How an IT service provider can help unify communications, increase collaboration
Companies are getting away from the old IT model of purchasing an on-site solution and having an internal staff working to solve problems. Instead, many companies are utilizing a professional service provider to handle tasks that are not directly related to core company business. “That allows staff IT to focus exclusively on their lines of […]
Umberto Fedeli: Ten tips on how to meet the challenges you face in your journey
When I was asked to deliver a college commencement speech, a friend of mine suggested I reflect on my 35 years of business experience and talk about the 10 lessons I would like to share with graduates about business and life. Here they are. No. 1: There is nothing more important in life than relationships. […]
Jerry Schill: Why building a sustainable business requires more than going ‘green’
As the owner of a commercial grounds management company, I know a lot about sustainable practices in landscaping and snow removal. Propane-powered mowers, bio-nutritional fertilizers and green waste recycling are some of the ways we’re helping protect the planet and create healthier places to live, work and shop for our clients. But for business owners, […]
It just took instant credibility for Bill Hamm to know he hired the right exec team to revamp Independent Financial Partners
Bill Hamm was facing some difficult news a year ago for Independent Financial Partners, the company of which he was CEO and had launched in 2000. It was not on how to deal with the explosive 1,000 percent growth the company had experienced the year before, but an internal issue. He had to terminate his […]
Drink Local Drink Tap’s cause is caring for the water in NE Ohio — as well as the world
While “Drink Local Drink Tap” may sound like an environmentalist’s cry against water bottlers, it’s a gateway Erin Huber hopes will open people’s minds to the water situation not only in Northeast Ohio but the world. She founded Drink Local Drink Tap Inc. nearly four years ago to educate people, businesses and communities to care […]
Dustin S. Klein: Constant reinvention — planned correctly — is a great thing
When asked what the key to remaining relevant in business for an extended period of time was, a prominent CEO once quipped to me, “Planned obsolescence.” His company followed a strict rule: Every 18 months, it would introduce a new product and make an existing one obsolete. This, he explained, drove innovation and filled the […]
Bill Kitson: You have to do more than ask for money in the nonprofit industry
Today’s donors and volunteers are seeking new ways to contribute their time, talent and treasure, forcing the nonprofit industry to find innovative strategies to keep them engaged. Audience segmentation based on a donor or volunteers specific interests engages them by affirming their contribution directly impacts the causes they passionately support. This is an issue I […]
How to help your sales force meet its goals
Salespeople always have goals they need to meet. Giving them a road map on how to achieve these goals can help increase accountability and boost sales. “We developed something to make salespeople a little more responsible. We put a program together that not only sets goals, but helps them achieve their goals,” says Rick Voigt, […]
Sometimes you have to do a little pruning to get the best fruit
No one likes to move backwards. The goal in business is to get better, beat the competition and grow. But sometimes you have to take a step back in order to enable your organization to move forward. A pruned tree bears more fruit, even though it might require some painful cuts that aren’t pretty at […]
ASM International focuses on sharing industry insights face-to-face in today’s digital world
Thomas Passek is only the sixth managing director in the 100-year history of ASM International, but that only tells part of the story of the global network once known as the American Society for Metals. “It’s not just about the magazine that members get in the mail, the website they get to access, the […]