Global payments are still draining businesses in ways many leaders do not fully see until margins disappear, cash flow tightens, or expansion stalls. Hristian Drensky, CEO of MoreFin, argues that the real problem is not just processing payments, but operating them with enough visibility and control to stop leakage before it becomes normalized. Most global businesses are … [More]
Workforce Program Demonstrates Viability of Second-Chance Hiring Model
As the business community marks Second Chance Month, Televerde, a global revenue creation partner supporting marketing, sales, and customer success for B2B businesses worldwide, announced its 2025 results from its prison-to-workforce program, demonstrating how professional training inside prison translates into measurable workforce outcomes after release. For more than three … [More]
The Business Case for Slowing Down: How Intentional Pauses Strengthen Strategy and Growth
From capital allocation to AI adoption, thoughtful leaders are finding that measured decisions outperform reactive ones. In business, speed signals confidence. Leaders respond to emails within minutes, approve deals in real time and implement new technology before competitors schedule a demo. Fast action projects authority. But in 2026, as Arizona companies navigate AI … [More]
Backup Strategy Becomes Critical as Data Risks Grow
March 31 is World Backup Day. Backing up data sounds obvious—until you need it and it’s not there. For business leaders, backups aren’t an IT checkbox. They’re a business continuity decision that protects revenue, customers, and reputation. Data loss is not a remote possibility; it is common! It hits fast through ransomware, hardware failure, software corruption, accidental … [More]
Housing Market Moves toward Equilibrium as Inventory Rises
Cotality, a global property information, analytics, and data-enabled solutions provider, released its latest list on the 10 things to know about the property market for March 2026. The U.S. housing market is finding its equilibrium. Home price growth has stabilized. Unsold inventory is growing. Rental price growth is decelerating. However, there are still distinct regional … [More]
Cultural Intelligence Moves from Soft Skill to Business Imperative
Global searches for "what is cultural intelligence" have increased by almost 100% over the past year, as employers and employees recognize the growing importance of this skill in the workplace. With this in mind, Chris Crosby, CEO at cultural intelligence training provider Country Navigator, has identified the key cultural intelligence (CQ) trends shaping 2026. The global … [More]
Enterprise AI Faces Accountability Gap as ROI Remains Elusive
Enterprise AI has reached an inflection point. Global spending is accelerating past #300 billion dollars. Generative models dominate headlines. Every board deck now features artificial intelligence as a strategic pillar. Yet the uncomfortable truth remains. Most companies still cannot trace AI investment to durable earnings impact. McKinsey finds that while nearly nine in … [More]
Middle Market Outlook: Strategy, Investment and Talent
As we enter 2026, U.S. middle market companies are doing more than turning the page on last year—they are repositioning for growth. According to the National Center for the Middle Market’s Q4 2025 Middle Market Indicator, the sector closed the year with renewed momentum, posting year-over-year revenue growth of 11.7% and seeing 85% of companies report higher revenues for the … [More]
Employees Expected to Innovate, Yet Fear Mistakes Could Cost Them Jobs
Innovation is no longer optional in today’s workplace. According to a new study conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of INTOO, nearly three out of four full/part-time employed Americans (74%) say they are expected to bring new ideas to improve things at work, like processes, strategies, or results. The good news: employees are rising to the challenge. More than … [More]
Business Growth Slows Across Southwest as Focus Turns to Execution
BMO released its BMO Business Outlook for the Southwest, showing companies across Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and Utah shifting from rapid post‑pandemic expansion to a more measured, execution‑focused phase as growth normalizes and planning visibility improves. Across the Southwest, business leaders are emphasizing disciplined capital allocation, margin protection and … [More]
How to Give Feedback to Cross-Cultural Teams
Feedback enables individuals to grow and develop in their careers, but at times, cultural barriers prevent leaders from truly understanding their employees and how best to present feedback. As businesses become more global, with 75% still adopting a hybrid working model, according to market.biz, leaders who are unable to recognise these differences risk their message being … [More]
Support Employee Health and Wealth: Spending Account Benefits Guide
In today’s economy, it’s more important than ever for employers to focus on attracting and retaining employees. The current competitive market environment and higher expectations from candidates mean employers need to differentiate themselves, and one way to do this is with workplace benefits. While some employment metrics are promising – such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor’s … [More]
Phoenix Housing Affordability Rises as Inventory Expands
More families are finding homes in their price range, as the Greater Phoenix housing affordability index increased from 71 to 77 in February, and the number of homes in inventory rose 8.3%. This means that 77% of households with an income equal to the region’s median can afford the median-priced home, according to home sales data from Phoenix REALTORS. “March until May are … [More]
What SMBs Tell Us About the Economy That Wall Street Can’t
New research from GoDaddy and UCLA Anderson Forecast finds that small business data offers earlier and stronger indication of upcoming U.S. economic performance than traditional measures such as the stock market. Last quarter's data captures digital business activity rising year-over-year. By bringing digital small businesses into the picture for the first time, the research … [More]
AI Concerns and Middle East Tensions Drive Market Uncertainty
2026 has already been a year replete with spicy news items, and February was no exception. Our update is longer than usual, as the events of the last month require a bit more exploration. The primary February headlines came from a newsletter regarding the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and then, on the final day of the month, the initiation of military strikes against … [More]
International Women’s Day: Meet the Woman Changing the Fertility Industry Across the Globe
They say, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” and that is very true for Diana Thomas, founder and CEO of The World Egg and Sperm Bank, headquartered in Scottsdale. TWESB is the nation’s oldest and only woman-owned sperm and egg bank. With International Women’s Day on March 8, and Women’s History Month observed throughout March, now is an important time to recognize the … [More]
How Startup Spring Training Is Changing the Game for Arizona Entrepreneurs
Lorena Gonzalez did not set out to become a business owner. She set out to honor her father. For 15 years, Lorena's father cultivated native plants from Nayarit, Mexico, studying them, understanding them, and turning them into hand soaps crafted entirely from what the earth provides. No fragrances. No additives. No shortcuts. Just generations of knowledge pressed into every … [More]
Employers Embrace Skills-Based Hiring in Theory, Not in Practice
University of Phoenix Career Institute released its latest installment in The Career Optimism Special Report Series: The Illusion of Progress in Skills-Based Hiring, finding that while skills-based approaches are gaining in momentum, many employers still lack clear standards and consistent tools to evaluate candidates' skills effectively. Although 82% of hiring stakeholders … [More]
