To avoid the pitfalls that can be created at the company holiday party, businesses need to carefully plan out each detail, including the following: Dress Up Company Policies Before the Big Event. Companies should review their personnel policies to ensure they are up to date, and remind employees that they are expected to conduct themselves at the party in a manner that … [More]
A True Business Partnership
Social Venture Partners is an international network of engaged philanthropists who invest time, money and professional expertise in local nonprofits. In Phoenix, they focus on helping nonprofits that increase children, families and individuals’ resilience to risk factors, and increase children’s ability to succeed academically. Established in 1999, as the second SVP in the … [More]
e-Commerce for Small Biz
GoDaddy, the technology provider dedicated to small businesses, launched the new GoDaddy Online Store, a product designed to make it easy for small businesses to create an e-commerce presence and sell products online. Shares Candis Jones, owner of thejonesmarket.com, “We graduated to GoDaddy Online Store and our sales have soared. Not only is it cost-effective and simple, but … [More]
For Spending ‘Kabbage’
Entrepreneurship is on the rise, and Kabbage is stepping in where banks aren’t going. Kabbage is designed as a quick fix for companies that need money to buy inventory, ramp up personnel, purchase equipment and more. Forget the credit score; to assess creditworthiness, Kabbage’s computers analyze data such as transaction history, user feedback ratings, and even online game play … [More]
Stay Up on Data Privacy & Security
The Data Privacy & Security Team of national law firm Quarles & Brady LLP, which has three offices across Arizona in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson, has launched Safe & Sound, a blog that provides a practical, business-focused discussion of the legal issues relating to the privacy and security of a company’s data. This blog will keep businesses aware of current … [More]
Scottsdale Lifestyle
Lifestyle townhome community Aerium, located on 70th Street and Goldwater in the heart of downtown Scottsdale, is beginning construction this month with completion expected in 18 months. In spring 2015, three model homes will be open. The overall project density is 19.7 units per acre, well below the 50-per-acre maximum allowed in Scottsdale’s Downtown Overlay District. Being … [More]
Airport Industrial
With recent approvals by the Chandler City Council, planning has begun on Chandler Airport Center, a general industrial park at Germann and Cooper roads. The 20-acre site is located immediately north of the Chandler Municipal Airport, with direct access off the Loop 202, and is being developed by Meritex Chandler LLC in association with Tempe-based Metro Commercial Properties, … [More]
Living Wright
Cahava Springs is a 982-acre, fully entitled, master-planned preserve community located in the Town of Cave Creek. The community will include 230 estate home sites, and 82 percent of the property’s natural desert land will be preserved. Cahava Springs is the only development in Arizona with a licensing agreement with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Frank Lloyd Wright School … [More]
Small-Business Owners’ Optimism Highest Since 2007
Small-business owners’ optimism on business prospects and the economy continue to rise, according to the Fall 2014 American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor. Currently, 63 percent of business owners nationwide maintain a positive outlook, a level not reached since fall of 2007 (64 percent). Stronger revenue growth could be fueling this optimism, as more entrepreneurs say … [More]
Gallo Blanco: Latin Contemporary Defined
Set in the lobby area of The Clarendon Hotel, a contemporary boutique hotel in Central Phoenix, Gallo Blanco is a hot spot that has received accolades for its guacamole as well as for its overall menu. The creation of chef and owner Doug Robson, who also owns Otro Café, Gallo Blanco’s menu offers dishes into which he has infused the foods he grew up on in Mexico and includes … [More]
Assembly Line: Food for Thought
Make it all about you for lunch at these “assembly-line” concept restaurants with locations throughout the Valley. Pick and choose as you please for the perfect customized meal. Pizza Studio It’s all about choice — crust, sauce, cheese and toppings. This latest of the hot spots is only at CityScape currently and is serving up custom pizzas with incredible flavor made from … [More]
2015 Lincoln Navigator
In a year when gas prices are seeing a decline and other carmakers are seeing “all-new” redesigns of their luxury SUVs, Lincoln has simply remodeled its Navigator for 2015 — giving it a new grill and some technological upgrades that make this vehicle attractive both by way of amenities and its sticker price. Standard is the Twin Turbo 3.5 liter EcoBoost V6 engine by Ford. … [More]
Mobile Speed
iPad Air 2 iOS 8 is the most advanced and fastest mobile OS ever. With iCloud Drive, users can safely store any kind of document and access it from any device. Every feature in iOS 8 is designed to work seamlessly with iPad Air 2, taking full advantage of its powerful A8X chip, ultrafast wireless and brilliant Retina display. Starting at $499. Surface Pro … [More]
Bringing Strategy Back
In Bringing Strategy Back, strategy expert Jeffrey Sampler cuts through the clutter to reveal exactly why the usual tools of strategy are so sorely out of sync with our needs: windows of opportunity close far faster than they once did, many of these opportunities are smaller than they once were, growth rates are uneven across markets, and today’s competition is more … [More]
Strategize to Win
Wall Street veteran Carla Harris gives readers the tools they need to get started, get “unstuck” from bad situations, redirect momentum and position themselves to manage their careers no matter the environment. With her trademark galvanizing advice, Harris identifies and clarifies issues that are often murky, offering lessons on identifying and making the most of one’s work … [More]
The 5 Choices
The time management experts at FranklinCovey share their five critical techniques for avoiding distractions and paying focused attention to our most important goals and tasks in our daily lives. Every day brings businesspeople a crushing wave of demands — not to mention the high-pressure demands of our jobs — that can be overwhelming and exhausting. The sheer number of … [More]
Feedback: December 2014
Question: As a business issue separate from social implications, how can immigration impact business or industry? Elizabeth S. Chatham, Esq. Partner Davis Miles McGuire Gardner, PLLC Sector: Law The employment-based immigration changes are quite significant and impact American business by further facilitating the hiring and retention of highly skilled foreign … [More]
Scottsdale Spice turns up the heat on World Chef Competition
Scottsdale’s newest culinary event crowned some of the “hottest” chefs in the Valley on Sat., Sept. 27, 2014, who showcased some of their spiciest dishes — and where one chef was selected to compete for the world title. More than 700 attended the inaugural Scottsdale Spice Culinary Event, presented by Comerica Bank, at the Venue in downtown Scottsdale to sample dishes with a … [More]
