As the new year begins, managers across all industries are presented with the opportunity to set the tone for success. The first quarter of any given year allows for business owners and managers to set goals, boost morale and build new strategies that will set the business up for prosperity for the months to come. Here are four areas managers should focus on to start the year … [More]
Overcoming Fear and Resistance to Create Positive Change
In the dynamic landscape of today's business world, change is inevitable. However, fear is one of the biggest obstacles to creating positive change. With fear comes resistance and when both of them are at play, your organization becomes stuck in place and unable to overcome new challenges and market shifts. To enable your organization to be agile enough to adapt to and adopt … [More]
Their Take: Jobs That No Longer Exist
Over the past few months there has been an increasing discussion on Artificial Intelligence or AI as people like to call it. Last summer a story surfaced where a judge sanctioned an attorney for submitting a legal brief, generated by AI, which mentioned court cases and legal precedents that do not exist. Is your job soon to end…??? Over time a number of jobs have … [More]
Empowering Small Businesses: Safeguarding Capital & Funding Growth in 2024
In the face of a nationwide credit squeeze that is hindering the growth of small businesses, the concerns echoed by entrepreneurs are loud and clear. Many small business owners are navigating uncertainty as we get further into 2024 and may be wondering how to optimize their financial strategies to ensure a lucrative year, not a step back. While there are many strategies to … [More]
Study Names Arizona among States with the Largest Fall in Job Openings
Job markets around the world have struggled throughout 2023 due to factors such as inflation driving up costs and triggering widespread layoffs. Across the U.S. there were 1.7 million fewer jobs available in October 2023 than there were in October 2022. Side hustle experts Wealth of Geeks have analyzed the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics which showed the … [More]
Why Introverted Personalities Make Great Project Managers
Some years ago, my manager, who was the Chief Technology Officer at a global professional business services company challenged an “exceptional rating” that I gave to one of my project managers who happened to be an introvert. An exceptional rating was rare in the firm, awarded to less than 10% of employees. This particular employee did not fit the profile of a typical project … [More]
17 Black-Owned Businesses to Support in Downtown Phoenix
Downtown Phoenix is home to an array of Black-owned businesses, many of which are institutions in Phoenix’s cultural fabric. Here are 17 you can support: Straw and Wool Ali Nervis (left) and Henry Dickerson (right) are co-owners of Straw and Wool hat store in Downtown Phoenix. Hats off to these awesome Phoenicians. Straw and Wool brings a sense of style, … [More]
The Secrets of Visionary Thinkers: How to Ensure New Ideas Get Real Consideration
When you think of famous visionary leaders, you often think that they have something, know something, or do something that the rest of us don't have, don't know, or can't do. The truth is, they don't. The only thing they have is an intuitive understanding of how to open their minds and consider new ideas. When you’re thinking about new ideas, you’re often thinking of the … [More]
Crafting a Compelling Brand Narrative for 2024
In the digital age, storytelling is not a one-time effort but an ongoing conversation. By infusing modern elements into your brand narrative, you can captivate your audience and keep them engaged with your evolving story. Emphasize your unique journey. Origin stories resonate, but also focus on specific moments that shaped your journey. Share recent milestones, … [More]
Using LinkedIn for Demand and Lead Generation
“Work smarter, not harder” is the overriding mandate in the marketing world ― once sage advice, now a universal corporate edict. Budgets are smaller. Tactics that guarantee measurable results are the new default. The need to maximize every minute of your time and dollar of your spending allotment is paramount. Against this backdrop, the fundamentals of digital marketing still … [More]
The 9 Steps for Successful Marketing Automation in 2024
Thanks to marketing automation, the days of manually typing out your company’s next ad and hitting "send" are a thing of the past. Software has turned email marketing and other ad blasts into highly coordinated, fine-tuned work, unleashed to the public on a tight schedule. If you’re a large, consumer-facing company with a multi-million dollar advertising budget, you probably … [More]
Relaxed Mortgage Rates Mean Serious Savings for Buyers
Buyers are getting some much-needed relief, and more homeowners appear to be breaking free of "rate lock," according to the latest monthly report from Zillow®. Yet despite improvements in inventory, competition for homes is still relatively stiff. The share of homeowners considering selling is trending up, according to Zillow. "Buyers found significant … [More]
89% of People with Mortgages Have an Interest Rate Below 6%, Down from a Record 93% in 2022
Nationwide, 88.5% of U.S. homeowners with mortgages have an interest rate below 6%, down from a record high of 92.8% in mid-2022, according to a new report from Redfin, the technology-powered real estate brokerage. That means more than 88.5% of homeowners with mortgages have a rate below the current weekly average of 6.66%, prompting many to stay put instead of selling and … [More]
Brand Personalities of Top Four U.S. Airlines Revealed in Study
Phoenix-based Zion & Zion, a full-service, global marketing agency, released part six of its multi-part study that explores the relative brand personalities of 45 top U.S. brands. In the sixth study, the Zion & Zion research team explored brand personalities of the top four U.S. airlines and the impact of those personalities on performance. In a prior study the Zion … [More]
New Report Finds Growth of Women Business Owners Outpaces the Market, Metro Phoenix a Top Area
Women-owned businesses continue to fuel the economy, representing 39.1% of all businesses – over 14 million – employing 12.2 million workers, and generating $2.7 trillion in revenue. According to the 2024 Wells Fargo Impact of Women-Owned Business Report, in partnership with Ventureneer, CoreWoman, and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), the number of women-owned businesses … [More]
2024 Predictions on AI, Cybersecurity, and Email Authentication
As the commentaries that follow detail, in 2024, we can expect to see a dramatic escalation in AI-fueled disinformation and sophisticated cyber threats, especially during the U.S. election year! With disinformation spreading more rapidly due to advanced AI tools, email authentication will become critical to safeguard against false narratives. The election season will likely … [More]
Business Leaders Split on Recession Forecasts as Economic Outlooks Moderate, Says Survey
Performance expectations remain high despite labor and inflation challenges
Following a year marked by banking industry disruption, geopolitical risks and sustained macroeconomic challenges, small and midsize business leaders are sharing a more balanced outlook heading into 2024, while pulling back from previous predictions of a near-term recession, according to JPMorgan Chase’s 2024 Business Leaders Outlook survey released today. Expectations for a … [More]
Their Take: NFIB State Director Discusses New Reporting Requirements for Small Business Owners
In a conversation with ABC 15’s Ben Brown, NFIB State Director Chad Heinrich discussed new beneficial ownership reporting requirements for small business owners, which took effect January 1, 2024. Under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), more than 32 million businesses will be required to report information about their business and business owners to a new federal database … [More]
