Thinking Aloud
What If You Could Cash Out Of Your Business And Maintain Ownership?
By cashing out of your business, you can take some chips off the table, diversify your family’s wealth, and find the time to pursue what is most important to you. It’s possible to step away from your firm and actually improve its long-term value, says Scott Ford, founder and CEO of Cornerstone Wealth Management Group and author of "The Sustainable Edge: 15 Minutes a Week to a Richer Entrepreneurial Life".
4 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Make The Most Of The Leap Year
What would you do with an extra 24 hours? Gyawu Mahama, Social Media and Marketing Manager at Hiscox Small Business Insurance recomeends four ways entrepreneurs can take advantage of the leap year.
To Franchise Or Not To Franchise?
There are numerous franchising opportunities in the U.S.. But before candidates can decide if franchising is the right move for them, they must weigh the benefits and costs of franchising against that of a traditional business model, says Brandon Moxam, Director of Brand Development at U.S. Lawns.
Three Questions To Ask To Decide Which Ideas To Keep And Which To Toss
Don't just innovate — innovate with intent. Patrick Stroh lays out three big questions leaders should ask when evaluating which ideas and solutions generate real value for their
company — and which ones are innovation just for innovation's sake.
Is Free Intranet Software Really Free?
There are many free options for software out there that may seem like a good idea at first, but the issues that come with them cause more headaches and costs down the road. In the end, they are far from free, argues Tim Eisenhauer, President of Axero Solutions.
How Innovation Governance Can Save Your Company (Five Ways To Make It Happen)
Random, great ideas and epiphanies do not need governance. But, systematic, holistic, continuous innovation at a larger scale from a multitude of sources in your business and value chain does. Author Patrick Stroh offers some tips on how you can marry these two (seemingly competing) forces inside your organization.
The Most Important Asset
Put your body, mind, and spiritual fitness first, and business performance will follow, says Ari Rastegar, CEO of Rastegar Capital.
From Florence To San Jose: A Tale of Two Renaissances
by Cameron McLain, chief executive and co-founder of Beehive
Separated by seven hundred years and more than 6000 miles, fourteenth century Florence and twenty first century San Jose,...
Teenpreneurs: Lessons In Entrepreneurship Start Young
Lemonade stands and car washes aren’t enough for the next generation of entrepreneurs. Starting as young as middle school, experiential learning rooted in real world business scenarios is helping to shape the entrepreneurs of the future, says Alex Kurrelmeier, Director of The Ron Rubin School for the Entrepreneur at Culver.
How To Grow Your Family Business And Make It Your Own
Running a business is tough, but taking over a family business has its own unique set of challenges. From emptying the waste bins in the breakroom as a teenager, to becoming the company president today, here are a few things Mark Hastings - CEO of Hastings Humans - learned along the way.
Why Pursuing An Alternative Career Is Better For Achieving Financial Freedom
If you truly want to make a lot of money and have actual financial freedom, you need to look at alternative careers. Jobs like freelancing or creating your own business give you the best opportunity for success in today’s demanding market, says Paul Scolardi, CEO of Super Trades LLC.
4 Super-Hot Fin Tech Trends To Watch Out For In 2016
Fintech companies have disrupted the archaic way of functioning of banking behemoths. Young companies are quick, nimble, tech-smart and offer highly customized solutions- advantages that a huge century-old bank with established incentive alignment and organizational structure cannot hope to accomplish, argues Kiara Medhurst.
Counting On ‘Social Capital’: The New Way To Evaluate Entrepreneurial Worth
Social capital is about human relationships, and most people around the world get up every morning and build new relationships and deepen existing ones in order to provide value to other people. Measuring social capital, says founder and CEO of kountable, Inc. Chris Hale, can help more people prosper and add immeasurable value to their communities, their countries, and beyond.
Thrive! 7 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Every Day
It’s challenging not to fall into old patterns of behavior when we get back on the treadmill of daily life. And usually, it’s because our goals and resolutions feel like chores rather than things that make us feel happier, more productive, and more fulfilled, says Donna Stoneham, Ph.D., author of "The Thriver's Edge: Seven Keys to Transform the Way You Live, Love, and Lead".
Shopping Tactics: Online vs In-Store
Whether they’re shopping online or in-store, immersing your customers in a fluid brand experience will undoubtedly increase sales at the checkout. Mark Simpson, Chairman of shop4pop.com looks at some tried and tested marketing tactics to help your business on the path to a profitable 2016.
When Small Businesses Meet Big Opportunities
While SMEs may be driving economic growth, they’re doing it mainly from within their own borders. Could it be that exporting overseas is simply not worthwhile? Or is there actually a significant reservoir of untapped growth potential for SMEs? Raj Subramaniam, Executive Vice President, Global Marketing and Communications, FedEx Services, ponders.
5 Mindset Shifts You Need In 2016
No goals are attainable when our mindset isn’t right. Cat Rose Neligan of Cat Rose Design says if there’s anything she learnt from 2015, it’s that there are certain core mindset shifts she needed to start making her dreams a reality.
Five Qualities You Need To Be Successful In Business
What are the qualities you need in order to be successful in business? Let’s take a look at what makes some business people a success.
3 Tips To Help Small Businesses Get More Customers In A Post-Google Search World
Because of the explosion of social media and mobile as the primary, go-to consumer device for local information, Google is increasingly losing search share to local directories, social media sites and maps apps. Trevor Sumner, Chief Technology Officer of LocalVox suggests some ways small businesses can focus on taking advantage of the opportunity in a post Google dominated world.
Time Management Strategies For High Performance In An Organization
There are deliberate measures in place seeking to assist those with poor time management skills. Here are some of them.
Should The Customer Have A Say In Employee Pay?
Mercedes-Benz USA says absolutely yes. Consultant Joseph Michelli, author of a new book about the luxury brand's customer experience transformation, offers five tips
to move your compensation structure in that direction.
Six Ways To Hardwire Your Culture To Surprise And Delight Customers
The customer's default setting is (sad to say) cynicism. They are resigned to hearing no. If you can infuse your culture with the desire and the know-how to consistently surprise the customer with yes, you'll be way ahead of the game. Consultant Joseph Michelli, who worked with Mercedes-Benz USA to transform its customer experience, has a few insights.
Shipping And Return Shipping Policies Drive Online Purchase Decisions
To survive and thrive in the coming years, individual online retailers will need to give consumers what they want: consistent savings; easy, convenient shopping experiences; free shipping; and hassle-free return policies, says Tom Caporaso, CEO of Clarus Commerce.
Why Humility Is The #1 Characteristic To Develop In 2016
We're all hardwired for ego-based thinking... yet, in the 21st century ideas economy, success depends on how well we can listen, learn, and collaborate with others. Professor Edward D. Hess explains why humility is the new key to success and why you shouldn't wait another year — or even another month! — to start taming your ego.
Making Friends With Millennials: Evolving The Customer Service Story
Being successful in business today is intrinsically linked to having a firm grasp of what makes the millennial tick. If you don’t, then your business is missing out on tapping into arguably the most influential set of consumers the world has seen since post-war Baby Boomers, argues Simon Tate, Area Vice President for Commercial Business – Asia, Salesforce.
There Is No Silver Medal In Sales
By Dan Streeter and Tim Brown, co-authors of “Old School with New Tools“
In the 2008 Olympics, Michael Phelps won the Gold Medal in the...
Smart Policies That Make It Easier For Asian Business To Expand
Is it unrealistic for us to expect small business to go global from day one? Not if we have the right policies in place, says Dr. Karen M. Reddington, president, FedEx Express Asia Pacific.
Your Job In 2016 And Beyond: The “Human In The Loop” Future Of Work...
Despite some individuals’ resistance, the balance between job conservation and technological progress is emerging as a robust, efficient, profitable business model resulting in overall economic growth, says Richard Milam, the Founder and CEO of EnableSoft Incorporated.
7 Ways To Stay Steady In Constant Change
No matter where you work, it may seem that you face demands that are always changing. Beverly Jones MBA, JD, PCC, author of "Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO" shares some strategies to become more comfortable with all the tumult, and to position yourself to bounce back when the next wave of change comes along.
How To Rise Above Guilt As A Woman In Tech
Many women feel the pressure to always be available to their work, and — although it may come as a surprise — this demand doesn’t change once you decide to settle down. Tricia Sciortino, President of eaHELP shares five tips she's learned to help her have a thriving career and family life without the guilt.