Andy Kanefield: How you can allow your employees to be better innovators
Innovation is the central issue in economic prosperity. — Michael Porter Innovation is on the lips of almost every business leader in the U.S. and probably the world. Each of us loves those moments when, like Archimedes, we can cry out that we’ve solved a vexing problem. In addition, government leaders are also focused on […]
Leslie Braksick: The absence of clear boundaries can lead to inconsistency, confusion, chaos
I grew up in the Northeast, where the year had two seasons: winter and construction. Here in the mid-Atlantic, we have five seasons: fall, winter, spring, summer and a fifth I have come to know as repainting the lines. Repainting the lines comes as predictably as the other seasons, and it happens every August, […]
A responsible sporting event
The Summit of Sustainability Awards Winner, NonProfit CategoryThe Akron Marathon The efforts of the Akron Marathon to become an environmentally responsible sporting event since it started a recycling plan in 2008 have shown impressive gains each year. The first year, a quarter ton of material was diverted from the landfill and sent to be […]
Dale Elwell: How to be outstanding at shopper marketing
Imagine a potential customer walking into a retailer such as an automotive parts store, home improvement center, etc. Now, the customer walks in the door feeling excited, anxious and a bit overwhelmed by the bombardment of information. He or she may need guidance from an associate to help make sense of it all in order […]
What to do if you’re under a public, verbal attack
Deny, deny, deny; fall, tuck and roll; or put your head in the sand? The quick answer to this headline is none of the above. A leader, by definition, must do exactly that — lead, which means being in front of a variety of audiences, including employees, investors and customers. Not everyone is going […]
Alaina Macia didn’t lose sight of the core product at MTM Inc. when looking for new opportunities
Alaina Macia didn’t lose sight of the core product at MTM Inc. when looking for new opportunities
Joy Chen relaunched Yes To Inc., helping it become the No. 2 natural skin care brand in the U.S.
For most people, becoming general manager of a $1 billion division of Clorox might be the pinnacle of their career. But for Joy Chen, it was an event that made her see she wanted something more. With 20 years’ experience in consumer-packaged goods, Chen hoped to work with a smaller, more entrepreneurial, high-growth company. She […]
Jerry McLaughlin: Craft a success statement for your organization
When my corporate giveaways company Branders was first getting off the ground, I asked many people, “What would our customers have to believe about Branders for us to get as big as we would like?” The answer to this question was what I came to think of as our “success statement” — a simple, […]
Neil Lustig: Intuition vs. big data and predictive analytics
Albert Einstein once said, “The only real valuable thing is intuition.” While nobody can deny Einstein’s supreme intellect, I must respectfully disagree. Instinct is invaluable in many aspects of life, but I have learned throughout my career that it takes far more than instinct to be successful in sales. In order to maximize effectiveness and […]
Joel Magerman – In today’s environment, borrowing makes more sense than ever
Today’s debt markets are positively skewed in favor of the borrower more than at any time in recent history. This opportunity is due to central banks keeping interest rates at historic lows, capital flows coming out of Europe seeking safety and return, U.S. commercial banks and alternative lenders competing for loans, and an improving economic […]