It has been reported some parents here in the United States are using between 8% and 42% of their income to have their children cared for while they are at work. Recent studies collated by co-working specialists Instant Offices shows more than half of American parents are more concerned about childcare costs now than they were before the pandemic. While the cost of daycare … [More]
The ABCs of Generation N
Just when you thought you knew all the generations — from the Silent Generation to Gen Z, and all of them in-between — a new one pops up. This one’s called Generation N, representing our new “novel economy” all thanks to the novel coronavirus. This concept was first coined just a few months ago, at the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic, by well-known digital futurist … [More]
Safety Is the Ultimate Priority in Changing Business Landscape
The defining business trend of 2020 means employers are boosting protocols, from COVID-19 hygiene to workplace violence prevention, to keep employees and customers safe. It’s the dawn of a new era for business owners in a rapidly changing business climate that has been fraught with confusion and misunderstanding. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a windfall of new safety and … [More]
Ripple Effect of a Toxic Boss
Working for a difficult or temperamental boss is common in the U.S. A survey last from by Cision for Robert Half showed roughly half of the employees quit their job due to what they termed a bad boss. But high turnover isn’t the only downside such bosses cause. Abrasive or toxic leadership creates many other costs for organizations and employees as well, from personal health to … [More]
Feedback: December 2020
Question: Given the events of this past year, what would you say are the most important leadership attributes (skills, experience, philosophy) for growing and strengthening your company? Sandra Bassett President and CEO West Valley Arts Sector: Arts & Culture When I became West Valley Arts president and CEO in April, COVID was just rearing its ugly head. Soon after, … [More]
Customer Benefits Come from Credit Union Acquiring Bank
Arizona Federal is the only Arizona-based credit union with SBA PLP status. We were able to obtain this designation through the acquisition of Pinnacle Bank just one year ago. Pinnacle was a community bank I was proud to stand up back in 2005. Arizona Federal had obtained the designation by exhibiting a successful track record of processing small business loans and by … [More]
Arizona Minimum Wage Increase: Facts and Misconceptions
On January 1, 2021, the minimum wage for Arizona employees will increase to $12.15 per hour, up from $12.00 per hour in 2020. This increase is based on the passage in 2016 of the Fair Wages and Healthy Families Initiative, which provided for a gradual increase in the minimum wage each January, from $10.50 per hour on January 1, 2018, to $11.00 per hour on January 1, 2019, then … [More]
Tell Me a Story and Capture My Heart
Who doesn’t love a great story? The complex characters, engaging plot, drama, tension and, finally, the memorable outcome. And like a page-turning novel or an Academy-award-winning movie, storytelling in the business world can be powerful — influencing how consumers make decisions and persuade others. Storytelling is as old as business itself, and has been adopted and used … [More]
Sarah Jennings: Earning Her Family Legacy
Sarah Jennings started her career in commercial real estate in 2007 specializing in retail leasing. Due to unfortunate timing and the ‘08 recession, Jennings spent one year of trial and error in the industry before she decided it was time to join the family business, a local security firm called Safeguard. She had always been intrigued by their product, QuickPass, which is … [More]
Parental Leave Benefits Biased Against Fathers
Parental leave policies among the of majority Fortune 500 companies are gender-biased, providing women with more parental leave than their male counterparts, and these policies likely impede gender equality in hiring and promotions, says a new study from Ball State University. The study is the first systematic examination of parental leave policies among major American … [More]
Best Perks and Incentives for Employee Morale
Employee perks and benefits can be some of the most compelling aspects of the hiring process. Great perks and incentives packages can help attract top-notch talent, maintain employee morale and improve overall engagement and satisfaction with the company. They can also boost a company’s image, as exemplified by notable tech companies that have become highly desirable places to … [More]
App Aids Optometry Offices
Founded last year, Opti-Xpres provides a turnkey application and platform solution to optometrists and patients that links patient medical records with already existing office EHRs. The application allows doctors to customize an app for their office where patients can virtually schedule appointments, fill out paperwork, receive appointment reminders, integrate payment processes … [More]
Better Air, with a Delivery Schedule
Tru Filtered Air is a breathing company that sells air filters. “We produce custom, high-quality air filters, in any size, at one great price, delivered right to your front door precisely when it’s time to replace the old ones,” says David Zimmerman, who co-founded the company with Chris McConnell. One of Tru’s biggest differentiators is its unique subscription-based model … [More]
Nutritional Packaged Meals … and Now Upcycled Healthy Food for Pets
Franchesca Gonzales left the banking industry four years ago to start Fuel To Fit, a health-driven meal prep company that is now one of the longest-standing and fastest-growing meal prep companies in the Valley. Each meal is prepared using high-quality ingredients with macros and nutritional content in mind, and guests can customize their orders to be dairy-free; beef-, fish- … [More]
Pizza Oven on a Roll
Founded by Arin Finger earlier this year, in the very thick of COVID-19 closures, Dough Riders is a mobile wood-fired pizza company that “comes to you” to “deliver” fresh fired pizza, salads and desserts on demand. Using an 800-degree oven, Dough Riders provides a visual presentation with each order. Pizzas are served fresh in less than two minutes, and guests can enjoy … [More]
Q3 Phoenix Industrial Dominated by Warehouse and Distribution Space
The onset of COVID-19 is driving industrial demand in Phoenix, with warehouse and distribution space emerging as leaders in an industrial market that is rapidly growing in both popularity and sophistication, according to the new JLL Q3 Phoenix Industrial Insight Report. Phoenix recorded just over 1.6 million square feet of absorption during the third quarter — up 60 percent … [More]
Golf Villa Resort Adjacent to The Phoenician
Replay Destinations plans to develop Ascent at The Phoenician®, a private residential community that will sit at the foot of Camelback Mountain, overlooking the Phoenician® Golf Club. Replay has acquired the development parcels from affiliates of Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., owner of The Phoenician®, a Luxury Collection Resort, which is consistently recognized as one of the … [More]
COVID-Conscious Co-Workspace in Phoenix
Faciliteq, a leading workplace solution provider in the Southwest, opened its newest adaptive reuse project last month. Developed with sister company BWIQ (Build With IQ), the Five55 Melrose building (555 W. Turney Ave., Phoenix) transforms a former neighborhood fitness center into a modern co-working environment designed with the post-COVID world in mind. Five55 Melrose was … [More]
