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Explore our collection of articles to discover valuable insights on business management, public relations, and digital marketing—all designed to Elevate your business to the Next level. Be sure to subscribe to ELEVATED NEWS and stay ahead with updates on our latest content!

Trust Your Instincts
Culture, Marketing Christie Solomon Culture, Marketing Christie Solomon

Trust Your Instincts

Any customer-facing role is at risk of landing a toxic client. Business leaders and marketers must evaluate prospective customers as they would prospective employees during the hiring process. They should assess the individual for cultural fit and identify undesirable personality traits and mannerisms contradicting their organization’s values and growth objectives.

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Change Your Mindset
Culture Christie Solomon Culture Christie Solomon

Change Your Mindset

Our experiences shape and inform our perspectives, opinions, and strategies. Adaptability and willingness to embrace change are essential for individual and enterprise growth. Humility in learning can also give you an edge and reveal opportunities before others recognize one exists.

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The Mighty Matilda
Culture Christie Solomon Culture Christie Solomon

The Mighty Matilda

Remembering heroes from our childhood stories can provide a sense of continuity in uncertain times and remind us that we have the power to overcome challenges and achieve our goals. One such character is Roald Dahl’s Matilda, whose determination and resilience remind us that it’s critically important to believe in yourself.

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Push-To-Talk
Culture, Marketing Christie Solomon Culture, Marketing Christie Solomon

Push-To-Talk

On a liveaboard scuba diving trip to the Bahamas, Captain Tim explained the standard two-way radio protocols he encouraged his crew to utilize. Radio communication etiquette has application in any professional land- or sea-based setting.

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Grow Like a Lobster
Culture Christie Solomon Culture Christie Solomon

Grow Like a Lobster

Sub-par performance chasing spiny lobster for dinner in the Florida Keys prompted further introspection on growth and strategy. Lobsters are a salient reminder that growth happens when you leave your comfort zone.

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Keep Your Mind in the Boat
Culture Christie Solomon Culture Christie Solomon

Keep Your Mind in the Boat

Inspired by Daniel James Brown’s true story about “The Boys in the Boat” and the leadership traits required for a team to exceed all expectations, I interviewed a former competitive crew coxswain, Briana Gallo, to compare her experience with that of the Olympic team in 1936.

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Failure is an Opportunity
Culture Christie Solomon Culture Christie Solomon

Failure is an Opportunity

Making reversible, "two-way" door decisions with quick outcomes increases the likelihood of any failure providing opportunities for personal growth, creativity, and innovation.

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Get SMARTER
Culture, Strategy Christie Solomon Culture, Strategy Christie Solomon

Get SMARTER

We’re approaching that often daunting time of year for setting annual goals. Whether it’s a financial forecast or a New Year’s resolution, it is important to set achievable, yet challenging, goals and milestones. Get SMARTER in your goal-setting process by anticipating roadblocks and detours on your path to achievement. 

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Failure Builds Resilience and Antifragility
Culture Christie Solomon Culture Christie Solomon

Failure Builds Resilience and Antifragility

True resilience means being able to persevere, despite experiencing failure, volatility, or periods of uncertainty. Demonstrating flexibility, optimism, emotional agility, and strong problem-solving skills, truly resilient individuals survive and learn from their setbacks. The antifragile, however, not only survive but thrive because of failure and adversity.

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Becoming a Digital Nomad
Guest Contributions, Culture Daisy Waithereo Wambua Guest Contributions, Culture Daisy Waithereo Wambua

Becoming a Digital Nomad

Live a life of travel and excitement by becoming a digital nomad. According to Statista, almost half of digital nomads are millennials, but this way of life is desirable to workers of all ages. Guest contributor, Daisy Waithereo Wambua, provides planning recommendations and tips to consider before you quit your desk job and start traveling.

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A Message for Dawdlers
Culture Christie Solomon Culture Christie Solomon

A Message for Dawdlers

Don’t fall into the procrastination paralysis cycle. Learn four strategies you can implement to eliminate the mental roadblock to project completion.

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The Merits of Monotasking
Culture, Strategy Christie Solomon Culture, Strategy Christie Solomon

The Merits of Monotasking

When you receive a phone call and continue working on your current project, you’re probably not doing either activity very well. Successful monotasking, or focusing on one task at a time, requires you to ignore the myriad of distractions around you.

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Find Your Ikigai
Culture Christie Solomon Culture Christie Solomon

Find Your Ikigai

Ikigai is the Japanese word that means your purpose for living - or the reason to get up in the morning. According to the Japanese, everyone has an ikigai - you just need to be patient enough to find it. To do this, the authors of Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life recommend several simple practices that can be employed by anyone at any stage in their career.

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When Your Authentic Self at Work is Inappropriate
Culture, Strategy Christie Solomon Culture, Strategy Christie Solomon

When Your Authentic Self at Work is Inappropriate

Contrary to popular thought, the Economist recently argued that "no one should actually bring their whole selves to work. People are a melange of traits, [many of which] should be kept well away from the workplace." A recent Below Deck Sailing episode provides a humorous reminder why our colleagues don’t need to know about our authentic Friday night selves.

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The Women of the Suri Tribe Demonstrate 5 Leadership Traits
Culture Christie Solomon Culture Christie Solomon

The Women of the Suri Tribe Demonstrate 5 Leadership Traits

The Suri are a self-sufficient, agro-pastoral people rich in land and traditions. The land, which is part of the diverse Omo Valley in Ethiopia, is located in the southwest along the border with South Sudan. My impression, after a recent trek in the Suri land, is that the women are the hardest-working members of the tribe - and they represent a subtle example of strong leadership.

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Sled Dogs Exemplify Leadership
Culture, Strategy Christie Solomon Culture, Strategy Christie Solomon

Sled Dogs Exemplify Leadership

I recently returned from a new experience: Dogsledding and camping in Ely, Minnesota with the Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge family. It was an amazing adventure augmented by the presence of five incredible Canadian Inuit dogs pulling my sled. These working dogs were friendly, loving, and docile, but when pulling the sled down the trail they became determined machines focused on one thing: Pulling. This display of teamwork made me think about leadership, and what an example they provided!

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Proactive Crisis Management in 10 Steps
Culture, Marketing, Strategy Christie Solomon Culture, Marketing, Strategy Christie Solomon

Proactive Crisis Management in 10 Steps

Although predicting a true crisis is nearly impossible, you can mitigate the consequences of one with a proactive, forward-looking crisis management plan. Consider these 10 steps as a checklist in your crisis management plan, which includes planning for: crisis communications, business continuity, and disaster recovery for IT systems.

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The Origins of ELEVATE NEXT
Culture Christie Solomon Culture Christie Solomon

The Origins of ELEVATE NEXT

Recently, I came across a business card I saved from my very first, real career job out of college at the International Institute of St. Louis. The colleagues, volunteers, refugees, and immigrants with whom I worked at the International Institute more than a decade ago are the ones that inspired me to take a plunge and start ELEVATE NEXT.

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