National Interstate has built an enterprise capable of navigating market turbulence
Describing what has stayed the same during National Interstate’s first 25 years is easier than listing everything that’s changed, according to Dave Michelson, the company’s president and CEO. Today, National Interstate Corp. remains an underwriter of passenger transportation operators across the country. “But really almost everything else to some degree has changed,” Michelson says. National […]
Use old-school tactics to win new customers, build stronger relationships
In a world where fast-paced technology dominates everything we do, the amount of personal contact is decreasing, leaving many first impressions at the mercy of an email sent from a smartphone. But despite our reliance on technology, it’s important that we not lose the basics of our relationship skills. We need to hold ourselves to […]
Panelists at Perspectives '14: Women Who Excel Conference Thursday, April 10, 2014
Laura Bennett took on an uphill battle and co-founded Embrace Pet Insurance Thursday, April 10, 2014 Laura Bennett was trying to get her fledgling pet insurance business off the ground in 2005 when she had to confront the reality that the insurance industry was a male-dominated one. Bennett and co-founder Alex Krooglik were searching for […]
How Entrepreneur Of The Year™ winners from the Houston regional program are making their voice heard at the EOY national program
With 25 regional EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ programs, making the cut to become a finalist in one of the 11 national award categories is tough — you’re competing against more than 200 of the nation’s top entrepreneurs. So landing three national finalists and one national category winner is something worth talking about. Last year, […]
Kelly Borth: Smart SEO — How to optimize your website for search engines
If being online is a part of your business strategy, you need more than a quality, user-friendly website. You need smart SEO. When a person conducts an online search using words related to your business, SEO increases the likelihood that your website is listed at the top of the results. It allows you to reach […]
Houston leverages its international reach to make stronger business connections
Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States, which often surprises visitors. Much like comedian Rodney Dangerfield, it seems like Houston “gets no respect.” But the growing recognition of Houston’s global business opportunities could change that perception. The Houston Airport System has historically experienced strong passenger air service to Europe and Latin America. […]
Frame of Reference: Retain your way to higher profits
The field of marketing is changing rapidly. Customers can engage with businesses anytime and have higher expectations than ever. Free next-day shipping, 24-hour support and social media have created the need to improve service without necessarily creating additional revenue opportunities. As a business owner, how do you allocate your resources? Here are two startling statistics […]
SHIFT Freight seeks to make customer service the priority at every turn
It would not be right to say that Tommy Skinner gets excited when his employees at SHIFT Freight are sad. But he does take a certain level of satisfaction when he witnesses how much his people care about their customers. And when the occasional problem occurs with moving a product from point A to point […]
Editor's Note: Once you call someplace home, there’s no place like it
For many folks, there’s something about Northeast Ohio that can’t be replicated by any other place in the U.S. Northeast Ohio is home. That makes the area unique to so many who have left to explore opportunities elsewhere only to return, and for those who go to great lengths to make their hometown a wonderful […]
How to protect data security and customers’ trust
Recent media attention, including ubiquitous coverage of the Target Corp. security breach over the holidays, has highlighted the increase in security intrusions affecting organizations across industries. As technology moves forward exponentially, security threats and leaks continue to emerge. “In the digital age, nearly every company holds personally identifiable information of its employees or customers in […]