Dalip Jaggi 11/21/24 Dalip Jaggi 11/21/24

To Build or Buy: The Software Dilemma Businesses Face

When equipping your business with the right software, the decision to build a custom solution or buy an off-the-shelf product can feel like a high-stakes choice. Owners must evaluate critical factors — budget, timelines, technical expertise, and long-term goals — to navigate this pivotal decision and ensure their software strategy aligns with business objectives.

Dalip Jaggi 8/7/24 Dalip Jaggi 8/7/24

Transition Your Startup into a Thriving Business: Practical Steps to Success

For most entrepreneurs, few things are as exciting as taking a great product or service idea and turning it into a profitable business. But while it can be exciting to conceptualize starting a new company, there are many necessary steps to achieve sustainable success.

Christie Solomon 11/16/23 Christie Solomon 11/16/23

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.

Christie Solomon 10/31/23 Christie Solomon 10/31/23

The Art of Win-Win Negotiation

Negotiation is an activity that everyone performs, sometimes daily. Two or more parties negotiate because there is a conflict of interest (or interdependent goals) - and the parties believe they can get a better deal negotiating than by simply taking what the other side will give them. We provide five strategies to achieve a win-win outcome in any negotiation.

Marijn Overvest 6/6/23 Marijn Overvest 6/6/23

Sustainable Procurement: An Ethical Business Practice

Sustainable procurement, as an ethical business practice, supports human rights, reduces carbon footprints, and benefits local communities. Learn more about the role of procurement professionals in driving sustainability initiatives, real-life case studies, and the importance of transparent reporting.

Christie Solomon 12/12/22 Christie Solomon 12/12/22

Now is the Time to Reframe Your Competitive Strategy

Direct competition is no longer the main factor a business should consider critical to remaining relevant. A brand’s business strategy must continuously evolve to compete across industries on the basis of customer experience.

Christie Solomon 11/17/22 Christie Solomon 11/17/22

Personal Branding is a Self-Investment

Personal branding is an investment in yourself. The time, energy, and currency you put into developing your brand results in opportunities for growth - both personally and professionally. Learn four reasons why it’s worth the investment to develop a successful personal brand.

Joan Bosch 9/27/22 Joan Bosch 9/27/22

3 Important Reasons to Involve HR in PR

CNN reported that a scarcity of talent was among one of the biggest human resources (HR) obstacles companies faced in 2021. Job openings reached an estimated 11 million in October of that year. Given the widespread challenge of attracting and retaining talent, the need for collaboration between HR and public relations (PR) departments is more necessary than ever.

Christie Solomon 9/6/22 Christie Solomon 9/6/22

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.

Christie Solomon 6/8/22 Christie Solomon 6/8/22

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.

Christie Solomon 3/27/22 Christie Solomon 3/27/22

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!

Christie Solomon 2/17/22 Christie Solomon 2/17/22

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.

Christie Solomon 12/10/21 Christie Solomon 12/10/21

Best Practices for Keeping Your Inventory ‘Evergreen’

Since the onset of the pandemic, we’ve experienced significant disruptions in the global supply chain. No business, whether product or service-oriented, has escaped the impact of limited products or component availability and long lead times. Now is the time, more than ever, to re-think sourcing, stocking, and sales strategies.

Christie Solomon 11/8/21 Christie Solomon 11/8/21

Manage Your Digital Assets to Maximize Company Value

Good digital asset management (DAM) practices both protect you and allow you to leverage up on what makes your brand and business unique.

Christie Solomon 9/19/21 Christie Solomon 9/19/21

Survey Results Highlight the Top 6 Challenges for Small Businesses

Small business owners often struggle with limited resources and their decisions how best to use their cash flow. Read the results of the survey we designed to evaluate the most pressing challenges - or pain points - facing small businesses.

Christie Solomon 6/15/21 Christie Solomon 6/15/21

Active Listeners Can Change the World

One of the top traits to look for in colleagues is listening skills. A good listener is skilled at active listening. Why?

Christie Solomon 3/3/21 Christie Solomon 3/3/21

Navigating the Due Diligence Process: What Should You Expect?

Due diligence is about confirming the risks – and assessing the degree of risk – for an acquiring company during the company acquisition process. The due diligence (DD) phase is the last part of the negotiation process – usually, the toughest part - between the buyer and seller.