Businesses of every size and in every economic sector have been restructuring their operations, their business model and, in many instances, their products and services. On our website and through our In Business Dailies, we’ve shared the stories of individual companies that have put new focus on helping their community — businesses as well as individuals — better survive the … [More]
Problem-Based Learning – Thriving during the Crisis
If there is one thing the coronavirus has taught us all is that training, as we know it, is neither resilient nor flexible. Classroom training that requires facilitators and participants to fly to various locations and pack arm-to-arm in a classroom is no longer an option. But as organizations consider replacing their current programs with virtual training, do they understand … [More]
Sands Chevrolet, Cleaning with Care
Since 1934, Sands Chevrolet has been serving the Valley of the Sun. The company started as a small fuel station and Chevrolet dealership during World War II. Having been overlooked as a potential partner to build tanks for the war, the company was savvy enough to change course and stayed in business by selling bicycles and trailers. Since its early days, this organization has … [More]
No Ageism in Entrepreneurialism
As the fog of this war on the U.S. economy begins to clear, it looks as if one class of employees will be among the hardest hit by the pandemic — professionals and executives 50 years and older. And if that sounds familiar, it should. The Great Recession 12 years ago had a similar impact. This time, however, these typically highly trained employees who are at the top of their … [More]
Best Communications and Fundraising Practices during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has understandably left everyone dealing with feelings of uncertainty and fear. This is hard and, for some, scary. Many local nonprofit organizations and their employees are suffering. Offices are shut, budgets are getting tighter by the day, valued staff is being furloughed and programs are at risk of being slashed just when they are needed most. As … [More]
Coronavirus Teaches the Value of Domestic Manufacturing
The coronavirus is novel indeed, in that we are learning daily about how it operates: its effect on our bodies, how it is distributed, who it targets and, potentially, how it is prevented. But the virus also is novel in that it pinpoints what is working in our country and what is not — in terms of healthcare, of course, but also in terms of our economy. Specifically, … [More]
Loneliness Solutions during COVID-19: Healthcare Orgs Turn to AZ Startup
We are all now familiar with the loneliness that results from social distancing. But for many on Medicare and Medicaid, loneliness isn’t anything new. Arizona-based startup Pyx Health aims to solve that problem by improving loneliness and the negative effects it has on a person’s social determinants of health (SDOH), from having shelter to buying groceries. The company has … [More]
Short-Term Rentals: Key to Phoenix Rental Crisis?
The rental housing industry has been hit hard like any other industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Phoenix homeowners utilizing Airbnb and VBRO are experiencing a wave of cancellations due to stay-at-home orders, creating a significant loss of revenue during the busiest tourism months of the year. While vacation-home renters may be feeling the crunch, there is an alternative … [More]
Self-Guided Home Tours at Avilla
NexMetro Communities, a pioneer of single-level luxury leased-home neighborhoods, has launched an innovative self-guided touring option. Potential renters will now be able to visit Avilla models on their own time and without the need for in-person appointments with rental agents. In partnership with Rently, a self-touring application, people looking for a new home within an … [More]
Warehouse/Distribution Space Expected to Be Hot
The Greater Phoenix Industrial market could be poised for a surge in demand for warehouse/distribution space, according to the Q1 Industrial Market Report by Colliers International in Arizona. The “stay at home” orders resulting from the Coronavirus Pandemic have forced more people to shop online and those lasting habits will increase online retailer demand for distribution … [More]
Repurposed for Healthcare Tenants
Cornerstone Medical Center, with approximately 20,235 rentable square feet, is being repurposed for a medical use from a retail use. Exterior renovations include “reskinning” the building and a new window package. The former Maytag store sat empty for 18 months before local, family-owned Whiteboard Development purchased and partnered with the City of Goodyear to reconfigure it … [More]
Managing Remote Workers
With 4 billion people working from home, it can be a difficult undertaking for new and experienced managers to effectively manage, coordinate with their employees remotely, and ensure productivity is consistent online. Traditionally, managers are used to seeing their workforce and meeting with them in person. A remote workforce model creates an “out of sight, out of mind, out … [More]
To Hire or Not to Hire
Week after week, the numbers continued to rise. I’m talking about unemployment claims, which in March and April eclipsed the number of people out of work during the Great Depression. It’s hard to believe that our nation’s economy was humming along, with unemployment hovering at a 50-year low of 3.5 percent just six months ago. As companies begin to dig out of the COVID-19 … [More]
Aerosolized and Surface Testing for COVID-19: Rapid Testing Technology
For all the focus on personal protection equipment, it isn’t the only weapon in the fight to keep healthcare workers safe. COVID-19 can remain stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces. To fully protect workers, environmental screening needs to be employed to detect COVID-19 in the air and on surfaces. If detected, rapid remediation technologies need to be … [More]
Fastsites – Aptly Named
Fasturtle is a full-service website design and digital marketing agency that focuses and supports small-business owners, nonprofits and entrepreneurs. It is also the creator of a turn-key option to help businesses with a minimal budget to get online. In fact, Fasturtle initially created its Fastsites product back in 2011, when the recession had seemingly caused many businesses … [More]
Square One Concepts: What’s on the Plate Is Serving Customers
Square One Concepts, like many in the restaurant business, has run the gamut during the pandemic. We were shut down, then opened with limited-menu curbside takeout at some locations, then opened all locations for takeout and now we’ve opened our dining rooms at limited capacity. It’s been a roller coaster. And I hope it’s something that never happens again. It’s basically … [More]
Car Dealing without the Handshake
DriveItAway is the first national car dealer-focused mobility platform that enables car dealers to enter the business of Mobility-as-a-Service. DriveItAway provides a comprehensive turnkey solutions-driven program with proprietary mobile technology and driver app, insurance coverages and training to get automotive retailers up and running quickly and profitably in emerging … [More]
A New Uniform for the Nation’s (Female) Telecommuting Workforce
A best practice for work-from-home workers is transitioning from “domestic mode” to “work mode,” a meaningful psychological shift that requires changing out of sweats or PJs into something that signals time to go to work. Online retailer Betabrand recently launched WFH Pants in more than 50 colors and styles. They’re tailor-made for the worker who wants to transition from … [More]
