity
There was a time, not so long ago, when the best and most effective way of sending a bill to a customer was to deliver it to them by mail. In a world where mobile devices are almost ubiquitous and in constant use, that should no longer the be case. Done effectively, mobile billing — whether app-based or email — is cheaper and more convenient than traditional billing … [More]
Use Disagreement to Build Stronger Teams
Because I facilitate team sessions for a living, I’ve seen a lot of team interactions. All kinds of drama, some shouting and tears, but also a lot of laughter, joy and bold action. Much about teamwork has been researched, dissected and discussed. Yet lately, situations have come forward that fall into an unexplored topic: how to get team members to disagree. What do you do … [More]
Chat Bots Are the New HR Managers
Chat bots will continue to transform virtually every business function, from marketing to sales to customer support. One of the other areas where we’ll see a major transformation is Human Resources. HR teams have a very challenging job with seemingly conflicting objectives: keeping employees focused and working hard while also keeping them happy and satisfied. HR teams are … [More]
