The coronavirus pandemic has plunged many Arizona nonprofits onto a fiscal precipice. With help from local businesses this Arizona Gives Day, Arizona nonprofits can begin to recover. “Simultaneously, stressful financial times and job losses have increased the demand for services from nonprofits,” says Kristen Merrifield, CEO of the statewide Alliance of Arizona … [More]
Stimulus: What Is the REAL Impact?
Between the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program and its Economic Injury Disaster Loan & Advance Programs, a total of $13.18 billion in federal financial support has flowed into our state to help small businesses during the pandemic, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority. “Just over 96,000 Arizona PPP loans have been approved in all rounds … [More]
Phoenix and COVID Recovery
The city of Phoenix made a $14 million investment to keep its small businesses operating. The city offered four grants for restaurants, small businesses with fewer than 25 employees, microbusinesses with five or fewer on the payroll and airport concessionaires. Phoenix was one of the few cities in the U.S. to include help for gig-economy workers and home-based businesses. The … [More]
Adapting Content Strategies to Grow Employee Happiness
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how many businesses work, but the need to retain talent is here to stay. With so many people working from home or on a modified schedule, many employers are finding their employees have new, unexpected needs and the requests to match. When it comes to dodging these frustrations and keeping employees happy, tapping into the creativity of an … [More]
Cannabis Is Driving Social Change through 420 Skin Care and 420 Medibles
As a registered nurse, helping people came naturally to Marvina Thomas. She recognized that opioids were presenting real problems for her patients, serving only to foster an addiction and not providing the pain relief needed. As she saw her patients struggle with serious side effects and dependance, she found her true calling. Thomas set out to help those who were suffering and … [More]
Communication Tips to De-escalate Conflict in the Workplace
It’s inevitable. No matter what kind of work environment you’re in, there will be conflicts. The key to managing interpersonal conflicts in a workplace setting lies in the communication skills you use to defuse the situation and de-escalate people when things get heated. Everyone handles conflict differently. Some shy away, avoiding a confrontation at all costs. Others face … [More]
Three Ways to Revamp SEO in 2021
Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for creating online relevance and being digitally relevant in search engines. The coronavirus pandemic magnified how significant digital presence is these days. People are relying heavily on online information versus real-time in-person interactions. They want the latest information on hours of operation and how businesses are … [More]
Outdated Video Training Puts a Business at Risk
Businesses risk loss of revenue, loss of employee commitment and increases in key employee attrition. One solution is here for us to embrace: the new rules of engagement in training videos. Millennial and GenX value contribution, learning and challenge above financial gains. Businesses that deliver training in an outdated format or style can suffer from all three of the … [More]
Kyu Utsunomiya & Troy Watkins, Conceptually Social
Help doesn’t just happen, however badly it’s needed — as the situation in Texas last month made abundantly clear. Our leaders should be recognized for the effort to provide aid to help businesses remain functioning and especially at the local level to orchestrate that relief. March of 2020 caught so many of us off guard and unprepared. As partners in a small, local Phoenix … [More]
Feedback: March 2021
Question: For many nonprofits, the pandemic’s economic impact squeezed them in between increased demand for their services and decrease in income coupled with physical operational limitations. How has your organization responded to these challenges in order to continue to serve its mission? Dana Bailey Chief Operations Officer Homeless Youth Connection Sector: … [More]
Pandemic Propels Worldwide Jet’s Efforts for a Safer Future
Phoenix-based Worldwide Jet boasts a fleet of 12 jets providing premier charter flights to more than 500 destinations around the world. Early into the pandemic, the global aviation firm recognized it was imperative to lead the way in providing the safest work environment for its employees, and the safest way to travel for its clients. In January 2020, Worldwide Jet began … [More]
Wildflower Innovates to Launch Asian-Inspired Ghost Kitchen
As the pandemic has prompted more people to order delivery and takeout so they can dine in the comfort and safety of their own homes, there has been a rise in ghost kitchens across the nation. A ghost (or virtual) kitchen is a restaurant model that offers off-premise food sales without a traditional dine-in space. As the owner of Wildflower, a 25-year-old beloved Arizona brand, … [More]
Longer Work Hours: Market-based Societies or Subsistence-based Societies?
Men in market-based societies work more hours while women mostly work the same hours on average regardless of the type of society, according to a recent study by MIT Sloan School of Management Prof. Rahul Bhui. The researchers found that within and across societies, men whose work was largely commercial tended to work more hours. Men engaged in noncommercial labor worked on … [More]
Camelot Homes Wins Coveted Housing Quality Award
Judges for the 2021 National Housing Quality Award® (NHQA), sponsored by Pro Builder magazine, named Camelot Homes the winner of a Bronze Award for the company’s commitment to the highest level of operational excellence and quality in the housing industry. Camelot is one of only four honorees this year and is the only Arizona-based company to be named to the list. For the … [More]
Fulton Homes Wins Three EPA Awards in 2020
Fulton Homes, Arizona’s largest family-owned and -operated homebuilder, is the only builder nationally to win three “Partner of the Year” awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in a single year: the 2020 Indoor airPLUS Leader of the Year – Builder Award; the 2020 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award; and the 2020 WaterSense Builder Partner … [More]
Navitus Health Solutions Wins Six 2021 AVA Digital Awards
Navitus Health Solutions, a Phoenix-area full pass-through pharmacy benefit manager, received two platinum and two gold awards and two honorable mentions from the 2021 AVA Digital Awards, an annual global competition that honors excellence in digital creativity, branding and strategy. For the full Looking Good 2021 – March Standouts, click here. … [More]
Homie Helps with Girl Scouts’ ‘Cookie Castle’
Homie Arizona partnered with the Girl Scouts-Cactus Pine Council for Girl Scouts’ cookie sales this year. Through the philanthropic arm of the company Homie Helps, a $15,000 donation was made to support cookie sales, foster creativity, engineering, and entrepreneurial skills among the Girl Scouts. And Homie is aiding Girl Scout Mija Kaprosy in building a “Cookie Castle” at The … [More]
Veyo Partners with St. Mary’s Food Bank
During the recent holiday season, more than 40 Veyo drivers and employees donated more than 750 pounds of food to St. Mary’s Food Bank, collecting more than 400 items. Said Mary Cattelino, Arizona operations manager of the non-emergency medical transportation service, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” For the full Looking Good 2021 – … [More]
