Hannah Kain: To avoid risk in your global supply chain, consider these points
Supply chain events are increasingly showing up in business news, whether it’s regarding product shortages that cause customer dissatisfaction and lost opportunities for corporations, or breaches of laws or decency in the supply chain, such as the use of child labor or unsafe labor conditions that damage brand reputation. From an executive standpoint, risk management […]
Anne Wilson: Why engaging your employees in the community is a smart idea
In a market as competitive as the Bay Area, companies need an edge when recruiting top talent. Pay grades, flexible schedules and vacation time are critical bargaining chips, of course, but one area that is often overlooked is employee engagement opportunities. Research demonstrates that the new generation of employee is actually demanding social giving opportunities. […]
QuickPay takes parking your vehicle to the premium level
Barney Pell, CEO of QuickPay Corp., envisions a future in which parking facilities utilize tiered rate structures similar to ones the hotel and airline industries have established. “You used to buy an airline ticket and it was all one type of seat,” he says. “Now, there are different prices for everyone depending on when you […]
Jorge Titinger: Breaking through the noise and tapping into the value big data can provide
Not since the emergence of the cloud has information technology received more attention than the current buzz surrounding big data. As with cloud computing, it can sometimes be hard to decipher what big data really means. Former SGI chief scientist John Mashey originally popularized the phrase, using it to describe the relentlessly expanding boundaries of […]
Todd Goldstein: How to get, keep and grow clients from the beginning
Customers can make or break a business, no matter what stage or industry. One of the main downfalls of an unsuccessful business is not having the customer in mind when developing new products. Whether it’s focus groups, market research via landing pages or customer surveys — the list of ways to examine a customer/market fit […]
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 […]