As businesses have begun ramping back up into a slowly recovering economy, expanding their work force is often a top priority. Filling job positions, however, is turning out to be a challenge as employment has come to encompass myriad aspects of culture, values, training and aspirations. “It’s gotten much more competitive for the employer to find the most talented … [More]
David Bruno, DHR International
On the subject of jobs, the rhetoric can get very heated as numbers are cited and calls to action urged. Arizona’s unemployment figures during the recession were near the top in the nation, and in the recovery some sectors are complaining of not enough workers. But numbers do not define the bottom line in today’s employment picture. Arizona is seeing growth today in almost … [More]
Commercial Real Estate as Investment
Across the country, commercial real estate companies are finding that managing a portfolio is a particularly challenging task in today’s economy. The following best practices demonstrate that effective portfolio management starts with the development of a thorough review process that allows a business to respond to opportunities in the market. Frequent Reviews Are … [More]
Exploring Public Procurement in Arizona
Both well-established and emerging companies seeking to expand in Arizona should consider whether to pursue lucrative government contracting opportunities. However, confusion about when and how the government actually purchases goods and services often keeps businesses from pursuing these opportunities. Through understanding what public procurement is, how it works and why a … [More]
Jim Collins Speaks to Arizona
It starts with people. That is a basic tenet of Jim Collins’ teachings on how to effect greatness in an organization, and central to one of the challenges he gave to the assembled leaders at the Arizona Leadership Forum earlier this year. A foremost authority on leadership and author of New York Times bestseller Great by Choice, he urged everyone there to reach out to … [More]
Wanted: Leadership Advice
The old saying “It’s lonely at the top” seems to be as true today as ever. The 2013 Executive Coaching Survey recently conducted by Stanford University and The Miles Group found that nearly two-thirds of CEOs do not receive coaching or leadership advice from outside consultants or coaches, and almost half of senior executives are not receiving any, either. “What’s interesting … [More]
Visitors Wanted — Get Your Website Found on the Internet
Last month, we discussed how to design a website to support your sales process. Now that you’ve created a sales-oriented site, it’s time to make sure you get found by your prospects. More than 85 percent of “clicks” go to the highest-ranking websites. The key search engine ranking components are Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and traffic building. In this article, we’ll take … [More]
Phoenix Market Draws New Hotel Brand and National Test Kitchen
Phoenix is a great market for Choice Hotels International’s newest brand, Cambria Suites, in the middle but upscale tier that research predicts will see the highest demand over the next 20 years. “When you grow a brand, you want to grow in primarily urban markets where you can get eyeballs on the new product,” says Michael Murphy, senior VP of Cambria Suites, explaining that … [More]
Auction Is Business Opportunity in China
The recent visit to Phoenix by the Chinese Association of Auctioneers presages business opportunity for local businesses. Selling through auction “allows manufacturers to introduce their product to a market without the huge expense of marketing,” says Deb Weidenhamer, whose iPai is the first wholly foreign-owned auction house in China and whose Auctioneers & Appraisers … [More]
Financial Literacy Program for Kids Yields Profits for Entrepreneur
Teaching financial literacy to kids has reaped its own financial strength for Scottsdale-based My Job Chart, which founder and CEO Gregg Murset says adds a new member every two minutes. A certified financial planner with 20 years’ experience in the insurance and financial services industry, Murset says the idea came from wanting to instill in his own children characteristics … [More]
New Rules Allow Advertising for Investors
Small businesses and start-ups have greater leeway in advertising for investors with the recent passage of a revision to the JOBS Act of 2012, regarding Securities and Exchange Commission rules, that enables small companies to publicly announce efforts to raise money. Regulation previously in effect dated from 1933, long before social media became a staple in communication, and … [More]
Mobile Business Card Connects
The vizCard mobile business card solution, available from All-State Legal, is a personalized mobile website that can be shared easily. A QR code, text messaging, email, a mobile wallet card with NFC, and Apple Passbook can be used to download vCards, view CommonConnections™ on LinkedIn and Facebook, and view hand-picked profiles, videos and other online content. … [More]
First Impressions Help Hire
Gone are the days of stock cover letters, sweaty palms and nervous interviewees; job seekers can let their personality, creativity and professional accomplishments shine through resumes, LinkedIn profiles and more with the simple click of the button. Zip Intro offers a free video platform that accelerates the hiring process for everyone involved. … [More]
Funding for Your Idea or Product
Business ideas usually need funding and funding is not always easy to find. Go online. Entrepreneurs are using these services to fund products, ideas, innovations and more. Both GoFundMe and Kickstarter have business opportunity to fund or get funded. … [More]
Hiring Help with Reschedge
Reschedge is an advanced scheduling tool for interviewing of candidates for open positions. The tool is an intuitive interface that functions as a virtual recruiting coordinator. Recruiting professionals can instantly import company contacts from their calendar or email platform (Google or Outlook), click “Schedule Interview” and instantly receive a menu of interview options. … [More]
Update: Recovery in the Phoenix-Area Real Estate Sector
Phoenix-area home prices shot up since hitting a low point in September 2011. From last August to this August, the median single-family-home price rose 28 percent — from $150,000 to $192,000. The median townhouse/condo price rose 31 percent. This dramatic rise is largely due to the relatively small supply of homes for sale. Now, an increase in homes on the market is helping … [More]
Morning Meeting of the Minds
Doing that meeting to gain a client, shore up a deal or introduce one’s talents can easily happen over coffee and eggs. Here are some of the hot spots for that power breakfast. Bistro 24 For the full-service, full breakfast, Bistro 24 at the Ritz-Carlton is the place to hit. Easy parking, best service and an impressive setting; this is a morning hot spot for clients of … [More]
Bet on Bink’s Midtown
Conveniently located in the heart of Phoenix, Kevin Binkley’s newest venture is Bink’s Midtown. One of the Valley’s most acclaimed chefs, Binkley is known for his namesake restaurant in Cave Creek, Binkley’s Restaurant, which is consistently named as a No. 1 pick among critics. His midtown establishment has quickly become just as acclaimed and is turning heads and tempting … [More]
