How revamped group purchasing concepts can add profit
The idea of a group purchasing organization, or GPO, has been around for years. A GPO provides cost savings to its member companies by aggregating the purchase of products and services. Between the combined volume and the GPO’s procurement expertise, members realize savings beyond what they could achieve on their own. There are vertical GPOs […]
Robert Chapman pushes Barry-Wehmiller to gain yardage through both organic growth and acquisitions
Robert Chapman has always been intrigued by the game of business, so to speak. At the highest level of that game is the ability to blend both organic growth initiatives with successful acquisitions to create a stronger organization. Chapman takes that blending further and ensures that his company emphasizes people, purpose and performance. Chapman is […]
Moss Adams LLP: Keys to establishing an effective succession plan for your business
Owners of family or middle-market businesses invest a tremendous amount of time and energy — sometimes their entire adult lives — building a successful business. Yet they often spend little time working on their succession plan. “The business world is littered with second and third generations that don’t succeed in continuing the business,” says Jay […]
Tonight’s Top 10 List is . . . (drum roll) S.M.A.R.T goals to drive professional development
How many of you make New Year’s resolutions? How many of you actually keep them? That, of course, is a rhetorical question. On a personal front, I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I simply set S.M.A.R.T. goals, ones that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Move over David Letterman, here are my Top […]
Merrill Dubrow – The two most important words in business are not ‘thank you,’ but …
Did you ever think about how many words there are in the English language? The Global Language Monitor says the number of words in the English language is 1,019,729 — but the question is which ones are the most important? There are a number of important words, but to me, based on the current business […]
Anna Phillips – 6 simple tips to help stand out in a saturated crowd
Entrepreneurship is growing at an exponential rate as more people are choosing that route and markets are quickly becoming saturated with options for the end user. Although this is great for consumers, businesses are finding it harder and harder to stand out. A saturated market doesn’t mean you have to avoid pursuing a trade within […]
Fay Sharpe LLP: When URLs and trademarks collide, and when it pays to seek damages
An infringement on your trademark by another entity through its domain name can affect the strength of your brand. In some instances, a company may benefit from stopping an infringer and seeking damages. “Ultimately, it all comes down to dollars and cents, and whether a business wants to truly invest and strengthen its brand to […]
2013 Pittsburgh Pacesetters
Pittsburgh’s business environment is a diamond in the rough According to Kiplinger, the city of Pittsburgh might prove to be a diamond in the rough for entrepreneurs — the result of 30 years of human and capital investment and a nurturing environment … an environment in which nine outstanding business leaders — true entrepreneurs — […]
David Harding: It’s impossible to be smart without also being aware of the wider world
For some 70 to 80 percent of our waking hours, we are involved in some form of communication. Of that, just 40 percent is spent listening. And from my experience, that’s a pretty generous statistic. I think that equation should be reversed. Recommit to listening. Listening is a big part of being a leader. Here’s […]
Deborah Byers, EY Houston’s new managing partner, focuses on marching toward the vision
Deborah Byers loves the word engagement — as in employee engagement — and the new managing partner of the EY Houston office will be focusing on it now more than ever as she takes the wheel at one of the corporation’s largest offices. “What may happen in a big organization is that you have very […]