Four years ago, I took on the biggest leadership challenge of my life. Our company had just been acquired by a larger organization. Our owner and founder, Elise Mitchell, became CEO of both our company and our newly formed network, and she asked me to take over her duties as the company’s president. Elise had grown our small organization into a national award-winning agency, … [Read more...]
Nostalgia: The Warm, Fuzzy Secret to Better Marketing
We’ve all been there before: you’re walking through the store and BAM—you see something that sparks a thousand childhood memories. Before you know it, you’re standing in the middle of the store, smiling to yourself, thinking, “I need to get this.” What is it about these memories that makes us want to buy? Is it the warm feeling of watching the sun set over the backyard, … [Read more...]
5 Easy Ways to Turn Your Clients Into Brand Ambassadors
I was at Costco this weekend. To anyone who knows me, this comes as no surprise. Despite having a modest family of only three, I still feel an almost overwhelming need to have a 6-month supply of toilet paper, trash bags, and apple sauce for no readily apparent reason. Being at Costco isn't the story though, what happened while I was there was, and it got me thinking. As I … [Read more...]
5 Personality Tactics for Women in Leadership
In 1976, my grandfather and grandmother waved goodbye to me as we walked onto the jetway at Fort Lauderdale airport. Every year between Christmas and the New Year, my family and I visited them in Florida. They, in turn, would visit us in July once a year. Ten years old at the time, I remember seeing my grandfather’s blue eyes fill with tears. My grandmother smacked … [Read more...]
How Changing Your Thought Pattern Can Open More Doorways to Achievement
We’ve all had someone tell us to “stay positive” when we’ve divulged to them our current woe or misfortune. Frankly, after someone would say that to me, in my head, I almost immediately would think “Easy for YOU to say. I’m going to sit here in my misery and self-pity until I feel better.” It wasn’t until I was older that I realized the profound effect my mind has on my own … [Read more...]
Trailblazers Welcome – Boldly Go Where Women Have Gone Before
Long before cell phones and video calls were the norm, Star Trek used communicators, tablets, and other devices. While the intent was to portray a universe many centuries in the future, the canon’s influence on modern technology took just a few decades. There’s little doubt Star Trek was ahead of its time. And technology wasn’t the only advance. From its maiden voyage, men … [Read more...]
3 Significant Implications of Deciding to Pay Your Employees Daily
Of all the workplace revolutions predicted for the next decade, one that is rapidly gaining steam is a move by employers to pay their workers daily instead of weekly or more commonly, twice a month. Paying in real time, or paying as the employee earns the money, may sound like a brand new concept, but years ago it was not uncommon. Companies often advanced payments to … [Read more...]
7 Mistakes Small Businesses Make Choosing a Point of Sale System
Modern point of sale systems have evolved substantially since the first cash registers, which were little more than basic adding machines with an internal mechanism to record sales. In today's retail environment, there’s a lot more to consider, including point of sale (POS) software, credit card processing, interconnected electronics such as Bluetooth scanners, and much, much … [Read more...]
When the Dentist has a Toothache, or How to Prepare Your Clients for Emergencies
You are going along in your small solo business, working with clients, dealing with all the little tasks that need to be done to grow your business. Then, BAM! Something happens. It might be something personal, like a breakup or death in the family, or an immediate family crisis, like a babysitter who doesn’t show up or a car that doesn’t work. Or it might be, as happened to my … [Read more...]
Unique Challenges of Onboarding for Small Businesses and 3 Mistakes to Avoid
Small businesses aren’t run like multinational companies, so why would they onboard like them? While there are certainly best practices that guide the way new employees are onboarded, the process must ultimately be tailored to meet the size and nature of a business. One thing is for certain, though: all employers should have an onboarding strategy, regardless of the business … [Read more...]