Fast, simple and comfortable. In a nutshell, Doughbird — the newest concept in our midst from restaurateur Sam Fox — delivers a quality option for businesspeople fitting lunch into a busy day. The large dining room welcomes with an atmosphere that is an unusual amalgam of the contemporary warehouse vogue with cafeteria-style tables and chairs below exposed ceiling beams and … [More]
Outside Auditors and the Inside Truth
Companies and shareholders depend on auditors to provide unbiased, independent analyses of financial statements, but new research from the University of Missouri shows auditors can be influenced and misled by information provided by the organization’s management. The study, “The Effect of Partition Dependence on Assessing Accounting Estimates,” is presented by Nate Newton, … [More]
Camelback Corridor Resurgence
Since the grand opening of the Arizona Biltmore Resort in February 1929, the area known as the “Camelback Corridor” hasn’t missed a development beat. Stretching along Camelback Road between 7th and 64th streets, the submarket long ago reached the “built out” stage, with virtually every infill site along the route developed into premier residential or commercial space. That … [More]
Even Successful CEOs Need Peer-to-Peer Feedback
Patrick Stafford’s Phoenix-based business has a front-row seat to the global economy. His tower cranes are shipped all over the world — anywhere there’s a building boom and a need for a 300-foot crane to help change the skyline. His equipment has been on construction sites in Dubai, Ireland, Guam, Brazil, Uganda and Peru —to name just a few countries. Locally, Stafford … [More]
Zoning – Consequences of Code Violations
Zoning is the manner in which cities and counties regulate land use. Typically, land is divided into residential, commercial and industrial districts, or it can also be designated as mixed-use, each with its own parking, setback, height and other design requirements. In addition, the city, in the course of approving a zoning application, may require variances, special use … [More]
Smile
While oral health is increasingly understood to impact overall health, evidence is mounting that smiling, alone, has health benefits. A Smile for Health Smiling may impact a person’s longevity. A 2010 study by Wayne State University measured the span of smiles on Major League Baseball players from their 1952 trading cards, and found those who didn’t smile in their pictures … [More]
Business Fronts for 2017
It’s been a unique start to 2017. The first quarter brought us an interesting mix of uncertainty coupled with overall steady conditions and solid job growth. As we move into the second quarter, the opportunity for meaningful, dynamic gains is very real, and I advise business leaders to think boldly about growth. In fact, it’s time that they step on the gas as they examine their … [More]
CEOs Are Business Experts? Not Always.
Naphtali Hoff writes about a reporter interviewing a successful and rather terse bank president. When asked about his success, the president said, “Right decisions.” And how does one make right decisions? He answered, “Experience.” So, how is experience gained? He replied, “Wrong decisions.” Research conducted by the Arizona Commerce Authority with CEOs of young, high-growth … [More]
2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE43 Coupe
This sleek and luxurious sports coupe is a (borderline) SUV with all the bells and whistles its driver needs to enjoy a smooth ride, take rugged terrain or speed through city streets. With its strong turbo boost and its dynamic exhaust system, the 3.0-liter V6 biturbo in the Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE43 elevates horsepower and torque. An exclusive red engine cover insert … [More]
Tommy Bahama – Menu as Lifestyle
Department stores include a café where customers can rest in-between purchases, and highway tourist stops include a sometimes-extensive gift store where travel-weary customers can be tempted with impulse shopping, but higher-end restaurants are usually stand-alone operations. Tommy Bahama is unique in that regard, offering dining alongside retail of its signature line of … [More]
Historically Successful Leadership
As Gordon Leidner notes in his introduction to The Leadership Secrets of Hamilton and the Founding Fathers, “the Founding Fathers’ adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights was the most revolutionary demonstration of leadership in American political history. … It was not because of the political unanimity of the nearly … [More]
Native American Entrepreneurship Gets Boost
The American Indian Policy Institute at Arizona State University, in collaboration with ASU’s Entrepreneurship + Innovation, The Department co-working space, Maricopa County Small Business Development Center and The Visionary Business Magazine, launched the Inno-NATIONS Tribal Business Collision Community — an inter-tribal initiative championing tribal entrepreneurship and … [More]
2017 Camaro ZL1
This known beast is back with vengeance. The Camaro ZL1 is perhaps the most impressive mainstream vehicle on the market and is equipped to impress. We mean impress. With its 650 horsepower and an LT4 6.2-liter V8 engine with intake exhaust, it is no wonder everyone on the road is jealous of this edition. This is the most powerful Camaro ever produced. But it doesn’t stop … [More]
Cornish Pasty Co.: Main Course Pastry
Growing up in Saltash, Cornwall, the westernmost county in England, Dean Thomas, founder of Cornish Pasty Company, was introduced to this famed food — the pasty. Thomas’ first restaurant in Tempe was a local favorite, and he has expanded now to other parts of the Valley, including a bungalow-style location in Old Town Scottsdale. The scrumptious dish is a virtual “pastry … [More]
Posture Impacts Productivity
A new product addresses a health and productivity issue that affects a large segment of the workforce — poor posture. The UpRight Trainer is a small wearable that attaches to the upper or lower back and employs advanced smart sensors to vibrate gently when the user slouches, reminding him to correct his posture and, ultimately, training him to improve his posture. UpRight … [More]
A Pathway to Filling Arizona’s Technology Jobs
In March 2015, President Barack Obama announced the TechHire initiative as a way to build a pipeline of tech talent for bringing new jobs to local economies, facilitating business growth and giving residents a pathway to the middle class. The key behind the effort is, the talent comes from the training and placement of undereducated youths ages 18 to 29 into the technology … [More]
Flower Child – A Natural Choice
Expanded from its debut location at the corner of 44th Street and Camelback Road, Flower Child validates the theory that happy food and healthy food can come together in harmony — which they do at this peaceful, casual kitchen. Serving locally sourced foods, all natural and mostly gluten free, this hot spot is a lunch destination to reckon with. On the menu is The Rebel, a … [More]
2017 Ford Raptor Is Tough
The all-new Ford Raptor is a thing to behold. The bold and rugged look has always been an attention getter, but this rendition is truly rough around the edges. With its twin-turbo, intercooled DOHC 24-valve, high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost® with direct fuel injection, this beast will deliver more power than the previous 6.2-liter V8 at a whopping 450 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. … [More]
