Category: CEO Monthly

You own a small business. You want to help it grow and improve, but you also understand that all effort and positive results stem directly from you. And you’ve pretty much exhausted all your ideas. Hey, it
happens.

The good news is that there are many ways you can advance your business interests further. In this article, we look at accessible ways that small businesses can improve their operations and grow.

Upskill

Upskilling is all about picking up new skills.

You don’t say.

Well,  as a matter of fact, we did say. It’s something that takes place routinely at big companies all over the world. There, management will pay for their employees to refresh and expand their skills in a way that will be advantageous for the business.

Unfortunately, you probably won’t have anyone footing the bill for you. However, you can still take advantage of some of the many affordable online education programs that can teach you about everything from marketing to data implementation.

Social Media

Most businesses understand that they should have a social media presence. However, to have an impact at all, you need to think strategically about how your followers prefer to interact with your page. What time are they online the most? What sort of messaging do they respond to?

What about branding? Are your social media posts telling a consistent story, or are you all over the place with your tone? You don’t need to be a marketing professional to use social media the right way. You can make a big splash simply by getting a little more strategic with your outreach efforts.

Learn About Data

Data implementation is an important factor for businesses of every size. Previously the exclusive tool of big business, it is now available to anyone willing to take the time necessary to learn how to use it.

Most social media platforms come with analytic tools that will help you learn how your messaging is being received. You can use this information to not only expand your reach but also receive keen insights into what your existing customers respond the best to.

And, of course, social media is far from the only place where data is being used. You can also look at sales figures, email engagement rates, and other relevant factors to optimize your business practices.

Hire Smart

It’s exciting getting the opportunity to make new hires. As we mentioned in our last section, you’ll find yourself with a lot of work in the first months of your role as a small business owner. Bringing someone else on means releasing some of that pressure.

Still, it’s important to hire smart. Network and look for people who have skills that you lack. The more diversity of experience you can get, the better your business will be. You will, of course, learn more about all aspects of the job as you go along. However, finding people with the right specialties will be a big leg up.

Once you get a proper staff, you’ll also want to think about team-building opportunities. Creating a strong company culture through employee-centric policies are important elements of retention. You don’t need to be able to afford lavish corporate retreats to keep your employees happy.

Self-care

It’s hard to focus on your own needs when you are trying to get a small business off the ground. While you will need to work on building your skills and get used to logging long hours, you also need to know how to take care of yourself.

Self-care will not only help you stay happy, but it will also keep gas in the tank, allowing you to continue slugging it out for the long haul.

Know when (and how) to bring in the professionals

Even small businesses can and should take advantage of a wide range of professionals who can help advance their interests:

• Lawyers
• Accountants
• Cybersecurity specialists and
• Analysts

All routinely consult with businesses of every size to help them navigate complicated situations and grow. Some of these professionals are more expensive than others but for the most part, there are affordable and accessible ways to take advantage of all these services.

Get Serious About Cyber Security

You don’t have to be Marriott to get targeted by cybercriminals. In fact, the majority of small business owners experience attempted breaches each year. Some of them are simple, such as phishing emails and dicey website links. Other attempts can be more complex.

The problem with breaches isn’t just that they complicate your life. Although they do. It can take most of a year to recover completely from a serious one.

The even bigger issue, however, is that customer information can get compromised in the process. For big businesses with lots of sensitive customer information on hand, this has led to class action lawsuits.
Even if that isn’t in your future, data compromises can lead to a loss in consumer confidence. And of course, it’s also just your ethical responsibility to handle the data with care.

Get serious about cyber security. Update your software, guard your passwords, and train your employees to do the same.

Believe in Yourself

Ok, we know. This is kind of corny advice, but it comes from a sincere place. Many small business owners struggle with a psychological concept known as “imposter syndrome.” Basically, it means that they tend to fear that they don’t belong where they are and everyone around them does.

Self-validation can be hard because when you own your own business, there is no one there to give you feedback. You are entirely in charge of securing your own fortunes.

Anxiety can have its benefits, encouraging you to continuously put your best foot forward. Still, too much of it, and you’re only holding yourself back.

The most common reason for small businesses folding is down to cash flow problems. Failure to carry out proper market research, or overestimating demand for a particular product, also causes businesses to collapse. But, cash flow is usually the biggest reason.

Cash flow and profit – understanding the differences

Cash flow is all the money that moves through a company from sales and expenditures. While profits are the money that is left over once all financial obligations have been paid.

One very important metric for profitability and operating efficiency is the cash flow margin ratio. The cash flow margin shows how efficient a business is. If you take the business’s cash flow operating costs and divide them by net sales, you will get your cash flow margin.

The higher the cash flow margin, the more likely a company will remain profitable. For profitability and operating costs, the best percentage calculator will help with clear results. But, here is a simple explanation of how to calculate cash flow margins.

How does cash flow impact small businesses?

The cash flow margin ratio gives a good indication of how well a business is turning its sales into profits. However, cash flow affects many areas of a business and can impact operations heavily.

• Late payments to suppliers
• Unable to restock
• Unable to pay employees
• Credit rating damage
• Additional loans
• Unable to grow
• Cutbacks and layoffs

Businesses that suffer from poor cash flow will find that they miss the opportunity for expansion, and may even have to downsize. Late payments to creditors and suppliers lead to poor relationships and possible damage to credit scores.

Being unable to restock products or raw materials will see production and sales grind to a halt. And there will be a negative effect on the workforce and productivity as a whole.

Poor cash flow often leads small business owners to seek further financing and credit. This option may prove worthwhile, but it has the potential to cause far more problems with profitability and cash flow down the line.

How to manage cash flow effectively

The current economic climate is one of high inflation and a possible recession. Businesses must find ways to offset inflation and survive the crisis.

Calculating revenue and going over all expenses is the best place to start improving cash flow. Creating a cash flow budget will give an estimated view of how the business will operate financially in the coming months. Although a cash flow budget only estimates future income and expenditure, it is a useful tool to utilise.

Dips in income due to seasonal changes can be included in a cash flow budget, as can expected rises in expenditure. Increasing stock of low-cost items can offset inflation. Purchasing materials that are expected to go up in price will reduce expenditure later on.

The importance of managing invoices and payments on time

All businesses will have accounts receivable. These are payments outstanding for services rendered, or goods supplied. Commonly, invoices are sent out after a customer receives their goods, and they will be given a set time frame to pay.

It is normal in business to allow a customer anywhere from 14 days to 90 days to settle an invoice. 30 days is a typical time frame for payments to be made. When payments are made on time, businesses will enjoy regular cash flow. In turn, the business can use the money flowing into it to fulfill its own financial obligations. And the cycle continues.

However, when accounts receivable are overdue, then it can hamper cash flow for small businesses. Global enterprises have far more resources at hand than small business owners, and when payments are delayed, it can be fatal.

Fortunately, there are several options for small businesses to improve cash flow.

Options for improving cash flow in small businesses

Cutting costs is certainly an option to reduce expenditure. But, how to save on costs without cutting quality?

A few options for small businesses are these:

• Renegotiate with suppliers
• Increase prices- Carry out a promotion
• Incentivise early payments
• Introduce extra payment options
• Automated invoicing and reminders
• Use factoring
• Add call to action on digital invoices
• Carry out credit checks
• Ensure invoices and delivery notes are all accurate

Launching a promotion or increasing prices may result in a quick cash flow boost. But, promotions are short-lived, and price increases can alienate customers. It may be much better to look at how you are managing invoices and payments and make changes.

Automated invoices

Setting up an automated invoicing system will reduce the chances of manual error, and speed up payments. Automating this area means that invoices will be sent out on time and tracked. If payment isn’t received, then a reminder will be automatically sent out.

Digital invoices and call to action

Sending automated digital invoices to clients allows the option to include a call to action. A clear link on the invoice to ‘pay now’ for instance could result in quick payment. Adding in an incentive such as ‘pay now for a 5% discount’ will help speed up payments and improve cash flow.

Use factoring

If your business is struggling with cash flow problems, and has a number of accounts receivable, then invoice factoring might be an option. A factor is a type of lender who offers to loan money to a business against accounts receivable. In return, the borrower pays a commission and fees.

Because factoring is short-term and set against money owing, it is often seen as a better option than taking out extra loans.

In summary

Some studies indicate that many small businesses would last less than a month on their cash reserves. Cash flow is critical to the survival of small businesses, and their future development.

While many small businesses struggle with cash flow, there are options available to improve liquidity. Offering incentives for faster payment, and renegotiating contracts with suppliers, can help reduce expenses and bring in cash quickly.

The UK’s business landscape has always been a fruitful and diverse one, rich in opportunity. But recent years have brought significant, unique, and unprecedented challenges to the nation – and navigating the business landscape in 2023 has become somewhat difficult for investors and business leaders.

The chief challenge that businesses and investors are having to contend with is the rise in inflation and the corresponding hikes to interest rates. In such a dynamic economic environment, it is nothing short of crucial for businesses to adopt proactive risk management practices, both to safeguard their operations and maintain longer-term financial stability. What strategies can business leaders employ to mitigate the unique risks posed by present times?

The Effects of Rising Inflation and Interest Rates

The UK has been experiencing sustained high levels of inflation for over 18 months, initially brought on by disruption to the international energy market. High wholesale costs, exacerbated by fresh barriers to trade induced by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, rippled into other industries and consumer markets, causing the Bank of England to attempt deflationary measures through rising interest rates.

Rising inflation increases operating costs and reduces profitability for businesses while rising interest rates make borrowing more costly over time. Repayment rates can increase considerably, making cash flow more important than ever.

Prioritising Health and Safety Compliance

In the pursuit of cost savings, there are some businesses that may be tempted to cut corners with regard to health and safety in the form of reduced time and spending on training, for example. However, not only is this kind of approach usually illegal, but the risks it poses can lead to significant costs through civil action. By ensuring they remain compliant with health and safety regulations, businesses maintain safe working environments, reducing the likelihood of incidents and mitigating the potential financial and reputational consequences of such incidents. Going above and beyond with regard to health and safety can also boost productivity, through raising trust between staff and management.

Proactive Risk Mitigation Strategies

Mitigating risk is not something that can be achieved passively – nor is it something that can be achieved reactively. To react means to have endured, which often means the damage is done. Instead, businesses need to adopt a proactive approach that involves identifying potential risks and taking appropriate measures to mitigate them.

One key method to approach this is to conduct risk assessments tailored to specific industry processes, landscapes, or operations. Risk assessments are often thought of as a health and safety measure but can also be extremely useful as a structure for identifying weak points in a department, project or business model – let alone priming a business for future challenges and disruptions.

Turning the drafting of a risk assessment into a wider company culture can also help to fortify it against potential difficulties. Encouraging employees to speak up with their own concerns, whether through a concerted transparency push or an internal whistleblowing system, can be a strong way to build resilience – providing business executives are prepared to listen.

Aizad Hussain is the CEO of Sprint Logistics and has been at the helm of the company for 18 years. Before his current role, he was the CEO of Transworld, the business that preceded Sprint Logistics. Below, we profile his team and his leadership style as he is recognised as the Most Influential eCommerce Logistics Solutions CEO 2023 – UK.

Sprint Logistics is a company that specialises in facilitating the e-commerce process by handling the physical aspects of shipping. It provides inbound freight, storage, kitting, picking, packing, and shipping for hundreds of thousands of parcels annually. It works with a diverse customer base across the UK and Europe, offering efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality solutions for direct-to-consumer, business-to-consumer, business-to-business, and marketing fulfilment marketplaces.

Sprint Logistics is committed to providing an excellent customer experience, reflected in the core values of being fast, flexible, innovative, and passionate about serving its clients. The company prides itself on offering value-added solutions to complex challenges and is dedicated to delivering the best possible service to its customers.

Essentially, Sprint Logistics is a reliable and customer-focused logistics company that aims to make e-commerce flow by providing seamless and efficient solutions for its clients.

Before his time at Transworld and Sprint Logistics, Aizad served as a young Group Managing Director of NTL:home, now known as VirginMedia. Before that, he worked as a Senior Associate at Morgan Stanley in the Investment Banking division.

Throughout his career, Aizad has gained extensive experience in product development, sales, marketing, deal-making, and finance. He has used this experience to shape Sprint Logistics into the successful logistics company that it is today.

As CEO, Aizad is responsible for overseeing the company’s strategic direction, ensuring that the company stays at the forefront of the industry, and maintaining the company’s core values. He has been instrumental in driving Sprint Logistics’ growth and expansion, as well as in developing its unique technology platforms, such as BOLT.

Under his leadership, Sprint Logistics has become a leading logistics provider, serving hundreds of thousands of parcels annually across the UK and Europe. Aizad Hussain’s vision and leadership have been crucial in establishing the company’s reputation for efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and excellent customer service.

The staff at Sprint Logistics play a critical role in the company’s success. As a logistics company that strongly emphasises delivering excellent customer experiences, the employees are the key to achieving this goal.

Sprint Logistics’ teams are dedicated to providing fast, flexible, innovative, and passionate solutions to complex challenges. They have a wealth of industry experience, enabling them to handle a range of issues that may arise during the e-commerce process. The company strongly emphasises hiring and retaining the best talent and investing in their development, training, and career progression.

The staff’s commitment to delivering high-quality services is evident in Sprint Logistics’ investment in technology and infrastructure. It has developed its bespoke warehouse management and shipping platforms so they are designed to meet the needs of modern multi-channel environments. The team has played a crucial role in developing, implementing, and maintaining these platforms.

Furthermore, Sprint Logistics’ staff operate out of 250,000 sq. ft of warehouses across the UK and EU, which require efficient and organised management to ensure that goods are stored, handled, and shipped correctly. Therefore, the employees’ experience, skills, and attention to detail are essential in ensuring that the company meets its clients’ needs and maintains high customer satisfaction.

Their skills, experience, dedication, and commitment to delivering high-quality services are crucial in providing excellent customer experiences and maintaining the company’s reputation as a reliable and efficient logistics partner.

Regarding what is ahead for the company, Sprint Logistics has ambitious plans for the future, with a primary goal of completing the rollout of their cloud-based WMS, BOLT – Business Operations and Logistics Technology. The company has invested several millions of pounds in developing this platform, which launched in April 2022.

Once fully rolled out, BOLT will provide Sprint Logistics with the most outstanding functionality and operational flexibility to manage all seven facilities through a single platform. The company believes its technology is unique and will be a significant source of competitive advantage over time.

In addition to the BOLT rollout, Sprint Logistics will continue to focus on providing excellent customer experiences through their efficient and cost-effective logistics services. The company plans to expand its client base further, working with both new entrepreneurs and established businesses across various industries in the UK and Europe.

Finally, Sprint Logistics will maintain its commitment to its core values of being fast, flexible, innovative, and passionate to serve and provide solutions to complex challenges. The company will continue to invest in its staff, technology, and infrastructure to remain at the forefront of the e-commerce logistics industry, providing its clients with the highest level of service and support. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Sprint Logistics.

For business enquiries, contact Aizad Hussain from Sprint Logistics on their website – sprintlogistics.com

The days when mental health issues were seen as big ‘no entry’ sign are long gone and employers have got wise to the fact that mental health is just as important as physical health. 

On a practical level people who are suffering with stress, depression or other mental health problems are unlikely to be productive and more likely to make errors.  However, it’s much more than trying to get more from your staff.  An employer that actively addresses mental health issues and makes an effort to promote a positive environment will always get the pick of the best employees and people will actually enjoy coming to work.

We see people suffering from burnout simply because they feel that they have to burn the candle at both ends to keep their jobs.  Ambition can put the blinkers on – until it’s too late and the damage is done.

These are our top tips to help your employees to maintain a good state of mental health.

1: Create a positive and supportive work culture

While you can’t force people to behave in a particular way, you can create an environment that is supportive, inclusive, and ensure that the workplace is where employees feel respected, safe and valued.

2: Offer mental health resources 

These might include employee assistance programmes, mental health hotlines, online therapy services, or other mental health benefits.  Everyone suffers from stress sometimes – and it may not be that work is the cause.  Being able to access someone to talk to confidentially, whether that’s a counsellor or a therapist is invaluable.  Most people are reluctant to talk to their boss, in case that damages their work relationship, so a third party option makes a significant difference.

3: Encourage work-life balance

It’s not the 1980s where working late, coming in early and taking no holidays was a badge of honour.  Today employers know that this just means they get a burst of action before each person burns out, sometimes in a spectacular fashion.  Instead, a good employer will encourage employees to take breaks – because that refreshes them and produces better outcomes.  They expect their team to take time off and establish boundaries between work and personal life.

4: Foster open communication

Open and honest communication between employees and their managers is the key to a workplace where everyone feels they have a voice and are valued.  That means that managers need to understand how to create a safe space where employees can discuss their mental health concerns. 

5: Train managers to recognise and address mental health concerns

It’s not just about asking ‘How’s it going?’, but about being genuinely interested in the people they manage.  Part of management training should include knowing how to spot signs of mental distress and what they can do to support and empathise with the team member that is suffering.

6: Promote healthy habits

Encourage healthy habits such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and mindfulness practices.  The Japanese have embraced this for decades with the whole company gathering for gentle exercise at the start of their working day.  You don’t have to do that, but there are plenty of things you can do from ensuring that the canteen, staff restaurant or even vending machines offer healthy options to starting a lunchbreak walking group.  Create a healthy company strategy.

7: Know what the triggers are

Take a good look at every part of your organisation.  What are the causes of stress?  What can be done to alleviate these?

8: Foster a sense of community

Being part of a team or a working group is a great way to help people deal with stress.  Encourage social interaction both at work and outside it to foster a sense of community.  The saying ‘The team that plays together, stays together’ is true – even Harvard Business School supports this!

9: Recognise and celebrate achievements

Celebrate employees’ achievements, don’t just assume that they know you’re pleased with their efforts, tell them.  If you recognise their hard work you’ll boost morale and create a positive work environment.

10: Get to know individuals

People are all different and what is stressful for one person may be an exciting challenge for another.  If your managers know the individual members of their team well, they’ll know what their goals and aspirations are and be able to provide the support and advice each person needs.

As an employer your employees’ mental health is critical to a sustainable, healthy organisation.  Applying these strategies will help you to create a positive work environment and grow a productive and engaged workforce.

Robin Damhar is CEO of Nest Healthcare, offering a range of therapies, treatments and professional development, both on an outpatient or inpatient basis.  www.nesthealthcare.co.uk.

When you enter the world of trading, it’s important to find a style that suits your personality. By doing this, you’ll improve your chances of long-term profitability. You’ll draw on your strengths and perform at your optimum. 

Before you get started investing in gold, stocks, crypto or any other asset, take some time to analyze who you are and how you prefer to operate in relation to the different styles of trading. 

Remember, there’s no right or wrong answer—but there’s one that’s the best fit for you.

The 4 Classic Styles And The Personality Traits That Complement Them

There are four main styles of trading and each one has its own pros and cons. 

The most important aspect to look at is if a style suits the way you like to do business and complements your overall personality. 

1. Scalping = Quick Decision Making

If you love making snap decisions and are good at confidently taking action fast, this is a great trading style for you. Scalping is when you hold your trades for short periods—sometimes a few minutes or only a few seconds. 

It’s a very active method of trading and requires you to be fairly ruthless in your decision making. Most swing traders will immediately leave a trade if it doesn’t show profitability in the first few moments. 

Scalping is all about instant gratification and instant switching.

Other personality traits required for this style include being able to focus on one thing at a time and not getting distracted easily. If you tend to daydream or know that your work time is often interrupted, scalping is not a viable option.

2. Day Trading = Completing The Task Today

This is a slightly slower style of trading compared to scalping, but it can require some snap, split-second decisions too. If you’re goal orientated and like to tick things off your to-do list, this is a great style of trading for you.

In day trading, you can hold your trade for as little as a few seconds or as long as the entire day. While you don’t have to make split-second decisions, you have to keep a close eye on trades to ensure you make your move at the most profitable point for that day.

With day trading, you start on a clean board at the beginning of the day and complete all of your trades before day end. 

The next morning, you start fresh again. 

You leave nothing open or active overnight. So, if you’re prone to monitoring movement and lose sleep worrying about what might happen, day trading is best.

3. Swing Trading = Holding Your Nerve

If you have a good level of patience and are happy to wait things out, then swing trading is tops.

There are very few snap decisions required, and you have time to breathe through your trades and watch the market change. However, you do have to be able to hold your nerve, be optimistic, and wait for the right moment to trade to come along.

In swing trading, traders usually wait at least one day before making a trade. And they can wait up to a week to find the sweet spot on a single trade. 

A swing trader will rarely make a move in less than 24 hours. 

This means you have to accept that downturns and upswings will occur that you cannot monitor. If this doesn’t bother you and you prefer a slower approach, this is the way to go. 

4. Position Trading = Foresight and Patience

If you like to think along the lines of the big picture and you have great patience, then position trading is the ideal fit. 

This really is the long game and you can hold trades for a few years before making a switch. The aim is to work in thousands of ticks and not tens or hundreds like you would in the faster styles of trading.

Position trading requires dedicated and extensive research so you can make solid bets on your stock purchases. The more research you do, the more confidence you can have that you’ll see a profit in the long run. 

To excel at this trading style, you need to have a personality that isn’t swayed by popular opinion and would rather research the facts and monitor changes yourself. This is a skill many entrepreneurs share, and it will stand you in good stead.

You will probably watch your trade rise and fall in value several times over the period you hold it. You need to set a mark for where you want it to end up and be prepared to wait for the stock to reach that price before you make any moves to sell. 

This approach takes patience and the ability to hold your nerve, no matter what other people say. It also requires good financial planning, sound knowledge of how to calculate profit margin, and excellent cash flow management skills, as you may wait a while before seeing a return. 

Testing Your Strategy

Once you’ve found a style that clicks with your personality, it’s time to build up a trading strategy. This will include:

• The type of stock you want to work with
• How much you want to spend on each session 
• What your stop loss order should be

Keep in mind that your stop loss will need to be larger for the longer trade periods. You’ll be allowing room for more fluctuations in price before you make your trade.

The next step is to test your strategy against historical data on the stock markets. This is an ongoing process and you should never test your strategy just once and then jump into making trades. Look at strategizing as an integral part of trading and incorporate it into whatever style you prefer.

Keep An Open Mind

It’s important to remember that your style of trading shouldn’t change with the fluctuating markets. Your strategy, on the other hand, can move, adapt and even change entirely over the years. This will all depend on the economy—both locally and internationally. 

Remember to keep reading about the market and keep checking that your strategy is suitable for the times. The better informed you are, the more profitable your trades should be.

HGM Consulting (HGMC) is a distinctive Canadian consultancy firm that infuses new life into businesses and enables them to expand and prosper. By offering comprehensive turn-key solutions, HGMC serves as a crucial resource for exporters and innovators, investors and investment recipients, seeking to build valuable partnerships and development strategies. In this article, we take a closer look at HGMC’s services and highlight Dr. Alexander S. Karapetov, who was recently awarded the title of the Most Influential Export & Investment Consultancy CEO 2023 (Ontario, Canada).

In today’s globalized business landscape, companies face a significant challenge when it comes to expanding into foreign markets through international trade and investment. The complexity of market entry strategies, particularly in the technology sector, can be overwhelming and require specialized knowledge and experience. This hurdle often leaves businesses feeling stuck and uncertain about how to proceed. Fortunately, well-established consulting firms have emerged as an invaluable asset for companies looking to navigate the intricacies of international trade and investment.

HGM Consulting (Canada) is an innovative leader – it holds the torch, leads the way, and even carves out a path between its clients and their desired market for investments, business innovations, and high-tech. Its expertise covers a plethora of areas such as economic diversification and international investment attraction; business innovation and related institutional development; commercialization of IP and technology transfer; international business and technology clustering; strategic planning and management; alongside risk management; organizational performance improvement; and much more.

As a strategic advisory, HGMC’s team members are more than employees – they are the very lifeblood of the business. The team at HGMC is made up of seasoned experts with a multidisciplinary background and tremendous international experience who each search for innovative solutions and sustainable ways of supporting their clients in their business ventures, including their export and investment projects. 

“The company is well-equipped to assist clients in conducting comprehensive quantitative and qualitative research, developing an investment and innovation strategy (including business planning and modelling, marketing, and related technology solutions), facilitating the investment negotiation process and in providing follow-up support in project/program design, planning, and implementation.”

Its services are well-defined, tangible, and intelligently packaged. HGMC has the innate ability to take on any project needed, and it truly knows how to navigate the turbulent waters of international investment, trade, and innovation. No matter the desired market in North America, Eastern Europe and the GCC region, or East and Central Asia, HGMC’s star-studded team can take on any challenge.

HGMC approaches every project in a bespoke manner. The company’s experts “diagnose the core problem and provide the right solution based on the integrated design that will define the right strategic target and cover all aspects essential for successful implementation – all concepts and tools critical for economic/business development and innovation”.

A lot of time is wasted when covering issues with what seems to be a one-size-fits-all approach. Whereas, with HGMC, even the most deeply rooted issue can be weeded out and cured with its tailor-made solutions.

“Broad knowledge of various markets within and outside North America, access to strategic business intelligence and to top-notch business professionals, expertise in export promotion, investment attraction and innovation enhancement, all distinguish HGM Consulting and make up the foundation for its clients’ success.”

As HGMC continues to commit itself to helping its clients in every way it can, its CEO and President, Dr. Alexander S. Karapetov consistently supports his team to do so. His professional credentials and the reputation of an influential CEO are greatly recognized by the company’s staff members, executive team, clients, and business partners, but his impact as the Most Influential Export & Investment Consultancy CEO 2023 is unparalleled.

Alexander has a wealth of strategy and management consulting experience stemming from decades of involvement in the trade. His insightful consulting skills ensure he always stays on top of his game, which inevitably guarantees a better future for all of HGMC’s clients.

Taking on each project as though it were his own, Alexander nurtures his client’s plan and transforms it so that their idea can become reality. Working in industrial investment and innovation management and international business and technology development for so many years has given Alexander a head start on the competition, making him a fantastic option if you are looking for an expert and an executive who is fully focused on understanding the trends and requirements within various investment and technology markets to ensure his clients’ success.

Alexander’s strategic economic development and management consulting skills have allowed him to make a name for himself, but his interpersonal and executive coaching skills make him truly unique as a CEO. Guiding his team and clients to success every day, Alexander’s leadership skills mimic his executive coaching approach and his personal philosophy, ensuring everyone feels seen and heard.

People celebrate Alexander’s leadership qualities and appreciate his deep experience. As just one shining example, Eugene Kritski, VP at GlobeScan Inc., said in his LinkedIn reference for Alexander, “I had a pleasure working with Dr. Alexander Karapetov on a couple of developmental projects. He showed himself as one of the most impressive executives I have ever worked with. His strategic and creative way of thinking is coupled with rich international experience in business consulting, export development, and international investments. He has a first-hand knowledge of many international markets in Europe and Asia and is a great networker and negotiator. He possesses an outstanding ability to combine a solid business intelligence and translate it into effective and well-balanced decisions and practical actions. Alexander is a talented and very reliable partner.” 

It is Alexander’s dedication to stellar teamwork and his continual professional and personal development, which make him a fantastic asset to any team he is part of. Alexander has now been recognised for his dedicated leadership and irreplaceable presence within HGMC.

“HGM Consulting is always interested in extending its horizons and is flexible in adapting to the needs of its clients. The company wants to thank all existing partners and invite those who can benefit from its assistance to reach out!”

Going forward, HGMC is set on its upward trajectory. Reliably acting as a strong, sturdy, and results-driven consulting firm with its feet firmly on the ground, HGM Consulting is a consultancy firm that will always bring success to its clients and business partners.

For further information, please contact Dr. Alexander S. Karapetov or visit https://hgmconsulting.ca/ 

Top tips from Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing

New research from the Mental Health Foundation to tie in with Mental Health Awareness Week has revealed six out of ten UK adults have experienced anxiety that interfered with their daily lives in the past two weeks.  Other data from Mental Health UK suggests 1 in 8 people (over 8 million) are living with anxiety disorder at any one time.

To help employees suffering from anxiety, Emma Capper, UK Wellbeing Leader at Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing (HEBW), is urging businesses to normalise conversations about anxiety and to recognise that if someone is suffering from anxiety it can manifest itself in physical symptoms, as well as cognitive symptoms.

For example, The Health and Safety Executive highlights that stress, depression or anxiety and musculoskeletal disorders accounted for most days lost due to work-related ill health in 2021/22, 17.0 million and 7.3 million respectively. On average, each person suffering took around 16.5 days off work.

Emma Capper said: “Most people experience symptoms of stress or anxiety at some point in the lives; however, an anxiety disorder can affect people’s ability to work or live their life to the full. This can have a huge impact on business leading to periods of absence, a lack of productivity and effect the wider team. Understanding that symptoms can be both physical and mental is important as it may be that some of the physical conditions or reasons for workplace absence being reported in the business or being experienced by individuals are routed in anxiety.

“The symptoms can range from headaches, nausea and a racing heart rate to difficulty concentrating, uncontrollable overthinking and trouble sleeping. Left untreated people can be susceptible to a whole range of more serious conditions from chronic pain and musculoskeletal disorders to cardio, respiratory and immune system problems. However, treating the physical symptoms will only help to a degree as unless employers treat the root cause of the issue, the anxiety, and what is causing this the individual will not be able to recover as they will experience repeated flare-ups when feeling anxious.

“In Mental Health Awareness week, we encourage employers to open the conversation around anxiety to encourage people to speak up if they are feeling stressed or experiencing anxiety symptoms. This can enable employers to step in and offer support if needed, before problems escalates into something more serious.”

Other top tips on how employers can help include:

Ease of use and clear communication is key – ensuring that all employees know where and how to access support, particularly line managers who will likely be the affected employees’ first port of call is essential. There is no point spending budget on support if no one knows about it. Keeping language simple, clear and jargon free is important too.

Create a warm and open culture – it is important employees feel comfortable talking about their anxiety. This starts from the top down and is very dependent on the culture of the business. A culture where trust, respect and psychological safety are at its core will more naturally mean that people feel empowered to speak out and share experiences. This creates a positive snowball effect with people hearing others speaking about their struggles and how they overcome them, inspiring them to do the same and to seek appropriate clinical support or coping mechanisms.

Offer benefits and services – there a wide range of benefits and services designed to support and potentially treat individuals suffering from anxiety and/or the physical symptoms of this. These could include access to Private Medical Insurance (PMI) or added value services through a Group Income Protection policy. It could also include counselling or short-term therapy through an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or access to a virtual GP (General Practitioner) for clinical advice.

Do you want to invest your hard-earned money successfully? Is maximizing your return on investment a top priority when it comes to making the most of your resources? If so, diversification is a strategy that needs to be part of your portfolio.

Today, we’ll discuss the importance of diversifying investments as part of a comprehensive financial plan, what types of investments are good candidates for diversification, and how best to go about implementing this technique into active portfolios.

What is Diversification and Why is it Important in Investing Strategies?

Diversification is a term commonly used in investing that refers to spreading out your investment portfolio across a variety of different assets, industries, and geographic regions in an effort to limit risk.

The idea behind diversification is simple: by investing in a diverse range of assets, you reduce your exposure to any single asset class or market, which can help minimize the impact of market volatility and fluctuations.

Diversification is important because it helps investors avoid over-concentration in any one area, which can prove disastrous in the event of a market downturn. By taking a diversified approach to investing, you can potentially enjoy greater stability and consistency in your investment returns over time.

Different Types of Assets and Their Role in Diversity

While many may think of assets as simply being physical possessions, there are actually several categories of assets, including financial, real estate, intellectual, and personal.

Each type of asset has varying levels of risk and reward, and diversifying your portfolio with a mix of assets can lead to greater stability and growth over time. By fully comprehending the nature of each asset category, investors are able to make informed decisions that align with their long-term financial goals.

Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just starting out, knowledge of the diverse range of assets available to you is key to building a successful financial future.

Benefits of Diversifying Your Investment Portfolio

Diversification is the key to building a healthy investment portfolio. Investing all your money in one stock may seem tempting, but it can be a risky move. By spreading your investments across different asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, real estate, and commodities, you lower your exposure to any one particular asset class.

Diversification helps you avoid the risk of losing everything if one investment goes south. It also helps hedge against inflation, balances your returns, and increases your chances of profit. By diversifying your investment portfolio, you’re maximizing your chances of financial success and minimizing your risk.

Mistakes to Avoid When Creating an Investment Portfolio

Investing can be a tricky business, and creating the perfect investment portfolio is no easy feat. It requires research, skill, and a bit of intuition. However, there are some common mistakes that investors make when putting together their portfolios.

One of these mistakes is failing to diversify. Another is getting caught up in the hype around certain investments, which can lead to poor decision making. Lastly, failing to rebalance a portfolio can lead to it becoming too heavily weighted in one area.

Tips for Developing a Successful and Balanced Investment Plan

Developing a successful and balanced investment plan requires careful planning and consideration of many factors. First, it’s important to set realistic goals and expectations. Determine your risk tolerance and investment objectives. Consider factors such as your financial situation, time horizon, and liquidity needs.

Next, research investment options and diversify your portfolio across different asset classes. This will help minimize risk and maximize returns over the long term. Remember to regularly monitor and adjust your investment plan as necessary based on changes in your financial situation or market conditions.

FAQ

What is interest in investment?

Interest refers to the cost of borrowing money, typically represented as a percentage rate over a specific period – that’s a simple explanation of interest in investment.

What is an example of investment interest?

Investment interest expenses occur when you borrow money for the sole purpose of investing in property. For instance, if you borrowed $5,000 against your home equity to purchase stocks, the interest on that loan is considered an investment interest.

Which type of investment is most diversified?

Investors typically diversify their portfolios by allocating funds across an array of asset classes, including equities, fixed income, real estate, and digital currency.

Welcome to the May 2023 issue of CEO Monthly.

As always, CEO Monthly is dedicated to providing the latest news and features across the business world to our readership. By sharing knowledge, insights, expertise and success stories from around the globe, we aim to inspire individuals and promote positivity in a world that is in a constant state of evolution.

It’s been one rainy May here in the UK, with the wet weather having tried its hardest to dampen the King’s coronation celebrations – but us Brits are resilient and it didn’t stop us venturing out to a nearby street party. Indeed, we have been grinning and bearing the rain, and we are finally making it to the other side, where the sun is beginning to break through and the rainy days are a thing of the past.

Now, this month’s cover feature is Aizad Hussain, CEO of Sprint Logistics, a company which provides inbound freight, storage kitting, picking, packing, and shipping of hundreds of thousands of packages each year. Aizad has transformed Sprint Logistics into a leading logistics provider, continuing to guide his expert team to deliver the most outstanding customer experience with great speed, flexibility, and innovativeness.

Also in this issue, we are excited to be featuring behemoth advertising agency, Ogilvy, which is led by CEO, Antonis Kocheilas. Having contributed to the growth of major brands, Dove, IBM, Coca Cola, Nestle, and others, we discover Antonis and his team’s secret sauce for getting a brand’s message out there – while making an impact.

We hope you find this issue to be inspiring and insightful, and wish you a wonderful month ahead!

Against the backdrop of an extremely tough year for the country, workers are facing a mental health recession and taking more time off due to mental health.

A study conducted by Westfield Health found that on average employees take a week off work due to their mental health. Despite this, the majority of workers (66%) aren’t accessing any mental health support.

Unfortunately, the study also revealed there is little sign of things improving, with 46% of those surveyed feeling their mental wellbeing will not improve in the next year.

Businesses have committed to tackling the problem, they are spending more money on wellbeing, with 42% of businesses increasing their wellbeing spending in 2022 and nearly a half expecting to further increase it in 2023. Despite this, more than half (56%) of workers with access to wellbeing support at work do not use it.

This is resulting in a wellbeing gap as mental health worsens but businesses are still not seeing engagement with the support they offer. Westfield Health warns that spending wisely is more important than spending more, especially as budgets are squeezed.

To tackle the mental health recession employers need a strong wellbeing strategy focused on what employees need. Unless the support offered by businesses has an impact, the crisis will continue to spiral and ultimately affect talent retention and the bottom line for businesses.

Commenting on this, Vicky Walker, Group Director of People at Westfield Health, says: “While it’s encouraging that businesses recognise the importance of wellbeing at work, the decline in workers’ mental health across the country is cause for concern and needs action.

“Many businesses are planning on spending more on wellbeing in 2023, but budget worries are on the horizon. Our research found that the top barrier for HR teams investing more in wellbeing was a lack of budget. It’s not just about what you spend, it’s about how you spend it.

“To avoid the wellbeing gap worsening, businesses need to get strategic. To get the most out of their investments, employers need to have a wellbeing strategy that’s effective, measurable and impactful with engagement from employees. Without a strategy, their efforts may go to waste.”

One of the top reasons why employees are not engaging with their employer’s wellbeing support is due to a lack of two-way communication. The research found that 41% of employees were not being asked to input into their workplace’s wellbeing strategy and only half (51%) feel their manager is there for wellbeing support.

Vicky continues: “Businesses need to do more with less this year and that means there is added pressure to prove a return on investment for employee wellbeing. Our research found that only 43% of workers said their employer had a wellbeing strategy or measured wellbeing.

“Employee wellbeing is hanging in the balance as mental health worsens which will inevitable hit productivity and bottom lines. Creating an employee wellbeing strategy is the most effective way for businesses to help their people through this.”

With communication and support being key, Vicky shares the steps to what an ideal wellbeing strategy should involve:

1. Engage with employees and collect data – ask them how they feel about what they need to improve their wellbeing, the organisation’s culture, values and their wellbeing at work to identify areas of concern for the organisation;
2. Identify themes and objectives;
3. Review against business priorities;
4. Create or update wellbeing strategy;
5. Implement and monitor the strategy.

“It’s important to continually review your strategy, it’s a cycle, not a linear process. So when step five is underway, it’s time to return back to step one and repeat the process again and again.

“Measuring your wellbeing strategy’s success is what will lead to real engagement from employees. This, in turn, leads to a return on investment. At a time when HR needs to prove an impact, and balance budgets and wellbeing, the importance of strategy can’t be ignored.”

In today’s digital world, CEOs must embrace digital transformation to stay competitive and succeed in their business. With new technologies emerging, businesses must adapt quickly to meet evolving customer needs.

Digital transformation involves the integration of modern technology into all areas of a business. This includes using technology to create innovative business models, processes, and customer experiences. This article will detail why digital transformation is essential for CEOs to stay ahead of the curve.

Understanding Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is all about integrating digital technology into all parts of a business. This could be anything from IT infrastructure to giving customers the option to use their own mobile devices to access services. Ultimately, it’s all about adapting to the modern customer’s evolving desires and remaining one step ahead of the competition.

Digital transformation also involves a cultural shift within the organization. It requires a willingness to embrace change and continuously improve processes in response to customer feedback and market trends. Digital transformation involves a wide range of technologies such as:

• Artificial intelligence
• Machine learning
• Cloud computing
• Data analytics
• The Internet of things

Strategy and Planning

Navigating change can be difficult, and digital transformation requires a detailed plan and direction to succeed. To put your organization in a leading position, it is critical to identify which areas of your business would benefit most from digital transformation and make them a priority.

Upgrading to modern technologies, simplifying operations, and optimizing customer service through digital means can benefit your organization. A plan of action with clear objectives can help minimize potential risks and ensure your business’s success.

Customer Behaviour and Preferences

The world has seen the development of technologies and communication costs decrease. This has resulted in shorter product life cycles. It means that customers’ preferences and desires always shift. To meet customer needs, businesses must embrace digital strategies and analytics data.

Enhancing Operational Efficiency and Effectiveness

Running operations efficiently is an integral part of any successful business. Cost savings can be achieved through effective management of daily activities. Innovation in operations also helps companies reach revenue goals. For example, Walmart has mastered its operational strategy.

Walmart decided to stop storing products in its warehouses and source directly from suppliers. This strategy enabled Walmart to save money. However, the success of this plan depends on technology. Digitalizing the process of ordering, delivery and other tasks involved in the supply chain streamlines operations, making them more effective and efficient.

Digital Transformation Provides a Competitive Advantage

As technology advances, industries such as healthcare, finance, and manufacturing face disruption due to artificial Intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things. In the near future, traditional methods of doing business will no longer be the best option to address technological disruption challenges. However, investing in a digital transformation strategy sets you apart from your competition.

Enhance Employee Productivity

Digitization can boost business and employee effectiveness. In organizations that still rely on traditional methods, employees often become overworked and output decreases. Digital transformation can improve productivity.

For instance, in a non-profit organization that relies on paper-based processes, employees can struggle to store, find, and retrieve information when needed. Digitization can solve many issues that arise when completing tasks. This allows employees to concentrate on the results of the processes instead of being confused.

How Can CEOs Embrace Digital Transformation?

To effectively lead an organization through digital transformation, CEOs must understand the technology behind it. They should keep up to date with technological advancements and trends. Once they have a solid understanding of technology, they should set a clear vision for digital transformation.

Digital transformation requires a culture of innovation and experimentation. CEOs should encourage their employees to try challenging tasks and embrace failure as a learning opportunity. CEOs should build a digital ecosystem that includes partnerships, collaborations, and technology platforms that drive innovation and growth.

Digital transformation requires skilled workers. CEOs should invest in talent development programs and provide employees with the necessary training to acquire the skills they need to thrive in the digital age. CEOs should foster a culture that values diversity, inclusion, and creativity. By embracing digital transformation, CEOs can drive growth, and increase productivity.

One important aspect of digital transformation is leveraging social media platforms like tiktok to reach a wider audience and build a strong online presence. With the explosive growth of TikTok followers, CEOs can use this platform to showcase their company’s brand, culture, and values to a younger demographic.

Endnote

Digital transformation is necessary for CEOs who want their businesses to thrive in today’s digital age. By embracing digital transformation, CEOs can optimize their operations, gain valuable insights from data, and provide a better customer experience. Implementing digital transformation requires significant investments in time, money, and resources. Start today and make digital transformation a top priority and start planning for your business.

Following the pandemic, the way we see work has changed. During the lockdowns and restrictions, we were forced to switch things up, with meetings taking place remotely and regular working hours being done from home. In the years that have followed, we have seen a shift to more flexible working with hybrid and remote jobs becoming the norm.

As we were forced to stay home and manage to work how we could throughout the pandemic, the workforce’s view of work also changed, with more people valuing a work-life balance over higher pay and other perks. Now we are seeing an influx of companies moving to the four-day workweek. With this new schedule and new ways of working, how can managers and senior-level members manage the four-day workweek?

The Move To The Four-Day Week

As more and more companies move to a shorter week, it is likely to become the norm, especially following the success of the recent UK four-day workweek trial. The trail, which saw 60 businesses from all over the UK trail the four-day week in the largest test of its kind, resulted in 90% of the participating companies continuing with this working schedule. The trial, which ran from June to December last year, found that staff were less stressed and their mental and physical health noticeably improved.

Employees were not the only ones to benefit from this change, in fact, companies that took part in the trial actually cited no loss in profits and better company culture. The benefits of good company culture cannot be understated. Businesses that prioritise making their employees happy and ensuring employee engagement outperform their competitors.

How To Ensure A Smooth Transition

For the many benefits of the four-day working week, it doesn’t mean that it is an easy transition. In today’s society, the two-day weekend has become highly normalised and it can be difficult for employees and employers to make the change. As I have made the switch for myself and my business, I can share some steps to ensure a smooth switch to a four-day week.

Lead By Example

For years, the business attitude has commonly been ‘work hard, play hard’ as managers and senior-level executives push themselves and employees to work long hours and outside of the required hours. If companies want to reap the rewards of the four-day week, they must lead by example and switch off outside of work.

Make Sure It Works For Everyone

When making a large change such as this in your workplace, you have to consider the individual. Some people may not suit working the four-day week and this could cause stress and worry among these employees. At Truly, we have allowed people to opt-in to work on a Friday to pick up anything they haven’t been able to finish in the week, or if they would like to earn some extra money in the current climate. 

Offer Up Flexibility

Although I truly believe the four-day workweek will become the norm everywhere, it simply won’t work in every industry. In sectors such as hospitality and retail, it simply may not be possible. However, there are other ways to offer your staff flexibility. Opening up communication with your staff and enabling shift swapping, hybrid work where possible and being adaptable to your employee’s needs is essential.

In Conclusion

The modern workforce now values work-life balance above all else. After staying in during lockdown and adapting to a more flexible working life, the next logical step is to have a more balanced workweek. Companies must change to future-proof their business, attract and retain staff and create a better company culture.

Ruth Zawoda-Clea, CEO of Truly Content Ltd.Ruth Zawoda Clea founded Truly Content Ltd. alongside her sister, Alice Zawoda in 2014, combining their expert knowledge of branding and SEO. The business now provides its clients with the best digital marketing strategy possible alongside many other services from content, design, compliance, and more.

For over 20 years, Iain Johnson has been sharing his strategies and vision for architecture, marine and interior design with the industry. And, through his brilliant leadership and incredible insight into how to best navigate this juggernaut of an industry, Iain has been able to establish a name for himself as a man whose ambition knows no bounds. With three brands all operating alongside Allect Design Group, Iain has accomplished his goal of redefining luxury, and has already transitioned to paving the way towards design perfection. We explore how Iain manages these brands, alongside Allect Design Group, and how he’s been able to expertly cultivate a portfolio of unparalleled luxury.

CEO of both Allect Design Group and Rigby & Rigby, Iain Johnson has proven again and again that he is a man of incredible prowess and has a superb eye for the finer things in life. With his wealth of expertise, and years of leadership experience, he’s been able to share his visions with clients across the globe, assisting each and every one in constructing a project that is both personalised and positively lavish. No matter the space, Allect Design Group, Rigby & Rigby, Helen Green, and Lawson Robb are able to outfit it with the true definition of luxury.

Of course, each brand has its own unique style, whilst still maintaining Allect Design Group’s aspiration to design liveable luxury spaces that are functional and timeless for its clients. As such, it works in tandem with these three brands to promote their identities and oversee the creative development of each project they may undertake. This keen insight, and expert understanding of every crucial detail that goes into the design process, is what’s enabled Allect Design Group to create exceptional residences of the utmost quality and style.

In addition to the stunning interiors that Allect Design Group is able to design for its clients, Iain ensures that, above all else, your individual intentions for your property are fully catered to. With such a star-studded range of brands under its watch, Allect Design Group has every tool necessary to envelop you in luxury, and will work in collaboration with its clients to suit their every need. Throughout the entire process, you will be the one approving every step, all so your vision, partnered with Allect Design Group’s expert design team’s skillsets, can become a tangible reality.

And, with Iain’s vast expanse of design experience, you’ll never find yourself stuck for ideas. As the CEO of Rigby & Rigby, Iain has already garnered a fantastic reputation. Rigby & Rigby, one of the brands that assisted in founding Allect Design Group, is a London-based designer that offers a holistic approach to design. It believes that clients deserve to be able to utilise their dream properties the moment the building process is complete and designs its projects accordingly.

Clients can be certain that, upon completion, their new space will be outfitted with every necessary measure to ensure a comfortable, luxurious living space that’ll transport you to a brand-new way of life. Its aim is to create the most exceptional properties in the world, and this goal is accomplished with each project it completes. None of which would be possible without Iain’s fantastic leadership and impressive imagination.

However, if you’re wanting to experiment with colour and boldness, Lawson Robb, another of Allect Design Group’s three founding members, will be able to implement a vast array of shapes, colours and decorative details in order to produce results unlike anything ever seen before. And, under Iain’s watchful eye, you’ll be whisked into a design that is both sleek and eye-catching. Nothing will be able to compare to the vivid and contemporary ideas that the team will be able to produce for you, and you’ll have a clear understanding of any materials, quirky shapes and organic textures that Lawson Robb may utilise throughout the design process. If you can imagine it, Iain can oversee the entire project to ensure you’re getting exactly what you want.

Though Allect Design Group and its brands operate internationally, on a variety of interiors, what if you’re wanting a property that adheres to traditional British elegance? The final brand that unites the trinity of Allect Design Group’s founding members, Helen Green, specialises in comprehensive luxury interior designs that focuses on combining British architecture with modern luxury. It’s synonymous with creating multi-layered interiors, with its residences each adopting a personal approach that’ll have you feeling as in control as the design team is. And, with personalised levels of service offered to private clients, Helen Green, alongside Allect Design Group, is able to put the ‘personal’ in ‘personal space’.

Iain Johnson truly is a remarkable man, with both a knack for interior design, and a mastery of customer service. Each client he works with will feel as valued as the next, and such a service lends itself to Iain’s most recent award title of Most Influential International Interior Design Group CEO of the Year 2023 – London. Iain’s prowess in the field is second to none within London, and his definition of luxury will match yours, regardless of your request.

From properties to yachts, Iain has a keen awareness of how to establish a lavish design that caters to your every desire and will do so with intense passion. Above all else, Iain’s dedication to his clients’ experiences is what allows him to truly enrich their journeys, and Allect Design Group acts as a fantastic conduit for his devotion to the craft. If it’s a luxury interior that you’re looking for, born from the mind of a man who has you at the forefront of the creative process, there’s no person better for the job than Iain. He’ll ensure you exit the process with a property that’s unlike any other in the world and will do so with an unrivalled devotion to your satisfaction. Perfection has never been so easy to achieve.

For business enquiries, contact Iain Johnson from Allect Design Group on their website – https://allect.com/

Change and Transformation affects every organisation. All change is ‘Business Change,’ irrespective of whether it’s enabled by technology, the people side of change, or regulatory requirement. However, this does not mean every organisation keeps the required resource and capability in-house to deliver their change and transformation successfully.

Project One is a leading, independent, business transformation consultancy, led by CEO James O’Sullivan, who this month has been named the ‘Most Influential Business Transformation CEO of the Year 2023 – London’. Celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2023, Project One is a challenger brand to the traditional large-scale global consultancies, with an operating model that focuses only on leading change and transformation delivery.

In this feature, we learn more about the consulting industry and how organisations benefit from partnering with boutique consultancies like Project One to make real change happen and make a real difference to their businesses and their customers.

Consulting is an industry that follows the oscillations of the global macro-economic conditions. In 2018 and 2019, the industry was impacted by the non-committal nature of the Brexit negotiations, as organisations slowed their change agenda until they had clarity around whether the UK were leaving the EU trading block. In 2020 and 2021, COVID-19 impacted the industry as some organisations closed their doors, whilst others ran slower than planned with their change agenda as they negotiated the pandemic.

The impact to consultancies of such events is both positive and negative, simply by the nature of what they do for a living and the service they provide their customers, in both good times and bad. Established in 1998, Project One has 25 years of experience in observing the continuous oscillations that come with the industry. There have been significant technology developments in the last two decades, and the role of Project One is to support their customers in remaining relevant and competitive.

Chances are, if you’re a business of any significant size, you’ve encountered the need to change or transform. Every industry is constantly changing, adapting, and adopting to new developments in products, services and underlying technology solutions. The need to transform your business to suit these emerging demands can become complex and requires a clear shared vision.

Aligning all aspects of your business towards much-needed change can feel challenging. Project One looks to address this issue by making what appears complex, more simple. Large-scale, global organisations such as AstraZeneca, BAE Systems, IAG, Rolls-Royce, Unilever and VMO2, to name a few, trust Project One to help them change and transform their business.

Dedicated to making change and transformation delivery as simple as possible for their customers, Project One approaches change from the Boardroom down, building long-term, trusted relationships with their C-Suite customers. A key differentiator for Project One is that every consultant has significant change leadership experience to work at this senior level. The benefit to their customers is that they can draw on the combined experience of what is likely the largest team of change leaders in the UK, bringing this added value to every conversation.

James commented, “No person is an island, and no consultancy can be a success based on the critical few. The beating heart of Project One is our people, they are our business asset, and our continued success and growth is based upon the ‘power of the team.’ Whilst we all have our own individual roles to play, accountabilities and responsibilities to deliver upon and live up to, the collective power that we bring to bear for our customers through our collaboration is tantamount to our success and that of our customers.”

One aspect that makes Project One stand out in a competitive market is their experienced CEO, James. After working in the business change industry for nearly 30 years, he has an unwavering passion for finding a solution to complex business problems and is most at home when sat with his customers, in front of a whiteboard with a pen in his hand.

James continues to build and grow the reputation of this award-winning business, earned over the past 25 years. Taking and blending an innovative approach, alongside respecting the heritage, ensures that his team remains happy, productive and celebrate successes along the way.

Different to larger consultancies, this is consulting for grown-ups. His consulting team has no traditional performance management, balance scorecards or sales targets, just a pure focus on their customers’ change delivery agenda. This enables an astounding rate of productivity that’ll serve his customers well during their business change and transformation.

One long standing customer, Global CIO, said, “Having a small team from Project One in our business creates a community of excellence. They’re all a certain standard of capability, drawing on their experience to join the dots. This is why I repeatedly choose Project One.”

Above all else, Project One sticks to their values and has done since 1998, making the complex simple is what Project One truly excels at to stand out amongst the rest. Transforming your business doesn’t need to be complicated or intimidating, and Project One will be there to support you.

Thanks to their incredible CEO, Project One has become something truly special. With James O’Sullivan’s fantastic leadership skills and dedication to his customer’s satisfaction, Project One is a brilliant company to work alongside. No matter your challenge, or your change and transformation agenda, no transformation partner will be better for you than Project One. After all, with an award-winning CEO at the helm, there isn’t much that Project One can’t do.

For business enquiries, contact Hayley Saich from Project One via email – [email protected], LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/company/ project-one-ltd or on their website – https://projectone.com

An amplified focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors, the rise of social media and instant communication resulting in the rapid and easy spread of good or bad, accurate or inaccurate information, and the effect of the pandemic where leaders had to communicate effectively in rapidly changing and difficult to predict circumstances has led to an increase in businesses now opting to choose transparency over opacity.

According to  Edelman’s 2021 trust-barometer CEO’s credibility was at all-time lows in several countries, including Japan (18 per cent) and France (22 per cent), when leaders were, and are facing acute global business challenges, impacting engagement, loyalty and retention. Research by Sprout Social found that 86% of respondents believe transparency in business is “more important than ever before.”  One survey found that workplace transparency is the number-one factor in employee satisfaction. A 2020 study by The Conference Board revealed that companies with high levels of transparency and accountability were more likely to outperform competitors in terms of financial performance.

Thom Dennis, CEO of culture change and leadership specialists, Serenity in Leadership explains: “Whilst not all information in business can be readily available to anyone who may desire it, the most obvious example of which is as part of compliance during mergers and acquisitions, many business leaders are increasingly choosing to share more information to build or in some cases rebuild trust. The old-school mindset that information should be provided on a need-to-know basis is increasingly being replaced with a mantra of ‘let’s be transparent unless we really can’t”. This means the door is open unless there is a good reason for it to be closed, not vice versa.  

“Many businesses are opting for a new transparent business model. B-Corps are very likely to be more open as they prioritise their social and environmental performance and their guiding principles are of continued improvement and balancing the interests of shareholders with the interests of their workers, customers, community and the environment.”

The advantages of transparency

If we are fearful about what is going on behind closed doors then work efficiency will be impacted.  If we are worrying about job security and whether we are going to be able to pay our bills then productivity, creativity and retention are likely to unravel. Fear of the unknown often has a greater detrimental impact on employees than bad news.  Surveys have repeatedly shown that employees would prefer to work for a company that values open communication and transparency, even if it means sharing bad news.  86% of respondents in the Sprout Social survey said they would be more likely to give a business with a good history of transparency a second chance, and 89% said if a business was completely transparent about a mistake they could still regain their trust.

Dennis says: “Secretiveness fast-tracks workers to be more wary and suspicious, and encourages them to make assumptions, jump to conclusions, ruminate or hypothesise. Conversely, if leaders are clear on the company’s purpose, and employees are part of what is going on, morale and communication will likely be stronger. 

“Information is power so there is always the possibility of the abuse but there are countless benefits to better transparency including fairer pay and reduced miscommunication. When there is a withholding of information, assumptions will be made but with transparency comes fewer barriers, better inclusion, improved reputation, more accountability amongst leaders, and improved loyalty and credibility. Enhanced psychological safety is another benefit with employees feeling an increased sense of security whilst organisations that prefer opaqueness create silos which lead to poor communication.  

“Through being open and honest, and sharing information at all levels, transparency can help foster a culture of accountability and responsibility and trust.  It can then pay off at an organisational level by reducing interpersonal conflicts and is a critical factor in creating an inclusive work culture.”

Thom Dennis shares 10 ways to authentically build transparency and trust in the workplace:-

1. Publish the figures and numbers. Share information openly to improve organisational alignment, communication, inclusion and problem-solving. Clarify company purpose, goals and strategies to share the big picture.

2. Show vulnerability. Leaders in high-trust workplaces who ask for help from colleagues rather than telling them what to do will build credibility and encourage collaboration and cooperation.
3. Challenge yourself. Ask yourself what do you know that other people don’t know and is there a good reason for that? Share your information and knowledge and keep your team and colleagues informed.

4. Check power play. Don’t allow abuse of power to affect your businesses purpose and objectives through cover-ups or secrets.

5. Create a safe space. Through deep listening and open communication a safe culture can be created, enabling people to feel free to express ideas and be innovative together rather than creating opportunities for misunderstandings or conflict.

6. Provide channels for communication. Whenever possible, allow employees to guide or have a meaningful say in the direction of the company.

7. Open your doors. Leaders need to walk about and be genuinely interested in all levels of the business and welcome ideas and respectful opinions. Developing healthy habits of regular feedback and an authentic and approachable leadership team encourages trust, reliability and transparency.

8. Be accountable. Being more open encourages accountability and responsibility. Trust and integrity are built on honesty even if it means admitting mistakes and being accountable.

9. Collaborate. Encourage colleagues to collaborate and communicate to develop and improve productivity and engagement in organisations. Trust allows for more effective collaboration and communication between teams, partners, and clients who can more freely exchange and develop ideas.

10. Lead by example. If leaders model good behaviour and live by the purpose and aims of the organisation they will improve levels of trust.

Open banking has emerged as one of the most significant developments in the financial services industry in recent years. With open banking, third-party providers can access financial data and services through APIs, allowing for greater innovation and competition in the market. This has led to the rise of many fintech startups that are leveraging open banking to create new products and services.

What is Open Banking?

Open banking is a system that allows third-party providers to access financial data and services through APIs. This means that customers can share their financial data with other organizations, such as fintech startups or other banks, which can then use that data to provide new financial products and services.

Open banking was introduced in response to the increasing digitization of the financial services industry, as well as the growing demand for more personalized and innovative financial products. By allowing third-party providers to access financial data, open banking creates a more competitive market, which can lead to better services and lower costs for consumers.

There are two main types of open banking: regulatory and voluntary. Regulatory open banking is mandated by government regulations, such as the EU’s PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2), which requires banks to provide third-party providers with access to customer data through APIs. Voluntary open banking, on the other hand, is when banks choose to offer API access to third-party providers on their own accord, without any regulatory mandate.

How Fintech Startups are Using Open Banking to Create Innovative Financial Products and Services

One such fintech startup is Exactly, which offers a range of open banking services to businesses. Their open banking platform enables businesses to connect to their customers’ bank accounts and access real-time data, enabling them to provide more personalized and relevant financial products and services. Additionally, Exactly’s payment gateway and payment processing services enable businesses to easily accept payments online, and GoCardless.com allows to offer recurring payments and instant bank pay options.

GoCardless, on the other hand, focuses specifically on recurring payments and direct debits. Their instant bank pay product enables businesses to offer their customers a fast and seamless way to make payments directly from their bank accounts. Meanwhile, their recurring payments product allows businesses to set up and manage regular payments, making it ideal for subscription-based businesses.

Other fintech startups to watch in the open banking space include:

1. Tink: This Sweden-based fintech startup offers an open banking platform that allows businesses to access financial data from across Europe, making it easier to provide personalized financial products and services.

2. Railsbank: Railsbank is a UK-based fintech startup that offers a range of open banking services, including account management, card issuance, and payment processing.

3. TrueLayer: TrueLayer is a UK-based fintech startup that offers a range of open banking APIs, including payment initiation, account information, and authentication.

Overall, the open banking space is rapidly evolving, with new fintech startups emerging all the time. Exactly and GoCardless are just two examples of fintech startups that are leveraging open banking to create innovative new products and services. As the industry continues to grow, it will be interesting to see what other new startups emerge and how they will shape the future of financial services.

Businesses and organizations must comply with several regulations to ensure the proper functioning of their activities. Not following these rules can expose you to different types of legal problems that are better avoided. Keeping track of all these rules can be hard. That’s why we have created a compliance audit checklist to make your life easier.

Complying with labour laws

Every employer must abide by labour laws. Their goal is to guarantee workers’ fair treatment and well-being.

Payment of prevailing wage rates – This rule requires contractors and subcontractors hired for any type of public work to pay the prevailing wage rate determined by state or local rules and be aware of rate changes that may occur during the project period.

Labour law posters – Federal law requires businesses to display certain posters in a visible location. These posters should give information on employees’ rights on issues like minimum wage, overtime pay, and anti-discrimination.

Form I-9 employment eligibility verification – It’s an employer’s duty to use this form with the goal of verifying employees’ identity and their eligibility for work in the United States.

EEOC – The rules enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission are aimed at protecting employees from any form of discrimination. The EEOC mandates that businesses must set up policies that prohibit discrimination in hiring and promotion processes. Moreover, they must provide equal pay and work opportunities regardless of a person’s background.

Complying with health and safety regulations

It’s an employer’s responsibility to look after the health and safety of its employers. Some regulations deal with this topic directly.

OSHA standards – The standards imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration require businesses to provide a safe work environment to their workforce. Employers must offer proper training, protective gear, and information on safety hazards.

FMLA – Based on the Family Medical Leave Act, organizations must provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for specific medical reasons, such as the serious illness of immediate family members and childbirth.

Complying with physical security regulations

Employers must enforce physical security measures to protect their employees from damage. Some of these measures are mandatory, such as fire safety regulations, putting in place procedures to respond to emergencies, and the use of video security systems in certain industries, like banks, restaurants, retail stores, and other businesses that serve the public need.

Complying with data security requirements

Another set of requirements businesses must abide by has to do with data security. Let’s dig into the most important ones.

DLP – This requirement is known as data loss prevention and requires businesses to set up policies that prevent unauthorized transfer or sharing of confidential data.

FIPS compliance – FIPS security (FIPS) stands for Federal Information Processing Standard. It refers to a set of regulations aimed at ensuring that sensitive data are stored and transmitted safely.

IRP – Businesses must have an incident response plan in place. This plan outlines how the organization will respond in case of a security system breach.

Complying with corporate governance rules

Lastly, businesses must comply with various governance rules aimed at ensuring they operate legally and ethically. Let’s review the most important ones:

Businesses must hold their meetings as required by law or bylaws.Pecuniary transactions and relationships with non-executive directors must be disclosed in the annual report.Businesses should develop an effective investor relations program in order to promote transparency and effective communications with shareholders.Businesses should evaluate internal control systems for adequacy in their annual report.The board of directors should review the risk management framework on a regular basis and take corrective action as needed.

Coaching for performance is common in the workplace, but coaching to enhance wellbeing is less well-known.  However, it’s essential to address your team’s wellbeing to ensure they continue to perform well at work.  That means wellbeing coaching should be a key part of every employee’s development.

Let’s be honest – anyone who is over-stressed, depressed, feeling put-upon or simply stuck in a rut is not going to perform at their best.  It’s the part of the management team’s role to be aware of the mental health of their team members and to take positive action, sooner rather than later.  If you wait until things start to come apart at the seams it’s going to be an uphill struggle to get an individual back on track.

The effects of just one person having to deal with wellbeing issues can affect the whole team and the business too.  It may require time off work for that person to regroup and that means their work will need to be done by others, either by sharing it out among the current team or recruiting a temporary member of staff – with all the additional work it takes to get them up to speed.

The danger is that other team members then get over-stressed and burnout can race through the team like wildfire.

Look after your assets

Employees are assets.  They are the variable that can help the company to be an enormous success – or cause it to struggle.  Every member of the team needs to be fully engaged for the team to really perform at the top of its game – and that situation is rare.

If you have any other type of asset you’re likely to look after it, keeping it safe and in great condition to ensure it retains its value.  Why would you treat your staff any other way?

Before we explore coaching for wellbeing, let’s look at some strategies your company could put in place to create a healthy and productive work environment.

Encourage regular breaks: When people break throughout the day to stretch, move, and recharge it helps to reduce stress and prevent burnout.

Provide resources: Books, articles, and workshops that promote well-being are all ways people can learn new skills and techniques for managing stress and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Foster a supportive environment: If people support one another and create a culture of openness and acceptance it defuses potentially stressful situations.  If your team know you operate with an attitude of support, not censure, they’re more likely to come to you with problems in time to find a solution and before it becomes critical.

Encourage healthy habits: Regular exercise, healthy eating, and adequate sleep all promote overall well-being.  These can be part of the focus for wellbeing coaching.

Provide opportunities for growth: If you know what your team members’ aspirations are, you can offer opportunities for growth and development that will increase job satisfaction and generate dopamine, the ‘happy hormone’ or feel-good-factor.

Lead by example: ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ isn’t a good formula to encourage people to practise healthy habits.  Promote a healthy work-life balance, by practising good habits yourself and you’ll develop a culture of wellbeing and inspire employees to prioritise their own wellbeing.

Coaching is not counselling

Coaching employees for well-being requires a holistic approach that takes into account the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of employees.  It’s not your role as a leader to become a counsellor for your team. 

As a good manager you can coach your team in a range of skills that will benefit their wellbeing.  That might be helping them to manage their time better, encouraging them to delegate appropriately rather than trying to do it all themselves and instilling healthy work practices such as taking regular breaks, going home on time, making sure they take their holiday allowance and discouraging working outside hours or on vacation.

If you practice ongoing assessment wellbeing coaching fits perfectly into this process.  It’s part of developing a culture within your team and your organisation that actively supports wellbeing rather than just talking about it.

Robin Damhar is CEO of Nest Healthcare, offering a range of therapies, treatments and professional development, both on an outpatient or inpatient basis. www.nesthealthcare.co.uk.

If your business sells products, it’s important to not only make the products high quality, but the process of buying them too – especially online. The process should be effortless for your customers and employees – creating the most efficient business possible.

So, if you want to make your business run more smoothly, here are five ways to simplify the payment process with an advanced spend management software – such as that provided by Mesh Payments.

Accept different payment forms

One way to ensure a business is worth revisiting, is to make payments an easy process. Accepting a wide range of payment options will increase the number of sales your business has, as more customers are being catered for. Customers will become satisfied in knowing that they have freedom when it comes to choosing how to pay.

Not only is this great for customers, but for business payments. Ensuring that payment types are more flexible could result in stronger relationships between a business and its suppliers.

The first type of payment that your business should accept are credit or debit cards, as these are the most common choices.

With more people going contactless, mobile pay has grown significantly, so this is another vital option that your business should accept – a great example of this is Apple Pay.

Spend management includes additional options with Plug & Pay™ cards and virtual cards to give more flexibility. With more payment options potentially being a win for all, this is a great step to ensure relationships between everyone involved in a business are strong.

Determine what your business needs

Allowing for more payment options could become expensive, especially if your business is smaller, so it’s important to evaluate what your business needs. The type of payment processor will depend on what a business can afford, so this should be properly considered.

Some considerations are based on business size and a business’ average sales volume, but also the processing fees that are involved.

There’s an in-house processing fee where Point of Sale (POS) systems can charge a business a monthly usage, or a credit card processing fee, instead of a monthly fee.

Data organization

When you begin to think of adding a wider variety of payment options to your business, there will be a higher need to keep all of the data surrounding them organized. Without great levels of organization, this could cause system complications, resulting in a weak workflow.

Something to look into when processing data is analytics reporting, which assists a business in converting information into insights. This can be used to efficiently check sales reports and create schedules for business payments.

Without reporting the payments a business is making and receiving, a company could fail. By setting out your line of organization, it will become easier to implement this across all business areas to keep them in order. With spend management, a business can manage their whole spend from a centralized hub, with full control into every payment – in real time.

Ensure privacy and security

When customers are making payments to your business, or your business is making outgoing payments, it’s important that online payments are fast, smooth, but most importantly – personal data is safe.

Online payments are extremely open to scams, but there are safety measures that can prevent them from happening. By getting a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate for your business, it provides a sense of security to anyone using its services.

Automatic payments

A great way to become efficient within a business is to set up automatic payments. These could be used for payments to regular suppliers through automation software. The same goes for customers, as they can set up monthly subscription fees, making it easier for all to use.

Spend management helps with automation by seamlessly integrating with your businesses ERP (enterprise resource planning) to automate the whole payment process and streamlining workflows with any apps that are already in use.

With simplicity across all kinds of payments, this is a great way to boost sales and business transactions with suppliers.

—

With five steps to improve the payment process within a business, using just one will make a business more efficient.

The Luxaviation Group is one of the largest private aircraft operators in the world. In the UK, Luxaviation is overseen by CEO George Galanopoulos, with the firm going from strength-to-strength since its initial inception and now looking to expand its reach even further. We find out more as George is named in the Most Influential CEO Awards.

A global private jet management, charter and FBO (fixed based operator) company, Luxaviation Group currently operates a fleet of 215 aircraft under management and VIP passenger terminals in 23 airports around the globe.

The company history dates back to 1964, when Abelag, now Luxaviation Belgium, was established at Brussels Airport. Today, the Group has bases in the UK, continental Europe, Middle East, Africa, Australasia, and the Americas.

With a diverse clientele, ranging from business executives to high-net-worth-individuals, celebrities, to governments and Royal households, Luxaviation’s business jets are used as a business tool for busy executives – contributing to the creation of financial stability and employment globally. The firm also manages private jets for owners, and also charters those aircraft to users.

George Galanopoulos is the firm’s UK CEO, and also head of charter sales Europe for the Luxaviation Group. He has been in the aviation industry since 1985 and tells us a little more about his career.

“I started as a commercial pilot and went on to establish London Executive Aviation, a business aircraft charter operator,” George begins. “London Executive Aviation evolved to become one of the largest private jet operators in the UK. In 2014, the company joined Luxaviation Group.”

Starting as a pilot with very little business experience, George set up London Executive Aviation with his business partner, Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, who had a corporate finance background and loved aviation. This partnership of two totally different characters worked well in developing the business, as both parties brought different benefits to the table.

“In the 25 years working together we hardly had any disagreements!” George tells us. “I could not have asked for a better business partner. Launching a business is never easy and having the right people around you is vital. It is very difficult for one person to have all the strengths and qualities needed to succeed, so having the right business partner is essential.”

George has carried this ethos with him throughout his career and today he works hard to ensure that he has a good relationship with his employees to create a positive working environment and encourage strong performance. In fact, employee loyalty is one of Luxaviation UK’s strengths, with some people having been with the company since its establishment in 1996.

The biggest challenge for private aviation has always been to change the public’s perception and overall image of the industry. The business aviation industry is of significant economic value globally, supporting the progress of UK, Europe and international business, and the creation of jobs.

“Tied into that perception is also sustainability,” George elaborates. “We were one of the first private jet operators to offer a carbon offset programme, many of our ramp vehicles have been electrified and we have employee incentive schemes for buying electrical cars and promote cycling to work. We also continue to explore additional Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) procurement opportunities worldwide, and in the cockpit, we are digitising processes to reduce paper waste and have placed recycling points in all facilities.”

In line with the company’s commitment to its social, ecological, and economic responsibilities to society, Luxaviation has also enabled customers to carbon offset any flight, and book with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in locations where it is currently available.

However, George is hoping that people’s perceptions may have shifted slightly over the last few years, as during the pandemic Luxaviation saw a lot of new users turning to private aviation, many of which are still with the company today.

“A lot of those new users are definitely not your traditional high-net-worth individuals – enquiries and bookings came from a new audience – families who can, actually, afford it but had never considered a private jet before as an option,” he explains. “Last summer for example, 25% of our actual bookings were from complete newbie private jetters who had never considered it before.”

Best known for its unrivalled customer service, and with George at the UK helm ensuring the group follows the highest standards in safety, quality, and service, it’s no surprise that he was recently recognised in the Most Influential CEO Awards 2023 and named Most Influential Executive Aircraft Charter CEO 2023 – UK.

Now, as the future beckons, George is looking to support the growth of Luxaviation. The Group recently announced that it had expanded its fleet in the Asia-Pacific region, adding the Dassault Falcon 2000XL and two Bombardier Global 600 aircraft to its Australian charter fleet.

Later this year, ExecuJet, part of the Luxaviation Group, will be opening a brand-new 33,000 square foot facility at Dubai Maktoum Airport (DWC). This will be the largest stand-alone facility in Dubai South and will feature an air-conditioned hangar. The opening will support industry growth in the Middle East.

Another focus for Luxaviation will be continuing to implement new sustainability initiatives, beyond its existing efforts to incorporate SAF and carbon offsetting schemes.

“My career – and life – has always been about aviation,” enthuses George. “I intend to remain in the industry for some time to come!”

For business enquiries, conatact George Galanopoulos from Luxaviation UK on their website – www.luxaviation.com

Our world is facing a crisis within the farming industry. Crops are becoming more of a challenge to successfully cultivate. With an increase in pesticides and harmful genetic modifications being applied to a worryingly high percentage of ‘natural’ produce, it’s getting ever more difficult to determine whether what we’re eating is any good for us anymore. However, thanks to Jamie Burrows’ vertical farming company, Vertical Future, sustainability and quality of produce is guaranteed. But what is vertical farming, and what are its benefits? We learn more about this new frontier as Vertical Future wins Most Influential AgriTech CEO of the Year 2023 – England.

With over 15 years of experience in the way we can work in tandem with our ecosystem to maximise its potential, all whilst helping it to thrive, CEO and Founder of Vertical Future, Jamie Burrows, has recently become a pioneer for a change in the way we, as a population, approach farming entirely. With the vast expansion of cityscapes across the globe in recent years, the land upon which farms can be built is steadily starting to dwindle. As a result, there’s becoming less and less space in which to nurture naturally grown crops. However, vertical farming aims to tackle this issue at the root and has developed a system that is truly revolutionary.

Combining agriculture and technology seems like a conflicting goal to pursue. However, Jamie spotted an opportunity to partner the two, all to employ a farming system that could flourish beyond anything anyone had seen before. Now, with 6 vertical farms established in the UK alone, and plans to go global, Vertical Future has been able to completely transform the way we grow our produce. Since vertical farming can be constructed within compact, limited spaces, it paves the way for crops to be grown and distributed, even within the city.

As such, Jamie founded Vertical Future with one core aim – to utilise both the power of technology and ingenuity to create a better method of farming that could, in theory, tackle climate change and the deterioration of the population’s overall health. Our wellbeing is influenced by what we eat – it’s what contributes to whether or not we’re adhering to a healthy diet. If we eat products that are bathed in pesticides and have been genetically modified, the ‘natural’ aspect of farming completely falls apart, and we could suffer as a result. However, Vertical Future looks to promote a farming industry that can do nothing but benefit both us and our planet.

Additionally, having studied at a PhD level, and as someone who holds an immense passion for his craft, Jamie has proven that he is definitely the man to serve as the spearhead for this drastic, much-needed change within the UK. Agriculture is such a fragile industry that every person relies on to survive, and innovation is mandatory to help us progress as our society advances. This is why the brilliant minds at Vertical Future have devised a system that operates alongside its hardware to ensure a seamless growing experience. DIANA is a Software as a Service (SaaS) capable of managing a myriad of services within Vertical Future’s vertical farms. With its intuitive design allowing for increased control over the growing process, all through the use of thousands of efficiently designed sensors, DIANA is a ground-breaking software that pushes the boundaries of what defines ‘technology’.

Vertical Future has already managed to emphasise a solid blueprint for any others looking to make the switch to vertical farming and is eager to help nurture those who share its passion for change. It strives to spread its ambition, providing revolutionary products and services to any who wish to be a part of the future of farming. And with such a diverse team complied of engineers, plant scientists, operators and software engineers, you can guarantee you’ll be in the hands of true experts, each as aligned with Vertical Future’s views for our progression as Jamie is.

Jamie’s aspirations towards the future of farming are second to none. He’s been able to utilise a fantastic and inspiring method of farming, one that’s able to directly compete with the traditional farming methods that’ve been established for centuries. Astonishingly, he managed to accomplish such a feat in only seven years, with Vertical Future’s inception taking place during 2016. Over those seven years, Jamie has revolutionised farming within the UK, and is still tirelessly guiding our agriculture towards a new age today. With connections within the USA, Europe, Singapore and Southeast Asia, Jamie has become a global spokesman for what vertical farming can do for our planet, as well as us as a species.

As a holder of the UK’s ‘Future50’ title, as well as the winner of the PETA Faming Awards 2023, alongside many more, Jamie has established Vertical Future as an impressive alternative to traditional farming. Through utilising our boundless technological advancements, he’s created something truly special in Vertical Future. It acts as a promise to the world that farming can become wholly natural again, and that we should combine our strengths in technology to help this happen. As a result, not only will our crops and produce be able to return to their former glory, but our planet may stand a chance at recovering from the damage that global crop production has caused. Our progression starts with vertical farming, and Vertical Future will be at the forefront of change for the foreseeable future.

For business enquiries, contact Jamie Burrows from Vertical Future on their website – https://verticalfuture.com/

Sustainability is an essential aspect of modern business practices. It is no longer just a buzzword but a critical requirement to protect the planet for future generations. Wasteful business practices not only harm the environment but also increase costs, reduce efficiency, and damage a company’s reputation. As consumers become more eco-conscious, businesses must adopt sustainable practices to meet their expectations and remain competitive.

The Impact of Wasteful Business Practices

Wasteful business practices contribute significantly to environmental degradation. Excessive energy consumption, overuse of natural resources, and poor waste management practices harm the planet and impact future generations. Furthermore, wasteful practices increase a company’s costs, reducing its profitability and hindering its ability to compete in a crowded market.

In addition to the environmental and financial impacts, wasteful practices can also damage a company’s reputation. Customers are increasingly aware of the impact of business practices on the environment, and they expect companies to take responsibility for their actions. Businesses that fail to adopt sustainable practices risk losing customers and facing negative publicity.

Improving Sustainability in Business

To improve sustainability in business, companies must adopt sustainable practices that focus on reducing waste, conserving natural resources, and minimizing environmental impact. Here are some ways to improve sustainability in business:

Energy efficiency: Implement energy-efficient practices, such as using LED lighting, optimizing heating and cooling systems, and reducing energy consumption during off-peak hours.

Sustainable packaging: Use eco-friendly packaging materials, such as biodegradable plastics, recycled paper, and compostable materials. Additionally, businesses can consider using smaller packaging to reduce waste.

Waste reduction: Implement waste reduction practices, such as recycling, composting, and reducing paper usage. Companies can also implement a waste reduction program to identify and eliminate sources of waste.

Water conservation: Implement water conservation practices, such as using low-flow faucets, fixing leaks, and implementing water-efficient landscaping.

Green transportation: Encourage the use of public transportation, carpooling, and biking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Offering to cover the cost of tickets or providing stipends for gas, are both practical ways to encourage your team to consider green transportation.

Employee incentives: Speaking of discounts and stipends,offering recognition or rewards for team members that go above and beyond to save the company money and help the environment can go a long way. If a team member comes up with an idea or routinely follows the company sustainability practices, you could say thanks by giving them temperature-controlled water bottles, reusable shopping bags, and other gifts that help them to practice sustainability at home and in the office.

Shipping Packages: A Sustainable Approach

Shipping packages is a crucial aspect of many businesses. This is especially true after the pandemic cultivated the necessary development of remote operations for brick-and-mortar and ecommerce businesses.  However, the carbon footprint of shipping a package is shocking and also harmful to the environment. Here are some ways to reduce the environmental impact of shipping packages:

Use eco-friendly packaging materials: As mentioned earlier, using sustainable packaging materials can significantly reduce waste. Businesses can use biodegradable plastics, recycled paper, and compostable materials to package their products. Additionally, businesses can use smaller packaging to reduce waste.

Optimize packaging: Businesses can optimize their packaging to reduce the amount of material used. By using the right packaging size, companies can reduce the amount of filler material needed, reducing waste.

Use sustainable carriers: Businesses can choose sustainable carriers that use electric or hybrid vehicles, promote sustainable practices, and use eco-friendly packaging. Additionally, businesses can choose carriers that have a sustainability policy and adhere to environmental regulations.

Encourage recycling: Encourage customers to recycle the packaging materials by including recycling instructions on the packaging. Additionally, businesses can offer incentives for customers who recycle their packaging materials.

Reduce shipping distance: One of the biggest environmental impacts of shipping packages is the carbon emissions from transportation. Businesses can reduce this impact by reducing the distance between the warehouse and the customer. This can be achieved by implementing a local pickup option, partnering with local retailers, or optimizing the shipping routes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, businesses must adopt sustainable practices to reduce waste, conserve natural resources, and minimize their environmental impact. By implementing energy-efficient practices, using sustainable packaging, reducing waste, conserving water, and promoting green transportation, businesses can improve their sustainability and protect the environment.

Unless you’re running a one-person operation, you will quickly learn as a CEO that the management of people is essential to how well everything in your company runs. From the supply of refreshments to managing fire safety and employee onboarding, the HR department is responsible for a lot that is good in our organisations.

But did you know that human resources are also essential for growth and can make your company at least 10% more time efficient? Discover how to use your HR department as a secret weapon to create growth in your company.

When do you need an HR department?

If you are the owner of a small business you may not feel as though creating an HR department is worth it but once you have at least 10-15 employees, this becomes a full-time job looking after all of their interests, from budgeting to performance management.

Rather than plateauing once you reach a certain size, and losing valuable leadership time to people management, creating an HR department allows you to stay focused on your unique business skills.

Here are some of the key areas where HR can lighten the load:

• Staff recruitment
• Induction, training and development of staff
• Performance monitoring and maintenance
• End-of-employment duties
• Ensuring compliance with governmental and regulatory legislation
• Disciplinary procedures

Staff recruitment and retention

One of the biggest assets a company can invest in is its employees, which is why it’s so important to get the recruitment process right for long-term success and growth. Not only is hiring and training staff an expensive endeavour but having to replace a poor recruit with another is costly.

Furthermore, you don’t want good staff leaving, perhaps to join your competition, strengthening them while also weakening you and inflicting further costs of replacement.

HR is perfectly placed to help you nail the hiring process, finding the perfect candidates that will not only bring the necessary skills to your company but also help drive you forward with new ideas, a strong work ethic and ambition.

This is where your human resources department can provide invaluable service, from thinning the herd of applicants, which is time-consuming, to conducting screening interviews to find those perfect candidates who will bring growth and success to your company.

Benefits, socials and staff incentives

Work is more than just a job for lots of people these days, with perks, benefits and remote working high up on the list of requirements. While you might not have the time or headspace to brainstorm all of the finer details yourself, your HR department can get to work defining which social events, staff benefits and working patterns are achievable with your budget.

From exploring share option schemes or health cover, to paid time off and gym memberships, creating staff incentives through your HR department is a great way to push for growth through productivity, retain staff and recruit smarter.

Complying with regulations

The larger your company gets, the more difficult it becomes to stay in control of each and every detail, particularly when it comes to legislation and regulations. Think of it like a garden, with some flowers needing special attention, and others an occasional watering while weeds are threatening to run rampant if they aren’t dealt with.

You could try and handle all of this yourself but once more this is a time-consuming job that frequently requires specialist knowledge, something an HR department is perfectly equipped to help with. Doing it yourself you not only spend time making sure everything is right, but you will also have to spend a considerable period becoming familiar with what those rules and laws are.

Using human resources to ensure you correctly implement regulatory compliance reduces risk, increases efficiency and enhances your brand reputation – this will put a more robust framework in place which results in safe and effective practices.

Employee compensation

To remain competitive, companies should regularly review the compensation levels they provide to staff. Providing regular pay rises, for example, in line with inflation, is a great way to keep your best people as they know their services are valued.

Furthermore, a dedicated HR department can review what is a competitive salary and ensure that staff are offered this at their next pay review. HR can also track and manage a staff member’s performance, supporting managers, to help determine whether they have met their KPIs.

Training for professional growth

Companies that continually allow their staff to grow and add new skills to their repertoire can reap the rewards twice. Firstly, they are creating a better-skilled and well-rounded workforce that is more capable of reacting to new problems with agility and creativity.

Secondly, a working environment that accommodates career progression allows staff to work towards their personal goals while enhancing the skills available to you. But as a CEO, you don’t really have the time to create training plans for each member of your workforce, let alone arrange and complete skill development sessions on an individual basis.

Your HR department can arrange for training sessions, seminars and workshops and ensure that employees have access to resources, databases and software that allows for further progression. Allowing your HR department to be heavily involved in staff training allows your company to create an environment where employees are willing to stay for the long haul, growing as you do.

Open communication

How engaged your staff are is hugely important for company growth but when you are busy running your business it can be hard to dedicate time to ask how each staff member is doing or what their input is for particular problems. However, there needs to be open, two-way communication within a company not just so that staff feel valued and part of the team but because it allows them to bring their solutions to the fore.

We all have different skills and points of view and sometimes a member of your team, perhaps who does a particular role, has a great idea for how to make their job more efficient. Your HR team can help to create an environment where people are free to share their thoughts and ensure mechanisms are in place to raise them with the relevant people.

That company framework will also create a way for you to have some contact with your employees through scheduled meetings that helps to keep everyone in the loop about the bigger company picture.

This allows for everyone to be on the same page and pull in the same direction to ensure the company can succeed and go places, rather than aimlessly trying to achieve results and solve problems.

Italy is making huge moves towards a sustainable future, and there’s someone driving the Green Movement in a way that both inspires us and leaves us in awe. With a central role at E.ON Italy, CEO Frank Meyer has created a pivotal point for Italy’s society and economy. Here we learn more about Frank’s mission, and E.ON’s green impact, as he wins Most Influential Energy CEO 2023 – Italy from CEO Monthly.

In recent years, the Green Movement of Italy has become more than an extremely popular topic – it has become a living, breathing reality. Thanks to a more green leadership within the Italian institutions, the country has rapidly begun to alter the way it generates and consumes energy. This has led Italy to prioritise the battle against climate change by acting in a more sustainable way.

For CEO of E.ON Italy, Frank Meyer, this is a wonderful development for the country – and for his career.

Before working with E.ON Italy, Frank was responsible for turning a decline in revenue around for Vodaphone. He “introduced new approaches and solutions to transform it to a growing business again,” and this resulted in a 3% growth during his time with the business.

It was his sheer commitment to innovating the business’ structure that led it to success and expansion. This includes constructing relationships that would stand the test of time – forming bonds between team members as well as between company and customer.

He informs us, “Purpose plays a huge factor in our psychological wellbeing.” By providing this strong sense of purpose to his team, Frank ensures each of them feels heard as well as being aware of their impact on the world. He says, “You as an employee need to feel that you are making a difference, we make people feel part of the process, everyone can be part of the design of the new strategy.”

“I love the power of people and what they can do if they follow purpose.”

By believing in people, Frank has built an empire of an enterprise. He encourages each person to “access their full potential and feel fulfilled,” so that they can go home every day feeling part of something bigger than themselves.

By growing in his role, his organic advancement has resulted in creating a greater impact on society not simply for Italy, but for the rest of the world. The globe looks towards more eco-friendly options as we all take part in the fight against climate change, and E.ON is leading the way to a brighter, greener future.

Frank firmly understands the importance of community and belonging. His work to introduce new ways of producing and consuming green energy is at the forefront of the ground-breaking industry, and we’re all looking to businesses like E.ON for pioneering concepts that ultimately guide us to positive results.

Five years ago, E.ON Italy carried out around 500 installations in comparison to its now 35,000 installations in photovoltaic business. Frank worked hard to deliver, and his work has paid off exponentially – all by utilising his skillset, bringing people together, and supporting the entire company throughout personal and professional development.

Frank believes that you can make any challenge an opportunity and, with a sharp focus on logistics, he procures technologies for knowledge and understanding. Building the Future Energy Home (FEH) and E-Mobility business, Frank is preparing the Italian market to become entirely green. Creating a feeling of belonging, E.ON Italy’s Green Movement is a community effort.

As part of a community, Italy now has solutions such as energy sharing via generators within homes and schools. It is this unified state that is producing results for the country, whilst motivating the rest of the world to be more environmentally conscious.

Now, Frank has won Most Influential Energy CEO 2023 – Italy. His future with E.ON looks incredible as he dedicates his full attention and care to its overall mission. He consistently supports the company’s team, ensuring each member feels seen and heard, and uses his innovation to tremendously improve the movement across Italy.

Frank’s ambition is to continue improving the energy solutions in Italy to #MakeItalyGreen. You can find out more about Frank via E.ON’s website below. We want to wish Frank a huge congratulations as he gains his new title from CEO Monthly – leading such a lifechanging movement is no small feat, and we can’t wait to see where his passion and drive takes him, and the globe, next.

For business enquiries, contact Frank Meyer from E.ON Italia on their website – www.eon-energia.com

4 Helpful Document Management Tips You Can Implement in Your Workplace Right Away

Whether you’re the CEO of an internationally-renowned company or the manager of an SME, you must have had times when it felt like you were overloaded with paperwork and files – kind of like that scene from ‘Bruce Almighty‘. From employee contracts and purchase orders to administrative forms and receipts, running an enterprise isn’t easy, and neither is the administrative side of things!

Yet despite living in a digital age, where we can complete business tasks with a click of a keyboard, many companies still need to rely on paper-based documents to operate efficiently. Due to this, having a fool-proof document management system for both your online and offline files is imperative so that you can find the documents you need (and quickly!).

So, if you sometimes need help finding that one document, you need or if your business still relies on outdated systems to store files/documents.

Fortunately, there are several ways you can make improvements, from keeping your files safe from cybercriminals and keeping your files in one place using advanced tools like a PDF compressor and others; we outline some of the best tips below:

Keep Your Files All In One Place

Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to find that one document you need so you can cross off that nagging task on your to-do list. One second it’s in the tray on your desk, and the next, you have every filing cabinet open with all the contents across your office.

Regardless, in an ideal working environment, you want to avoid having all your offline documents strewn over your physical space and all your virtual ones cluttering your virtual working space.

Due to this, one of the main tips you should take away to improve your document management processes is to keep all your files in one place. Doing so offers many benefits (not just for your document management process!), such as maximising productivity, increasing turnaround, boosting morale, and many more!

If, like most enterprises, your business has a mixture of offline and online files or documents, consider using accessible storage cabinets for your paper-based files and implementing a cloud-based system for your digital files. Or, if you’d like to go one step further, consider converting all your offline files into online ones using PDF tools like the ones from Smallpdf that can help you e-sign, convert, compress, and much more.

Using these tools, you can convert a PDF into another format, add your signature to documents, merge PDFs into one, and much more. Consider visiting their website to find out more, or contact a team member directly to have any specific queries answered and see how their tools could help your business manage documents more efficiently.

Improve The Security Of Your Files

Many businesses, especially SMEs, assume they don’t need to invest in cybersecurity measures because they’re not ‘big’ enough. However, the sad truth is that cybercriminals don’t discriminate. If they find a loophole in any business’s cybersecurity, they will exploit it to their full advantage, causing potentially devastating damage to a company’s assets.

According to recent studies, SMEs are more than likely to suffer cyberattacks due to recently emerging working practices, with as many as half of all UK SMEs falling victim in the previous year. Therefore, if you’re using a mixture of offline and offline document management techniques, it goes without saying that you’re going to want to ensure your business documents are protected to the best of your abilities.

Fortunately, there are several ways that you can improve the security of your business’s critical files, from keeping all software up to date and providing adequate training on data security to encrypting your data and setting up user permissions; there are many ways that you can keep unauthorised personnel out of your private business data.

You can choose to implement cybersecurity measures like the above using an in-house team, or you could consider outsourcing the task to a specialised firm which can give you expert advice, keep you up to date with cybersecurity trends, manage your security on your behalf, as well as many other benefits.

Declutter Regularly

Are hundreds of forms piling up on your desk? Is it becoming hard to see past the paper mountain on your desk organiser? Do you like to hold onto online and offline files even though you never open them? If these sound like some of your work habits, it might be time for a long overdue declutter of your office.

Not only does clutter make your office look visually unappealing, but it can also affect your physical and mental health. From making workplace accidents easier and bringing down your work productivity levels, having an excess of online and offline files or documents is the natural enemy of organisation and should, therefore, be nipped in the bud!

For starters, review your physical and virtual files and documents and identify which ones you still need and which can be appropriately disposed of. Once you’ve gone through the pile, you can archive the ‘keep’ pile and shred the ‘toss’ pile to prevent the problem from mounting again.

If you have any files or documents you’re unsure whether you should keep or toss, consider creating a separate folder for them in your physical/electronic filing system; the next time you come to declutter again, if you haven’t touched them since you can discard them.

Have A Standard Filing System In Place

Once you’ve been through and disposed of all the unneeded documents, your next job is to ensure that you have a standardised filing system that all employees understand and adhere to. Ultimately, you want your system to be so simple that any employee should be able to use it without asking many questions.

You could do this by organising files by date/client name/subject, creating specific folders depending on the area of business it serves, marketing, accounting, admin etc., colour-coding, alphabetising files, etc. So long as you create a standardised filing system that everyone can navigate and implement, and it works for your business, it’ll do wonders for your document management!

By Gaute Godager

Management continues to be a tough skill to master and shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. However, one fundamental that all successful people managers should understand is the psychology behind human behaviour, needs and ambition. This is key to creating a strong team that embraces the direction of travel of the business and part that they play.

There are some key principles of psychology that can be easily applied to everyday management techniques, explains psychologist Gaute Godager, who was instrumental in helping drive the success of Attensi, the leading gamified training specialist.

Gaute harnessed his psychological expertise and understanding of learning to create gamified training that taps into human behaviour to successfully coach managers and trainees all over the world.

Here, he explains his tips on how team leaders can utilise psychological tools to boost motivation and accelerate learning via gamified training to get the most from their teams.

Rewarding failure

A big part of being a good leader is understanding where the strengths and weaknesses of your team lie. To identify this there must be a fail-safe environment in which employees can make mistakes.

Gamified training rewards failure, which is something that managers are often afraid to do. People learn from their own mistakes, so when you make a mistake on a learning game, it still ignites the reward part of the brain and encourages you to try again, allowing the failures to take place in a safe environment.

Punishment in response to an error is unproductive, as it teaches people to hide their mistakes. Managers rewarding staff for learning from their own mistakes demonstrates that there is huge value in the process of learning to grow from previous failures.

The Silence of the Managers

Managers can often beat around the bush when it comes to delivering feedback to employees, perhaps to avoid conflict or because of time constraints. Despite the benefits to a business of candid feedback, any kind of fault-finding can often feel uncomfortable and socially challenging.

Without feedback it is difficult for employees to know where they may be falling short and as a result, they are deprived of the opportunity to improve. Consistent, honest feedback is vital for personal development and ensuring that learners remain keen to learn.

Gamified training is clear and instant in delivering feedback, highlighting errors or triumphs in a concise and non-confrontational way. This then allows employees to learn from their mistakes and make changes to their future performance.

Forget me not

Information overload is a common occurance for modern-day employees. Due to the volume of outlets constantly competing for our attention, it has become more difficult to retain information.  

Psychiatrist Hermann Ebbinghaus’s ‘Forgetting Curve’ states that within one hour of learning, people forget approximately 50 per cent of newly acquired knowledge. This then reaches 70 per cent after 24 hours and 90 per cent within a week.

This theory is also applicable to training, as heavily detailed training is often unengaging and forgettable. Creating training that is enjoyable and digestible makes training a lot more impactful and yields a much higher level of engagement from employees.

Gamified training breaks down learning modules into smaller, more manageable minigames and tasks, leading to more repeat attempts and higher levels of information retention. There is also a competitive element with leader boards, so employees can compete against colleagues in a fun way. This method of training also requires a higher degree of problem solving than traditional learning methods, which is another contributing factor to its levels of engagement.

By understanding the psychology behind human behaviour and motivation, managers are better equipped to select impactful and effective methods of training that support employees through continual development and working to their full potential.

How to Network with the Intent of Hiring for Your Small Business Since the pandemic, most businesses have experienced the challenges of finding a great new hire. Even with jobs that require relatively modest background experience, it’s hard to find someone who will be reliable, effective, and willing to do the job. The more specialized the position you are trying to fill is, the harder it will be to find a great fit. You can correct this problem to an extent by knowing where to look. Networking is a great way to find good candidates, but only if you know how to use it to your advantage. In this article, we take a look at how to network with the intent of hiring for your small business. What Do We Mean By Network? Networking isn’t about striking up a conversation at a cocktail party and bolding proclaiming “You’re hired!” at the end of the night. It’s more about understanding the niche your business operates in, and being able to find and identify people who are a good fit for it. Running a small business is challenging, both logistically and psychologically. Hiring comes with pressure, but knowing how to do it well can be life-changing. Good networking can be an invaluable resource for finding people who will make outstanding contributions to your business down the line. Social Media Is Your Friend Social media is where businesses go to tell the world who they are. Certainly, it is used for marketing but it is also used for branding, a subtly distinct category in its own right. Branding can be a form of marketing, but the sole point isn’t to sell a product or service, it’s to tell the world what your business is about. This is something that modern job seekers take very seriously, but it’s also something you should look to as a good way to find like-minded individuals. Use your social media accounts as a way to establish your company values and culture. If you can paint a vivid and enticing picture of what it feels like to work at your company, it will naturally attract people with the same values. Use Your Employees’ Networks Your employees can potentially serve as a rich source of finding new workers. Granted, this is something of an imprecise science, but here’s the thinking: people tend to build their social networks with others who fit their goals, and educational backgrounds. It follows, then, that your chances of picking up a great new hire by talking to your current star employees are pretty good. Here’s the caveat: you do need to tread carefully. If Mary, your star sales team member, recommends her sister, Sarah, things might become a little uncomfortable if the hire doesn’t wind up working out. Nevertheless, if you can strike a careful balance and approach the topic gingerly, it is very possible to find great new hires simply by talking with your existing staff members. Job Fairs Job fairs are a little antiquated in the world of the internet, but they still serve their purpose. Consider finding out if any nearby universities will be having a career day in the near future. This isn’t necessarily the best way to fill a position in a hurry — the people you meet there will probably still have months left to go before they even get their degree. However, career days are good for building a deep roster of contacts for potential hires down the line. Keep in mind that recent college graduates can be ideal hires under the right circumstances. They tend to be (relatively) affordable, and because most are young, the potential for a long-term arrangement is there. Be sure to go in with a strong idea of what kind of candidates you are looking for. You’ll of course learn about the candidate’s educational backgrounds, but this is also a good chance to evaluate their soft skills. What sort of impression does this person make in two minutes or so? When it comes to making a new hire, that’s invaluable intel. Pay Attention to Your Competitors You may not consider it from an ethical standpoint, but your competitors are also interconnected to your network. That’s to say that they exist on the same spectrum as you and your business. Naturally, their staff will (at least theoretically) share many of the qualities that you are looking for in a new hire. This makes your competitor’s rosters a very fertile place for finding new talent. In fact, “talent poaching” is a very common component of big business, particularly in industries where the talent pool might be relatively small and specialized. With only a handful of candidates out there who can do a job well, businesses need to get creative about how they bring in the right people. Granted, there are challenges that come with trying to hire from your competitor’s staff. You need to make a great offer. They are presumably already happy where they are. Your offer will need to be enticing enough to get them to change jobs. That will usually mean putting together a better-than-average compensation package. Additionally, it helps to have other enticing aspects about your business, such as suitable work-life balance and modern DEI initiatives.You’ll need to be on guard. Now that you’ve initiated the talent poaching cycle, you’ll be subject to it yourself. Be on the lookout for situations where competitors will try to draw your team members away. Contract liability. Finally, there is the issue of contract liability. It’s possible that changing lanes to go to work for a competitor would violate your new employee’s contract. In that case, legal action may follow. Usually, these issues are resolved with an out-of-court settlement. Hiring directly from your competitor’s roster is a power move, but it can pay off in the long run. Not only does it improve your business’s strength but it diminishes that of your competition, making it dually effective.

Only the teams and organisations that evolve at pace will be here in a decade, and micromanaging is a real threat which can have devastating effects on the morale of employees and the performance of an organisation. A flourishing working relationship with employees is built on a foundation of trust and respect, and micromanaging is a rapid way to kill this.

A recent survey revealed that 71% of employees have had their job performance hindered by micromanagement and 69% have considered changing jobs because of the behaviour. Cultural transformation and performance intervention specialists FirstHuman point out some classic signs that leaders could be micromanaging their team.

Oddi Aasheim, Performance Intervention Partner at FirstHuman said: “Micromanaging is a complex issue to tackle within the workplace as it requires senior leaders to take a raw and honest look at themselves and their behaviour in the workplace. The idea that poor team performance and morale could lie at the fault of the leader’s management style is a tough pill to swallow but is a sign of a truly authentic and responsible leader if they’re courageous enough to do so.”

Here are a few indicators to which senior leaders should be paying attention.

Reluctant delegating work

Many leaders feel that the way of working and the outputs of their teams should comply with how they themselves think a task needs to be performed. When experiencing that team members may see things differently, their fail-safe is to do things themselves or revert to detailed management of the sub-tasks to be performed. When employees experience senior leaders keeping the work to themselves it can send a message that they are not trusted to action tasks correctly or effectively. This often results in stories about how the leader is a ‘control-freak’, or wants to keep the glory for themselves if the outcome of the work is a success.

“Micromanaging is often about leaders fearing failure and being attached to ‘looking good’ to their own bosses”, Oddi said, “and very few leaders would openly admit to being a micromanager. It is common that the people who are the experts in their area are the ones that get promoted, and it becomes difficult for them to create the space for a team to experiment, make mistakes and learn. Their version of getting things right is often attached to doing things the way they would have done it. Whilst these reasons might be perfectly understandable to a leader, the effect that it has on employees are not to be ignored.

“If tasks are not delegated to employees, there is no opportunity for them to showcase their expertise and therefore very little opportunity for growth.”

Bristling when decisions are made without their input

Senior leaders often hold positions of power and authority within an organisation, and they may feel that their exclusion from decision-making processes diminishes their authority and undermines their ability to lead effectively. 

Oddi said: “If senior leaders find themselves being unhappy when decisions are made without them, it’s a good idea to step back and ask themselves why. If the upset is about a perceived risk to themselves or their standing in the organisation, it is time to get a good leadership coach. A senior leader wanting every decision to be sent their way will make employees abdicate responsibility, be fearful making decisions and delegate upwards overloading the leader. Empowering employees and giving them a degree of autonomy is crucial so they can develop key skills and become proactive problem-solvers.”

Having an obedient team

Many a satisfied leader will refer to having a team that is effective, efficient and stands ready for anything. This might sound great and can be the perfect set-up for specific situations. However, more often than not, it is a sign that the team has become compliant and highly trained, rather than being creative and generative. If a leader has a team that is a mirror image of how they prefer to work, then it is once again time for the micromanagement alarm to sound.

Oddi says: “When I hear a leader that mainly communicates to her/his team about how to complete tasks, and not about producing outcomes and results, I get worried. Training a team to be perfect in the tasks they perform is a sure sign of micromanagement. Whilst this is appropriate in some compliance heavy roles, it is a sure-fire way of disempowering people in more creative spheres.”

“If you are a leader that has a view on the long-term sustainability and success of the organisation, you need to foster people and a culture that learns and evolves quicker than the competition. You are dependent on employees that are free-thinkers and generate new ideas and ways of working. Leaders who are potentially micromanaging need to look within themselves to ensure they are not snuffing out the light of their team and causing more harm than good”.

Statistics show that 73% of consumers shop on more than one channel. Furthermore, 30% higher lifetime customer values are attributed to consumers that shop across multiple channels.

A multi-channel sales approach can provide multiple benefits, including expanding your customer pool, diversifying your products, and giving you access to customer insights.

Let’s have a look at five marketing tips to streamline your multi-channel sales.

1. Adjusting prices to each channel

When using multiple sales channels, you should avoid implementing a rigid price structure. For each channel, you should take into consideration costs, customer behaviour, and the intensity of the competition.

For instance, if you are new to online marketplaces like Amazon and you still haven’t built a strong reputation in that channel, you may initially set a lower price than the one you have set in physical stores located in a regional area where your brand is particularly known and beloved.

Another example is using different price structures for certain products when sold to end consumers through a retail shop compared to a B2B sales channel because individual business clients may order the products in larger volumes when you bring the price down a bit.

2. Optimizing inventory management

Opting for multiple sales channels requires proper inventory management too. An organized inventory is essential for a successful multi-channel strategy, enabling you to maintain accurate product availability and prices across all of your channels.

For example, let’s say there are 30 black Nike t-shirts in stock. If five have been sold on Amazon, four have been sold on eBay, and four have been sold through your small physical retail store, then it’s crucial for you to update your inventory throughout all channels to the new availability of 18 t-shirts.

By doing so, you will prevent annoying situations that may damage your reputation as a seller, like having to cancel an order due to a lack of availability. Using inventory management software can help you prevent these types of scenarios.

3. Distributing personalized content through individual sales channels

When using multiple sales channels, you should also take steps to tailor your content to each channel. This means using messages and monetization tactics that can maximize results in those specific channels.

For each channel, use the tools that are effective in adding value to the customer’s journey and helping your audience better connect with your products or services. Examples range from creating video content specifically for YouTube to optimizing your website’s SEO to drive more organic traffic to using email marketing tactics to drive more sales from your customers.

Simultaneously, you should keep in mind your overall marketing and brand object to coordinate and synchronize campaigns across multiple channels.

4. Optimizing marketing campaigns based on analytics insights

Analytics tools can help businesses track the performance of each campaign across different channels. This allows them to make real-time adjustments to make sure that their efforts are reaching the right audiences and conveying the right messages.

Analytics can also be used by companies to compare their performance in each marketing channel and identify those that deliver the best results. This will allow them to focus their efforts and investments on those channels that are driving the most ROI.

5. Leveraging automation

Using the right automation tools can help businesses reduce the amount of manual work needed to manage different sales channels.

Automation can also increase the coordination between different channels and streamline various operations such as inventory management, product updates, and customer service.

Automation simplifies the process of amassing data from several sales channels, which can give invaluable insights into consumer preferences and behaviour. This information can be used to streamline marketing campaigns and product offerings, with the ultimate goal of maximizing prospective earnings.

Moreover, automation also helps in facilitating back-end activities like inventory management and order fulfillment, allowing businesses to trace their products through multiple channels with ease.

The rise of globalism and technology has led to a shift in the way organizations need to approach leadership. As businesses become increasingly interconnected and employees collaborate more on a global scale, it is critical for managers to develop the skills necessary for leading with a global mindset.

From recognizing diversity to understanding cultural nuances, having an international perspective can help organizations unlock greater growth potential in both customer engagement and employee productivity. In this blog post, we’ll explore what goes into becoming a leader with strong cross-cultural fluency and how you can foster this skillset within your management team.

What should a leader have to lead with a global mindset?

To lead with a global mindset requires a leader to be humble yet confident, open to new experiences and ideas, and passionate to make a difference in the lives of others. They must have an understanding that their decision-making has implications beyond their own industry or region and strive to bring out the best in team members by encouraging collaboration across boundaries.

Leaders should also possess strong communication skills so they can easily understand new cultures and respect different opinions. More importantly, they should be someone who has the courage to take risks that could move the organization forward while helping reduce any potential cultural clashes along the way.

How to become a global leader

A global leader is someone who can foster relationships across communities, cultures, and borders. To become one, you must move away from narrow thinking and develop a mindset that is flexible and open to diverse perspectives.

To achieve this, it helps to shift your focus from the domestic market to an international field. This means researching different countries around the world and learning about the different cultural values in each place. It’s also important to keep up with global current events and develop an understanding of their implications out of curiosity rather than judgment. Seek new insights and invite conversation about potential opportunities as opposed to having rigid opinions on business strategies.

Lastly, incorporate diversity into every task or idea by actively seeking input from people across various backgrounds, such as international colleagues or stakeholders. It’s impossible to be a successful leader without being able to see things from multiple angles while also considering cultural sensitivities when making decisions—this is what it takes to have a truly global mindset.

CQ – how important is cultural intelligence for global leaders

Leading with a global mindset requires a nuanced understanding of different cultures, along with the ability to not only recognize those differences but respond to them in meaningful ways. This can be achieved through the framework of cultural intelligence, which includes four core elements:

attitudeawarenessknowledgeskillsTo have a genuinely global mindset requires being aware of personal biases and actively seeking out opportunities to understand cultures different from one’s own– such as traveling abroad, reading books about different cultures, or connecting with people from diverse backgrounds.

It also necessitates developing expertise in topics such as politics and customs specific to geographic areas and fine-tuning one’s communication skills to navigate different environments and be perceived positively by members of other cultures.

Overall, it takes commitment and perseverance to develop a global mindset, but doing so will ensure effective leaders can respond thoughtfully to the changing environment they’re leading in.

The importance of upgrading skills when moving to a cross-border leadership style

Upgrading skills is essential when transitioning to a cross-border leadership style. Employers are increasingly looking for leaders who can collaborate with people from different regions, cultures, and backgrounds while being respectful of cultural nuances. Cross-border leaders must be comfortable navigating international markets, building relationships with local partners and suppliers, and communicating in multiple languages or through interpreters.

They must also have the capability to envision global solutions that stretch beyond their own immediate environment. Such proficiency can only be achieved by mastering a wide range of skills such as intercultural and interpersonal communication, team collaboration across borders, mentoring diverse teams, and effectively navigating virtual teams. In other words, global leaders must possess the technical knowledge and the flexibility to effectively manage complexity on a grand scale to draw success out of uncertainty.

WorldPrism model of culture

To lead with a global mindset, one must recognize the importance of understanding not only culture but also cultural styles around the world. The WorldPrism model holds that cultural styles can be divided into two dimensions:

shared concentratedShared cultures value collective identity and prioritize relationships, while concentrated cultures put emphasis on hard work and performance. Knowing these differences is essential to leading effectively with a global mindset, as it allows leaders to respect multiple perspectives and accept different ways of working within their teams.

Understanding both shared and concentrated dimensions helps individuals develop strategies for working well with colleagues from different backgrounds, making them more successful in navigating complex global contexts.

From a global perspective, having a strategic mindset is essential for successful leadership. Leaders must seek out opportunities to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and industries, cultivate effective communication skills, and understand their impact on the world. Investments in global knowledge help leaders create solutions that are applicable across countries and cultures alike.

While implementing a global mindset is not easy, doing so makes us better professionals, better citizens of the world, and more creative problem-solvers who are equipped for long-term success. Ultimately, being open-minded about different ways of working and looking outward with an international outlook prepares us for a future of true global leadership.

Managing people can be burdensome but you may never know how complex it is until you take the mantle of leadership. It takes an extra level of resourcefulness and expertise to constantly guide and motivate a set of individuals.

Even when an organization brims with talented and highly motivated employees, the entire workforce could be jeopardized if poor leadership and management practices come into play. In fact, 24% of employees become enthusiastically disengaged as a result of poor leadership.

While there may not be a single right approach to leading a team successfully, leadership is a skill that can be learned and improved on. Most people who have succeeded as team leaders are a product of hard work and consistency.

Whether you’re a business leader aspiring to be more effective in your role or a manager looking to enhance your employee’s leadership skills, here are 5 habits you should learn to be a highly effective manager in 2023.

Why you need an employee management system

The most productive organizations are those that stay updated with the latest technological initiatives. With more hi-tech software coming into the limelight, organizations are moving past the antiquated ways of manually carrying out activities to fully automated processes.

One of these intriguing pieces of technology is the employee training management software which allows team leaders and HR professionals to finesse their employee management activities. What does it do?

This software allows you to seamlessly keep track of employee records, work history, and other valuable employee data which can be used to gain insights that allow you to understand and improve the nature of your workforce.

To become successful in your leadership role, you might want to do away with spreadsheets and adopt employee management software. It’s your first step to becoming a highly effective team leader.

5 Habits of highly effective leaders in 2023

Task delegation If you’ve ever had to work under the supervision of an unskilled team lead, you’ll realize how annoying it can be when duties are spelled out in an unclear manner and you have to make further clarifications.

One of the most important traits of a highly effective team leader is the ability to delegate tasks with clear descriptions. Every assignment you assign should be;

• Rich in context
• Purpose oriented and
• Showcase the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) elements.
• Avoid any form of ambiguities and inconsistencies that can create even a teeny-weeny bit of confusion.

Decision-making

Leaders are always at the forefront of organizational decision-making processes and oftentimes, you’ll be faced with scenarios that warrant you to make critical decisions that will affect the success of your organization.

As such, your decision-making prowess must be top-grade!

One unique quality that sets an effective leader apart from an ineffective one is your ability to make tenable decisions no matter the weight of its result while having the conviction to stand by your decisions.

While your path will always be laced with setbacks due to decisions that aren’t favourable, a highly effective team leader is one that takes responsibility for his actions while leveraging unfavourable outcomes to ameliorate the decision-making expertise.

Transparency

Maintaining a transparent work culture can help you gain employee trust and loyalty. When employees are kept abreast of organizational goals, wins, and challenges, they become motivated to contribute their all to ensure your company’s overall success.

Additionally, transparency allows your employees to have a deeper understanding of their roles and that eventually translates to higher levels of employee engagement.

But on a broader note, transparency in the workplace is a double-edged sword which can make or mar the productivity of your workforce. Too much transparency can leave employees feeling exposed and vulnerable, according to Bernstein in Harvard Business Review.

As such, employees begin to keep their activities secret even when they have no skeletons in the closet. A highly effective team leader is one that strikes a balance between transparency and privacy while creating boundaries that enhance experimentation and collaboration.

Conflict management

A gathering consisting of people with varying personalities and backgrounds is prone to constant strife. As a matter of fact, the American Management Association has it that managers spend 24% of their day managing conflicts.

When conflicts ensue, oftentimes as a result of difference of opinions, a highly effective team leader should be able to adroitly make resolutions or calm the tense atmosphere to avoid disrupting other business proceedings.

To be successful at this point, you must have the ability to analyse conflict and understanding of how to best manage the situation. A good conflict management offers you more than just peaceful coexistence, but employees tend to bond on a whole new level.

Lead by example

Actions speak louder than voices! A great way to showcase your effectiveness as a leader is to take the lead when carrying out organizational assignments. That singular act motivates your employees to take a giant stride towards organizational success.

Being a leader transcends task delegation and supervising activities, an effective leader gives the employees reasons to do more.

You must make them see how vital their individual contributions are to ensure the overall success of your organization and how far you’ll go to ensure that they succeed in their respective roles.

Embrace the burden

The path to becoming a successful and effective leader isn’t always a smooth one and it doesn’t happen overnight. Every successful leader who has left their marks in the hearts of their followers has an untold story of hardwork, disappointment, resilience and consistency.

With that said, it’s about time you get rid of negativities that will cripple your determination, feed your focus and take your business to that great feat you’ve always yearned for. The world is your oyster!

Customers’ initial exposure to a business is typically through its website. As a result, providing an outstanding experience for website visitors is crucial. It is your job as CEO to make sure the company’s website is easy to navigate, full of useful information, and interesting to visitors. Here, we’ll go through several steps CEOs can take to improve their site’s usability for visitors.

Knowing Your Audience

It is crucial to know your target demographic in order to create a website that visitors like using. You can learn a lot about your users’ wants, needs, and habits through user research. Creating user personas allows you to better visualize and comprehend the traits and goals of your target audience.

Designing for the end user’s journey

In order to create a website that is successful, you must first fully comprehend your consumers’ requirements. You should operate under the tenets of user-centered design. An easy-to-understand menu structure is essential for directing visitors around your corporate website. If you want your website to appear great and perform well across all devices, including smartphones and tablets, responsive design is an absolute must.

Another important part of the user experience is making the design accessible and welcoming to all users. Your company’s dedication to diversity and inclusion can be seen in how you treat users with impairments on your website. Users that require more time to absorb content can benefit from a homepage slider that you can create with a WordPress slider plugin because it serves as a visual indicator that they can take their time doing so.

Accelerating and enhancing the functioning of websites

User satisfaction is directly proportional to how quickly and efficiently a website functions. If your pages take too long to load, visitors may get frustrated and go elsewhere. Compressing pictures, minifying code, and decreasing HTTP requests are all ways to speed up and improve the performance of a website. Website speed and performance can be enhanced by using a reputable hosting service and a content delivery network (CDN).

Improved Content for Websites

In order to keep visitors interested and motivated to explore more of your site, you need to provide them with high-quality material. Your material should connect with your readers and help them in some way, such as by providing answers to their queries or offering solutions to their issues.

More visitors may find your site through search engine optimization. User engagement and satisfaction can be improved by including multimedia material including photographs, movies, and interactive components.

User Feedback Integration

Feedback collection is an effective method for enhancing the website’s usability. Methods such as surveys, focus groups, and usability testing can be used to get user input. If you want your site to consistently satisfy the requirements and expectations of its users, you must use their feedback to refine its design.

Evaluation of the User Interface

Measuring and analyzing website analytics on a regular basis is crucial for ensuring that your website is providing an excellent user experience. User experience key performance indicators (KPIs) like bounce rate, time on site, and conversion rate can be defined to monitor the effectiveness of a website over time. You can find out what works and what doesn’t on your website by using A/B testing to compare different layouts and functions.

Establishing a Tradition of Customer Satisfaction

If you want your company’s website to continue providing a first-rate experience for visitors, you need to foster a culture that places a premium on that very thing. A more user-centric approach to website design can be achieved by educating staff on the significance of user experience and fostering collaboration amongst departments.

Finally, as CEO, it is your duty to see to it that visitors to your company’s website have a pleasant and productive time there. Methods such as user research, designing with the user in mind, boosting site speed and efficiency, refining content, implementing suggestions from visitors, evaluating success, and instituting a culture of UX are all crucial.

Congratulations on setting a fantastic business idea in mind. You would be actively seeking a location to establish a traditional storefront. However, finding a suitable commercial facility isn’t a walk in the park. If at all possible, starting a company online is the smart way to go. For example, if you trade your crypto assets with Quantum AI, you can establish your crypto trading business online. However, businesses like hotels, malls, and restaurants can’t function without a real location. notably, those who work in “brick and mortar” businesses like retail, food service, etc. So, let’s know the steps to lease a commercial location before signing the lease.

Steps To Land A Commercial Space For Your Business

We have established guidelines that you must meet before signing a contract to determine the optimal location for your company. Let’s get into them.

Become Familiar With The Region

While searching for a new location to offer goods or services to the general public, it is important to first do market research on the neighbourhood. If you want your small company to succeed, you need to select a great location, so spend your time looking at different buildings.

Check Out Local Regulations

City regulations are a further consideration. You must ensure that your landowner’s objectives are compliant with the regulations of your town even if they may define your location for, example, managing a café. Landlords and property owners often mistakenly believe they may lease their property to a firm that does not comply with local zoning regulations. When these two factors are in harmony, you can be certain that your company will face few, if any, legal hurdles in the city or municipality in which it is located.

Create A Lease Proposal And Deliver It

An agent can help you put together a lease offer if you’re working with them. Before communicating the lease rate you’re proposing to the landlord, it’s a good idea to get some comparables from your real estate agent. To increase their monthly income, landlords sometimes provide financial allowances or even free rent to their tenants. Next, set a price range for the lease, security deposit, and other costs based on what you learned from the market analysis.

Look Over and Bargain

You’ll either keep negotiating with the landlord after hearing back from them or move on to another place. If your lease is up for renewal, you should start giving some thought to whether or not you want to continue at that place as early as nine months before the renewal date so that you have time to negotiate with your current landlord. That way, if the negotiation fails, you may move your company with as little as possible loss in productivity.

Legal Analysis of the Lease

Send the proposed lease and the signed LOI to your attorney for evaluation once you have received them. Furthermore, make sure you read the lease agreement thoroughly and ask plenty of questions before signing. You and your lawyer should check the details. Verify that the terms discussed are reflected in the lease document. Consult a real estate agent or company attorney before signing a lease. Before signing, make sure you ask the landlord any questions you may have.

Do Final Inspection

I would advise one to do a last examination before signing the lease. Before this time, the general contractor will usually do a free preliminary evaluation. They will ask for payment in exchange for a thorough examination. It is standard practice for a company to foot the bill for this final inspection because of the monetary commitment involved in the lease.

Sign the Lease

After both the final inspection and the lease have been completed to your satisfaction, you may sign the lease. It’s vital to remember that the clock usually starts ticking after the lease is signed by both parties. This is the most crucial time frame concerning the rent-free period.

Conclusion

Leasing commercial property is a procedure that may be both lengthy and difficult. When you’re ready to take the plunge into the world of brick-and-mortar commerce, you must follow the aforementioned steps and work with a commercial real estate broker you have faith in.

Want to be distinguished from other employees? Every employee wants to get the best income but nobody is willing to burn the midnight oil for getting their salary raised. Today’s problem is that workers aren’t interested in their work, therefore they aren’t working to maximise their own financial success, which inevitably leads to a drop in corporate productivity. Employees have to change their attitude toward work. If you put in the time and effort to impress your boss with your dedication to the job, we will ensure your success. To help you build ties with your manager, we’ve put together some tips. Also, in the end, we’ll tell you the secret of how to make the best relationship with your boss. So stay hooked!

Tips To Improve Employee-Boss Relationship

You not only need to build a stronger relationship with your boss just for the sake of raising your income, but you should do this to improving your strengths of becoming a competitive employee. We’ve shared with you some tips to leave a positive impression on your boss. Let’s take a bird’s eye view of them.

Set Up Regular Meetings By Yourselves

Even if your manager is very busy, you should still schedule a monthly one-on-one meeting with them. Make use of this time to update your manager on your progress, propose new ideas, and make sure you’re still on track with the company’s long-term objectives. Doing this will not only leave a good impression on your boss but he’ll know how dedicated you are to the work. 

Show Some Creativity

If you’re creative, why don’t you propose new ideas to your boss? Every business leader wants their staff to be enthusiastic and efficient. Exhibiting enthusiasm for new assignments can benefit both you and your manager. Don’t be shy about putting up your hand if you work in an environment where individuals are continually proposing new goods, services, initiatives, or process changes. Keep a running note of your ideas and bring them up during your monthly meetings with the boss if suggestions aren’t flowing freely. 

Have A Good Attitude And Work Hard

Working hard might indirectly improve your connection with your supervisor. Your boss may not come around to praise your job performance personally, but the word of your efficiency will spread across the company and end up in your performance evaluation. As some companies today run with the majority of their staff working remotely, this is more crucial than ever.

Ask for Feedback

Inquiring about the boss’s viewpoint accomplishes many goals. The boss would appreciate that you are interested in learning how to do a better job in the future. This displays that you care about the success of the company and are not just executing the tasks required of you because you have to. It demonstrates that you are making progress, which tells your manager that you are considering opportunities for advancement. Just demonstrating such motivation will ensure that your name is among those considered first if an opening for a promotion arises.

Be Clear About the Company’s Goals

If you want to have a productive working relationship with your boss and advance in your career, it’s in both of your best interests to know about their goals and make some strategies to accomplish them. You may impress your manager with your ambition, honesty, and forward-thinking by simply asking for what you want. It’s beneficial for businesses when managers and workers have the same objectives since it fosters greater loyalty to the organization and a sense of shared ownership over its success.

Keep Expectations Low And Performance High

You present your best self at work to impress your superiors. While performing a task, provide a reasonable estimate of when you can finish it and then beat that estimate to impress your supervisor. Doing so will demonstrate your initiative and ability to handle many tasks at once. We introduce you to one such tool that optimizes your trading performance and that is Ethereum code.  

Blowing the Lid Off A Secret Tip

Building trust between you and your boss is the most important thing.  Employees expect their bosses to be a mentor, a motivator and a champion all in one and therefore it is necessary to establish credibility so that this may occur. Healthy teamwork is possible if your boss shares your commitment to the company’s principles and rewards you for upholding them.

Author: Cedric Bru, CEO of Taulia

Not long ago, mental health was a fringe consideration for business leaders, but recently it has become clear that a happy, cognitively healthy workforce is increasingly important to productivity. For companies to succeed, they must take responsibility for employee mental health in the workplace and ensure they are contributing all they can towards their wellbeing.  Inputting the right processes and people to identify poor mental health in the workforce is, therefore, a business imperative for the leadership of today. While there is not yet a firm handbook for how to do this, removing barriers for accessibility to mental health support and leaning on performance data to understand employee productivity patterns are great first steps that CEOs can take to improve employee wellness.

Hiring a Chief Wellness Officer

Hiring a Chief Wellness Officer (CWO) is one way in which employers can be reassured that employees are looked after. A CWO’s primary role is to support staff and help them maximize their professional performance and development, whilst forming a culture of wellness within the workplace.

A good CWO is a trusted point of contact for every employee within the organization, but they should also work closely with human resources to develop a tailored approach to people management and career development. Satisfied, motivated, and purposeful employees tend to have better mental health.

Removing any barriers of accessibility to mental health support is the greatest first step any business can make in improving employee wellness. Whilst a relatively new position, CWOs have already proven themselves to be an important and necessary addition to any organization. Taulia has certainly seen and felt the benefits throughout the organization since bringing our Chief Wellbeing Officer, Todd Musselman, on board.

Open feedback culture is critical to improving mental wellbeing

While productivity and purpose are not the only elements of good mental health, they can be great motivators in a workplace. In order to ensure that productivity and purpose are on track – both organizationally and individually – it is critical to foster a constructive feedback culture.

At Taulia, we have found that it is critical to provide many channels of authentic feedback to give each employee, with their own unique personality and style, an avenue to express themselves. This includes initiatives such as a regular cadence of departmental and regional fireside conversations; anonymous feedback surveys, and departure surveys.  Delving into some details, employee engagement surveys have helped provide us with an honest – and anonymous – insight into how employees feel about their work, the company culture more broadly.  This helps to make sure we are reacting to their feedback by moving in the right direction and making the necessary changes, as well as continuously tracking employee satisfaction and wellbeing.

The second is a more personal approach – actively asking colleagues if they would welcome our feedback has created a culture in which feedback is considered, not kneejerk and thoughtless, while recipients are far more receptive to getting feedback. I make a point of leading by example here: if a colleague gives a presentation and I want to provide a perspective, I will ask them if they are happy to receive feedback before giving it. It is a subtle change, but the difference felt by individuals can be enormous.

Use performance metrics to identify poor mental health

For all the efforts leaders can go to to create the right culture, having the processes in place to identify poor mental health is perhaps the most important thing you can do to safeguard employee wellbeing.

Where motivation and purpose are great ways to keep mental well-being strong, it is usually true that a lack of motivation and purpose can either be a cause or symptom of poor mental health. The question is, how do we identify changes in motivation and purpose? This is a hard question to answer exactly, but there is usually a tangible result on employee outputs that are either empirical, observed by colleagues, or acknowledged by the sufferer when asked.

Where Taulia has its employee survey, we also make sure that regular face-to-face check-ins with line managers are diarised and attended. These are opportunities to discuss wellbeing and workload, and on their own they can be enough to improve employee mood and stimulate better results.  For those who might not wish to talk openly, it is an opportunity for managers to recognize the cues of body language.

Employees are the most important asset to any business. Engaging your workforce, providing them with purpose, and giving them the tools to provide feedback and excel are critical to their wellbeing, and the success of the business. Good mental health does not come about by chance; it is the product of well-thought-out processes and thoughtful, highly skilled individuals whose responsibility it is to ensure employee wellbeing. Actively caring for your workforce by putting the right systems and people in place is one of the most valuable things you can do.

Any seasoned investor will tell you that the market will always find a way to surprise you, regardless of how long you’ve been in the game. There is always going to be some kind of issue that comes out of nowhere and sends everyone into panic mode. However, one of the reasons why gold is so popular among investors is that it’s not all surprises. In fact, it tends to be an oasis of stability in an otherwise stormy landscape.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can simply pick your investment and stand back. Gold may be stable but it’s not going to show you a straight line on the forecast.

You Need To Be Aware Of Current Events

One of the biggest forces that can impact the price of gold, and the demand for it, is global events. Now, that’s true for a lot of potential investments, but it’s particularly interesting here. You see, gold tends to appreciate in value during times of uncertainty and political unrest. That’s when the markets tend to be more chaotic in other areas. So investors will look up and see the property market going haywire, or they will see stocks taking a nosedive. It makes sense that they’d look to something that has historically been a lot more stable. From the protests in France to the ongoing cost of living crisis in the United Kingdom, there are plenty of reasons why gold is going up right now. There have been more reasons to be cheerful in the US stock market, but global events have an impact on gold prices. So, if you’re not someone who generally keeps up with the latest global news, it might be time to start.

Understand The Market

As you may have gathered by now, gold is kind of unique. And that means that the people who buy and sell it have their own particular way of doing things too. They’ll also tend to have an impressive in-depth understanding of the way the market behaves. While you may find people taking a flutter on the stock market, for example, trying their luck on a few shares of this or that, gold requires a different kind of knowledge. Gut instinct is still important, but there’s that broader understanding too. That means that you need to have a good idea of what drives the market beyond the current events mentioned above. Just because gold is generally considered stable, that doesn’t mean that the price is not prone to some serious fluctuations. It will certainly help to keep an eye on expert analysis from people in the know. The XAUUSD live chart will give you an informed look at the market, news, and ideas. Visit Trading View to learn more and to find the resources that can make all the difference.

Find A Broker You Can Trust

It should go without saying that you’re not just going to head online and click “buy gold now” without doing your research. There have been enough stories about cybercrime over the last several years to make everyone think twice before they click on any link, let alone invest a big chunk of their hard-earned cash. It shouldn’t be too surprising to learn that are a lot of different gold brokers out there. As with anything worthwhile, it’s worth taking the time to find one that you can trust. Look for a broker that has a detailed breakdown of what they do exactly, and plenty of resources to help you learn more. Remember that a lot of brokers will be aimed at gold investors rather than traders. Investors are people who want to buy physical gold, which means taking ownership of it. If you are interested in owning physical gold, you’re going to have to think about storage. Do you want them to store the gold for you, or if you would feel more comfortable with it in a safety deposit box in a bank? If you’re at all uncertain about the way the broker is dealing with you, it’s probably best to walk away.

Gold Is Highly Desirable, Which Is Generally A Good Thing

The good news is that if you need to sell gold, you should not have too much of a problem finding a buyer. Gold is always in very high demand, and it is easy to move relatively quickly. However, it is also worth noting that you might not always get a very high profit when you sell if you’re flipping it quickly, or during times of stability. As soon as things start settling down, you may see the price start to dip. However, gold doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing addition to your portfolio. A lot of investors find that gold is the perfect stable addition, bringing a bit of peace of mind which allows them to take bigger chances elsewhere.

Want to stand out from the competitive crowd? You must have business ownership skills to succeed in a business line. Many entrepreneurs are born with entrepreneurship skills while some have to adopt those skills to thrive in the competitive business arena. Imagine for a minute, if you don’t have the skills or abilities to execute hectic business operations and deal effectively with your clients, you can’t reap the fruits of success. We’ve gone far and beyond to help you know the great business skills to run business operations smoothly and ensure productivity. Let’s delve deep into it.

5 Entrepreneur Skills For Business Owners

If you want to start a business that succeeds, you must learn to master several distinct abilities. As a successful business owner, you’ll need more than just expertise in marketing, technology, or management to succeed. When starting a business, no one sits down and draws out a thorough strategy. The most important talent for success is the one that helps you make that comprehensive, precise strategy. These skills differentiate the boss from the employee. The success of a firm depends on five key skills. Let’s blow the lid off!

Effective Communication

Entrepreneurs may benefit greatly from outstanding communication abilities, but they are essential in practically every field of work. If you lack communication skills, you will fail as a business owner. You must also have the resilience to bounce back from setbacks and keep pushing forward in the face of opposition. Business is essentially a course in dealing with setbacks. Success in every career requires the interpersonal skills of listening, speaking, understanding, and working with others to achieve common objectives. Successful business owners have strong interpersonal skills since their success depends on their ability to collaborate with others. They understand the importance of making others feel at ease and certain of their talents.

Analytical Thinking

Successful business owners require to think analytically so that they can make fair and logical choices. Information analysis, question formulation, and conclusion-reaching are all components of analytical thinking. Successful company owners analyse their own and competitors’ operations. They also consider it while making choices concerning relationships and investments. This ability enables you to anticipate the future so that you may remain one step ahead of the competition. 

Financial Literacy

The success or failure of your enterprise may depend on your ability to establish and adhere to a realistic budget. By acquiring this crucial financial competency, you will be better able to control costs and distribute assets fairly within your organization. It’s vital to understand financial documents like balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements. These records are necessary for reporting and tax reasons, but they also serve useful functions in monitoring progress, planning for the future, and controlling costs. In addition to helping you keep track of your business’s finances, financial statements are also a valuable tool for attracting investors and securing financing from banks.

Proficiency In Technology 

Today, technology is an essential component of every successful business. You may not need to be the most technically proficient member of your staff as the owner of your business. But, If you become familiar with the necessary metrics, you would be able to use technology tools yourself and can run the company efficiently. Whether you have to check Accounting System, Inventory Control System, or Customer Relationship Management tool, you can keep a complete check on your company’s performance if you become proficient in using technology. If you become an expert in using auto trading bots like Immediate Connect, you can drive giant profits.

Flexibility

If you want to make the most of an opportunity, you need to be ready to do so at any moment. You’ll need the ability to change course quickly if you discover that the product you planned to sell isn’t doing as well as you had hoped. When your business concept turns out to be flawed, for example. Yet adaptability encompasses more than simply the ability to alter one’s product or business strategy; it also includes the disposition to alter one’s level of investment in a given endeavour, whether in terms of time or money.

Bottom Line

The ability to adapt to changing circumstances is a valuable asset in any endeavour, but it serves a new company venture particularly well. You may expect to encounter both predictable and unexpected difficulties and opportunities as an entrepreneur. How successfully you adapt to new circumstances will decide the future of your business.

If your business costs are exceeding the mean line, you must keep an eye on where your finances are going. You must start doing some serious budgeting. Otherwise, you may end up cutting into your company’s profitability. Although it is more difficult to reduce costs without compromising the quality of your goods or services, a company’s reputation may be affected by even seemingly little details, such as the quality of its packaging. Before making any cutbacks, think about how they will influence your customers. Fortunately, there are ways to save costs that don’t mean sacrificing quality. Let’s get the ball rolling.

Tips To Cut Business Costs

We’ve bent over backwards to provide you with ways to cut business costs without sacrificing the quality of services or products that you offer to your customers. So, without wasting a moment, let’s get started. 

Use Solar Panels One great technique to identify where you may make savings without sacrificing quality is to examine your company’s energy bills. Changing from a gas supplier to having rooftop solar panels can be a cost-effective option as compared to electricity costs. Investing in energy-efficient lighting for your workplace may be a more manageable option. It may seem counterintuitive to spend more money at first, but in the long run, these adjustments will save you money and help the environment.

Make Bulk Purchases

Some companies make bulk purchases to save money. This is a smart strategy for cutting corporate expenses without compromising product quality. Your company may save money if you switch to biannual rather than monthly procurement of needs since many vendors provide deeper discounts for larger orders. Space for storing items and dividing up responsibilities for any overflow delivery should be taken into account.

Cut Down on Waste

The potential for waste exists in every facet of a company.   Printing papers instead of storing them digitally results in unnecessary paper usage and the potential loss of data due to loss or theft. Reducing waste begins with raising awareness among workers about the need of conserving resources. Stressing the negative effects of trash on the environment might motivate workers to be more frugal. As an example, if you want to cut down on theft, you might beef up your security measures and keep an eye on your raw material waste to see where you could save costs.

Assess the Efficiency of the Staff

In today’s cutthroat business environment, efficiency is key. As a result, you will be unable to affordably transport people. Examine the work being done by personnel and their output. An employee who is not doing their weight should be given a warning before being disciplined. If a warning doesn’t get the job done, firing the worker is the next logical step. See how much work each employee has. Think about how reorganizing the workload may affect the workforce size.

Change Your Vendor

Not many businesses can do this since switching suppliers might scare off clients; but, if your company utilizes services or goods that have no connection with what it sells or provides, you may be able to switch to a cheaper provider. You may be overpaying for office supplies that don’t affect the quality of production.b So, why waste money when you could get by with cheaper materials that don’t change the quality of the final product in any meaningful way?

Automate processes

If you automate your operations, you can save expenses without lowering service standards. Tasks like data entry, payroll, inventory management, and employee scheduling fall under this category. You may save money in a variety of ways by automating some of the routine operations you conduct by hand every day. One tool that can support your trading business and lower business operating costs is Bitcoin Trader. 

Automating repetitive tasks not only saves time but also money by reducing the likelihood of a human mistake. Companies might lose hundreds, if not millions, due to data input and communication errors. Several of these mistakes may be avoided by delegating the task to a machine.

Let’s Conclude!

Cost control in the company should always be a priority. The aforementioned cost-cutting measures need not be one-time events. These tips will allow you to reduce expenses and boost profits. But if you don’t keep an eye on factors like productivity, waste, and vendor pricing, those expenses will start to rise again. We wish you a profitable and productive business ahead!

Making its way into Collins Dictionary’s ‘Word of the Year’ list for 2022, ‘quiet quitting’ refers to an employee actively deciding to do the bare minimum within their role and no longer going above and beyond with tasks not directly related to their job role. Gallup’s global workplace report for 2022 showed that only 9% of workers in the UK were engaged or enthusiastic about their work, ranking 33rd out of 38 European countries.

2023 has since seen this workplace trend being joined by its polar-opposite cousin ‘loud quitting’. This is the negotiation tactic employees are now adopting which involves making their boss very aware that they are unsatisfied in their job role and are actively looking for a new job – with the hope that they respond with promises of a more fulfilling job role within the company and a payrise.

With these trends highlighting a serious issue of how employees truly feel about their job role and how much of these feelings they choose to reveal to their boss, leadership, cultural transformation and performance intervention specialists FirstHuman are offering advice to senior leaders on how to encourage communication that truly engages with employees.

Oddi Aasheim, Performance Intervention Partner at FirstHuman said: “The rise of quiet and loud quitting within the workplace has mostly been discussed from the point of view of the employee, but it puts the spotlight on senior leaders and how well, if at all, they are connected to what really matters to their employees.

“Whilst there can be a number of factors in the workplace which accumulate to job dissatisfaction, senior leaders can consider the following to open up communication with their employees.”  

Listen for what’s important to them

For anyone to be engaged and motivated by what they do, it must be linked to something that matters to them, something that is important in their life. It may be about professional aspirations, community and connection to others, growth as a leader or financial security for the family. The key for any leader to unlock drive and motivation in the workplace is to engage with their people and show a genuine interest in what matters to them. Then find the connection between this and the job that they do. 

Oddi said: “Coming to work and seeing how your job directly contributes to your goal is a powerful motivator.”

Open doors and be accessible 

Open your office door, make your email and number known, do walk-abouts and have town halls. Ask in your team meetings what your direct reports have learnt about what is important to their people to set the expectation that this is something that is expected of them to engage in. Demonstrating to employees that you are genuinely interested in listening to them and make time for this will have an immediate impact. One of the main drivers of dissatisfaction in the workplace is ‘not being listened to’.

Once the leadership has opened their doors and taken a genuine interest in listening to what their employees find important, a safe space has been created that will vastly improve communication, allow creativity to flow, increase transparency, and build trust between employees and management.

Practise authenticity and impartiality

Being a leader and allowing yourself to bring your authentic self to work has benefits at work no matter what your role is, but for senior leaders it is an effective way of nurturing open communication between management and employees. Making authentic connections that truly mean something deeper to employees will allow them to feel completely comfortable expressing any concerns or bringing new ideas to the table.

Impartiality is a learned skill as we all have biases based on environments and previous situations. Because of this, it’s vital that senior leaders notice their strongly held opinions and biases by actively self-reflecting on their leadership. Being able to spot when these cloud our listening and how we see things, and being willing to put them aside is a critical element of authentic and impartial leadership.

Finally, “Good leadership takes a holistic approach to ensure employees feel part of the bigger picture and not just a pawn employed to do a job, Oddi added, “as this plays a big part in employees feeling valued and respected. By senior leaders recognising that their employees have aspirations for their future self and career as a whole, deepening the communication means they can be supported and nurtured and a Potent Environment can be created where extraordinary results are possible.”

Companies need to leverage effective CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems in the competitive business landscape to boost customer satisfaction and optimize their business processes. As many professionals know, CRM systems are generally categorized into three primary types: operational, analytical, and collaborative. Understanding the differences between these systems and their specific functions can help businesses choose the appropriate CRM solution that best suits their needs.

Operational CRM Systems: Streamlining and Automating Business Processes

Operational CRM systems (CRM defenition) focus on simplifying and automating routine business processes, thereby enriching the customer experience. These systems manage the entire customer journey, from the initial product or service interest to post-sale follow-ups.

Operational CRM platforms typically include tools for automating operations in three key business areas: sales, marketing, and customer service. By establishing complex workflows that streamline time-consuming tasks, such as lead capture and distribution, manual data entry, sending invoices, and addressing customer support issues, these tools help businesses keep vital data organized and allocate more time for personalized human interactions.

Businesses prioritizing customer-centric approaches and building lasting and loyal customer relationships should consider implementing operational CRM systems.

Analytical CRM Systems: Providing Data-driven Insights for Better Decision-making

Analytical CRM platforms are specifically designed to analyse large volumes of customer data a company collects and provide insights into its current status. These systems gather, interpret, and process extensive information to identify trends and patterns in customer preferences and purchasing behaviour. By leveraging these insights, businesses can make well-informed decisions, identify areas for improvement, and develop effective sales strategies.

Companies with a wealth of customer data to analyse should adopt an analytical CRM system. This type of CRM enables businesses to understand their customers better, leading to improved customer retention rates and increased sales.

Collaborative CRM Systems: Enhancing Cross-department Collaboration and Communication

Collaborative CRM software is designed to promote seamless data exchange and efficient communication among all departments within a company. By providing a comprehensive, holistic view of customers, their needs, interests, and requirements, these systems eliminate data silos and allow independent sales, support, and marketing teams to access up-to-date and detailed customer profiles. This facilitates personalized customer interactions and enables teams to promptly address issues without overlooking critical information or being repetitive.

Companies that heavily rely on cross-department collaboration, ranging from large, decentralized organizations to small-sized brands, should consider using collaborative CRM systems. This software ensures all employees are on the same page, resulting in data-driven customer interactions that improve satisfaction and loyalty.

Operational, analytical, and collaborative CRM systems serve different purposes and cater to specific business needs. Operational CRM systems focus on streamlining and automating routine business processes, while analytical CRM platforms analyse customer data to provide actionable insights for decision-making. Meanwhile, collaborative CRM software aims to enhance cross-department collaboration and communication.

Identifying your company’s specific needs and objectives to select the right CRM system for your business. By understanding the differences between these CRM types and their benefits, businesses can make an informed decision and choose the platform that best supports their growth and success.

In recent years, we have seen the rise of three major technological movements: startups, blockchain, and the metaverse. Blockchain has revolutionized how we handle transactions, making a secure and decentralized system. The metaverse is set to transform how we interact with digital content, creating a fully immersive virtual world.

But what happens when these three movements intersect? In this article, we will explore how startups can leverage the power of blockchain and metaverse to achieve success.

How can Startups Benefit from Blockchain in the Metaverse?

Firstly, it can help startups raise funds through initial coin offerings (ICO) or exchange offerings (IEO). These fundraising mechanisms allow startups to issue tokens representing a share of their business or product. These tokens can be traded on decentralized exchanges (DEX) within the metaverse, providing liquidity to the startup and its investors.

Blockchain can help startups create a more transparent and secure business environment. These assets include virtual real estate, digital collectibles, or virtual currency. By making these assets, startups can create a new economy within the metaverse, providing further growth and revenue generation opportunities.

What Are The Challenges, And How To Overcome Them?

While the potential benefits of combining startups, blockchain, and metaverse are vast, several challenges must be overcome. Startups must deeply understand blockchain and metaverse technologies to leverage their potential effectively. Another challenge is the regulatory environment. The regulatory landscape for blockchain and metaverse technologies constantly evolves, making it difficult for startups to navigate.

Finally, startups must be able to create a compelling user experience within the metaverse. The metaverse is a new and emerging technology, and users may need to become more familiar with its capabilities or limitations.

Opportunities For Entrepreneurs And Innovators

Combining startups, blockchain, and metaverse creates opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators. At the same time, the metaverse provides a unique platform for startups to connect with users and create immersive experiences. While there are challenges to overcome, with the right approach and understanding, startups can unlock the potential of these technologies and build successful businesses that thrive within the metaverse.

Finally, startups must be prepared to adapt and evolve their products and services as the metaverse and blockchain technology grow. The metaverse is a new and emerging technology, and startups must be agile and flexible to keep up with changing market conditions and user needs.

Remarkable Aspects Of The Combination Of Startups, Blockchain, And Metaverse

One unique aspect of the combination of startups, blockchain, and metaverse is the potential for decentralized ownership and governance. Blockchain technology enables the creation of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) that operate through smart contracts on a blockchain network. DAOs allow decentralized ownership and management of assets and resources, which can be particularly valuable within the metaverse.

In the metaverse, virtual assets such as virtual real estate, digital art, and even virtual currencies are becoming increasingly valuable. DAOs can enable the decentralized ownership and management of these assets, creating a more democratic and equitable system. DAOs can also enable decentralized decision-making, allowing users within the metaverse to have a voice in the direction of the platform and the allocation of resources.

While Bitcoin era may not be directly related to the metaverse, it is an essential aspect of blockchain technology and its potential impact on startups within the metaverse. Startups within the metaverse can leverage the security and decentralization of Bitcoin era and blockchain technology to create innovative and secure virtual currencies and assets. By incorporating Bitcoin code into their business models, startups can create a more transparent and secure financial system within the metaverse.

Startups incorporating DAOs into their business models can create a unique and innovative value proposition that resonates with users within the metaverse. DAOs can also create new revenue streams for startups by creating and managing virtual assets.

Final Words

Startups incorporating DAOs and immersive experiences into their business models can create a compelling value proposition that resonates with users within the metaverse. While there are challenges associated with these technologies, with the right approach and understanding, startups can unlock the potential of these technologies and create successful businesses within the metaverse.

Startups can leverage the power of blockchain to create new revenue streams, increase transparency, reduce costs, and reduce costs. The metaverse provides a unique platform for startups to connect with users and create immersive experiences. Startups can unlock the potential of these technologies and build successful businesses.

By Dan Kentley, Practice Manager at Onebright 

Around 1 in 100 people are on the autism spectrum, a condition which affects around 700,000 adults and children in the UK. Autism Awareness Month is recognised throughout the month of April and aims to raise awareness about autism, which can also be referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder or Autism Spectrum Condition. This year, we look at how organisations and workplaces can support their neurodiverse workforce and attract new talent.

Autism is a spectrum condition, meaning it affects different people in different ways in different environments. The challenges that one autistic individual may face could be the strengths of another, and vice versa. Because of this variety, the ‘standard’ practices we see in the workplace may need reviewing to ensure they are as inclusive as possible for all employees. 

Autistic individuals bring a wealth of unique knowledge, skills, and expertise to the workplace. However, those with autism often report feeling that they are perceived by others to struggle in all areas of work, just because they may have difficulties in one or two specific fields.

Skills and attributes such as focus, attention to detail, retention of information, creativity, and analytical skills are all prime examples of how autistic individuals can bring new and different perspectives to organisations and teams. But in order to harness these skills, organisations need to adapt working practices and environments to suit the needs of their neurodiverse employees.

A 2020 study identified the three key areas which need to be considered in order to ensure an autism-friendly environment. These include knowledge and understanding of autism across an organisation, optimal work environment, and appropriate job match.

Social challenges can be particularly impactful for individuals with autism, whether associated with ‘extra-curricular’ social events or work-related interactions, such as communicating expectations or interpreting workplace culture. Sharing knowledge and encouraging reflection across the wider workforce can help to break down these barriers and foster a culture of understanding, enquiry, and support. 

Simple adaptations such as minimising distractions, reducing noise, and ensuring job duties are clear can all be helpful for autistic individuals. Line manager supervision, clear communication and feedback mechanisms, cultural support for social situations or meetings, and clear development opportunities and career path progression all need particular care and attention to foster an environment where neurodiverse individuals can thrive. 

Of course, there is no ‘one size fits all’ support strategy. The following factors are a great place to start to establish a healthy and effective working environment for all employees. 

Assess the accessibility of your hiring process

Start by evaluating how job positions are advertised and whether your organisation encourages applications from individuals with autism and other neurodiverse conditions. Are job descriptions regularly reviewed to ensure they include clear and specific expectations of a role and avoid any generic non-essential requirements? How might the interview process be more inclusive? Are clear details of the process set out in advance? A ‘traditional’ interview or application process may not be inclusive for all applicants, so it may be necessary to tailor your hiring programme to present an equal opportunity for everyone.

Think about your physical work environment

Creating options for low stimulus environments will ensure autistic or neurodiverse individuals have access to an environment in which they are able to do their best work. Providing noise-cancelling headphones or a quiet space to unwind after a busy meeting can be highly beneficial for those who may not work well in loud or crowded environments. It’s also important to ensure you are using technology to the advantage of neurodiverse individuals, rather than creating an unnecessary stimulus. 

Establish a clear and effective mental health policy

Constructing and regularly updating a mental health policy is important to ensure working environments are benefitting all of your employees. As a start, your policy should include considerations of the factors that allow autistic and neurodiverse individuals to work most effectively. These practices should then be communicated clearly across the organisation. An emphasis on open and consistent dialogue between managers, supervisors, and all other employees will create an inclusive and supportive working environment that allows all employees to thrive. 

As the cost of living crisis continues, employers must recognise the importance of supporting their employees during these challenging times. From both a business and human perspective. Financial stress can significantly impact employee wellbeing, job satisfaction, and productivity. As a result, many organisations are taking steps to provide support and alleviate some of the financial concerns faced by their staff. Beyond being morally right to support employees during times of economic hardship, there are also business benefits.

Employee performance experts at Weekly10 summated their 9 tips so that businesses can support their employees during tough economic times:

1. Focus on employee engagement
2. Prioritise employee wellbeing
3. Be transparent with employees
4. Look to build resilience
5. Foster a future focus
6. Develop healthy relationships
7. Support physical wellbeing
8. Provide personal and professional development
9. Learn and strategise afterwards

Focus on employee engagement

Why employee engagement matters

Employee engagement is the foundation for any successful business – whether there’s a cost of living crisis or not. When employees feel connected to their work, peers, and company mission, they’re more likely to find meaning in their work. They feel like they are contributing to a bigger purpose, which can boost their sense of fulfilment and satisfaction. Engaged employees are also more likely to be motivated and productive, leading to a sense of achievement and personal growth.

High levels of engagement can lead to greater job security. Engaged employees are more committed to their work and company, which can make them more likely to stay with the organisation. This, in turn, can provide greater stability and a sense of security.

How to build employee engagement

To build an engagement-focused culture, it’s crucial that we understand more about the specific elements of engagement. There’s a simple 10 step model for management based on what HR best practice and behavioural science tells us are the key elements underpinning employee engagement. Let’s assume you’re already getting the basics right like fair pay, and competent managers. Others things you can do are:

1. Be open and honest about the ups and downs. Transparency is critical to having engaged staff.  
2. Set clear goals so everyone knows what’s expected, and check progress regularly.
3. Recognise when people go above and beyond. Everyone likes a pat on the back every now and then.

Prioritise employee wellbeing

Why employee wellbeing needs attention during a cost of living crisis

Managers, leaders, and HR have a moral responsibility to look out for their employees. This is especially true during the cost-of-living crisis because they’re likely to be facing higher levels of stress at work and at home.

Unsurprisingly, job losses, financial uncertainty, falling engagement, and increased productivity are a bad recipe for employee wellbeing. But wellbeing is more than just how happy someone seems. It’s about finding a good balance because healthy employees = healthy business.

How to offer wellbeing support to employees in cost of living crisis

Managers can help their staff feel supported and valued by offering support, being flexible, providing fair compensation, fostering a positive work environment, and providing opportunities for development. A simple “how are you?” goes a long way.

Jim Hartner, Chief Scientist of Workplace and Wellbeing, Gallup summarised the link between wellbeing and bottom line: “When your employees’ wellbeing is thriving, your organisation directly benefits — they take fewer sick days, deliver higher performance, and have lower rates of burnout and turnover. But when your employees’ wellbeing suffers, so does your organisation’s bottom line.”

Be transparent with employees

Why transparency matters during a cost of living crisis

Honesty and openness create a sense of psychological safety that is essential during times of crisis. That’s why, during the cost of living crisis, it’s important for leaders and managers to be transparent at work. When leaders admit to negative situations or acknowledge uncertainty, employees feel safer and more secure. If you can’t afford to give the usual bonus or annual pay rise, be honest. Tell employees how you do plan to support them in cost of living crisis.

Frequent communication is key to building trust and transparency between managers and employees. 86% of employees feel a lack of effective and open communication is the main cause of workplace issues.

Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Airlines, emphasies the importance of being visible, authentic, and transparent in communication during difficult times. By acknowledging what is known and what is unknown, employees are more likely to trust and respect their managers.

How to be more transparent with your staff

Holding regular one-on-one meetings, town halls, and sending weekly email updates from the CEO are all effective ways to ensure that employees have ample opportunity to communicate and share their thoughts and concerns. It’s important to avoid talking at employees and instead actively listen and engage with them.

A culture of honesty and openness can positively impact employee engagement, morale, and productivity. Especially when you include clear goal-setting as part of being transparent. It may seem odd but setting clear goals will keep your entire organisation on track. Everyone is focused on the same destination, just via different routes.

Setting goals during a crisis helps to motivate and align individual, team, and department work. In uncertain times, collaborating to set goals can help to ease stress and provide much-needed support and clarity.

But beware. During tough times, goals need frequent reviews as priorities and objectives adapt to the situation. An outdated goal can have a negative impact on engagement, performance, and wellbeing.

Build employee resilience to help them adapt during hard times

Why resilience is critical to supporting employees during a cost of living crisis

Your people are a business’ secret weapon to thriving in tough times. Support your people and they will support you. But bosses must do the groundwork to help their employees learn healthy mechanisms to develop their own resilience.

Resilience is how you handle difficult situations. Often described as the ability to bounce back and carry-on during adversity. Resilience measures how effectively you regulate your thoughts and emotions, as well as perceiving challenging situations as an opportunity, not a personal threat.

Having a resilient workforce has huge benefits. Your people can deal with change and are less susceptible to burnout. It drives motivation and improves employees’ overall health. That’s because resilience and workplace wellbeing are linked.

How to build employee resilience

Building resilience is very much a personal journey that takes self-reflection, time, and practice. However, team leaders and managers can support an individual’s development by providing the right tools and training.

Employees and managers need to understand the basic elements that create resilience at work. A workplace culture with opportunities for social interactions, good wellbeing, and personal development will instinctively create the right environment to build resilience.

Foster a future focus

Why looking forward will help support your employees after the cost of living crisis

A growth mindset helps employees to future-gaze constructively. This promotes openness to change and adaptation and enables healthy responses to challenges and problems. This is linked closely to being resilient.

Critical thinking and accountability are important here. It requires stopping and thinking logically, rather than being swayed by emotions. It also means being human: admit you don’t know everything and ask questions to learn more.

How to foster a future focus

Employers can help their employees develop a growth mindset by providing opportunities for learning and development. Encouraging employees to take on new challenges and providing them with the necessary training and resources can help them build resilience and adapt to changing circumstances.

Leaders should foster a culture of continuous learning, emphasising the importance of taking risks, learning from failures, and celebrating successes. They can also provide regular feedback and recognition to help employees see their progress and feel motivated to continue their growth.

Another way to support employees in developing a growth mindset is to encourage them to seek out mentors or coaches who can provide guidance and support. Mentors can offer insights and advice based on their own experiences, while coaches can help employees identify their strengths and weaknesses and develop strategies for improvement.

Employers can also promote a growth mindset by setting challenging but achievable goals and providing employees with opportunities to collaborate and share their knowledge and skills with others. By creating an environment that values learning and growth, employers can help employees build resilience and adaptability, which can be particularly important during a cost of living crisis.

Develop healthy relationships for moral support

Why having a good support network at work matters during the cost of living crisis

During the cost of living crisis, employees may feel stressed and isolated, which can negatively impact their mental health and overall wellbeing. By developing healthy work relationships, employers can create a supportive and collaborative environment that helps employees feel more connected and engaged in their work.

When employees have positive relationships with their colleagues, they are more likely to feel motivated and engaged in their work, which can lead to increased productivity and better job satisfaction. Additionally, having people to talk to and offer support can help employees manage stress and navigate difficult situations, such as financial uncertainty, during a cost of living crisis.

How to build healthy employee relationships in cost of living crisis

Relationships take time and can’t be forced. Developing healthy relationships at work is essential for both your personal and professional growth. And Leadership can support employees to foster healthy workplace relationships by encouraging them to focus on things like:

• – Building genuine connections by expressing real interest in others, including their differences, and being mindful of their views and values. Being open to other’s viewpoints can expand your own perceptions and expectations.
• Confiding in a mentor. They provide a safe space outside your immediate team to express and challenge yourself. Encourage your employees to learn from those around them. This could be as simple as observing from a distance or having more formal arrangements.
• – Calling out negative behaviours. If there are people who bring you and others down at work, think about what can be done. Often, people don’t realise what they’re doing and how it affects others until someone else challenges it. Honest, empathetic feedback can help with this.
• – Respecting your colleagues’ boundaries. Being mindful of their time and workload, as well as out-of-work responsibilities.
• Practice gratitude: Show appreciation for your colleagues’ contributions, celebrate their achievements, and thank them for their support.
• – Communicate to be understood, not heard. Communication is key to building healthy relationships at work. Be clear and concise when you communicate, listen actively, and be open to feedback.

• – Build trust: Trust is crucial for any relationship, especially in the workplace. Keep your promises, be reliable and consistent, and show that you are trustworthy.

Support your employees physical wellbeing

Why physical wellbeing matters during a cost of living crisis

Physical health is closely linked to mental and emotional health. Although physical fitness is personal, companies can take steps to support their employees’ physical health and wellbeing.

In the UK, an estimated 141.4 million working days were lost due to sickness or injury. In the US, an estimated 1.5 billion workdays are lost each year due to absenteeism and presenteeism (working while sick or unwell) caused by poor physical health.

How to support your people to be physically healthier

This isn’t about gym memberships and away days. This is about creating a workplace culture that enables your people to work in a way that works for their health. Here are four ways companies can support their employees’ physical health:

Offer ergonomic workstations. Sitting for long periods can be harmful to employees’ physical health, so companies can provide ergonomic workstations with adjustable chairs, desks, and computer monitors to help reduce the risk of injuries or chronic pain.

Suggest walking or standing meetings, or limiting meetings altogether so that people can choose to work how and where they need to, to best support their physical health.

Encourage employees to take breaks rather than work through lunch, or for excessively long periods. Offer flexible work arrangements that allow employees to balance their work and personal lives more effectively.

Check-in on people’s workloads to make sure they’re fair and manageable. This is achieved by setting clear goals and realistic deadlines. Knowing what’s expected and how you’re tracking against those expectations plays a big part in managing ambiguity and stress.

Provide personal and professional development opportunities

Why personal development is the ultimate way to support employees in cost of living crisis

Personal and professional development is crucial for employees during a cost of living crisis as it helps them to adapt to changes, remain productive, and advance their careers while also building resilience.

Investing in an employee’s personal and professional development is a way of recognising an employee’s value. Empoyers can use development as an alternative to increasing basic salary or offering a bonus, which lose their effectiveness quickly anyway.

Setting clear and actionable steps will make building resilience feel more tangible, and prevent it from feeling overwhelming.

How to encourage employees to learn new skills

New skills help employees to adapt to changes in the workplace. In a cost of living crisis, companies may need to make changes to stay afloat, and employees who can adapt to these changes will be more valuable. This can open up new career opportunities for staff. This is particularly important when job opportunities may be limited.

Emphasise how new skills support future job security. Employees who are constantly developing their skills are more likely to be retained. Companies may prioritise retaining employees who have the skills and knowledge needed to navigate challenging times.

Developing resilience is important during difficult times. Employees who have a growth mindset and are constantly learning and developing new skills are better equipped to handle the challenges that come with a cost of living crisis.

Learn and strategise afterwards

Why you need to use the cost of living crisis to learn how to support employees moving forward

Not to get all Nostradamus on you, but you never know when the next tough episode is coming. But be sure, it is coming. Whether it’s a pandemic, recession, or natural disaster, or something else entirely. Being prepared means your people and business will be in a better position to face it. So now’s the time to take stock, learn the lessons, and introduce new processes and strategies.

How to take what you’ve learnt and adapt

Review how you supported your employee through the cost of living crisis

The first step is to look at what you, your people, and your business has just gone through. Collect the thoughts and experiences from your people. Find out how they felt, what they went through, and poll for ideas on futureproofing.

Continue to focus on supporting employees to build their resilience

Resilience is like any other skill. It needs honing. Yes, your people may have just gone through a crisis and come out stronger, but don’t lose focus. Put plans into motion to build and strengthen resilience further.

Build better communication processes

You’ll have seen the impact good communication has on your people and business during your recent tough time.  Again, resting on your laurels is not a sensible move here. Continue to talk to your people open and honestly. Run frequent employee check-ins, have your managers run 1:1s more often, and open up lines of communication across your business. Make sure your people can talk and be heard when they need to be.

Shake up your hiring and retention strategies

It’s likely you’ll have learnt a lot about your people during the last period of change and uncertainty. Some hidden gems may have emerged and some previous stars may have faded. You’ll have a better feel for strengths, loyalty, and weaknesses. Take that information and reform how (and who) you hire and how you keep people long-term.

A morally and economically sound strategy

Supporting your people during hard times, or times of uncertainty, is morally and economically sound. Both the business and your employees will benefit. Build a team capable of pitching in when times are tough, not just when it’s easy. Reward great work and innovation fairly, celebrate the great things your people achieve, and build employee engagement organically.

A spokesperson from Weekly10 commented: “The cost of living is being felt by employers and employees alike and looking after staff has never been more pertinent for businesses, individuals, communities. 

These areas of focus are extremely important and those employers who pay them due diligence are sure to benefit from doing so. 

With the fluid state of the economy and no particular letup in sight in terms of the cost of living, looking after staff is going to be of increased importance in every business for the foreseeable future.”

Entrepreneurs are starting to take notice of the metaverse because it presents a unique opportunity to create entirely new businesses and revenue streams. However, entrepreneurs must be innovative, adaptable, and willing to take risks to succeed in the metaverse.

Advantages Of Metaverse For Entrepreneurs 

In the real world, starting a business can be difficult because of the high cost of entry, intense competition, and regulatory hurdles. In contrast, the metaverse offers entrepreneurs a relatively low barrier to entry, with plenty of room for experimentation and growth. Most calls are saturated in the real world, but entrepreneurs can develop new products and services. For example, they can create virtual fashion brands, digital art galleries, or real estate.

One way entrepreneurs in the metaverse can leverage blockchain technology is by using the Bitcoin loophole. The Bitcoin loophole is the software that underlies the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, and it is open-source, meaning that anyone can use and modify it. Entrepreneurs familiar with the Bitcoin code can use it to create cryptocurrencies, such as in-game tokens or digital currencies that can be used in virtual marketplaces.

Additionally, entrepreneurs can use the Bitcoin code to create secure and transparent transactions, which is essential in the digital environment of the metaverse. Using the Bitcoin code, entrepreneurs can create new revenue streams and monetization models that are secure, transparent, and accessible to a global audience. To succeed in the metaverse, entrepreneurs need to understand the unique challenges of this new environment. 

Challenges And Opportunities For Entrepreneurs In The Metaverse

One of the most significant challenges facing entrepreneurs in the metaverse is the issue of copyright and intellectual property. As the metaverse grows, it is becoming increasingly difficult to protect intellectual property rights, and entrepreneurs need to be vigilant to avoid plagiarism and copyright infringement.

As the industry continues to grow, entrepreneurs willing to take risks and experiment will have the chance to shape the future of this exciting new industry.

Traditional advertising can be expensive and ineffective in the real world. In addition, businesses are limited by geographic location and language barriers. Entrepreneurs can reach an audience in the metaverse and connect with people worldwide. This presents unique opportunities for international collaborations and partnerships.

Entrepreneurs in the metaverse also have the opportunity to leverage blockchain technology. In addition, by using blockchain, entrepreneurs can also create new revenue streams and monetization models, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and decentralized marketplaces.

For example, it needs to be clarified how the metaverse will be regulated, how intellectual property will be protected, and how users will interact in this new environment. Therefore, entrepreneurs who want to succeed in the metaverse must stay informed and adapt quickly to changes in the industry.

Emerging Trends In The Metaverse For Entrepreneurs 

As the metaverse industry continues to grow, there are several emerging trends that entrepreneurs should pay attention to. VR and AR technologies allow for even more immersive experiences in the metaverse, and entrepreneurs who can leverage these technologies to create unique experiences for their users will be at an advantage.

In addition, there is a growing interest in creating metaverse experiences that are accessible to all users. This includes creating experiences compatible with different devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and experiences accessible to users with disabilities. Entrepreneurs who prioritize accessibility and inclusivity in their metaverse experiences will be able to reach a wider audience and create more meaningful connections with their users.

Finally, there is a growing interest in using the metaverse to address real-world problems, such as climate change, social inequality, and mental health. As a result, entrepreneurs using the metaverse to create positive social impact will be well-positioned to succeed in this new industry.

Final Words

In conclusion, the metaverse presents an exciting new frontier for entrepreneurs, offering unique opportunities to create innovative businesses and revenue streams. However, success in the metaverse requires adaptability, risk-taking, and understanding the challenges and opportunities unique to this new environment. 

Entrepreneurs who can leverage emerging technologies, prioritize accessibility and inclusivity, foster social interaction, and create positive social impact will be well-positioned to succeed in this exciting and rapidly evolving industry. As the metaverse continues to grow and develop, entrepreneurs must stay informed, adaptable, and willing to experiment to unlock its full potential.

Many startups fall into the trap of developing products or services that may be technically advanced but fail to meet the needs of their target customers.

This is where user-centered innovation comes in – a process that puts the needs and wants of users at the center of the innovation process. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of user-centered innovation and how startups can leverage it to create products that meet their customers’ needs.

What is User-Centered Innovation?

User-centered innovation is an approach to innovation that prioritizes end-users needs and wants throughout the entire product development process. This means involving users in product development’s ideation, design, prototyping, and testing phases to ensure that the final product meets their needs.

The goal of user-centered innovation is to create products that are not only technically advanced but also meet users’ needs in terms of functionality, usability, and overall user experience. By involving users in the development process, startups can ensure that their products are relevant, helpful, and desirable to their target customers.

How to Implement User-Centered Innovation in Your Startup

Implementing user-centered innovation in your startup involves several key steps, including:

Identifying User Needs

The first step in user-centered innovation is to identify the needs and wants of your target customers.

Ideation

Once you clearly understand user needs, you can begin ideating potential solutions that meet those needs. This can involve brainstorming, sketching, and other creative processes.

Testing

This can involve usability testing, user interviews, and other feedback-gathering methods.

Iteration

Based on the feedback gathered during testing, you can make iterations to your output until it meets the needs and wants of your desired audience.

User-centered innovation is not a one-time process but an ongoing one that should be integrated into the overall culture of the startup. By continuously gathering feedback and making iterations, startups can ensure that their products remain relevant and valuable to their customers.

Perks For Companies That Employ User-Centered Innovation

In addition to involving users in product development, startups can leverage user-centered innovation to improve other aspects of their business, such as customer service and marketing. User-centered innovation is also essential in today’s increasingly competitive startup landscape.

Moreover, The code that powers the Bitcoin network is open source, which means that it can be viewed and modified by anyone with the technical knowledge to do so. This code is known as the Bitcoin protocol, and it specifies the rules that govern the creation and transfer of bitcoins. The BitSoft 360 is constantly evolving as developers work to improve the network’s security, scalability, and functionality.

Finally, it’s worth noting that user-centered innovation is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Different startups may require other methods of gathering user feedback and may need to prioritize other aspects of the user experience.

Real-World Startup Examples Leveraging User-Centered Innovation

To further emphasize the importance of user-centered innovation, let’s look at some real-world examples of startups that have successfully leveraged this approach to create products that meet the needs of their target customers.

One example is Dropbox, a cloud storage company with over 500 million users worldwide. When Dropbox first launched in 2007, it was a simple file storage and sharing platform aimed primarily at tech-savvy users. However, the company soon realized a much larger market for its product among non-technical users looking for an easy-to-use and reliable way to store and share files. Dropbox discovered that many users were frustrated with the complexity and unreliability of existing file storage solutions and were looking for a simple and intuitive platform that worked. In response, Dropbox simplified its interface and added features that made it easier for non-technical users to get started with the platform.

Another example of a startup that has successfully leveraged user-centered innovation is Airbnb, a platform that allows users to rent out their homes or apartments to travelers. When Airbnb first launched in 2008, it was primarily aimed at budget-conscious travelers looking for affordable alternatives to traditional hotels.

Final Words

User-centered innovation is a powerful approach to innovation that can help startups create products that genuinely meet the needs and wants of their target customers. By involving users in product development, startups can reduce risk, improve product-market fit, and enhance the overall user experience. Furthermore, by following the critical steps of user-centered innovation, startups can unleash the power of user-centered innovation and create products that are technically advanced and highly desirable to their target customers.

Modern brands are often referred to as living brands. They need to evolve with the core brand itself while also representing different aspects, such as various products, services, or specific campaigns.  During all these morphs they must continue to do the work they are primarily designed for, to hold the integrity of the brand by consistently expressing its agreed values.

All this requires monitoring and management while the world outside is a mass of change, some predictable but much of it apparently random, or provoked by some outside force out of our control, such as environmental concerns or disasters.

We can spend a small fortune researching the shifts happening in the world, how people’s mindsets change, what the latest appeal or fashion is, and so on. While I am sure research is invaluable in large organisations, politics and institutions dealing with a big agenda, there is another source of research that is in us all. Intuition. And there are many cases where CEOs have rejected costly conventional research in favour of gut feeling and been rewarded accordingly. I rather like Anita Roddick’s assessment of research as ‘looking in the rear vision mirror’ while driving.

Some businesses employ psychics such as Laura Day and, allegedly, don’t regret it. Laura states that we all have this ability, and she trains prospective psychics to do the same. I think, in our left-brained world, that we have unfortunately learned not to trust our inner guidance and to look outside for ‘proven’, ‘tried and tested’ methods of assessment. Essentially this keeps us where we are.

Lynne McTaggart, author of ‘The Field’, describes how our left logical brain keeps us where we are (apparently safe) in the familiar whereas the right brain is connected to the quantum field, where all human memory is stored without time and space constraints. Imagine the information we can tap into through our intuition, our psychic abilities and our gut feelings. Many, many successful entrepreneurs publicly admit to owning and acting on these. Even governments and businesses use it.

I attended a course run by Russel Targ who was responsible for training remote viewers for the CIA. Remote viewers state that it is possible to remotely access anything regardless of space and time. It is relatively simple, like imagining ourselves in a specific place and time and describing what is there. The challenge is to keep it authentic as the logical mind starts to try and make sense of it whereas the information may be delivered in a more creative way. This can easily take us down the wrong rabbit hole. But, like anything, with practice comes ease.

None of this is about ignoring logic and proven results but we need both if we are to grow relevance.

When we learn to trust the information we receive, beyond that which is presented logically and based on historical and past experience, then we can constantly check in on our brand easily and without cost and simply listen to our intuition. I use my logo as an intermediary; it gives my left brain something to focus on, while my right brain looks for clues and eventually they come fast. The logo is the obvious choice as it is the most powerful interface between brand and customer, identifying everything the brand does and stands for.

So how can we apply this to ensure our brand identity remains relevant?

It is a simple process. While one route is to enter a sort of meditative state, in whatever way suits us individually, and imagine ‘meeting with the logo’, we can simply imagine our logo in our minds, anywhere and anytime, and describe what stands out. When we become more familiar with the process it gets easier to start this with a focused intention such as simply checking on the status of the design, how effective it is in a particular area of exposure, or whether any of the elements within need refreshing. I am a visual person and may see part of the design looking lazy and I know I need to ramp up the energy, maybe more social media, time investment, or a brand clean up. If I need clarity, again I ask. A particular letter may stand out, if it is a low descender, I may look at what is happening at ground level, an ascender, and I might focus more on my aspirations and how they are being nourished. Whatever decision I take in my business I ensure that I always check in on my intuition for clarity. It would be foolish not to.

There is of course, as mentioned, the conventional, tried and tested research upon which global brands rely on heavily. It helps ensure success in our fluctuating, volatile world where our preferences and tastes can change on a whim. While my personal preference is to look inside to our internal place where we are all connected, we cannot work in isolation and monitoring shifts at ground level makes absolute sense. Typefaces, colours and applications change constantly, albeit sometimes subtly; we must keep with the current fashion while retaining the goodwill and familiarity we have built. If we want to stand out from the crowd, but appear in tune with the latest style, we must negotiate this edge.

Brands may choose to refresh their colour; we may not notice but we will register it.  Google changed its logo alignment in probably the most subtle way possible by moving the ‘g’ right one pixel and the ‘l’ down and right one pixel. Soon after this they changed the typeface, from a classic serif to a more friendly sans serif, but the colour of each letter remained. Without doubt the latter amendment was more noticeable but the first mattered too. We are hardwired to note these minute variations.

Of course, the logo may not need to change at all. By creating change in the applications, we make the shift we need for success. We may reduce or increase the size or position of the logo on advertising and marketing and review the content of those applications, such as the illustrations and photographs, their content and treatment, black and white, colour or hand drawn sketches to mention a few.

If we are working unconventionally, then we can use our intuition to guide us to the final result. Where do you want to see your image do its best work? Then imagine that. Make the colours, or the size, or any other detail brighter in your imagination. This is how NLP works successfully.

Whatever way we choose to ensure that our brand identity stays relevant, the most important thing to remember is that we do check up on it consistently. Depending on our brand and the results we want to see, this can be daily, weekly, monthly or annually but, in the words of Nike ‘Just do it.’

Lora Starling

Founder & Logo Designer

https://lorastarling.com/

Lora Starling is a trailblazer and experienced designer with over 30 years of experience having run her own corporate graphic design business in London. Merging conventional design excellence with spiritual wisdom she now creates logos that enable her clients to envision and attract the future they want using the same tools as global brands.

Having worked for clients including Lloyds Banking Group, AMEC, The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and the Boots Company, Lora has revisited and reshaped the principles of logo design since leaving her corporate role in London.

Now, Lora is passionate about working with brands, and entrepreneurs in the UK, Australia and USA to make a difference and deliver brand impact through successful visual logos. She believes that logos hold the imprint of the business spirit and conveniently and effectively build the world of imagination and our solid world of manifestation. These are imperatives for a successful business and also for everyday life which Lora achieves through helping her clients draw on everyday intuition within their lives.

Lora is also the author of three books (The Logo Decoded, Identify Yourself and Future You), with a fourth in the publishing process.

In recent years, more attention has been given to the less than ideal effects that can come as a result of business expanding — especially internationally. The spotlight that’s been put on situations in which businesses seem to take advantage of local populations has left many with a bad taste in their mouth when it comes to businesses expanding into different countries.

While the scrutiny that has come as a result of certain expansions has been beneficial in holding organizations accountable, it has, in some ways, made many feel as if ethical expansion is not possible for businesses.

This is far from the case, and it’s more than possible to expand a business, even internationally, ethically, and respectfully. Gaining insight into how this is possible can give one a more nuanced perspective of the process of business expansions.

The Three Categories of Ethics in Business

When it comes to ethics in business, there are three main types. Being aware of the various types of ethics is important when expanding one’s business into a new country. The three main categories of ethics in business are:

Compliance-based codes: These are typically government regulations that businesses must follow. Failing to follow compliance-based ethics can often result in punishments and legal repercussions.

Value-based codes: This type of ethics revolves around self-imposed rules which reflect the morals of a certain business. It typically promotes putting the public good above a business’s self-interest.

Professional codes: This category of ethics typically refers to trust between various business partners when it comes to fiduciary matters. As such, its function is to make sure that businesses are upholding the interest of their clients rather than themselves.

Establishing Ethics Prior to Expansion

For businesses interested in expanding their business internationally, it’s important to establish a code of ethics before making the expansion. This code can then be made to be a moral compass for those in leadership positions, ensuring that everyone with a position of power involved in the operation is aware of the guidelines for how they should be acting.

While it can be helpful to look to laws around labour and ethics in other countries, this should only act as a starting point. Businesses intent on making a smooth expansion into international countries should strive to go beyond the bare minimum and attempt to make their business a force of good in the country to which they are relocating.

Creating a Culture of Inclusion

Businesses planning on expanding internationally should aim to implement strategies to create a culture of inclusion in the workplace. When this is done, businesses can be sure that they are not alienating anyone in their operations. It is especially important to be inclusive and understanding of the locals in the country to which one is expanding.

When businesses fail to do this, it can result in situations that take on a flavour of ethnocentrism, which is bad for everyone. When businesses make a concerted effort to be inclusive of everyone working in their business, it is far easier to maintain high ethical standards with integrity.

Being Mindful of Cultural Differences

When expanding internationally, businesses should make a concerted effort to be mindful of cultural differences. This is an important part of ethics in international business, and disregarding this practice can result in a number of negative consequences. When businesses disregard cultural differences during expansions, they can create a number of problems for both themselves and the people who inhabit the country they’re expanding into.

This form of expansion makes it clear that a business has no intention of expanding ethically and can bring bad publicity and gain one’s organization a bad reputation. As such, it’s important to act in ways that are sensitive to local customs and attitudes rather than ignoring or disregarding them.

A way to be mindful of cultural differences is to have employees whose role it is to ensure that cultural cohesion happens during an expansion. This individual, or individuals, should speak the native language and be aware of the differences in culture between the expanding business and the locals of a country. Having someone in this role can help businesses expand internationally while maintaining a high ethical standard and integrity.

Vetting International Business Partners

When businesses are considering going into partnerships with international entities, it can be a good idea to vet these partners before moving forward. While companies will typically have reasonable labour laws, they are not always strictly enforced.

As a result, organizations sometimes take advantage of this lack of enforcement and engage in unethical business practices. These practices can range from child labour to employee abuse to having unsafe work conditions.

As such, businesses that don’t vet their potential business partners may be turning a blind eye to unethical conduct. For this reason, vetting partners is an important part of maintaining ethical practices when teaming up with international entities.

Ethical Expansion is Possible

While there have been innumerable examples of organizations expanding internationally in an unethical fashion, this does not have to be the way things are done. Businesses willing to put in the effort have the ability to expand their business internationally ethically and admirably. While it may take more effort, expanding ethically is more than possible when the right steps are taken.

With millions of people in debt and many of them digging their hole deeper each day, the problem is bound to spill over into other aspects of their lives. We are already familiar with how debt can negatively affect relationships and how it can prevent people from pursuing their dreams, but one impact that isn’t discussed as much is how debt impacts the workplace. Debt expert Leslie Tayne takes a look at how employees’ debt affects their employers.

Burnout

When people are in debt, they have to find a way to pay at least the minimum amounts due and if their current job doesn’t pay them enough to do that, these employees have to either work more at that job or find a second job. Either solution can lead to employee burnout, which can then lead to poor performance, lack of production, and other issues that directly impact the employer.

Employees who are burning the candle at both ends just to stay afloat financially are not able to be their best selves at their job. Even if their performance is satisfactory, imagine what it would be like if they were able to put all their energy into one job for a reasonable amount of time each day? Plus, burnout can trigger all sorts of health issues that can require employees to miss days at work. This doesn’t help either the employee or the employer.

Increased Employee Turnover

Workers who are drowning in debt are always on the lookout for a higher paying job. They are ready to jump ship at a moment’s notice if another opportunity comes up that can help them get out of debt more quickly. Hiring and training new employees costs employers significantly more than retaining employees who are already trained, so losing employees to higher paying jobs is a real threat, especially to companies that operate on razor-thin margins.

Distraction and Lower Productivity

People who are in debt are constantly worried about their financial situation, which means they’re still thinking about it while they’re working. When their minds are on whether or not they’ll be able to make this month’s mortgage or rent payment, they aren’t on the job at hand. This is not only lowering their productivity, but also causing a potentially dangerous situation, particularly if they’re operating equipment that requires their full attention.

What Can Employers Do?

Fortunately, employers can help their employees deal with debt, which in turn has a positive impact on the employers themselves. For example, offering debt management education classes, giving them options to work overtime, providing raises for deserving employees, and investing in benefits like a 401(k) are all ways to ease employees’ concerns about their debt.

The key for employers is to realize that their employees’ financial situations have a direct impact on their job performance. Helping them manage their debt and get out of it more quickly leads to more loyal employees who will show their appreciation by working harder for you.

Conclusion

It’s easy to pretend that an employee’s debt doesn’t carry over into their work life, but the reality is that their debt is always with them. By giving them tools to help them manage their finances and dig out of their debt, you’re not only helping them live a debt-free life, but you’re ensuring you get the best from your employees as well.

Starting a business requires plenty of thought, planning, and of course, money – without thinking of the bigger picture, you’re likely to run into problems that will limit your potential.

But when you consider the future of your venture, are you considering an exit plan?

It may not cross your mind, particularly if you’re a small business, and you may wonder whether you need one at all.

Here, we explore the exit plan and whether it’s right for your entrepreneur adventure.

What exactly is an exit plan?

An exit plan is a preparation plan for when you leave your business. Perhaps you’re selling it to an alternative company or leaving it in the hands of a relative. It’s sensible to have one in place, as any financial loss is limited, and you could even be making money.

Any business can benefit from an exit plan. There are many different routes to go down when leaving your business, whether you anticipate more success or decide to retire. There are several exit plans that you can choose from, including:

• Merger and acquisitions refer to when a business is acquired by another company, or they choose to merge together.
• Selling your control involves selling the stake of the business to a partner.
• Initial public offering is when a private business opens up to the public, allowing people to buy shares.
• Acquihire is when a business is bought based on the talent of the employees.
• Management buyout consists of employees within management buying the business from the owner.
• Family succession occurs when you pass down the business to a relative to keep it in the family.
• Liquidation is the route when a business can no longer make a profit and assets are sold to pay debts.
• Bankruptcy is used typically when no other plan is an option and assets are taken away to compensate for debt.

How can I prepare for an exit plan?

It’s important to know what your business is worth before you decide to call it quits. To prepare for your exit, get an up-to-date business valuation to ensure accuracy. This is particularly important if you’re selling your company to someone else, as you want to be sure that you receive every penny it’s worth, and it can also assist the buyer with any plans once they take over.

Think of your ideal outcome after leaving the business. This can ultimately help you to determine which plan is right for you, but if you have already decided, it can help you begin your next venture. If your company isn’t succeeding as well as you’d have hoped, is there a different route that you could take to showcase your expertise? Alternatively, your business might be making more profit than expected, and this could be used as an investment opportunity.

What are the benefits of an exit plan?

There are many benefits of an exit plan, as you can never be too prepared. It’s better to be ahead of the game than behind it, and an exit plan is a perfect example of this. It allows you to set goals for the company and the employees in a timely fashion so that you can assess anything hindering your success.

There are many entrepreneurs across the globe that sell businesses to other companies, but an exit plan is a strategy that will be attractive to buyers. Not only does it reflect that you have aspirations in place for the business, but it showcases your commitment, which is an appealing factor to buyers.

You can have peace of mind knowing there’s a smooth ownership transition with an exit plan, regardless of who is taking over the business. Employees, buyers, and even stakeholders can prepare for the transition knowing what’s to come, and you can implement any necessary arrangements, such as training.

With an exit strategy, you’ve got much more control over your business. While this is an advantage for all business leaders, it’s especially beneficial for small business owners. If the business is unexpectedly taking off, you may consider selling due to its increase in value – and with an exit plan, you can do so much quicker.

There are a variety of exit plans to choose from, but it’s wise for your strategy to consider implementing one. Doing so offers you that bit of protection and preparation for any unpredicted success or, in the worst-case scenario, failure.

Winning a big deal or a dream client is a huge boom for any business owner but if you’re not prepared for the influx of new work that follows, that celebrated new wave of work can quickly become a wave of panic.

As AI (artificial intelligence) performs some of the tasks that are usually carried out by humans, automating tasks can offer quick and effective solutions that enable businesses to be better prepared for the times when internal resources and staff are stretched.  

This article will explore how business owners can use automation in their marketing campaigns to develop their brand, grow their online reach and optimise digital marketing across social media channels. 

The actual tasks here can be quite varied and might revolve around anything from customer relationship management through to the deployment of email marketing. In addition to automating key campaigns such as marketing, you can tackle repetitive jobs far quicker and therefore avoid the stress of taking on a new and exciting client or contract. 

What is marketing automation?

Functionally, when we talk about automation from a marketing perspective, it means using software to perform some of the tasks that are usually carried out by humans. AI can develop their brand and grow their online reach as well as optimise digital marketing campaigns across channels. The actual tasks here can be quite varied and might revolve around anything from customer relationship management through to the deployment of email marketing. 

Although there are pitfalls from relying too much on automation over human input, when used effectively, marketing automation allows companies to be more proactive, productive and responsive to customers and potential customers. As well as using automation to help you cope with the big client wins, think ahead to how you can strategise to seal the next big deal, lucrative contract tender or client pitch you’re after!

Knowing how to automate business strategies like marketing or streamline operations allows your business to relieve pressure and reduce down heavier than usual workloads. Here are four reasons why automating your marketing campaign can add value to your business as a whole.

1. Add a personal touch

It is very effective in marketing campaigns to make the recipient of any marketing materials feel valued and that the communications targeted at them have been personalised. For engaging customers and building mutual trust, it pays dividends to personalise a site and your marketing comms. With the Internet likely to become saturated with AI-generated content, search engines will trust content created by someone they know about.

On the flip side, however, individually personalising marketing communications can be an enormous challenge that would almost certainly not be a good use of anyone’s time. Personalization is something that is made simple and instantaneous by automation. There are many different ways that this could work – but take the time of software that can look at a customer’s purchase history, and send out an email with suggestions for other products that customers with a similar buying history also bought.

Once again, this is something that marketing staff would be wasted on, but when it is carried out via software it can be very effective. 

2. Boost your brand reach and conversion rates

It is important to point out that one of the major reasons to invest in marketing automation is that it can have such a positive effect on your brand’s reach and your business from a financial perspective. If automation can make your marketing team more effective, it can make it very possible to grow leads and make more sales. 

For example, you can use automated software that allows you to track leads more effectively – this can be used to up the conversion rate. The software can track those leads that don’t end up converting and then re-target them with adverts in order to get a second chance at making the sale. 

3. Customised customer and client services

There can be no doubt that ChatGPT has opened the world’s eyes to the possibilities of personalised customer service provided by AI chatbots. AI chatbots that remember the conversion, as well as learning and adapting their answers to suit the specifics of the query have the power to provide transformative customer service experience without human interaction. AI chatbots can now more accurately and intelligently mimic human speech and are able to adapt their response depending on the context of the conversation. In fact, according to one report, 74% of customers actually prefer to use chatbots when they are looking to get an answer to a simple query. 

Automating your website to communicate and signpost directly to customers can support  customers through necessary but time-consuming procedures. If urgent forms need processing in industries that are regulated or require formal licences, such as construction firms, driving centres or healthcare agencies, automated signposting to online forms on site pages will speed up the process, lead to quicker conversions and alleviate your employees having to physically process online applications or requests. 

4. Predictive analytics

Predictive analytics is a form of AI that can help marketers make decisions by analysing large sets of data and identifying patterns and trends. By leveraging predictive analytics, marketers can better understand customer behaviour and predict their future actions. This can help in creating targeted marketing campaigns that are more likely to result in higher engagement and conversions.

For instance, it can be used to create customer personas by analysing datasets to identify the common characteristics of customers who have made a purchase or interacted with the brand in some way. These personas can then be used to create targeted campaigns that are more likely to resonate with specific customer segments.

In addition, predictive analytics can help in identifying potential churners or customers who are likely to stop using a product or service.

AI tech can elevate your current campaign’s performance, improve your business operations and help to safeguard your customer’s data. Functionally, automation can be extremely effective for your marketing campaigns and there are multiple advantages for businesses to consider business marketing automation, including:  greater efficiency, increased productivity, and financial savings. The initial cost of putting effective software in place will generally be recouped quickly by the fact that your marketing team is able to make more sales. New tech can boost businesses and promote online reputation with different examples of how to use AI/automation tech most effectively. 

Meanwhile, the arrival of ChatGPT as a powerhouse marketing tool might welcome a new generation of AI chatbots and tools in the future and is sparking a lot of interest. Marketing professionals already recognize their value AI and new automation tools for driving forward website search results, speeding up repetitive processes and for boosting leads or conversions. However, the future potential of AI and automation tools to add value to marketing is exciting. And, remember, marketing automation can be carried out in virtually every industry.

As the proprietor of a contemporary business, it is paramount that you utilize technology as much as possible if you are to achieve success in your endeavour. Of course, in the age of e-commerce, this means utilizing digital channels for sales and marketing to boost the growth of your business.

However, while the potential gains of digital business are considerable, they are counterpointed to some extent by the innate challenges of operating online. With so many companies trying to achieve success through e-commerce and digital marketing, competition is fierce. Leveraging data is a must, but this is often easier said than done, as IP blocking can stymy attempts at data gathering. At the same time, cybersecurity is of greater concern than it has ever been.

With such a variety of challenges to overcome, you will require a solution that can help you maximize your business’s online potential while minimizing the risks. This is something that residential proxies do exceptionally well.

What is a residential proxy?

A residential proxy is a proxy server that functions as a middleman between an internet user and the websites they visit. Residential proxy servers reroute the internet traffic of the user, allowing them to maintain anonymity online.

When a user goes online without a proxy, their IP address is typically visible. This means websites and internet service providers can see it and identify their browsing devices. Moreover, they can use that IP addresses to work out the location of the user to apply restrictions or blocks. Residential proxies prevent this.

Residential proxies are often confused with datacentre proxies. While they both serve to redirect traffic and conceal user IPs, datacentre IPs are not provided by an ISP. Residential IPs, in contrast, are designated by ISPs for linked to specific user devices.

These characteristics make residential IPs seem more genuine to organizations that might monitor your activity. For this reason, they are less likely to be flagged or blocked than datacentre IPs.

Why is a residential proxy valuable to your business?

The following are some ways that a residential proxy can bring value to your operation:

It gives your business extra protection online

When you run a digital business that relies heavily on online interactions, cybersecurity will naturally be one of your main concerns. A residential proxy goes some way towards protecting you due to the nature of how this technology works.

Since your proxy enables you to browse the internet under an assumed IP address rather than your own, hackers and other cybercriminals will be unable to track your personal IP. This gives you an added layer of protection, helping to insulate you against the risk of a security breach.

It helps ensure a return on marketing investment

Generating momentum for an online business requires considerable effort, and you may feel it worthwhile to invest in digital advertising. In this case, it is pivotal that you remain vigilant against potential ad fraud. To verify that your ads are being displayed as intended, you need to be able to view them, but this can be tricky due to geographical factors or your IP being blocked to prevent verification.

A residential proxy helps you to circumvent such issues so that you can see how your ads are displayed to users in the target region. As such, you can easily verify them and ensure that your business gets the exposure you paid for.

It enables effective research

Thorough market research is a cornerstone of any successful business. However, this can be difficult to achieve when browsing normally. Web scraping requires a substantial number of requests to be sent to a site, and this will often trigger a block, as companies don’t want their rivals gaining insights from their product pages.

Residential proxy networks often offer rotating IPs, meaning you can perform scraping without being blocked. Consequently, you can collect the data you require to devise a strong market strategy that will help you to make your enterprise a dominant force.

Concluding

The digital marketplace provides modern businesses with vast possibilities for growth, but it can also be tricky to navigate at times. As such, you need the right technological tools to generate momentum for your digital business. By utilizing a residential proxy, you can mask your IP and browse anonymously, thereby maximizing the gains of online operations while limiting the risks.

Mentora Institute, a New York-headquartered global leadership development and organizational transformation group, is pleased to announce that Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa, the Institute’s Founder and President, delivered the opening keynote address at the CBRE Capital Markets Investor Symposium 2023.

During the keynote titled ‘Cultivating Resilience’, Dr. Wadhwa reframed what it means to be resilient and shared six principles – using adversity; anticipating or mitigating risks; knowing when to fight; knowing when to move on; reframing adversity; and learning and turning – and three practices – re[1]center yourself, untwist your thinking, and adopt a fast-fail mindset – that organizations in the real estate capital markets can implement to build resilient teams.

The symposium which took place last week from March 14 th to the 17th in Scottsdale, Arizona, was attended by CBRE’s Capital Market executives and clients. It included some of the industry’s most influential leaders, such as Miriam Wheeler, Partner and Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, and Andrea Drasites, Senior Managing Director in the Real Estate Group at Blackstone.

Additionally, Dr. Wadhwa delivered a training session titled ‘The Anatomy of Great Leadership’, during which he talked about how leadership can be re-architected from the ‘inside out’ and provided insights into the ‘Inner Mastery, Outer Impact’ principles that underlie his unique approach to leadership development and performance acceleration. This unique, ‘inside out’ approach to leadership acceleration focuses on implementing simple actions in an authentic and agile way to achieve inner shifts in the individual which then naturally catalyze outer shifts in their behavior.

The symposium, which focused on the key trends shaping commercial real estate amid the market’s present challenges and dramatic evolution, benefited from the inclusion of Dr. Wadhwa’s high-level and practical insights on the pressing topic of how to build inspiring leaders and resilient teams in the real estate industry today.

In his opening keynote, Dr. Wadhwa highlighted that good leadership in the real estate capital markets is more important than ever as the number of challenges of increasing complexity, including an uncertain economic environment and the need to balance seemingly competing objectives such as ESG and growth, are creating new demands for sector leaders. Moreover, drawing from the latest scientific findings in neuroscience, psychology, behavioral economics, and studies of great changemakers and movements in history, Dr. Wadhwa explained how real estate leaders can achieve inner shifts in their behavior and reach a high-performance state to improve decision-making, collaboration and innovation.

Similarly, in the ‘Cultivating Resilience’ keynote, Dr. Wadhwa provided in-depth insights into the importance of developing resilient teams in real estate capital markets, explored the key attributes of resilient teams, and reframed resilience as the cultivation of the behaviors and mindsets that allow teams to thrive even though they may be facing uncertainty, as opposed to simply rebounding from setbacks.

Kevin Aussef, Chief Operating Officer at CBRE Global Capital Markets, said: “We are delighted to have had Dr. Wadhwa speak at this year’s Investor Symposium. Dr. Wadhwa shared very powerful insights and inspiration on the importance of leadership and resilience at a time in which the real estate capital markets are undergoing a period of uncertainty and the office is evolving to support organizations as new ways of working are established. He gave our audience many valuable practices they can use to strengthen performance among themselves and their team. The discussions he catalyzed at the symposium were of great value for all our guests.”

Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa, Founder and President of Mentora Institute, said: “It was a privilege to have spoken to a very distinguished audience at the CBRE Investor Symposium 2023 at such an important time for the real estate capital markets. From economic uncertainty to changing working and purchasing patterns, the sector is facing an unprecedented number of challenges that are affecting demand and investment in commercial real estate and making having resilient teams and exemplary leaders more important than ever. Against this backdrop, I was delighted to have spoken about how leadership can be developed, and resilience can be cultivated to help teams unleash their problem-solving potential and navigate adverse conditions.”

What is Maintenance Planning & Scheduling?

If you’re a maintenance practitioner, then at some point you’ve probably looked for ways to improve your maintenance reliability. There may be various solutions listed online, but the first step should always be implementing an effective maintenance planning and scheduling process.

It’s not something you can go without. Especially when you’re working in a highly reactive maintenance environment. Because chances are, you’re always running around fighting fires or chasing missing parts. And if that’s the case, it can be difficult to be productive enough to implement other improvement initiatives like optimizing your preventive maintenance program or implementing defect elimination.

That’s why in this article, we’ll explore maintenance planning and scheduling, why it’s crucial for the success of your maintenance program, and the steps you need to take to implement an effective maintenance planning & scheduling process.

Benefits of Maintenance Planning & Scheduling

Typically, the average industry wrench time is around 30%. Now that’s pretty low. That means that for your average 10-hour workday, your maintenance crew is only working productively for 3 hours. While the rest of the hours are lost as “waste” doing unproductive work.

But by implementing maintenance planning & scheduling, you can reduce downtime and increase your wrench time to 45%. Now, you might not think that increasing your maintenance productivity from 30% to 45% is a big deal. But to some organisations, that can translate to around hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars a year.

In practical terms, it means you can get 35% more work done every day, week, and month without hiring new people. Essentially, you just added an extra 35% to your workforce. And for a plant with 50 maintenance workers, this could mean an extra $1,500,000 in value per year. So, even though it might not sound like a significant improvement, it’s definitely worth celebrating.

Eliminate Waste with Maintenance Planning & Scheduling

Waste happens frequently in any business, but it is particularly common in maintenance. They may come in the form of delays, erroneous material identification, a lack of effective staff collaboration, and improper equipment isolation and shutdown time.

Planning and scheduling can significantly increase work productivity by getting rid of these inefficiencies. It can raise the quality of work, the uptime and integrity of crucial equipment, safety, and team member ownership by decreasing waste.

This resulting increase in job satisfaction and ownership are essential for fostering a culture of reliability and promoting ongoing development. Making better use of people’s time through planning and scheduling reduces frustration and makes the CMMS work for them rather than the other way around. Additionally, it reduces the need for firefighting and chasing “someone else’s emergencies,” allowing for more productive and proactive work.

Planning & Scheduling are not the same

Most organisation often confuses Planning with Scheduling, which is a common mistake. Essentially, Planning entails preparing for a job, enabling it to be done without any unnecessary delays. This requires identifying and preparing the scope of work, the procedures, materials, specialist services, and any special tools. Typically, a Maintenance Planner, who has a trade background, extensive experience, and sound technical knowledge, is responsible for planning maintenance.

In contrast, Scheduling determines who will perform which tasks and when, as well as how to group work to minimize waste like equipment downtime and travel time, balancing workload against available resources.

Simply put, maintenance Planning concerns the “WHAT” and “HOW” of a job, whereas Scheduling involves the “WHO” and “WHEN”. Another way to view this is that Planning minimizes delays during jobs, while Scheduling minimizes delays between jobs.

6 Steps to Maintenance Planning & Scheduling

The basic steps of a typical maintenance planning & scheduling process are detailed as follows:

• Create high-quality work requests by identifying and prioritizing tasks with a standard for good work.
• Plan maintenance by identifying all required resources, materials, and services to create a work pack with job scope, safety considerations, and access requirements.
• Schedule work by grouping tasks in an optimized, coordinated sequence in a weekly schedule with available hours and prioritized, “Ready for Execution” work.
• Execute work by providing resources and materials, performing maintenance, and updating progress and work status.
• Monitor progress and performance by tracking schedule compliance, safety, and equipment condition, and adjust the schedule as needed.
• Improve the process by conducting regular reviews, implementing improvements, and communicating successes and failures to stakeholders.
• If you want to learn how to implement this process in greater detail, then you can read this article: How to implement Maintenance Planning & Scheduling.

Final Thoughts

Maintenance planning and scheduling is essential for the success of a maintenance program. It can reduce downtime, increase wrench time by at least 35%, eliminate waste, and increase work productivity.

It is especially important to implement it in highly reactive organisations. Because without it, it can be extremely difficult to implement other improvement initiatives like optimizing your preventive maintenance program or implementing defect elimination.

Planning and Scheduling are essential for fostering a culture of reliability and promoting continuous development. They involve preparing for a job, identifying and preparing the scope of work, the procedures, materials, specialist services, and any special tools. A Maintenance Planner is responsible for planning maintenance, while Scheduling determines who will perform which tasks and when.

The basic steps of a maintenance planning & scheduling process are detailed as follows: create high-quality work requests, plan maintenance, schedule work, execute work, monitor progress and performance, improve the process, and communicate successes and failures to stakeholders.

You might think you know your audience well, but there could remain many aspects of them you have failed to address with precision.

For example, why are these people drawn to your company? What problems do members of this audience tend to encounter particularly often? What loves and fears do these people have?

If it has just dawned on you that you only really know your brand’s audience on a superficial level, here are several ways you can change that.

Meet your customers where they are 

Though sending out surveys to clients would be an obvious step to take in an attempt to solicit feedback from them, the data you amass in this way might not be entirely reliable.

After all, the people who are most likely to receive and respond to surveys like this from your brand are also likely to have already forged a strong connection with it. It can therefore be a better idea for you to meet these people where they naturally gather.

Use social listening software 

Entrepreneur advises: “Use social listening software in combination with targeted social lists to zero in on what your customers are saying online.”

This software is not only good for helping you to ascertain what trending topics they tend to follow most enthusiastically. Through engaging in social listening, you can also assess how these people interact with your particular brand.

One notable social listening platform is Pulsar, which offers detailed advice on how you can research your target audience.

Encourage the creation of user-generated content  

On whatever social media channels your target audience use, you could launch campaigns inviting people to create their own content in response to a brief set by your brand.

The content in question is known as user-generated content (UGC), and can provide you with an enlightening insight into what makes your customers tick.

Remember to promote each UGC campaign with a specific hashtag so that you can find the content itself in an especially time-efficient manner.

Post personal responses to customer reviews 

Of course, there are many different places online where customers can post reviews — such as of your particular brand’s products or services. 

Some of the online outlets where these reviews are published might also give you the opportunity to reply directly to each review of what your own company has done for the reviewer.

According to statistics shared by the Digital Marketing Institute, 9 out of 10 consumers turn to reviews to decide whether or not to buy from a local company, while 59% use Google for finding and reading reviews. 

Host an event 

This strategy can have multiple benefits for your brand, including sparking excitement among members of your audience and enabling you to meet and chat with them face to face.

You could find that, in this kind of environment, a customer often lets their guard down — and, as a result, is more honest about their pain points than would be the case were the customer to interact with your brand solely online.

Did you know that the right name could increase your sales? According to data released by Simply Business in February 2023, consumers are more likely to engage with a company if it has a funny or witty name. The insurance provider surveyed 2,003 adults in the UK and found that 64% are more likely to take notice of companies with catchy names. Delving further into the research, humour was a leading factor in determining a catchy company name.

Pun-tastic company names certainly aren’t suitable in all contexts, but the survey does reveal a bigger point. Branding, specifically the name of your company, matters. So even if it’s not funny, the name needs to stand out. It needs to convey something about your business and be memorable enough that people engage with what you’re offering. A great example of how a catchy name can get you noticed is Perky Blenders.

The London-based coffee company beat 1,500 businesses in the UK to claim the title of Britain’s best-named small business. The play on words clearly references the ever-popular show Peaky Blinders and is, therefore, memorable. The pun also suggests the coffee company is British (because the show is set in Birmingham) and that it is, potentially, somewhat edgy.

The Right Names Make an Impact

The name tells us something about the company, making it more than a name. Perky Blenders gives us an insight into the business, its owners and their personalities. What we hope this demonstrates is that you can’t be complacent when it comes to naming your company. People take notice when you have a great name, so take the time to develop a good one.

Of course, as it is with all creative endeavours, coming up with a noticeable name isn’t easy. Copyright issues, a lack of inspiration or limited options can make the naming process difficult. Cue digital technology and the ever-evolving skills of artificial intelligence (AI). An online business name generator not only gives you ideas, it gives you ideas that can improve search engine optimization (SEO) so that potential customers can find you online.

A Name Needs to Match the Medium You’re Using

According to CBRE, ecommerce accounted for more than 20% of all retail sales. In 2021, ecommerce sales topped $871 billion. It, therefore, pays to have a name that gets you noticed by search engines and online consumers. An AI-powered generator considers the structure, style and potential visibility of a name. It can also determine how effective the name will be when it’s translated to a URL and, moreover, if the name is available as a URL.

Calling your company Best Drinks Company in London might sound good in theory, but that’s going to translate into an awful URL. It’s too long, which makes it hard to enter and remember. Because of this, a business name generator wouldn’t suggest it. Instead, if you input the keywords “drinks company” in a generator, it will give you  web-friendly suggestions. Getting ahead in business isn’t easy, but the right name can help. If you can utilise the power of AI and business name generators, you might just increase the chances that people will notice your company.

One of the questions most commonly asked by companies considering the use of a knowledge management system to streamline their business operations and improve efficiency is “How long does it take to implement a knowledge management solution?”

However, implementation of the technology alone will not be able to deliver a complete solution.

A clear understanding of all elements seen to make up a successful knowledge implementation is required in order for a knowledge management system to be effective; technology is only one part of the knowledge management jigsaw.

In the article below, we will discuss the 4 pillars of knowledge management that need to be considered in order to ensure the success of the knowledge management project, allowing businesses to deploy their new knowledge management system both quickly and effectively.

Ensuring the Success of a Knowledge Management Project

Implementing your new knowledge management solution as quickly as possible is of little use if your team isn’t on board, your content not fit for purpose, and the processes behind your newly deployed system not fully understood or agreed upon. Only when all of these requirements are met can the project management aspects for implementation be determined.

Experience tells us that strong leadership has a significant impact upon the success of a knowledge management project, along with the selection of the right knowledge management tool for you and your business.

Choosing the best software for your knowledge management project is the key to ensuring speedy and successful deployment, and there are many tools on the market that will help to capture, alert, search, and share information. However, technology is just one part of the knowledge management jigsaw.

The Four Pillars of Successful Knowledge Management

Technology

As previously mentioned, the knowledge management software that you choose will work to impact the success of your knowledge management project as a whole.

Tools that provide the best functionality from the get go will work to keep costs and implementation times to a minimum, reducing the need for custom work or additional training.

Content

Choosing the right knowledge management tool for you and your business application is vital, however, it is not the only factor that will work to ensure the success of your knowledge management project. Without the right content, technology alone cannot deliver the answer. It is critical that your content is fit for purpose, allowing any knowledge management tool to operate correctly.

People

Without user buy-in, the full potential of your content and technology will not be realised. In order to make knowledge management a worthwhile investment, your team needs to be on board.

Measurement

In order to properly assess the success of your knowledge management project, it is vital that you work to measure the results of your business investment. Without proper measurement to assess what is working well, as well as what aspects of your knowledge management system may require improvement, the effectiveness of your efforts, along with all other factors, cannot be managed.

Overall, there are several different aspects that need to be considered when implementing a knowledge management tool to improve your business operations. However, with the right leadership, the right content, and certainly the right technology, a strong knowledge management system could completely transform the way in which your business operates.

To ensure the success of your upcoming project, working with the right technology provider, who understands not only how to implement a solution, but makes sure it continues to grow and evolve, is a must.

With help from the right vendor, successful implementation can be delivered within a much shorter time frame, ensuring that you start to see results from your investment as quickly as possible, and also that long term value is derived from the investment I a knowledge management platform.

As a business owner myself, I understand the significance of first impressions when meeting with potential customers. The way you conduct yourself in client meetings can have a significant impact on the success of the meeting and the relationship with the client as well as your professional reputation. For this reason, I’ll be discussing my tried-and-true methods for streamlining your schedule as CEO and holding effective, efficient, and fruitful meetings with your clientele.

Analyzing your current appointment scheduling system

In order to improve your appointment system, you must first identify its weaknesses. Analyzing appointment and cancellation data might help you find the weak spots in your present system. You can use this to plan out what you want to accomplish using the new appointment system.

Creating an Appointment Scheduling System

The success of your business depends on your ability to develop a system that fits your needs. Create a booking system that is simple for customers to use, works with your current software, and automatically schedules appointments and sends out reminders.

Developing an Appointment Booking Page

Your reservation page needs to be user-friendly, safe, and easily accessible. Make sure it flows naturally with your website and is simple to use for your customers. If your site runs on WordPress, you may use a plugin like Trafft or Amelia to track your visitors. You’ll benefit greatly from that.

Automation of Reminders

One effective strategy for increasing the rate at which clients arrive for scheduled consultations is to set up automated reminders. Choose the most efficient means of sending reminders, such as email or SMS, and make sure they are delivered promptly.

Integrating the System with Your Existing Software

It is crucial to connect your scheduling app to your customer relationship management and other business systems. Client data must be kept private and accurate while being sent across systems at lightning speed.

Managing Appointments

Appointment management entails handling changes, cancellations, client contact, and any conflicts or double bookings.

Rescheduling and Cancellations

Make your cancellation and rescheduling policies crystal clear, and make it simple for customers to adjust their schedules. Keep tabs on cancellations and relay relevant information as needed.

Client Communication

Create a system to keep your clients informed and make sure they get timely reminders. Make it easy for customers to get in touch with your staff.

Managing Conflicts and Double-Bookings

Make sure everyone on your team is aware of potential disputes and double bookings, and establish a system for addressing them. Help customers resolve their disputes by offering them multiple options.

Optimizing the System

Use data analysis to spot problem areas, then make changes in response to comments from customers and staff. Success of the system depends on regular upkeep and monitoring.

In conclusion, it’s crucial for your company’s success that you streamline your appointments as CEO. You may guarantee the effectiveness, efficiency, and success of your meetings with clients by reviewing your current system, developing a new system, organizing appointments, and optimizing the system. Make a move now to simplify your schedule.

Diversity and Inclusion the State of Play

Years of human rights activism and political, demographic and social changes have driven the agenda for diversity and inclusion in the world of work. As a result, we have witnessed some progress as traditionally marginalised groups have made inroads into various sectors from which they were previously excluded. Alongside this evolution, research has consistently shown that a diverse and inclusive workplace delivers enhanced results in a range of areas. These include improved organisational improvement, improved decision-making, enhanced creativity and problem-solving, greater flexibility, higher levels of trust, employee satisfaction and commitment and enhanced service delivery (Rohwerder, 2017).

So why, with all the knowledge on diversity and movements like ‘Black lives Matter’ and Me Too, is there still so much talk about the lack of diversity and inclusion in organisations? It appears that we are still grappling with some fundamental aspects, like representation and pay equality. The data on gender equity shows that women still earn an average of 82% of what men earn (Corrigan,  2023). The Women at Work Index (2023) indicates it will take more than half a century to close the gender pay gap at the historical rate of progress. The Ethnic Pay Gap Report notes that there is ‘evidence that race remains a significant determining factor for professional success’  (2021). They also note that minority ethnic groups, both UK-born and non-UK-born people, earn less on average than the white British population. In 2022, after years of discussion and support around gender equity on boards, the UK has now made it a legislative requirement that women hold 40% of the board positions of listed companies.

There is still a long way to go before diversity, and inclusion is genuinely embedded in organisations and a common feature in the global workplace. So, what is the key to creating the shift required to achieve the next stage of evolution in the diversity and inclusion space?

Requirements to Strengthen Workplace Diversity and Inclusion

Strengthening diversity in the workplace requires that people have the opportunity to effectively cognise the impact of diversity. They need to experience the positive outcomes of a diverse group of people in creating something better, different and unique. Simply presenting the facts about the importance of diversity and inclusion is not enough. Individuals, teams, and organisations must be allowed to experience diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Four key transformations are necessary to shift the dial of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

1. A prescribed shift in key white male-dominated teams and organisations

I realise this will be controversial, and some will argue that this is not the right way. It is also important to note that minority groups do not want to be used as tokenistic pawns in a diversity battle. However, some teams and organisations are simply not going to change without some level of pressure. Unfortunately, as Einstein said ‘You cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” In some organisations and teams, there is a requirement for CEOs and Boards to strategically drive an enhanced level of diversity through prescribed levels of diversity.

2. Transformation of recruitment and development strategies

Recruitment and development strategies must become more agile and creative to embrace diversity and inclusion in their processes. Research has shown that traditional recruitment practices, such as interviews, favour narcissists and people happy to talk about themselves (Lipman, 2014). This is a challenge for many minority groups, who are often less confident in selling themselves and can find interview situations challenging. To shift the dial on diversity in the workplace, recruiters must find new and creative ways to get the best out of those people from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, organisations must ensure that their strategies for developing talent are unbiased and provide the same opportunities for minority groups. It is essential to leverage structured competency-based development strategies grounded in diversity and inclusion.

3. Changing The Mindsets of The Dominant Cultures and Gender Groups 

Strengthening diversity in the workplace requires much more than just tokenism and being seen to do the right thing. If we are going to impact diversity issues, we must make a systemic shift in people’s mindsets. The destructive internal processing of individuals is the starting point of all unconscious bias and discrimination. So if we want to bring about a change in the amount of discrimination in the workplace, we must assist people in rewiring their brains. Organisations will need to start holding people to account for their unconscious bias and require that they shift their attitudes. It is no longer acceptable to shrug our shoulders and make excuses for unacceptable attitudes that result from unconscious bias. To fully embrace diversity in teams and organisations, everyone must be held accountable for shifting their mindsets and embracing diversity.

4. A Shift in the Thinking and Behaviours of Leaders

Leaders are critical to delivering an organisational culture that embraces diversity and inclusion. If we want to shift the dial on these issues, the change must happen at the highest levels of leadership. It needs to commence with a shift in leadership mindset and thinking. Actual change occurs when leaders understand their own unconscious bias and actively seem to shift their thinking to embrace diversity. It is no longer enough for leaders to be emotionally intelligent and do the right things on the surface. They need to change their mindsets and thinking, to bring about systemic and sustainable change in how they do things (Epstein 2014). Shifting leadership mindsets will ensure they change their behaviours and lead a positive organisational culture that embraces diversity and transforms engagement levels (Folan, 2021). We live in exceptional times, and leaders must step up and make the necessary changes to deliver a sustainable shift in the team and organisational culture. The biggest challenge for leaders is being brave enough to face their unconscious biases and then being disciplined in shifting their thinking and mindset.

Once diversity is fully embraced in organisations across the globe, we will see the total capacity of groups of individuals to create truly innovative solutions, deliver enhanced decisions making and improve business outcomes. In the interim, some fantastic organisations are leading the way and doing great work in this space. These businesses demonstrate the positive results of a diverse workforce through improved employee satisfaction, higher retention levels and enhanced service delivery. In a workplace filled with challenges and constantly changing requirements, organisations must take definitive action to address diversity and inclusion.

About the author

Dr. Lynda Folan is an Organisational Psychologist, renowned Leadership and Organisational Development specialist, and author of ‘Leader Resilience, The New Frontier of Leadership (2021)’.  Lynda has considerable expertise in leading organisations through transformational change and works with organisations across the globe to deliver Leadership Development, Organisational Development, Cultural Transformation and Resilience. As the Managing Director of Inspired Development Solutions, Lynda leads a team that provides leading-edge and bespoke solutions for businesses across all sectors – website: https://www.inspireddevelopment.net/

E2E, in association with The Independent and in partnership with IWG plc as the strategic founding partner, has today announced its Female 100 list which identifies the 100 fastest-growing female-led or founded businesses in the UK through their growth rate of employees over the past three years from data gathered by Experian and Go Live Data.

Identifying businesses from a host of sectors, the league tables highlight the incredible work achieved by females throughout the UK. The E2E Female 100 will launch on 17^th March 2023 and will be celebrated at the House of Commons, with a dinner for the 100 companies featured, accompanied by some of the UK’s top business leaders. 

Featured in the list and demonstrating extraordinary employee growth are: Darina Garland, Co-Founder, Ooni who has seen a 95% increase, Michelle McCabe, Founder, The Tipsy Vegan who has seen a 136% increase and Louise Hill, Founder, Co-Founder & COO, GoHenry who has seen a 38% increase. You can view the full list,  here from the 17^th.

The E2E Female 100 forms part of The E2E 100, a significant initiative designed through the publication of six league tables, coupled with large-scale reception for each launch and a series of associated content. Each celebratory launch dinner will be held at the Houses of Parliament, kindly supported by Lord Bilimoria CBE, DL, Founding Board Director, E2E. This has been created to showcase the very best UK companies that are excelling, experiencing consistent growth, and presenting disruptive business strategies that are creating an impact not just in their own sector, but also on a nationwide, and in some cases, a global scale.  

Featuring talent from around the UK, the list showcases the diverse range of businesses women are founding and the huge successes they are having despite battling an uncertain and post-pandemic economy.

Speaking about the list, Shalini Khemka CBE, founder of E2E says: “To see so many extraordinary multigenerational women in the top 100 from a host of innovative sectors is a testament to the amazing work so many women are achieving, daily. From vegan kitchens to finance and leadership, the diverse range of businesses which have not only been founded survived or thrived during the pandemic is incredible. Each and every person on this list should be extremely proud of what they have achieved and will continue to achieve in the years to come.”

Assistant Editor of the Independent, Caroline Gammell said: “We’re delighted to be featuring such an exceptional group of women who are powerhouses in their own individual sectors and who have seen exceptional growth over the past three years. The E2E Female 100, in association with The Independent, gives us the chance to showcase the amazing female talent around the UK and to inspire the next generation of female entrepreneurs, who are a much-needed part of our future economy. We can’t wait to see what they do next and are looking forward to championing female leaders for many more years to come.”

Lord Bilimoria CBE, DL said: “I have been a founding Board Member of E2E and under the leadership of Shalini Khemka CBE, seen it flourish into the go to ecosystem to support Founders, Business Leaders, and Investors. We have worked on several initiatives together to highlight the issues faced by business founders within the UK and to provide services that address the core challenges. Since the launch of E2E in 2011, Shalini and her team have built an exceptional platform for entrepreneurs to meet, learn, raise investment, and access corporate support. I am thrilled that E2E has launched the E2E 100, beginning with The Female 100 as it showcases the fastest growing female led companies by employee growth, from all over the UK. I was reading an article from Reuters recently which highlighted that women now make up 40% of boards at the top UK companies for the first time in history and that the number of female CEOs is also rising. This is highly encouraging however we are still far from parity.”

Richard Morris, UK Chief Executive of IWG plc, observed:“IWG has been a partner of E2E for over 7 years and has experienced the outstanding support and platform they provide to the UK SME sector. The quality of their community, from their Members to speakers is unparalleled in my view. During our longstanding partnership, we have expanded the flexible working and service office packages offered to their members on preferred rates and we are proud of the value that we are bringing together to UK entrepreneurship.”

The tracks are independently compiled by Go Live Data and Experian according to specific criteria and official data. Each track is supported by our strategic founding partner, IWG plc and our partners Adia PR, Cisco, Go Live Data, Virtuoso Legal and Experian.

Create Designs, a web design and digital marketing agency based in the UK, has been able to achieve explosive growth during the COVID pandemic and in the face of an impending recession. Despite the economic challenges brought about by the pandemic, Create has been able to carve out a niche in the industry and provide top-notch services to its clients. According to James Thurlow-Craig, the Managing Director of Create Designs, the key to the agency’s success lies in its ability to be adaptable and innovative in the face of changing circumstances.

Adapting to Changing Circumstances

One of the main reasons for Create Designs’ success during the pandemic has been its ability to adapt to changing circumstances. As Thurlow-Craig notes, “The pandemic has been a challenging time for many businesses, but we’ve been able to adapt and pivot our services to meet the changing needs of our clients.” This flexibility has enabled Create Designs to provide a range of services, including website design, digital marketing, and SEO, that have helped its clients stay competitive in a rapidly changing market.

Investing in Talent

Another factor that has contributed to Create Designs’ success is its investment in talent. As Thurlow-Craig explains, “We believe that our people are our biggest asset, and we’ve invested heavily in recruiting and retaining the best talent in the industry.” This investment has paid off, as Create Designs has been able to attract top-notch designers, developers, and marketers who are committed to delivering exceptional results for their clients.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

Finally, Create Designs has been able to stay ahead of the curve by embracing the latest trends and technologies in the industry. As Thurlow-Craig notes, “We’re always looking for ways to improve our services and stay ahead of the competition. Whether it’s adopting new technologies or embracing the latest design trends, we’re committed to providing our clients with the best possible service.” This commitment to innovation has helped Create Designs stay at the forefront of the industry and maintain its competitive edge.

Advice for Agencies Looking to Grow

For agencies looking to grow, Thurlow-Craig, advises a focus on delivering exceptional service and building a strong team. He emphasises that it is all about delivering results for clients and consistently providing them with high-quality service that exceeds their expectations.

He also stresses the importance of investing in talent, stating that a company’s people are its biggest asset. He recommends attracting and retaining the best talent in the industry to build a strong team that is dedicated to achieving exceptional results for clients.

To achieve growth, Thurlow-Craig suggests that agencies should focus on building a strong reputation by delivering consistent, high-quality results. By consistently exceeding client expectations, agencies can develop a strong reputation that will attract new business and help them grow.

In addition, Thurlow-Craig advises agencies to stay ahead of the competition by embracing new technologies and design trends. By being innovative and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies, agencies can continue to provide their clients with the best possible service and maintain their competitive edge in the market.

Overall, the key to growing an agency is to focus on delivering exceptional service, building a strong team, and staying ahead of the curve. By doing so, agencies can establish a strong reputation and attract new business, even in the face of challenging economic circumstances like those posed by the COVID pandemic and the impending recession.

The life of a CEO is specific yet dynamic. When you run a company, especially a large one, you are in charge of many things. The enterprise is on your shoulders. Yet, there are many tasks that CEOs shouldn’t do themselves. The job of leadership is the management of people and the delegation of tasks. When it comes to the job of the CEO, there isn’t room for everything. Below are five things that CEOs shouldn’t personally spend their time on.

Crunching the Numbers

CEOs typically don’t have time to crunch the numbers themselves. They need people who excel at this type of work to bring back reports. The big picture is important, and the details are too, but you can spend a lot of time in the weeds. Whether it’s data or accounting, you can hire people in house or even accounting services for small businesses in even just a part of the business.

For business leaders to excel, they need to be able to work on multiple things at once. There are a lot of plates balancing and parts moving. To fully push the business to the next level, increase profit, lower overhead, and overcome challenges, the CEO can’t be crunching the numbers themselves.

Too Many Priorities

It’s easy for business leaders to take on too many things and make too many priorities because they know what needs to get done. Instead of making a lot of priorities that you want to keep, you should take the time to figure out the right delegations. It’s important to set out all the main priorities of the business, communicate them to each level of the business, and delegate tasks to teams of smaller groups who can focus on specific goals.

The ability to compartmentalize both mentally and in the business, making too many priorities for yourself just doesn’t work. For CEOs, a small number of priorities with the right goals should be enacted and completed. That way, the whole business can move forward and grow.

Payroll

One thing that you can remove completely from your business is payroll. Instead of spending valuable time on payroll, you can outsource this task to another business. Payroll businesses invest in the automation that makes the process easier and faster.

You can delegate payroll to a specific part of your business, human resources for example, but you can also pay someone else to do it. You may even be able to eliminate a part of your business to lower overhead. Either way, payroll shouldn’t be something that CEOs spend their time on.

Data Analysis

One vital part of business that makes money for corporations in many ways is data. The acquisition, storage, and analysis of data can really change the game. Whether you are in technology, social media, or just have a large online business, data just might give you the information needed to make new products, create innovations, meet demands, and satisfy specific demographics.

However, this work should not be done by a CEO. It’s a lot of tedious work, but if you don’t have staff to help you it’s necessary to hire someone else. Outsourcing data analysis to a computer that employs artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other advanced tech will provide quick and thorough information.

Hiring & Firing

It goes without saying that CEOs should meet candidates at some point, but in large companies it might be difficult for that to happen in time. Hiring and firing should have the leaderships’ perspective, but all of the busy work involved should not be done by CEOs and other top leaders. That’s what you hire competent HR staff for.

CEOs’ time is very valuable. It’s necessary to maximize what you are doing. Optimization is necessary for CEOs. They need to be ahead of their employees, their competitors, and the market. The only way this can be done is by focusing on the right things. Delegating is one thing and doing the work yourself is another. Don’t be a control freak. Hire competent people and keep them with you. That way, you can focus on what matters—the vision and

There has been a rapid rise globally in the number of people who have stepped away from employment and set out on their entrepreneurial journey.  Roger James Hamilton explores the entrepreneurial mindset.

In the US the number of new business applications has doubled over the past decade.  In the UK new businesses increased by 14%, even in an economic downturn.

There’s an argument that says the pandemic has pushed more people into starting their own business as they were forced to work from home or made redundant.  However, becoming an entrepreneur is more than just a little side-hustle – even if that has been the starting point for many people.

It’s not a secret that there’s a high failure rate for new businesses.  The figures report that around 60% of new businesses don’t make it past year three.  And that’s down to how a new business owner thinks and, subsequently, the strategy they follow.

Think like an entrepreneur

The first step to an entrepreneur’s mindset is to identify and understand your strengths, your passions, personal barriers, and what you really want to do to achieve long-term contentment and financial freedom.  To be a successful entrepreneur, the first step is to discover your inner genius, that spark, that will ignite the passion for success.  Profiling tools will help you with this.  They will give you invaluable information to start work on your business plan. 

Entrepreneurial thinking combines the practical with the creative.  While it’s essential to think about finance, marketing and individual responsibilities, true entrepreneurial thinking includes a vision of what the future looks like and how that can be achieved. 

Entrepreneurs have flexible thinking and are open to collaboration and innovation.  They have a vision, but they are ready to adapt and adjust to the circumstances in which they find themselves.  The businesses that diversified and thrived through the pandemic are a testament to that.  Social entrepreneurship has evolved to promote social change, alongside financial achievement.

Life-long learning elevates the outcomes

One of the defining factors of an entrepreneur is a thirst for knowledge.  An entrepreneur is always learning.  There is a saying ‘Stop learning; stop earning’ and for an entrepreneur that goes double. 

In Society 5.0 technology plays a huge part in delivering learning, and with the emerging metaverse, EdTech has generated virtually unlimited opportunities to access knowledge. 

E-learning has enabled entrepreneurs to join global communities and access people, ideas, best practices and learning worldwide.  This has united people with that entrepreneurial gene and allowed them to realise their true potential.

However, technology isn’t the only source of learning, entrepreneurs also learn from the people around them, their competitors, their customers and expert coaches and mentors.  Even here, technology has provided easier access to people who can guide and advise that would previously have been incredibly difficult.

An entrepreneur has an open mind and is eager to fill it with the knowledge that will have a positive impact on their route to success.  The global community has created the massive potential to change our world through the creative thinking, knowledge bank, and shared learning of entrepreneurs.

About the Author

Roger James Hamilton is a New York Times bestselling author and Founder and CEO of Genius Group (NYSEAM: GNS), a multi-million dollar group of companies, headquartered in Singapore, which currently includes companies such as GeniusU, Entrepreneurs Institute, Entrepreneur Resorts, Education Angels, E-Squared Education, Property Investors Network and the University of Antelope Valley., Genius Group has an acquisition plan to add in further acquisitions in 2022 to the Group. GeniusU is an Edtech company and platform providing over 4 million students and users with personalised learning paths and a platform used by partners to share their learning through customized learning journeys. GeniusU attracts 7,500 new students to join GeniusU each week, starting with the entrepreneur quiz to identify their path to wealth and find their next step to take right now. Genius Education Angels and E-Squared Education provide education courses for young people from 0 to 25 years old. Entrepreneurs Institute, Property Investors Network and the University of Antelope Valley provide adult training courses for 25 to 100 years old, and Entrepreneur Resorts is a market-leading group of entrepreneur-focused luxury resorts and lodges, beach clubs and city co-working hubs, offering business leaders professional educational retreats in exotic destinations around the world. Entrepreneur Resorts holds destinations in Singapore, Bali and South Africa and soon the U.S., and has license holders launching properties in the UK, U.S. and Greece. Entrepreneur Resorts will be expanding this year by adding on further properties and license holders. Roger is also the creator of Wealth Dynamics, Talent Dynamics and Impact Dynamics profiling tools, used by millions of entrepreneurs to find and follow their flow.

About Genius Group

Genius Group is a world leading entrepreneur Edtech and education group, with a mission to disrupt the current education model with a student-centered, life-long learning curriculum that prepares students with the leadership, entrepreneurial and life skills to succeed in today’s market. The group has over 2.9 million students in 200 countries, ranging from ages 0 to 100. The group includes four pre-IPO companies (the “Pre-IPO Group”), and four companies that were acquired at the time of or shortly after the IPO (the “IPO Acquisitions”).

The entrepreneur education system of our Pre-IPO Group has been delivered virtually and in-person, in multiple languages, locally and globally mainly via the Pre-IPO Group’s AI-powered, personalized GeniusU Edtech platform to adults seeking to grow their entrepreneur and leadership skills.

The Pre-IPO Group includes Genius Group, GeniusU, Entrepreneurs Institute and Entrepreneur Resorts. This group of entrepreneur education companies has grown through organic growth and acquisitions, with a focus on adding value to each company through GeniusU, which is being developed to provide AI-driven personal recommendations and guidance for each student. The Pre-IPO Group is now expanding its education system to age groups beyond its current adult audience, to children and young adults. The four IPO Acquisitions are the first step towards this. They include: Education Angels, which provides early learning in New Zealand for children from 0-5 years old; E-Square, which provides primary and secondary school education in South Africa; University of Antelope Valley, which provides vocational certifications and university degrees in California, USA; and Property Investors Network, which provides property investment courses and events in England, UK, and Revealed Films Inc., which launches docu-series covering topics such as wealth building, health and nutrition, medical issues, religion, and political matters in Utah, USA.

Genius Group’s plan is to combine the education programs of the IPO Acquisitions with its current education programs and Edtech platform as part of one lifelong learning system, and it has selected these acquisitions because they already share aspects of the Genius curriculum and its focus on entrepreneur education.

https://www.geniusgroup.net/

RINGTONS is a family business dating back to 1907, offering free personal delivery of tea and more directly to the doors of its loyal customers. As the company comes into its fifth generation of leadership, associate directors Nadia Johnson and Brigitte Keatings, both working mothers, discuss how they are tackling modern-day challenges in the industry, updating company technologies, and investing in the importance of people in business.

Following a rigorous interview process and an 18-month-long exercise including ongoing assessments, presentations and projects, Nadia and Brigitte joined Ringtons as the first ever female directors and marked a new era of women at the helm of the family business.

Brigitte said: “Having leaders who are empathetic and understanding of the challenges that women may face in the workplace such as having children, being a mother and other health issues can help create a more supportive and inclusive work environment. It can also lead to higher employee engagement, satisfaction and retention.”

Echoing this sentiment Nadia added: “Personally, I’m a big believer in working smarter, not harder, and adapting conditions to enable more women to continue working once they’ve had children. There’s a huge talent pool of women who aren’t able to get back to work due to barriers like non-flexible working conditions and I plan on breaking down those barriers, step by step. We have already taken crucial measures like upgrading our maternity and paternity benefits and that’s something I’m incredibly proud of.

“As the fifth generation take up the leadership mantle, we will eventually have a 50/50 split of men and women at the director level of our management structure, something we want to celebrate. We believe that seeing three women in key leadership positions is crucial for other women progressing in the business, as well as how it resonates with our customer base.”

Putting people in the spotlight

After completing a degree in psychology, a masters in occupational psychology and gaining extensive experience in keeping and developing employees, one of Nadia’s key areas of focus is giving employees clarity in their roles and the tools to do their job well.

Nadia said: “When I first started at Ringtons, I realised that there were so many opportunities for us that hadn’t been tapped into, and that I had to be a part of exploring those opportunities. We want to give everyone, from our salespeople to our customer care team, all the tools and information that they need in order to thrive in their job. My passion and my background is working with people, so I’m examining how we can evolve our company culture to support the growth and changes that are taking place.

“With people at the heart of our business plans, I put together a people strategy, starting with a Ringtons manager foundation training course. Managers can make or break people and the impact of a good manager is often underestimated, so we’re rolling out this programme to bring consistency and clarity across management. The ambition is to provide open and honest feedback for all colleagues and to make sure we’re focusing on supportive performance development, rather than performance management. We feel this will help people to flourish in their roles and reach their potential. People can be your competitive advantage in business, my focus is to put more people in the spotlight.”

Essential digital development

Digital technology will also play a huge role within ecommerce, data collection and customer service. As such, a three-year digital development plan has been put in place to deliver long-term growth.

With years of experience and expertise in marketing, Brigitte has been spearheading a customer-led approach to all facets of marketing and brand initiatives. She said: “I want to put customer needs at the forefront of everything we do. With this in mind, in my first few months at Ringtons I focused on understanding the data we collected and how it’s used to drive business decisions. I started by analysing the existing approach and key challenges, as well as identifying some significant opportunities. I believe that deeper consumer knowledge is at the heart of our growth opportunities and this year is all about building foundations and getting a good understanding of what our current and future customers want and need so that we can build our strategy around this.

“Of our loyal customer base, many have remained with us for over 30-40 years and have grown-up with the brand over decades. Our personal approach means our salespeople are often seen as friends to those that buy from us – a retiree demographic we are hugely centric to – knowing little details like the names of grandchildren and pets. Face-to-face relationships are even more valuable and meaningful today and they’ve allowed us to build deep connections with our customers. Our service is like no other in the market today.

“Our doorstep service and unique product offering have been passed down through the generations as grandparents’ gift to children and grandchildren, they too become loyal customers with Ringtons tea sparking memories of family occasions and happiness. This generational motion also nicely echoes our own company structure, and, as we expand our own horizons with women helping to steer the way, we also want to make ourselves relevant to a younger and more diverse audience who will further associate tea with significant life moments.

“This shifting of mindset will help us to take on future challenges and amplify our digital offering, while still providing the highest quality and value to our customers as we navigate the current economic crisis. We will innovate through customer insight and continued market analysis with our customers at the fore.”

Nadia added: “Our digital transformation is just in its beginnings, as a massive enabler of growth, even artificial intelligence will take a role within the business as we strive to create a digtised customer journey that reflects the bespoke door-to-door one that we are famed for.”

Backing brave decision making

Above all else, one of the most important considerations for a business striving to adapt to a rapidly changing market is to not be paralyzed by choice or the fear of making a professional misstep.

Nadia said: “We’re going to make some good decisions and some bad decisions, that’s just the nature of change and we’re going to have to be transparent about not always making the right decision. Honest communication and results across the business will ensure that our passion within our female leadership roles will continue to build solid foundations of trust with our employees and customers far into the future and keep us relevant in today’s competitive market.”

For more information, please contact Emily Dallison or Hannah Bullock at Cartwright Communications on [email protected] or 0115 853 2110.

By Kate Palmer, HR Advice & Consultancy Director at Peninsula

Equal opportunities: it’s been quite the buzz phrase for some time – particularly as workplaces see the value in championing inclusive and diverse workforces.

Workplaces seem to thrive for equality, which sounds like a positive step forward. But actually, is this enough?

In a perfect world, equality sure sounds great. The same treatment for everybody? What’s not to like?! But the thing is, equality only really works if we’re all the same to begin with. Which of course we’re not.

In reality, aiming for equity presents much fairer and effective goalposts.

Here’s the best way to visualise the difference between equality and equity. Imagine you give four people a bicycle and ask them to race to the finish line. Each bicycle is exactly the same make, shape, and size.

Except one of those people is in a wheelchair and is unable to ride this bike. One is too short to reach the pedals. One is too tall to sit comfortably. In fact, only one person can ride this bike adequately and reach the finish line. That’s equality.

Now imagine you give them each a bike that suits their personal characteristics and needs. Now it’s a much fairer competition and everyone has a shot at reaching that finish line. Here we have equity.

This International Women’s Day seeks to encourage people to “embrace equity”. And I’m going to outline how employers can do just this, to attract and retain talent, to champion diversity within teams, and to promote productivity and positive morale.

Introduce inclusive recruitment practices.

Whilst it may be illegal to pay men and women in the same employment performing equal work different rates (unless any difference in pay is for non-discriminatory reasons and can be justified), it doesn’t stop the imbalance that still exists. After all, here in the UK, there is a 6.6% mean gender pay gap, and when you look at the median, it rises to 12.6%. So why can this be? Typically, women are far less likely to negotiate starting salaries. In fact, six in ten women (59%) admitted to not once negotiating salary when offered a new role compared to four in ten (39%) men. Therefore, to stamp out inequality in pay, it’s suggested that employers are transparent about salary information throughout the recruitment stages and employment. The government recently launched a pay transparency pilot to improve pay disparity between genders and place all job applicants on an equal footing during the recruitment process. It remains to be seen whether this will be rolled out as a legal obligation for employers.

In addition, it’s a rather sobering fact that when a woman’s name was replaced with a man’s on a job application, recruiters were 60% more likely to hire the applicant. This could be intentional, or more likely, may be a result of unconscious bias, which we’ll cover a little later in this blog. However, in addition to teams undergoing training to identify and remove unconscious bias from decision-making, employers can practise ‘blind hiring’ practises where all identifying information – such as name, age, marital status, location, etc. – is removed from a CV in order for non-biased decisions to take place.

Lastly, employers should consider the effect that their job adverts may have on female would-be applicants. It’s a proven fact that by using ‘masculine’ language in job adverts, female candidates can be expected to be deterred from applying, with one study indicating a 10% reduction in female applicants to an ad that used included terms like ‘individual’, ‘challenging’, and ‘driven’.

Weed out unconscious bias.

Discrimination does not always need to be overt. In fact, it can happen even by employees who did not consciously have any intention to act in that way.

Unconscious bias that leads to gender discrimination in the workplace can present itself in many ways. For instance, a woman who’s just returned recently had a baby may be overlooked for an intensive work project, thinking it may be too much responsibility for her to take on at this stage in her life. A woman may be expected to fetch the drinks for attendees of a high-profile meeting. A young woman might miss out on a promotion as an employer fear she will want to start a family in the near future…

These would be examples of beliefs held by people who have a pre-judgment against someone solely because of their gender. And it might not be easy, or even possible, to completely stamp out all unconscious bias – after all, there are 150 different types and a natural human behaviour, deep-rooted as a survival mechanism – but there are steps employers can take to reduce the harmful aspects of it, like through a comprehensive training programme for staff.

Provide support for those impacted by women’s health issues.

One million women in the UK have left their jobs because of menopause symptoms. That’s one in ten women going through menopause that have to abandon their careers at a time in their lives when they should be thriving in the workplace.

Couple that with the fact that 55% of endometriosis sufferers are forced to take time off work as a direct result of the condition too.

Employers must be aware that under the Equality Act 2010, any health condition affecting women and those assigned female at birth, including menopause, endometriosis, PCOS, pregnancy or birth-related conditions, etc., may be considered a disability. This will be the case if the symptoms of the condition cause a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the employee’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

In these situations, employers must provide adequate support measures, including reasonable adjustments. These could include:

• Flexible working to allow for time off for appointments
• Recording sickness absences for these conditions separately to other absences
• A change in working hours and/or duties where tiredness might be a factor
• Changing uniforms to allow for more comfort
• Providing appropriate facilities where required, like a dedicated breastfeeding room

Robust policies should leave no ambiguity as to how health issues should be handled at work. They should highlight the process for raising a concern, the measures which are available, should they need them, and how the employer will be able to support.

Consider how more flexibility might help women to thrive at work.

Three in four mothers (75.6%) are in work in the UK. And studies indicate that a similar percentage (74%) of women are the main carer for children, with sole carers for older adults also being women in 65% of cases.

These women make up the ‘sandwich generation’, the number of people who are caring for elderly parents, as well as their own children – and around 1.3 million people in the UK now have this responsibility.

So perhaps then, it’s not all that surprising to see that women take up only 30% of management roles.

Flexibility with working hours to work around school drop-offs and pick-ups, and appointments can help working mothers and carers better able to juggle their myriad responsibilities. In addition, allowing remote working can ensure they continue to carry out their roles without outside factors – most recently the series of teacher strikes – having a detrimental impact.

Enforce a zero-tolerance stance on harassment.

Where a culture of inappropriate behaviour has become “par for the course”, it can sometimes be difficult to take strong disciplinary action. But no matter the workplace, it’s imperative that businesses challenge a sexist culture, or indeed any discriminatory culture, no matter how ingrained it might be.

Just recently, Mcdonald’s made headlines when they pledged to work with the EHRC to implement measures to prevent and eliminate sexual harassment within their restaurants off the back of concerns being raised about their repeated failure to address allegations.

The first step would be communicating a clear zero-tolerance approach to any form of unacceptable behaviour and adopting a robust procedure for anonymised reporting and investigating and tackling issues.

You want your people to feel comfortable and able to raise issues with their managers, so make sure the correct channels are in place for such conversations and roll out training to senior staff, so they’re better equipped to spot problematic behaviours and manage them correctly.

After all, overlooking problematic behaviour can breach legislation designed to promote healthy working environments, opening the doors to discrimination, bullying and harassment claims.

By Alex Landowski, the founder of Medical Logistics & Medical Laboratories

Statistically, 9 out of 10 startups fail. Being an entrepreneur is tough, the journey is often fraught with a plethora of challenges and hurdles. You’re likely to encounter numerous setbacks and failures that will test your capability and determination.

As there is no one-size-fits-all guide to success, the road to achieving it is rarely smooth. Inevitably, there will be times when you feel like giving up. However, the ability to keep pushing forward despite this is what sets successful entrepreneurs apart from those who quit easily. This is why perseverance and optimism are crucial for helping your business prosper.

Optimism Vs Perseverance

Optimism is the belief that things will turn out well in the end. It’s a positive mentality which can help maintain motivation and inspires others to believe in a project or idea. An optimistic outlook can also help you see opportunities where others see only obstacles and can also keep you focused on your long-term objectives rather than getting bogged down in short-term mishaps.

Whereas perseverance is the willingness to continue working towards a goal and having the grit and determination to keep going, even in the face of adversity. Without perseverance, it’s easy to become discouraged and give in when faced with difficulty.

Although some people are more inclined to have these traits naturally, these are still learned behaviours and are ultimately a mindset choice which can help any entrepreneur on their journey to success.

The F Word

Failure. This can become a place of fear, but it’s all about perspective. Optimism can significantly change the way you see it. If you think positively, you can see failure as your friend and an opportunity to learn, grow and do things differently.

Maintaining a positive attitude, even when things don’t go according to plan, is essential to build resilience and enables you to bounce back quickly. Running a business is full of ups and downs – you’re bound to face challenges and fall down a couple of times. That’s also where perseverance comes into play too as you must refuse defeat, dust yourself off and keep going.

Shifting Your Mindset

I had cancer at 16 and it changed my outlook on everything. Although, I’ve always been a naturally positive person (which is what I believe contributed to my recovery) it helped me realise the power of positivity. As a result, I adopted a mindset where I think “what is really the worst thing that can happen?” It doesn’t get more serious than staring death in the face and this helped remove all barriers for me. I now always think “why not?”. I don’t see obstacles just goals. For instance, if you’re not an expert in a particular field or lack a skill you need, it shouldn’t be seen as an issue. Although it’s good to be self-aware, it’s important not to fixate on problems excessively and instead look at them as opportunities. If you are positive and enthusiastic about your purpose, you can upskill yourself and find the right people to bring your vision to life.

It doesn’t matter if you fail, if you get back up and learn from it. I’ve experienced multiple setbacks from losing my first business, being jobless for months and being exploited as an immigrant. However, I refused to surrender, carried on and now I own a multi-million-pound business. The journey wasn’t easy and while there were various contributing factors to my success, persistent optimism and perseverance significantly helped me get to where I am today.

When combined, perseverance and optimism create a powerful force to help entrepreneurs overcome the many hurdles they will inevitably face in business. By embracing these qualities, it will enable you to weather storms and emerge stronger.

SUISSE BANK has a wealth of expertise in the area of trade finance solutions, private and corporate digital banking, and specialises in cutting-edge blockchain banking services. Wolfgang Zulauf, the bank’s experienced and renowned Chief Executive Officer, tells us more about the industry as he celebrates being bestowed with a prestigious accolade in the CEO of the Year Awards 2022.

SUISSE BANK is an offshore bank which is licensed in the Union of the Comoros.

As an enterprising bank, SUISSE BANK offers a range of services designed for private and corporate clients, including private and corporate digital accounts, blockchain banking, and trade finance for its worldwide clients under the offshore license, and its services are provided only to its approved clients and not to the general public.

The main services of SUISSE BANK are geared towards its all-in-one wallet. A user-friendly internet banking and mobile app gives the bank’s clients 24/7 access to the private or corporate account, checking accounts and debit card balances, as well as making transfers with a smartphone or tablet with multilingual customer support.

The bank offers blockchain banking and enables customers to trade cryptocurrency. It focuses on simplicity, creating an accessible crypto-wallet, as well as handling all the technical aspects with its secure proprietary back-end system. As a regulated universal bank, investments in cryptocurrencies at SUISSE BANK are subject to the same legal requirements as traditional financial transactions. Clients and funds are therefore subjected to a strict verification and identification process.

Wolfgang Zulauf is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of SUISSE BANK, which he established as a private bank in November 2008. He also serves as the bank’s Chairman.

“SUISSE BANK comes in the top trade finance banks for our reliable services dispatched in a very timely manner and with the utmost professionalism,” he begins, speaking of his business. “We have a number of products specialising in the field of trade finance. Bank guarantees, standby letters of credit, documentary letters of credit, proofs of funds and warranties – you name it and we have it!”

Well-known in the world of offshore banking, Wolfgang has vast experience in the financial industry, having held many high-profile positions with top financial institutions over the years, as well as expertise in the field of private and corporate offshore banking. Wolfgang has served in the role of Chief Executive Officer in other banking institutions in several countries such as London, Moscow, and the Middle East, and he is considered an expert in handling complicated financial trades in new countries, with his many experiences having taught him a lot of lessons in handling clients, services, and products. As a German citizen, Wolfgang is fluent in German, English, Russian, and French languages, and has studied economics in Cologne, Germany. He also holds a private office in Monaco, Monte Carlo.

Wolfgang earned respect in the banking sector early on with his exceptional ability to handle offshore banking services and investments. He helps firms to seal their business deals with international clients and he influences markets with his marketing techniques, which serve as boost for his business clients.

“Our clients only achieve success with our services,” explains Wolfgang. “Your money is treated like ours. Your basic interests of discretion, risk minimisation, yield optimisation, and flexibility are respected above all else.”

A strong businessman like Wolfgang has the capability to turn a start-up into a multimillion-dollar business. He is fierce in his endeavours and heads against market competition with the willpower to conquer. As a hardworking man, Wolfgang continues to learn all the latest technological inventions in the banking sector and he has played a pivotal role in the development of the SUISSE BANK, investing in growing the dedicated working staff under it.

Wolfgang is always scouting for opportunities which help in giving SUISSE BANK a firm stand in the banking market. He is instrumental in leading the bank to handle international operations right from its initial days. His success is largely attributed to his marketing skills, strong knowledge of banking, and a skilled operations team, and he strongly believes that investing in the foreign market is necessary to attain global recognition. Wolfgang has, in fact, built his business empire based on this principle.

Recently, Wolfgang gained further international recognition as he was named CEO of the Year 2022, Bahrain in the prestigious CEO of the Year Awards 2022. Now, as he looks towards the future, Wolfgang is planning to expand the banking operations into new countries with a network of trusted agents. He has earned the trust of his clients by showing the offshore banking operations and explaining the economic structure of the new country.

“We have always successfully combined the principles of innovation and tradition in our work,” he exclaims. “Since its foundation in 2008, SUISSE BANK has always further advanced progress – we are open to new developments in the worlds of banking and finance, open to progressive ideas and projects and are of course always keen to hear about new financial models.

“Your success is our goal!”

For business enquiries, contact Wolfgang Zulauf from SUISSE BANK on their website – www.suissebank.com

Find SUSSIE BANK and Wolfgang Zulauf at:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/suisse-bank/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/w-zulauf/

https://www.facebook.com/SUISSEBANKPLC

https://www.facebook.com/zulauf.w

Tweets by SUISSEBANK

Tweets by Wolfgang_Zulauf

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY9bMTbXN5kxUNKsyF-kVWQ

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQEaVQj7ARI3NhN2pUER1lA

https://instagram.com/suisse.bank

SUISSE BANK has a wealth of expertise in the area of trade finance solutions, private and corporate digital banking, and specialises in cutting-edge blockchain banking services. Wolfgang Zulauf, the bank’s experienced and renowned Chief Executive Officer, tells us more about the industry as he celebrates being bestowed with a prestigious accolade in the CEO of the Year Awards 2022.

SUISSE BANK is an offshore bank which is licensed in the Union of the Comoros.

As an enterprising bank, SUISSE BANK offers a range of services designed for private and corporate clients, including private and corporate digital accounts, blockchain banking, and trade finance for its worldwide clients under the offshore license, and its services are provided only to its approved clients and not to the general public.

The main services of SUISSE BANK are geared towards its all-in-one wallet. A user-friendly internet banking and mobile app gives the bank’s clients 24/7 access to the private or corporate account, checking accounts and debit card balances, as well as making transfers with a smartphone or tablet with multilingual customer support.

The bank offers blockchain banking and enables customers to trade cryptocurrency. It focuses on simplicity, creating an accessible crypto-wallet, as well as handling all the technical aspects with its secure proprietary back-end system. As a regulated universal bank, investments in cryptocurrencies at SUISSE BANK are subject to the same legal requirements as traditional financial transactions. Clients and funds are therefore subjected to a strict verification and identification process.

Wolfgang Zulauf is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of SUISSE BANK, which he established as a private bank in November 2008. He also serves as the bank’s Chairman.

“SUISSE BANK comes in the top trade finance banks for our reliable services dispatched in a very timely manner and with the utmost professionalism,” he begins, speaking of his business. “We have a number of products specialising in the field of trade finance. Bank guarantees, standby letters of credit, documentary letters of credit, proofs of funds and warranties – you name it and we have it!”

Well-known in the world of offshore banking, Wolfgang has vast experience in the financial industry, having held many high-profile positions with top financial institutions over the years, as well as expertise in the field of private and corporate offshore banking. Wolfgang has served in the role of Chief Executive Officer in other banking institutions in several countries such as London, Moscow, and the Middle East, and he is considered an expert in handling complicated financial trades in new countries, with his many experiences having taught him a lot of lessons in handling clients, services, and products. As a German citizen, Wolfgang is fluent in German, English, Russian, and French languages, and has studied economics in Cologne, Germany. He also holds a private office in Monaco, Monte Carlo.

Wolfgang earned respect in the banking sector early on with his exceptional ability to handle offshore banking services and investments. He helps firms to seal their business deals with international clients and he influences markets with his marketing techniques, which serve as boost for his business clients.

“Our clients only achieve success with our services,” explains Wolfgang. “Your money is treated like ours. Your basic interests of discretion, risk minimisation, yield optimisation, and flexibility are respected above all else.”

A strong businessman like Wolfgang has the capability to turn a start-up into a multimillion-dollar business. He is fierce in his endeavours and heads against market competition with the willpower to conquer. As a hardworking man, Wolfgang continues to learn all the latest technological inventions in the banking sector and he has played a pivotal role in the development of the SUISSE BANK, investing in growing the dedicated working staff under it.

Wolfgang is always scouting for opportunities which help in giving SUISSE BANK a firm stand in the banking market. He is instrumental in leading the bank to handle international operations right from its initial days. His success is largely attributed to his marketing skills, strong knowledge of banking, and a skilled operations team, and he strongly believes that investing in the foreign market is necessary to attain global recognition. Wolfgang has, in fact, built his business empire based on this principle.

Recently, Wolfgang gained further international recognition as he was named CEO of the Year 2022, Bahrain in the prestigious CEO of the Year Awards 2022. Now, as he looks towards the future, Wolfgang is planning to expand the banking operations into new countries with a network of trusted agents. He has earned the trust of his clients by showing the offshore banking operations and explaining the economic structure of the new country.

“We have always successfully combined the principles of innovation and tradition in our work,” he exclaims. “Since its foundation in 2008, SUISSE BANK has always further advanced progress – we are open to new developments in the worlds of banking and finance, open to progressive ideas and projects and are of course always keen to hear about new financial models.

“Your success is our goal!”

For business enquiries, contact Wolfgang Zulauf from SUISSE BANK on their website – www.suissebank.com

Find SUSSIE BANK and Wolfgang Zulauf at:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/suisse-bank/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/w-zulauf/

https://www.facebook.com/SUISSEBANKPLC

https://www.facebook.com/zulauf.w

Tweets by SUISSEBANK

Tweets by Wolfgang_Zulauf

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY9bMTbXN5kxUNKsyF-kVWQ

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQEaVQj7ARI3NhN2pUER1lA

https://instagram.com/suisse.bank

Established by female entrepreneur, Arjodita Mustali, Vigàn Group (Vigàn) represents a group of outsourcing companies based in Albania. We speak to Arjodita to find out more about her passion for her country and empowering the people who live there, as she is named in the CEO of the Year Awards 2022.

Arjodita Mustali has created several platforms for the emancipation of the Albanian youth and society in order to develop the national capacities of the state. The services offered by Arjodita to improve this situation are multifaceted, but what can be considered as a breakthrough innovation is the promotion of young people towards technological initiatives, start-ups, and orientation towards the BPO industry in Albania.

One of these platforms is Vigàn Group – a fast-growing consulting business development company headquartered in Tirana, which provides strategic giving for complex projects through cultural innovation and social innovation.

Established as result of all the intensive hard work and collected experience from talented and passionate people, the group has launched several businesses in and outside the country of Albania, creating jobs and equal opportunities for all people.

Vigàn Group aims to promote the country at a national and international level by including Albania in the most prestigious world business circles. It has its primary activity operating in Albania, with subsidiaries in Balkan Region Kosovo and branches in the USA, Switzerland, Africa, and Tanzania.

“Vigàn Group has changed the business mentality and mindset in Albania, by being forward thinking and innovative and applying the best worldwide business models,” explains Arjodita, the firm’s CEO and Co-Founder. “Our secret is trusting and nurturing the human potential while acknowledging it as our most treasured talent paves the road to a healthy company mindset. Persisting on our core values, such as resilience, innovation, customer loyalty, and integrity supports the growth of this mentality from company-centred to culturally accepted.”

Vigàn’s primary competence is strategic giving that helps its partners design and implement complex projects with impact. Through cultural innovation and social innovation, two different approaches mixed together, Vigàn Group consults the process of design and implementation of the projects or programmes that its partners are looking for.

“Vigàn thinks in the future and designs with results in mind,” continues Arjodita. “The word “vigàn” was chosen based on the idea of ​​being big and powerful, like a giant. We aim to make any partner feel like a part of the group.”

As well as establishing and running Vigàn Group, Arjodita is one of the first entrepreneurs who has a concrete impact on the growth of new start-up business initiatives, new technologies, and the development of the BPO industry in Albania.

As a serial entrepreneur, business coach and developer, start-up mentor, public speaker, and co-author, Arjodita has mostly mentored young people in a continuous professional cycle in the fields of sales, management, brokering, and leadership, enabling the successful realisation of the 23 start-ups developing their business in Albania and abroad.

“My motto is that success comes as a result of passion and determination to stay true to one’s beliefs and dreams,” she elaborates. “As a company, we follow the idea that we want to make any partner feel like a part of us. We like to consider our clients as our extended family.”

Elaborating on the role that she plays, at Vigàn Group in particular, Arjodita tells us that she is a huge advocate of empowering entrepreneurs, women, and youth in making more self-conscious choices that not only benefit them professionally, but also the industry, the economy, and the country, leading by example.

Arjodita is the author of the “The Female Leaders of Tomorrow” a biographical piece, which conveys a message to youth about personal growth and motivation to achieve set goals. She is also in the process of publishing a series of books in business development and entrepreneurship.

This is in addition to being the CEO and Co-Founder of Vigàn Investment, a holding company that invests in businesses and start-ups, providing services and solutions in the business services industry. Since 2020, Arjodita is the President of ABLS Albania, representing Albanian businesses that operate in BPO, R&D, ITO, and Shared Services, and has been contributing to the business services industry for more than 14 years, focusing mostly on technology and innovation.

As a company that is constantly in the process of improving itself and the services it provides, Vigàn Group is always looking for the latest innovative strategies to apply, and continues evolving and growing to bring the best for the team and the clients. This is something which is reflected in Arjodita’s approach to personal growth and development, too.

“I am in constant need to change and develop myself, as well as my environment and my business, workplace, the environment that surrounds me, and my team,” she enthuses. “I strongly believe that creating a healthy and happy place for all will make an enormous impact on the outcome results for our partners and clients as well.”

Obviously, the world changed a lot during the Covid-19 pandemic and, of course, it affected businesses all over the world, as well. Arjodita comments on how it changed her mindset on how to collaborate and build the future.

“At that time, we realised that our society is so fragile but, at the same time, we came out stronger as we defeated that world crisis,” she says, passionately. “It made me deeply understand that human interaction is irreplaceable and the job trend is changing, fast going towards digitisation in every business field.”

Recently, as recognition for her commitment, dedication, and hard work, Arjodita was named CEO of the Year 2022 – Tirana, Albania in the CEO of the Year Awards. She is extremely grateful and humbled to have received such a prestigious accolade.

Looking to a post-Covid future, Arjodita has great plans ahead which she wishes to execute.

“My real passion is to be a motivational speaker and a business coach,” she shares. “I find an immense pleasure when I help people in many aspects to find their way, to achieve their personal and professional goals, to understand themselves and what they would like to do with their future. Of course my field is specialised in business coaching but life is so much more that they can effectuate each other.”

For business enquiries, contact Arjodita Mustali from Vigan Group on their website – https://vigangroup.com/

Now in its 2nd year, the CEO of the Year Awards were launched by CEO Monthly Magazine to showcase the individuals who are pushing the boundaries in their industries and consistently proving their company is among the best of the best in their field.

This award is judged purely on merit by our inhouse team with all potential winners assessed against multiple relevant criteria, including company performance over a given period of time with the individual at the helm, expertise and experience within the industry, sector or region, previous accolades won, and client testimonials or recommendations.

CEO Monthly is part of AI Global Media, an internationally focused B2B digital publishing group founded in 2010. The group is committed to delivering content you can trust to every one of its readers, subscribers, clients, contributors, advertisers and visitors.

Keeping pace with the ever-changing global corporate landscape, CEO Monthly’s dedicated editorial team work diligently to provide the latest news and updates, drawing on their worldwide network of contacts who span every major industry and sector. We are delighted to present the successful candidates in our 2022 CEO of the Year Awards!

By Garry Hamilton, Chief Growth Officer and Founder, Equator

We live in an era when intelligent technology is essential for high-growth businesses – but investment alone is not enough.

Organisations must go beyond updating their digital systems. Without delivering an integrated digital ecosystem and a change management structure to support it, digital transformation programmes will not realise their true potential.

At its heart, digital transformation is a root-and-branch review of people, processes and technology. Handing the plan to the IT team won’t cut the mustard. Organisations need an equal parts technology expert, skilled communicator and visionary. That individual is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

Historically, the first phase of tech investment is delivered by internal teams led by an IT manager reporting to a CFO. However, a CTO is critical to successfully pivoting from implementing IT projects to creating a vision for digital transformation.

Similarly, a CIO is usually focused on corporate IT, risk and compliance and may struggle to pivot to the diverse requirements of the CTO role.

The transformation process is often complex, balancing long-term goals with short-term needs and customer expectations with efficiency gains. The starting point is a detailed digital strategy as the reference point to define the clear expectation of a CTO.

Some of the primary elements of the remit include:

Creating business value and growing margins

Setting long-term vision

Developing technical aspects of business strategy and aligning them with goals

Finding and implementing tech that yields a competitive advantage

Helping departments use technology profitably

Building quality assurance and data protection processes

Monitoring KPIs and IT budgets to assess technological performance

Even that list isn’t exhaustive. It’s also the CTO’s job to gather feedback from all stakeholders to improve the use of technology.

Five traits of a great CTO

To handle all these tasks, a good CTO needs to be several things simultaneously:

1) A great communicator – They can effectively talk to internal users, partners, investors, clients and others, aligning teams around goals and gaining support to achieve them.

2) A strong leader – Excellent leadership skills enable a CTO to implement the strategy effectively. Negotiating the way forward, securing investment, and inspiring staff are all crucial to success.

3) Be visionary – Good CTOs must keep up with industry trends and the latest technologies to stay ahead of the competition and remain competitive.

4) Commercially astute – Solid knowledge of complex projects, budget allocation and software licensing are crucial to a successful CTO. They must optimise project delivery based on the organisation’s needs.

5) A technology expert – Many of the best CTOs start their careers as engineers or coders, so they understand the various technologies used in the organisation.

The importance of a CTO in leading a digital transformation programme cannot be overstated. Once the need for change has been identified and a clear direction defined, filling this position results in more stable and sustained programme delivery. Putting a CTO in charge of delivering fundamental change to your business can feel daunting. But with the right person in place, supported by the best experts, it doesn’t need to be.

In order to be successful, businesses need to effectively manage their stakeholders. Stakeholder management includes identifying, analyzing, and managing relationships with individuals or groups that could impact the business.

It’s important to identify and understand the needs and expectations of stakeholders in order to maintain positive relationships and keep everyone on the same page. Good stakeholder management can help businesses achieve their goals while avoiding conflicts and misunderstandings.

Ultimately, effective stakeholder management is crucial for business success. Read on to learn more about why stakeholders are important and how you can best manage them!

Stakeholder Management and Its Importance

Stakeholder management is an important part of any successful business; it should not be overlooked. This technique involves having an organized stakeholder engagement plan, involving the identification and prioritization of stakeholders to ensure that business goals are met efficiently and effectively.

In stakeholder management, stakeholders including employees, customers, and suppliers, must be communicated with regularly as their opinion can have a direct effect on the success of a business. Engaging stakeholder helps provide valuable feedback on products or services – this information is incredibly useful in terms of research & development, customer service, and other topics of business that can lead to success when managed properly.

Additionally, stakeholder management promotes collaboration instead of conflict by having a clear channel between executives and those who are affected and have an influence on the company’s operations. Ultimately, stakeholder management is an integral component for businesses to succeed because it provides effective communication for all key players in the decision-making process.

Businesses Effectively Manage Stakeholders Ensuring Success

Managing stakeholders in a business context are essential to creating long-term success. A key step in effective stakeholder management is to understand and identify stakeholders early on, as this allows businesses to analyze the range of interests that are at play in the organization.

It is also critical for businesses to establish effective communication channels with their stakeholders; these should be both regular and reliable, allowing organizations to efficiently tap into feedback from their stakeholders. In addition, the objectives of each stakeholder should be taken into consideration during strategic decisions and planning processes, ensuring a mutual understanding between the organization and its stakeholders.

Ultimately, implementing these steps will allow organizations to maximize potential partnerships and minimize risks of disagreement – resulting in greater success for all parties involved.

Undervaluing Stakeholders: A Common Mistake in Business

One of the most common mistakes businesses makes when managing stakeholders is undervaluing them. Stakeholders are essential for the success of a business, yet too often their importance and potential impact are underestimated or overlooked.

Poor communication can also be a major barrier to effective stakeholder management, as it can lead to misunderstandings that can set back progress and affect company morale. Additionally, rushing into decisions without taking the time to gain stakeholder input can create obstacles that could have been avoided with proper analysis and collaboration among all involved parties. 

Understanding stakeholder demands, needs, interests, and requirements are key to successful stakeholder management; without this insight, businesses risk not meeting expectations and being unable to achieve their goals.

Ensuring Long-Term Success Through Strong Stakeholder Relationships

To ensure successful stakeholder management, businesses should prioritize effective communication between all parties. They should avoid rushing decisions or implementing changes without involving affected parties, as this will invite disagreement and confusion.

Furthermore, businesses should provide opportunities for stakeholders to comment and provide feedback throughout the process. Additionally, reviews should be conducted regularly in order to identify any areas that need further engagement or improvement.

By following these practices and recognizing the power of collaboration and input from stakeholders, businesses will be able to maintain good relationships with their stakeholders moving forward.

Conclusion

Ultimately, successful stakeholder management starts with understanding your stakeholders, communicating regularly and openly, and having proactive measures in place to prevent any potential pitfalls.

Businesses should focus on building relationships with their stakeholders and collaborate on pursuing mutually beneficial goals. In order to avoid common mistakes such as inadequate research, misalignment of objectives, and lack of consideration for stakeholders’ perspectives, businesses should be aware of these pitfalls and take the necessary steps to mitigate them.

The healthcare industry is one of the most lucrative markets in the world. A massive number of consumers and businesses use medical devices every single day in their quest to improve their health and well-being. With the advent of new technologies and advancements in medicine, it’s no surprise that medical device eCommerce has become an integral part of this industry. 

The State of eCommerce in the Medical Device Industry

The medical device industry, which encompasses everything from surgical tools to infusion pumps to diagnostic equipment, is massive. Globally, the sector has an estimated value of $600 billion and is expected to grow at a rate of 5% annually over the next decade. 

The medical device eCommerce market represents only a tiny portion of this industry; however, growth rates for online sales are significantly higher than those experienced in other sectors. 

Benefits of Selling Medical Devices Online

There are several benefits to selling medical devices online. Reach a wider audience and sell to international customers. You can also sell to customers who don’t have time to visit a store or even to people who cannot find something in their area.

What’s Driving Adoption Of eCommerce In B2B Medical Devices Industry

The demand for medical devices has increased as more patients are treated and doctors diagnose more illnesses. By the end of 2023, the global medical device market will be worth $500 billion.

In addition to this increase in demand, there will also be a rise in sales. This can be attributed to increased sales opportunities from existing and new customers. While some companies sell directly through their websites, others outsource this process to third-party eCommerce platforms like Shopify Plus or OroCommerce.

How to Boost Your Sales Using the right B2B eCommerce platform?

Whether you are a small business or a large corporation, it is crucial for your organization to find the right B2B eCommerce platform. Here are some tips on how to choose the right platform:

Choose an easy-to-use B2B eCommerce platform. The best platforms make it easy for users to navigate the website without any confusion or difficulty.

Pick an easy-to-integrate B2B eCommerce platform. Choose a platform that can easily integrate with your existing website, making it easier for customers to find and purchase your products via their mobile devices or desktop computers.

Choose an easy-to-manage B2B eCommerce platform that offers all necessary features such as inventory tracking, taxes calculation, payment processing, etc., but also has flexibility in adding personalized features like custom descriptions and logos that represent your brand/business identity as well as personalizing search results according to customer preferences and behavioral data (if available).

The top three medical device eCommerce platforms include OroCommerce, Shopify, and BigCommerce.

OroCommerce, Shopify, and BigCommerce are the top three medical device eCommerce platforms.

OroCommerce: This is the most flexible and feature-rich platform for medical device eCommerce. It’s perfect if you need much customization or have a complex product line with many SKUs (stock-keeping units). And suppose you’re looking for an eCommerce platform to manage inventory across multiple channels. In that case, OroCommerce is your best bet—you can import your products from other systems into its CMS system, so they’re all in one place. However, while OroCommerce offers some support services to its customers, including consultations and dedicated account managers, it has fewer tools than Shopify or BigCommerce regarding SEO optimization or conversion tracking metrics like funnel analysis reports.

Shopify: A good choice if you’re looking for a simple but powerful platform that helps businesses build their stores quickly with no technical expertise. While there are some limitations on customization options compared with Orocommerce or Bigcommerce (which allow more freedom), Shopify does provide additional services such as customer support via phone calls instead of just email queries, so this makes up for some of those differences between them overall when compared.

BigCommerce: If you’re looking for a system that offers an all-inclusive solution, then BigCommerce is the best platform for you—it has everything you need to build and manage your online store. Its support service is also outstanding (they have 24/7 live chat), so if you have any issues with any part of your store, they’ll help you fix it fast.

The Pitfalls of Selling on Amazon for Manufacturers

Amazon is a great place to sell products but not the only place. Amazon is a great place to start selling on and can grow into a behemoth if you don’t diversify your strategies.

One of the biggest mistakes companies make when they start selling on Amazon is that they think it will be easy and need more time or resources to manage their platform. 

The truth is that Amazon has its own rules and processes, which are different from other eCommerce platforms like Shopify or Magento. If you try selling on Amazon, you need to make sure you understand what those rules are before diving in headfirst.

Here’s why it’s a good idea to sell medical devices online.

Online sales are proliferating, and it’s estimated that by 2020, 30% of all retail sales will be conducted online. 

Online shopping offers several advantages to medical device companies:

Reach more customers. With the internet and social media, you can reach people worldwide who may otherwise never know about your products—making it easier for them to buy them from you.

Sell internationally. Medical devices are often used in countries with little awareness of local providers or distributors, so shipping directly from your website can be an asset if you’re looking to expand globally.

In summary

The medical device industry is growing, and it’s time for you to decide before your competitors do. Many options are available for selling your products online, but you must choose the right one. The best way to do this is by considering all the factors above and developing an action plan to help get your business onto the first page of Google search results while providing customers with an easy way to purchase your product online.

Professor Lynda Holt, CEO Health Service 360, Honorary Professor of Leadership University of Salford

The last few years have been ‘interesting’ to say the least. Most leaders have had some tough times, maybe done some soul searching, and probably felt that sense of futility – however fleetingly, that comes with trying to do the impossible with rapidly moving goalposts. If that’s you, welcome to the club, you’re human.

The real challenge is one of expectation. As a CEO, or senior leader, it can be tempting to focus on results, the bottom line, and keeping shareholders and clients happy. You might filter what you share, stay strong for others, and potentially finish up carrying a huge burden yourself. There’s a balance to be struck here, somewhere between expectation and what’s possible.

Often the expectations you place on yourself are way higher than what’s possible and probably higher than others expect of you. You can’t be all things to all people, and you know that, but when it comes to the demands you place on yourself there can be a disconnect. You will likely have some tough choices to make and some prioritising to do.

This is where courage comes in, not in a superhero, risking life and limb sort of way, but in a quiet, connected human way. It’s that ability to speak from your heart and lead with matters in a way that connects people, builds trust, and enables people to tackle the difficult stuff in a kind and respectful way. Courageous leadership is not about an absence of fear, but a commitment to taking action, even when you feel vulnerable, when you don’t have all the answers, and when it makes you unpopular.

Let’s be honest, the more senior you are the riskier being braver can feel, potentially because you have more to lose. You have two choices, you can stick with what you know, keep control and work really hard to maintain the status quo, while the world moves on around you. Or you can choose courage. Knowing which action to take, how to rock the boat when some movement is needed, and when to drop the anchor in turbulent times, comes with experience. The more courageous you are the more experience you gain, and critically, the more familiar you get with operating in uncertainty the less you react neurologically.

Professor Robert Sapolsky, the author of Behave, says every human action has a biological explanation, when we feel under threat we go into a physiological stress response – fight/flight if you like, in order to regain balance.

We know this right we’ve all experienced it – not just as leaders. The challenge comes when we can’t recalibrate – this stress response is designed to be transient, when we can’t regain homeostatic balance our stress hormones stay elevated.

Elevated stress levels literally make you less capable, and the executive function of your pre-fontal cortex reduces. Memory, judgement and impulse control decrease – or go out the window in some cases.

When you are more used to being courageous, your body will recognise the pattern, and if you trigger a stress reaction, you will recalibrate more quickly.

Even as a senior leader, the most important work you do will be on yourself. Here are a few things you can focus on to help build your courage muscle if you need to.

Start with yourself:

Be intentional about everything. It’s easy to get pulled off course, there are always more demands on you than there is time. Pay attention to where and how you are spending your time, pay attention to how you feel and how you show up, and pay attention to your results – in that order. The more connected you are to your purpose and your people, the more courageous you’ll become around your time, your impact, and your boundaries.

Focus on what you can control:

Sounds obvious, but it can be really easy to slip into the habit of blaming others, making excuses, or complaining about your lot. When you spend too much time on things you have no influence or control over you can quickly feel overwhelmed. It’s really hard to be brave or take the best action from here.

Sometimes the only thing you can control is you. You get to choose how you behave, how you treat those around you – it is 100% in your control. Choose wisely and stay true to yourself, remember leaders come in all guises.

The attitude you bring, and the way you behave sets the tone for those you lead. The overlap between what you say, and your behaviour, can create or destroy connection, it impacts how much people trust you, and therefore whether they feel safe, as well as how they behave.

Courageous leaders are realistically optimistic but don’t ignore the realities people are experiencing. Your job is to explore the possible – even if it falls short of your expectations, when you can see the possibility you can lead people toward something compelling. When you are drowning in unrealistic expectations this is what you, often inadvertently, pass on to your people.

Stay connected:

Most people want to people want to feel seen, heard, and valued, even when you don’t have the answers or can’t fix stuff. It takes courage to meet your people in this space, it can leave you feeling a bit impotent. Intention is your friend here, so manage yourself and your expectation, know you are showing up for them, not for yourself. It really doesn’t matter if you can’t fix it, but it absolutely matters that you are there, you listened, and you heard how they feel and what they are experiencing.

Compassion and kindness connect us as humans, judgement disconnects, so seek to understand, and respond from there, You never know, your people just might have the answer themselves, you are just the permission giver.

Look after yourself:

Kindness applies to you too, we can be pretty mean in how we treat ourselves sometimes. This is a great way to erode your courage. Don’t buy into the mental toughness trap. Resilience is about two things, refuelling and maintenance. You need to know what refuels you, it’s not the same for everyone. Once make sure you are putting enough fuel in for the demands of your journey and when you need a bit of maintenance or even a pit stop, take it.

This does two things, it keeps you emotionally agile and able to stay connected, and it gives your people permission to do the same.

In the end, courage is built through action, so just start, you may well exceed your own expectations and do something amazing.

About Professor Lynda Holt MA, RGN, DipHE, CPBP, FinstLM, FRSA

CEO, Health Service 360

https://www.lyndaholt.co.uk

Lynda is a prominent leadership voice, author and change activist in the healthcare sector. She established Health Service 360, an award-winning development consultancy, back in 2001 and spends her time helping leaders and health professionals to lead courageously, make tangible change, value themselves, and empower their people.

She believes it is each of us, not big organisations, religions, or governments, that change the world, – little action by little action, and as a Professor of Social Leadership at the University of Salford, Lynda helps to equip people with the skills and mindset needed to act and create social change.

Follow Lynda on:

Twitter: @LyndamHolt

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndaholt/  

In today’s highly competitive business landscape, staying relevant in terms of your customer’s needs and preferences is crucial for success.

That’s where UX research comes into play.

It helps businesses create better products and gain a competitive edge in the market. In fact, Hubspot doubled its conversion rates after revamping its website based on user feedback.

In this blog, we’ll discuss five reasons why including UX research in your business plan is essential for success—whether you’re a startup or an established business.

What is UX research?

UX (User Experience) research is a critical stage of a design process, which involves gathering and analyzing how people interact with the end result, i.e., the product, website, or service. The goal is to understand the needs, motivations, behaviors, and preferences of users to create a design that meets their needs and preferences more effectively.

UX research can take many different forms, including surveys, interviews, usability testing, user observation, focus groups, and analytics analysis. Each method has its own strengths and weaknesses and is used to answer specific research questions.

Using the insights gained after effective UX research, UX designers shape many aspects of the UX design process, including:

Designing user flowsCreating wireframesTesting design interactionsSelecting design elementsWhile there are many resources about UX research, this comprehensive guide to UX research explains it all for every stage of the design and development process.

Top UX research trends in 2023To ensure you create a product or service your target audience loves, you must keep an eye on the latest UX research trends in 2023. As per a survey run by Maze, here are some top findings from the research:

About 83% of respondents believe UX research should be a part of every stage of the UX design process48% of respondents feel understanding the customer journey is the most impactful task of their jobs60% of respondents agree that UX research findings help inspire new product opportunities42% of respondents favor making product decisions with backing data

Benefits of conducting UX research to create a user-centered design

1. Helps identify user needs from meetings and surveys

By understanding user needs, designers can create useful, usable, and satisfying products for their intended audience.

Here are some ways UX research helps identify user needs:

Gathering user insights: Gathering data from users through interviews, surveys, and usability testing provides designers with valuable insights into user behaviour, preferences, pain points, and goals. By analyzing this information, designers can better understand user needs and design products that meet those needs.

Identifying user personas: UX research helps designers create user personas—fictional representations of the different types of users who will use a product or service. By creating these personas, designers can better tailor their designs to meet the needs of specific user groups.

Testing product prototypes: UX designers test product prototypes with users to get feedback on the design and functionality. This feedback helps them identify areas where the product falls short in meeting user needs and where improvements can be made. By testing early and often, designers can identify and address user needs before the product is released to the public.

Conducting competitive analysis: A major part of UX research involves analyzing the products and services of competitors to understand what they are doing well and where they fall short. Competitive analysis helps designers identify opportunities to differentiate their products by meeting user needs that competitors are not addressing.

Make comprehensive notes in meetings: An effective way to retain all the information you gather from user interviews and calls is to make comprehensive notes in your meetings. Using a meeting note-taking app will help you record your conversations in the best way possible, without missing any relevant information. This way, you can review the data in a digital format whenever you want.

2. Increases customer satisfaction and loyalty

Building strong customer relationships and driving long-term loyalty is the end goal for any business, and by creating products and services that meet user needs and preferences, designers can ensure that.

UX research helps designers create a positive user experience by identifying the touchpoints that are most important to users. By improving these touchpoints, designers can enhance the overall user experience and increase satisfaction.

Here are some ways UX research can help increase customer satisfaction and loyalty:

Improving usability: With UX research, designers identify usability issues and areas for improvement. As a result, they can work on making the products more intuitive and easier to use, thereby reducing user frustration and increasing satisfaction.

When users have a positive experience with a product or service, they are more likely to recommend it to others. This word-of-mouth marketing can help increase brand reputation and drive customer loyalty.

Providing personalized experiences: An effective UX research helps designers create personalized experiences that meet the needs of specific user groups. By tailoring products and services to the unique needs of users, designers can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Case study: Take an example of Netflix’s UX, which has contributed to its massive success and increased customer loyalty.

The streaming company has invested heavily in UX research to create an intuitive and engaging experience for its users. They use data and algorithms to recommend content based on a user’s viewing history, ratings, and other factors.

This personalization makes it easier for users to find the content they are interested in, which increases customer satisfaction and loyalty. Moreover, their interface is intuitive, with clear navigation and search functions that make it easy for users to find what they are looking for.

3. Reduces development costs and time

UX research provides valuable insights into user needs and behaviours early in the design process. By using UX research to understand user needs and preferences, designers can create more successful designs on the first try, reducing the need for costly and time-consuming revisions later in the development process.

Here are some ways UX research can help reduce development costs and save time:

As designers dive deep into understanding user needs, they are more likely to create designs that are more likely to be successful on the first try. This reduces the number of design iterations needed to achieve the desired outcome.

With proper UX research, you can identify potential issues with the design early on before any significant development work is done. UX research can help identify which features are most important to users. By prioritizing the most important features early in the design process, designers can focus their development efforts on the features with the greatest impact on user satisfaction, reducing the time and costs associated with developing less important features.

By improving usability, designers can reduce user frustration and increase the likelihood of users continuing to use the product. This saves time and costs associated with developing and marketing new products.

4. Help you stand out among the competition

UX research helps you conduct effective competitor analysis. It offers insights into the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors’ designs and identifies opportunities for differentiation.

Here are some ways UX research can help with competitor analysis:

With UX research, designers can identify common design patterns among their competitors, which can provide insights into user expectations and preferences.

UX research can help compare the features of your competitors’ designs to your own, which can provide insights into areas where you may be falling behind or where you may have a competitive advantage.

UX research helps you dig deep into the user behaviour on your competitors’ designs, which can provide insights into user preferences and usage patterns.

UX research helps identify gaps in the market that your competitors may be missing.

5. Helps mitigate risks

UX designers also use UX research to identify and address legal and ethical concerns early in the design process. It is to make sure that the design they create meets legal and ethical standards, has lower risks of legal and ethical violations, and builds user trust and loyalty.

Here’s how UX research helps mitigate risk for your business:

You can identify potential biases in the design that could lead to discrimination or exclusion. By identifying these biases early on, designers can address them and create a more inclusive and accessible design that meets legal and ethical standards.

UX research can help ensure that user data is collected and used in a way that respects user privacy.

You can identify accessibility issues in the design that could exclude certain groups of users.

You can recheck that your design complies with legal and ethical regulations, such as data protection laws or accessibility standards.

UX research is critical for running a successful business

User Experience (UX) research is a critical component of any successful business plan. Businesses can make informed decisions about product development, marketing strategies, and customer experience with the insights they gather using UX research.

Incorporate UX research in your business plan and create products or services that your customers keep coming back for. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your business goals.

Author’s Bio

Deepali is an engineer-turned-freelance writer for B2B SaaS, writing actionable long-form content for marketing, Cybersecurity, and HR-Tech companies. When she’s not writing, she’s engrossed in a cozy murder mystery novel with a cup of hot chocolate!

Due to escalating customer demands, fierce competition, and the digital revolution across several sectors, more businesses place emphasis on outsourced product development. Non-tech companies, digital start ups, and even IT giants can use the global IT talent pool to innovate and reduce expenses while concentrating on their core business operations and expansion. This article discusses the strategies for outsourced software product development. When trying something for the first time, organizations frequently make mistakes that cost them time, money, and successful projects.

The top 3 strategies you can use for outsourced software product development

Make sure you have a clear-cut goal: Analyzing your position and goals is necessary before you begin looking for possible outsourced product development services. You need to understand the following:

• the problems you face
• the business goals and tasks you need to be completed
• what product do you want to build
• the consumers that will use the product
• the revenue generated from the product
• the amount you can invest in it

It’s crucial to explain your business’s internal goals for the product and its development to external service providers. It makes sense to hire an agency for your new product development outsourcing. Even if you don’t pay them to construct the finished product, they will still support your hunt for a long-term partner by assisting with research, creating requirements papers, and calculating expenses. Hiring a company familiar with the product since its origin would surely be advantageous.

Choose the best software development model: Various IT outsourcing product development methods offer varying project scope, scheduling, and budget planning flexibility. Most likely, you’ll pick one of the following payment arrangements.

Fixed price contract: The seller must meet a product delivery deadline and price. The total cost is determined initially, necessitating knowing the precise scope, milestones, deadlines, and objectives. Before you can begin, you need to spend some time defining and writing down these words. The vendor is in charge of your project from the beginning to the conclusion. The specifications are likewise predetermined; however, the price will not alter during development. You would have to renegotiate the agreement if you needed a modification, which would add to the delays. This strategy works well for little projects with precise criteria. It should work if both sides are willing to handle a small number of specific modification requests or further conversations.

Hourly rates contract: You would pay the professionals an hourly fee set for everyone in exchange for their actual labour on your project. With this method, you may get started quickly and alter the criteria to suit your company’s needs. There is no stated termination date. An hourly rate contract works effectively when your existing software needs minor changes or has a limited life cycle. It also works well for small- to medium-sized projects with flexible requirements. The budget, however, becomes more unpredictable. This is not the best solution for a long-term collaboration because hourly costs are greater than the monthly rates of committed developers. Still, it is appropriate to bridge a talent gap or expand your team during the busy season.

Dedicated team model: According to the particular project needs of a customer, a vendor often puts together a dedicated team from among its available expertise. The group is fully committed to the project. It is controlled by a designated project manager or the customer, who can specify the number of developers, their workload, and process control. The vendor’s fixed service price and each specialist’s compensation are included in the monthly payments. The cooperative approach is versatile and flexible enough to accommodate any changes. It is the best option for long-term projects with changing requirements, software that needs a dedicated team’s undivided attention around the clock, or when the client’s personnel lacks a particular skill set for a brand-new, sophisticated project.

Pick the best location for outsourcing: You can locate outsourced product development companies onshore or nearshore. Concentrating on the local talent pool makes sense if you want to grow your firm. Comparing the hourly rates of programmers worldwide might be beneficial if your objective is to reduce costs. The Kearney’s Global Services Location Index, published every two years, is perhaps the best place to start your study when looking for nations with a strong outsourcing culture. For outsourced software product development, countries like India, China, the Philippines, Brazil, and Poland are frequently the top alternatives.

If you are ever in an accident caused by someone else’s mistake, you might have to consider filing a personal injury claim. However, unless you’re in this situation, you likely don’t know much about this section of the law. What is a personal injury lawsuit, and how does it work?

A personal injury lawsuit is a court case that involves an injured person suing the person or company that caused their injury. Personal injury attorneys usually handle these cases. You can learn more about personal injury lawyers or hire one if you are in this unfortunate situation.

Here is a brief guide to personal injury lawsuits and how they work. We’ll include a timeline for those looking to file claims and the essential steps to every personal injury lawsuit, from lawyer consultations to court dates.

What Makes a Personal Injury Lawsuit Valid?

A personal injury lawsuit occurs when someone who was injured in a car accident, work incident, or other accidental injury sues the person who caused the injury. Whether or not the injury was intentionally caused, the injured party has the right to file a claim if they can prove two separate claims about the accident.

The first fact a claimant must prove is that the accident has had lasting impacts on their health, whether physical, mental, or emotional. With the help of medical professionals, insurance agencies, and a lawyer, most claimants can claim this easily. Compensation will primarily help with medical bills.

However, the claimant must also prove that the accident occurred because of some act of negligence on the part of the other party. In the law, negligence is when an accident happens because someone breaks the law, does not follow safety precautions, or is generally careless.

How Do You File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

To file a personal injury lawsuit, you’ll have to gather all the correct paperwork and evidence that the accident caused you lasting injuries and was caused by negligence. If you can’t prove both of these things, you won’t be able to file a lawsuit.

Once you’ve gathered the documentation, you can file the lawsuit through your local courthouse. The defendant will be informed and can settle out of court or challenge your suit in the courthouse. The whole process can take months to years, depending on whether or not you go to court.

Do you Need a Lawyer for a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

You will likely need to hire a lawyer to file a personal injury lawsuit. It’s extremely helpful to have legal help when you are gathering evidence, dealing with insurance companies, or witnessing in court. Cases without a lawyer are much less likely to succeed in court, and can be much more stressful for the claimant.

Similarly, hiring a lawyer can be quite crucial if someone files a personal injury claim against your business. As a business owner, there are several factors you’ll have to take care of, including the liability and compensation. Most personal injury lawyers offer free consultations, in which they can examine your case and tell you if you are likely to win in court.

Law firms also promise that you won’t pay any lawyer fees until you win the case, putting your mind at ease until you’ve received compensation.

What Kind of Compensation do Personal Injury Lawsuits Get?

Compensation is determined on a case-by-case basis, with a lawyer or judge ultimately deciding how the defendant will pay you. However, in most cases, the judge rules that the victim will get enough to cover their medical expenses.

If the accident has prevented someone from working or caused permanent disabilities, compensation is likely to be higher. However, it depends on the case, the negligence involved, and the lasting damage that was done.

Final Thoughts

A personal injury lawsuit is any lawsuit that involves someone suing another person or company for the injuries they sustained (by accident) at their hand. If you run a business, having certain policies in place compliant with legal requirements is essential to adequately deal with any workplace related injuries.

Segmentation is a fairly new concept in the marketing world. The idea behind it is to separate out your customers into specific groups such as behavioural habits, location, and demographic information. This type of marketing strategy helps you to target your audience in a more specific way. It also means you are more likely to get a higher engagement rate with these types of ads. Let us look at how you can segment your target audience for maximum engagement.

Understand Your Audience

To make segmentation effective, you need to understand your target audience. This can be done in a number of ways, but some of the best methods include surveys, polls and analysing data from your website. Once you research your target audience, you can then start to identify those key areas that you can focus your marketing on.

This data can be continually gathered both before, during and after the marketing campaign to help you make the next campaign even better.

Choose Your Style of Marketing

Now that you know the areas you want to target with your marketing, you need to think about what types of ads you will be running and on what platforms. There are many ways that you can display your ads including:

• Social Media Paid Ads
• Social Media Free Posting
• OOH (Out of Home) Ads
• Digital Ads
• Email Marketing

It can be a good idea to start with free options as this will give you a good indication as to your ads effectiveness. Platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn allow you to select a particular demographic when creating your posts. You can also start to post on Twitter and Instagram as well before you consider paid advertising. This will also help you to build your audience.

You also want to be using as many different platforms as you can at the same time. This captures those that use Twitter but not Facebook and vice versa.

Test Your Ad Placement

If you are looking to target certain areas of the world with your posts, then you may need to think about what times of day you will get the best results. This can be discovered over time, and means you should do regular monitoring of the results. You should start to see a pattern emerge of what posts get the most engagement. You can then start to target those times specifically. The same should be done for any of your other information. You might find that older age groups won’t engage as much on social media as younger age groups. That means moving to more traditional forms of advertising for that group. The more ads you post and the more data you evaluate, the better each subsequent campaign will be.

Final Thoughts

When creating segmented ad campaigns, the biggest battle is finding and researching your target audience. Once you have that, the rest will be easier to create. However, you will still need to create ads that people will want to see to get the results that you desire. With your target audience in mind, you will be better placed to be able to tailor or personalise ad campaigns to better attract the right people, at the right time, in the right place.

Business in Monaco: A hub of entrepreneurial growth

Monaco has become an attractive destination for entrepreneurs in recent years, as its low taxes, excellent infrastructure, and high quality of life provide a unique and appealing environment for start ups. The Principality is home to a growing number of tech companies, venture capital firms, and other high-growth businesses looking to benefit from the city-state’s favourable tax system and secure financial regulations. The principality offers 0% income and corporation tax, making it an attractive destination for those looking to start a business in Monaco.

The growth of business in Monaco

The growth of new Monaco business can be attributed to its excellent infrastructure. The country has invested heavily, enabling businesses to function more efficiently, allowing them to expand and grow at a rapid rate. The principality has world-class telecommunications, including 100% coverage by a commercial 5G network, a modern port, and a state-of-the-art heliport. Of course, the principality is home to a wide selection of business space for sale, ideally suited to a variety of industries.

Monaco’s high quality of life has also been a significant factor in its growth as an entrepreneurial hub. The principality is home to some of the world’s most luxurious and exclusive hotels, restaurants, and other facilities, making it an appealing destination to live and work.

The government has been proactive in promoting the growth of entrepreneurship in Monaco, taking steps to make it easier for businesses to set up and operate and implementing a series of measures to attract investors. These measures have included setting up a dedicated Investment Promotion Agency, introducing a range of tax incentives, and providing grants and other forms of assistance.

Finally, Monaco has become an attractive destination for venture capitalists who want to invest in high-growth businesses. The principality has several venture capital firms, which provide risk capital to entrepreneurs in exchange for a share of the profits. This has enabled many entrepreneurs to access financing that they would not have been able to obtain in other countries.

What are the best events for starting up a business in Monaco?

Monaco provides an ideal setting for business owners to take advantage of its various events tailored to entrepreneurs and startups. These include Monaco Business, the Monaco International Blockchain Conference, and the Monaco International Entrepreneurship and Investment Summit.

Monaco Business

The first event of its kind is the Monaco Business. It takes place annually and brings together global entrepreneurs and start ups to exchange ideas, discuss industry trends, and network. Those looking to starting a business in Monaco can expect to hear from inspiring industry leaders, gain valuable insights from panels, and attend workshops and seminars to develop their business ideas further. Last year’s event covered pressing topics, including macroeconomic forecasts for 2023, essential day-to-day management of security and archiving as a strategic issue for companies in their business processes.

Monaco International Blockchain Conference

The Monaco International Blockchain Conference is another popular event designed for entrepreneurs and startups. This conference is devoted to the latest innovations and advancements in the blockchain industry and offers a platform for blockchain developers, researchers, and entrepreneurs to collaborate and share ideas.

Monaco International Entrepreneurship and Investment Summit

Finally, the Monaco International Entrepreneurship and Investment Summit is another event tailored towards entrepreneurship in Monaco. The two-day summit is an excellent opportunity to gain insights from industry experts and network with potential partners and investors. Attendees can also attend workshops and seminars to learn more about the intricacies of successfully running and starting a business in Monaco.

What are the best startup incubators for entrepreneurship in Monaco?

Monaco boasts a growing network of startup incubators, designed to help turn emerging business ideas into successful ventures. Those accepted into the programme receive access to a wide range of funding opportunities, including grants and venture capital investments.

Accepted Monaco companies will also benefit from the shared resources of the incubator, such as office space, human resources, and marketing advice from experienced business owners and investors. Some of the best initiatives include the Monaco Tech Entrepreneurial Hub and the Monaco Foundry.

The Monaco Tech Entrepreneurial Hub

The Monaco Tech Entrepreneurial Hub is a nonprofit organisation that offers support to startups in the early stages of their projects. The organisation provides access to seed funding, venture capital investments, and mentorship.

The Monaco Foundry

One of the latest startup incubators is Monaco Foundry. This revolutionary new platform provides startup founders and investors with the resources they need to succeed in the competitive world of tech. The platform offers users access to a diverse range of resources, such as mentorship, access to capital, and tools for managing funds, operations, and growth.

The platform also enables investors to search for the right startup for their portfolio. Investors can filter start ups by industry, location, and other criteria to find the best fit for their needs. Once they find a startup they’re interested in, investors can evaluate its performance and track its progress over time.

Does Monaco have shared working spaces?

Yes, shared working spaces have become increasingly popular for those looking to start a business in Monaco, offering flexible, collaborative, cost-effective office solutions. Many of these spaces are dedicated to specific niches, such as co-working spaces for startups and freelancers or shared office spaces for larger enterprises.

Some of the most popular shared working spaces for businesses in Monaco include:

• Wojo Monaco – Novotel Monte-Carlo

Wojo Monaco – Novotel Monte-Carlo is the first of its kind to open on the French Riviera. Novotel Monte-Carlo has partnered with Wojo to offer both fully-equipped co-working or private offices, as well as access to the hotel’s facilities. Members are encouraged to unwind in the hotel’s pool, spa, gym and restaurants after a day of work.

• WEROCK Monaco Business Centre

Located in the Carré d’Or, WEROCK offers office and open space rental, domiciliation and administrative assistance for all forms of Monaco companies. WEROCK provides members with co-working spaces and meeting rooms, perfectly equipped remote working. It is open 7 days a week – 24 hours a day.

• Regus Monaco

Regus co-working space is perfect for entrepreneurs and freelancers to work and grow their businesses in the principality. The office complex offers many amenities, such as modern workspaces, business amenities, conference rooms, and lounge areas.

• THE OFFICE

Located in the heart of Fontvieille, THE OFFICE offers two expansive working spaces. With fully equipped offices, large co-working spaces, meeting rooms and tea rooms, THE OFFICE is a superb place to start a business in Monaco.

How can the Monaco Economic Board support entrepreneurship?

The Monaco Economic Board (MEB) is a nonprofit organisation created to help promote the economic development of Monaco. It works to attract startups and foreign investors, create jobs and promote partnerships between the public and private sectors.

The MEB has launched several initiatives to support those looking to start a business in Monaco, including the Monaco Business Angel Network, which provides access to capital for startups, and the Monaco Entrepreneurship Program, which offers mentors to entrepreneurs. It also supports startups in other areas, such as legal advice, marketing, and accounting.

The MEB also works to attract foreign direct investment to Monaco, offering tax and financial incentives. It also encourages the development of technology and research and development activities.

Monaco; a desirable location to start a business

Boasting a stable economy and a progressive taxation system, Monaco provides an ideal setting for business owners to take advantage of its favourable environment and benefit from a range of incentives specifically tailored to entrepreneurs and start ups. As a result, the real estate market has expanded considerably, becoming one of the most sought-after destinations to reside in the world.

To find out more about living, working and sourcing office space in Monaco, get in touch with a reputable real estate agency within the principality and start planning your move today.

The advancement of AI technology in recent times has been a revelation for many. The world we live in is one where an unfathomable amount of data is created, transferred, collated, stored, and used every single day. Data is everywhere, and it is understandable that where technology can be used to automate certain processes that collect and process data, that is being explored by businesses and organisations. If it can take away some of the strain from the human element of the business, why not guide those resources where they can be better used elsewhere? We do need to shift how we think about data and privacy protection in an AI world though, and one of the best ways for a business to do so is to hire outsourced data protection services to ensure that everything is above board, and that all data processing sits within the relevant regulatory frameworks.

Privacy will undoubtedly come into the spotlight under greater scrutiny as larger volumes of data is created and shared. As we all carry around smartphones in our pockets that create this data constantly, you add this to business data and other personal data, and there is so much information that can be collected, analysed, and worked with to create predictions for all sorts of potential outcomes for individuals. Every aspect of our personal, private lives could come under scrutiny. The use of artificial intelligence to process this data will only likely increase this trend. With the evolution of AI there is a need to look at privacy protection in how it relates to artificial intelligence.

What are the privacy issues with the use of AI?

It makes sense that there is regulation that is balanced when it comes to privacy and AI. Where the use of AI is beneficial, it should surely be used, in the same way that technology has advanced to make our lives easier throughout civilisation. Obviously, though, we need to ensure that an individual has the right to data privacy at all times. This is where consent, explain ability, and regular audits comes into play, and although this might seem a time-consuming exercise for some people who see the increased use of AI as unavoidable, it does provide that human element that could be crucial in making ethical decisions and ensuring that data processed by AI is used in the correct way within an actual legal framework.

Regulations to deal with AI data processing

Article 22 GDPR is the way in which the EU and UK has looked to address any privacy issues that the use of AI within data processing has thrown up. We don’t know how the evolution of AI will unfold, in terms of speed and scope, meaning that a retroactive approach has been necessary to this point. With this framework in place though, it is a much better starting point to tighten up regulations in future as AI evolves.

The basis of the regulation is that if something is to be solely automated then there must be no human involvement in the decision-making process. This is not the case where the decision could have a serious effect on the individual, such as legal or financial decisions. These types of automated processes must have a meaningful human element that isn’t just a rubber stamping exercise, has been authorised by law, or the individual has given explicit prior consent to the process. If you are using an automated process for any decision-making element of your organisation in this way, you must have the ability to explain the entire process to the individual data subject.

Fines for failed AI data compliance

Another example of how the AI regulation has been drafted by the EU is in the fines that will accompany non-compliance. This is as follows:

· Any company or organisation that supplies incorrect, incomplete, or false information to notified entities will be fined up to 2% of global turnover or €10 million (whichever amount is greater)

· Failing to cooperate with national competent authorities and obligations will be fined up to 4% of annual global turnover or €20 million

· Developing a prohibited AI system, offering it for sale, or using it, will result in a fine of up to 6% global annual turnover or €30 million

Data protection services can make a massive difference to the approach your business takes towards data in general. Data protection and data security is a massive issue that we all need to be aware of in this day and age. When you consider the impact of artificial intelligence on the way data is processed, this must be factored into any plans you make for how you deal with data moving forward. There could be a wide range of benefits to implementing certain AI and automated processes to your business, and if it is done in an honest, explainable way, it will work. An outsourced data protection officer understands the nuances and can provide you with all the information you need to make sure that your company deals with data in the correct, legal manner.

By Charlotte Boffey, UK Head of Services for Employment Hero

Inspired and engaged employees are often the people who perform best. By fostering a work environment that motivates a team to perform at the top of their game, push boundaries, and challenge the status quo, business leaders can have a real impact on the quality of work their company produces. 

To improve employee motivation and inspire performance, your leadership team should set the standard. They need to be the driving force behind inspiring employees and helping them grow, whilst continually championing the company’s mission and values.

With these goals in mind, here is our advice on how to create a workplace environment that inspires and motivates your team to do their best work.

1. Encourage personal and professional growth

Career development and progression opportunities give your employees personal incentives that will benefit their overall contribution to the company. By encouraging personal growth through regular learning opportunities, you can help drive employee motivation, reduce turnover, and increase productivity rates.

2. Create a culture of reward and recognition

The best way to foster collaboration and honest feedback between employees is to encourage team members to give recognition and praise regularly. This could be through thank you notes, a team notice board, dedicated portions of team meetings or mentions on internal communication channels. By encouraging employees to recognise team members, rewarding your team for going above and beyond in their roles, and acknowledging achievements, birthdays, and work milestones, you can demonstrate to your employees that you are dedicated to their personal development. 

3. Establish company traditions

Whether it’s a bell in the office for hitting targets, a winning team lunch, a charity fun run or sharing some cake to celebrate a birthday, such traditions and rituals give your team something to look forward to and keep them feeling motivated throughout the year.

4. Allow for flexible working 

Our Remote Working Report found that 55% of remote workers would look elsewhere if they no longer had the option to work remotely. The advantages of flexible working schedules are obvious, so if your work style permits, we highly recommend giving your employees the opportunity to work remotely to help them achieve a sense of work/life balance.

5. Create a physical environment that inspires

A clean, bright, organised office goes a long way. Employees will appreciate efforts to make your physical workspace as comfortable as possible, even if that’s just a few small additions like indoor plants, bean bags, or computer monitors and keyboard stands. If your team is working remotely, you can offer a budget allowance for your employees to decorate their home offices so that they always have a comfortable working environment. 

Ensuring that your workforce feels motivated and inspired relies heavily on establishing a company culture that puts the wellbeing of employees and company values at heart. Whether it’s reward and recognition for your team, creating unique company traditions, or encouraging learning and development throughout the year, implementing these ideas can help your team feel that little more inspired.

Are you exhausted from trying to juggle multiple channels and tools to communicate with your customers? Do you feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up and struggling to stay organized? If so, it’s time to consider using a Low-Code Multichannel Platform.

But what exactly is a low-code multichannel platform, and how can it profit your business? Great question! In this article, we’ll be diving into the top five benefits of using a Low Code Platform for your business.

From facilitating communication to boosting efficiency, a low-code multichannel platform can create a huge impact on the way you connect with your customers and run your business. So, don’t get in a fluster, and let’s dive in!

What is a Low-Code Multichannel Platform & why is it important for businesses?

Low-code multichannel platforms are like a dream come true for businesses!

These software solutions allow companies to build and deploy custom applications without needing to be a coding pro. Instead, they use visual drag-and-drop interfaces that make it a breeze for non-technical users to create exactly what they need.

Here’s the really cool part: low-code multichannel platforms let businesses create applications that can be accessed on a variety of channels, like the web, mobile devices, and social media.

In today’s digital age, customers expect to be able to get their hands on information and services no matter what device they’re using, and these platforms make it happen.

But wait, there’s more!

In addition to being a customer favourite, low-code multichannel platforms can also help businesses streamline their operations, save money, and boost efficiency. Because they allow for rapid application development, businesses can get new solutions up and running in no time, giving them a leg up on the competition.

Benefits of low-code multichannel platform for businesses

Increased efficiency and productivity: When you’re a business, you need to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to increase efficiency and productivity. The best example that can be taken here is Creatio.

It’s a low-code multichannel platform that allows you to create custom apps that fit your company’s needs and goals.

Faster time-to-market: Low-code multichannel platforms help businesses assemble, launch and repeat faster. They encourage businesses to develop applications more quickly, sometimes in days instead of weeks or months.

The speed at which you can get an application out there is directly related to how many bugs get introduced during development.

Enhanced flexibility: Low-code multichannel platforms are also splendid because they authorize businesses to be more flexible, adaptable, and agile.

Because the software is low-code, it means that you don’t need a developer or IT department to manage it. You can use any computer with an internet connection, so even if you don’t have access to a computer that’s connected to the internet all of the time, you can still use your low-code multichannel platform.

Improved collaboration and reduced costs: A low-code multichannel platform can prove to be a valuable tool for businesses because it allows for improved collaboration and reduced costs.

Instead of having different teams working on different channels, like a website and mobile app, all the work can be done in one place. And because it’s low-code, it tells that you don’t need a crew of high-paid developers on staff to make modifications.

Ability to reach customers on multiple channels: One last benefit of using a Low-Code Multichannel Platform for your business is the ability to reach customers on multiple channels all at once.

Think of it like an all-in-one shop for all your communication needs. Instead of having to navigate additional platforms and tools to reach your consumers/clients on different channels, like email, social media, and text, a low-code multichannel platform allows you to do it all in one place.

In a verdict!

So, using a low-code multichannel platform for your business might sound like an easy task, but it can actually be kind of a pain in the butt if you’re not careful. See, these platforms are supposed to make it super easy for you to create and manage all your different channels, like your website, social media, and email campaigns.

Building a company from the ground up can be both exhilarating and stressful. As a startup CEO, it’s important to put a few key skills into practice. Whether it’s staying flexible or communicating with your employees, these skills will help you run things smoothly.

Hire the Right Employees

Startup founders can’t afford to hire very many employees, so it’s important to make sure the people you do hire work out. Think about the jobs you need done and create positions that encompass these job responsibilities. Each employee will need to wear multiple hats, especially at the beginning. They will need to be self-starters since you can’t guide each employee through every task needed to accomplish the job. You can reduce the expenses of getting help by contracting freelancers. That way, you don’t have to pay salaries or benefits immediately. Having some contractors will attract other employees as well. Just make sure you don’t misclassify someone as a freelancer since there are very specific rules about who is a contractor and who is actually an employee.

If you are paying salaries and benefits, make sure you work this into your overall budget. Things like taxes and payroll deductions are higher with employees than with contractors, so spend some time thinking about how you will cover these expenses. One option is to use some of your own funds until you can get the startup running a profit. Looking for ways of reducing your monthly expenses, such as refinancing your student loans, can give you more financial breathing room. If you’re thinking about refinancing, take some time to review a guide on fixed and variable rate loans before deciding.

Offer Flexibility

As the CEO of a startup, you will need to be flexible, both with your employees and in your work. You will need to be able to learn quickly and adapt to change because things will go wrong. Going with the flow allows you to push everyone to do their best. It might require you to go in a different direction or stop a project that is draining your resources. Because you may not be able to hire accountants, analysts, or other specialists, you will need to be able to problem solve on your own. It also requires you to offer employees flexibility, including nontraditional hours or the option to work from home. This helps both attract and retain talent.

Provide the Tools Employees Need

Even if you hire great people, they won’t get their jobs done if they are unable to use the tools they need. It may take money and time to obtain the right programs and equipment, but in the long run, it can save you money. When your employees’ tools work well, employees are less likely to lose important information in the middle of a project. Consider more than just the basic hardware and internet connection. Think about social media tools, communication applications, and other tools that can be scaled up or down easily. Using the right software allows employees to gain a competitive edge.

With more than 47 years of professional experience in the local, regional, and international market, Zuhair Fayez Partnership Consultants (ZFP) excels in the construction industry. As a more sustainable future beckons, we find out the company’s plans from Dr. Al Assaf as he is recognised in the CEO of the Year Awards 2022.   

Zuhair Fayez Partnership Consultants has been serving the regional architecture and engineering (A&E) industry since 1974. Today, it is one of the leading companies, as well as the most established in architectural, engineering, project management, construction management, engineering information system, manpower supply, municipality services and studies, and information technology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

As well as being among the oldest firms in the region, ZFP possesses an unparalleled experience and knowledge base of the Middle Eastern construction industry with its skillset combining a blend of innovation and local aspirations.

The company’s current organisational structure comprises of the following main divisions: design, municipal projects and construction management, and site supervision services, and it has been working for government and major private sector clients, in addition to being a one-stop shop for A&E services, ranging from need assessment to final handover.

“During this journey, there has been a myriad of contributions that have attributed distinct value to the industry,” says Dr. Abdulaziz M. Al Assaf, the firm’s CEO. “During these 47 years of multidisciplinary presence, ZFP has given value to the A&E industry by always promoting newer yet authentic methods and approaches of project development and delivery, starting from highest standards of health and safety, through enhanced environmental and sustainability compliances, implementation, and promotion of ESG principles to digital transformation initiatives.”

Dr. Al Assaf received his degree in civil engineering followed by a master’s in engineering management from Saint Martin’s University, Washington, USA. He joined ZFP in 1991 as manager of the Riyadh Office and since then, he has been involved in overall supervision, project management, and construction management, as well as design-built projects.

In December 2022, owing to his extensive 30-plus years of services and contribution to the regional construction industry, Dr. Al Assaf was recognised and conferred with an Honorary Professional Doctorate in Projects Management. He was the first Arab engineer to become a chartered engineer in the UK.

Prior to joining ZFP, Dr. Al Assaf was working for the Ministry of Interior’s projects department and the USA Corps of Engineers. During his professional journey, he has delivered state-of-the-art solutions to local and regional construction clients. His professional leadership approach is based on standards and norms that deliver value, innovation, and sustainability with affordability to clients, while promoting local and regional content.

Working with almost all major government sector entities including ministries, municipalities, government departments, and authorities in realising mega projects of diversified nature, Dr. Al Assaf has an in depth understanding of the local and regional architectural and construction industry needs. Under his leadership, ZFP has now engaged in the giga projects under the KSA Vision 2030; these include NEOM, Qiddiyah Red Sea projects, Amaala, and Dariyah Gate.

Employing high caliber professionals and support staff with Dr. Al Assaf at the helm means that the consultancy services provided by ZFP are delivered with the highest degree of professionalism, having completed more than 1,000 projects to date.

“The benefits of the ZFP solutions to clients are multifaceted,” he explains, speaking of what sets the firm aside. “There are qualitative and quantitative benefits in terms of optimum value of money, numerous state-of-the-art designs and sustainability-oriented developments and operations. All these are demonstrated at their best in long-term development programmes, most of which are owned by governmental clients.”

Some of the above programmes include those for the Ministry of Housing, interior affairs, health, and defense and aviation; a couple of these ongoing/completed programmes are briefly described below:

Design and Supervision of Housing Sectors in Various Parts of the Kingdom

A huge undertaking with 115 sites (covering a total site area of 110 million square meters and a total built-up area of almost 22 million square meter) aiming at providing communities with healthy social lifestyle and a unique sense of place while promoting sustainable environmental principals.

The project aims to design and plan for multiple housing complexes covering inclusively: housing, education and health services, religious and social amenities, security, and public realm.

Programme of the Design and Development of Airports Across the Kingdom

ZFP was awarded by the Saudi General Authority of Civil Avi­ation (GACA) the consultancy services for the planning and design of several regional (domestic) as well as international airports, to meet the growing passenger and aircraft movement demand togeth­er with the provision of modern facilities. Thus, facilitating a better level of service (LoS) for airlines and consequently for passengers.

ZFP envisaged the strategic masterplan development of the airport facilities for the next 12 years onwards; it also described the basic concept of the design development of the airport facilities and related infrastructure.

A pioneer in the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology throughout the design process, sustainability study, construction managements (through 4D and 5D simulation), and facilities management as well, ZFP has already, successfully, finished several MEGA projects with a seamless coordination between architects, engineers, and contractors, enabling quick design decision making, production of accurate construction documents, and automated BOQ extraction from the models.

In fact, when onboarding new clients, ZFP’s implementation of BIM technology into the course of a project has huge advantages, such as design visualisation, rapid design modifications, optimised multi-disciplinary coordination, and clash detection to ensure smooth construction without obstacles, as well as better collaboration between all project stakeholders.

To achieve the above advantages, ZFP provides internal customised developed tools to automate most of the repetitive tasks and increase accuracy and productivity, including cloud services which were developed by Autodesk, and creating a tool that has made it easy for the client to be involved during the process and enables them to interact and communicate from the early stages of the project.

“By using tools such as this, clients’ reviewers are in direct connection with the product while it’s being developed and can give feedback to the ZFP team for any modifications or corrections, if needed or observed,” Dr. Al Assaf explains further. “Working with cloud-based services, like Autodesk BIM360, has made it easier for the client and all project stakeholders to find what we call “Single Source of Truth” product that is available all the time.”

This is just one area where ZFP differentiates itself from competitors; other factors that set it a notch above include the successful delivery of its innovative solutions to multi-disciplinary and multi-geographic platforms, which have gained the firm recognition in publications such as Engineering News Record (ENR), CEO Global and CEO Middle East Magazines, Construction Technology Festival (GCC), and Fast Company Middle East for Innovative Solutions.

Engineering News Record, which is the most reputable US-based international platform for assessing and ranking consultants and contractors from around the world, has placed ZFP in the top 225 global ranking of international design consultants, four times in a row, with this year’s rank of 84^th in the world. Plus, CEO Today Middle East and CEO Today Global magazines have both acknowledged the performance of the company under its current leadership.

A keen focus on the sustainability-oriented design and construction methodologies that are in-built in ZFP’s developed solution have been recognised by the regional industry at the Construction Technology Festival 2022 in Dubai, where ZFP was nominated among the top five most sustainable organisations in the Middle East. And it was crowned Most Innovative Company in the region by the Fast Company Middle East.

It will come as no surprise to learn, then, that Dr. Al Assaf has yet a further accolade to add to the trophy cabinet as he recently gained recognition in the CEO of the Year Awards and was named CEO of the Year, 2022 – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Understandably delighted, Dr. Al Assaf does not have long to celebrate his latest success as business must resume in order to keep up with the fast-paced and ever-evolving environment of the construction industry, for almost $1 trillion worth of development projects have commenced, or been announced, since the launch of the Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda. This programme intends to wean the country off its oil-based economy and to align it towards service domains, with smart cities and economic zones that will have infrastructure for digital transformation of the incoming service and corporate sectors.

The Vision 2030 Saudi Arabia has initiated a boom in the country’s construction industry, in terms of new fully sustainable cities being planned and designed to provide state-of-the-art giga projects in entertainment, recreation, and hospitality sectors. This boom is evidenced by the presence of a whole host of top-ranking international consultant and construction firms deployed in KSA with framework agreements. In this context, it is rational to believe that Saudi Arabia has enormous potential for the international construction market.

Currently in the process of shifting from project-based digitalisation to complete digital transformation, ZFP is planning a test phase for the end of the first quarter of 2023.

“ZFP is a firm believer in the ECG based functioning of the business,” finalises Dr. Al Assaf. “We were among the top five sustainable organisations of the Middle East, ranked by the Construction Technology Award 2022 in Dubai. This is due to our active participation in the sustainability-oriented projects of the Vision 2030.”

For business enquiries, contact Dr. Abdulaziz M. Al Assaf from Zuhair Fayez Partnership Consultants on their website – www.zfp.com

It was in 2014 that Kit Chilvers started his first Instagram page, ‘@football.newz’, on which he was posting game scores and astonishingly grew an audience of over one million followers in just 12 months. This was only the beginning. Fast forward to 2021 and 22-year-old Kit and his team had built several more social media accounts including ‘@pubity’, ‘@dadsaysjokes’, and ‘memezar’, among others, with a combined following of over 100 million people.

CEO Monthly has recognised Kit’s extraordinary success in the world of social media by crowning him Entertainment News CEO of the Year 2022 – Northern England, so we got in touch with him and his business partner, Iyrah Williams to learn more about Pubity Group and their plans for world domination.

Having fast become Instagram influencers at just 14-years-old, Kit Chilvers and Iyrah Williams went from focusing on just sports and memes on their football page to expanding to an array of social media accounts that are diversely themed around humour, travel, social commentary, gaming, and even pets. In the beginning, Kit certainly wasn’t expecting it to become such a goliath, saying, “I just started it as a hobby, from school here in Worcester. It was like a game to see how many followers I could get. At the time, there wasn’t as much money as there is now in social media, and it’s still so new.”

He encouraged his friend, Iyrah to create his own page, too, and by the age of 16, they had gained over two million followers between them and caught the attention of British digital news publisher, LADbible. Rather than going to college, they were snapped up as apprentices by the news outlet, with it supporting them in their move to Manchester to take on their new roles. The pair found themselves overseeing LADbible’s main Instagram account and discovering popular memes such as Big Shaq’s ‘Man’s Not Hot’.

Kit and Iyrah enjoyed working for LADbible, having grown its Instagram account from two million followers to around seven million, showing their ability to keep on top of all the trends and taking part in a range of exciting projects. In fact, they soon spotted a “niche in the market for pictures and posts that weren’t being posted anywhere”, including Reddit and Twitter content that was “edgier” and “not as brand friendly” for LADbible’s audience.

Knowing there would be an audience that would resonate with that content, they decided to go on their own venture, launching the ‘@pubity’ and ‘@memezar’ pages. These pages were fast gaining traction not only in the UK but also the US, with the duo using the same techniques to promote their pages since the beginning in form of shoutouts from other popular pages. They continued to curate popular content by gaining permission from the copyright holder or by purchasing content from licensing agencies.

Kit and the team know exactly what their audiences want, with him saying, “It’s being able to stick to what people really want to see overall. We say for people that want to grow themselves, stick to a niche. It’s really hard to achieve that top line straight away. You have to go through a certain point of being a niche audience, whether it be, for example Francis Bourgeois, the guy that did the trains. He really knew what he wanted, and that’s when you can expand.”

And their journey hadn’t ended with LADbible, either. By the end of 2019, Pubity Group had grown a huge international audience, the majority of which is in the US, and Kit saw the opportunity to collaborate with LADbible. So, he reached out to co-founder and CEO, Solly Solomou who agreed that he wanted Pubity Group to help LADbible reach the US.

Speaking about catering for an American audience, Kit says, “We’re around 50% US and about 25% UK. Just because of the numbers that we have, we just changed our terminology to work with the US audience because we know that if we want more followers, the numbers are over there with the US and Canada. In terms of taking on the US, it’s really where the money is – I mean, the majority of the budgets in the US are so much bigger, and the deals that we can achieve are so much bigger in the US. For us, it’s where we really see ourselves in the next 12 months.”

Iyrah adds, “We’re building a team over in the US, as well. As of now, we’ve got 15 full-time staff and one of those is in America. We’re looking to build a bit more of a presence over there, in New York and LA.

“We’ve got team members out in India, too, so it’s not just UK or America. We’re looking to hire globally because nowadays people can work from anywhere.”

Kit elaborates, “Being in different time zones, it really helps us to get everything out whenever it happens, so for example, if we’re asleep over here in the UK, we have someone, whether it be in India or LA, that can get content out.”

Pubity Group soon found itself partnering with TikTok, promoting, and using the platform months before it gained huge popularity during the pandemic. The Pubity Group team were posting videos on TikTok and also sharing these to Instagram to urge people to download TikTok. And that’s not all in terms of collaborations for the company. It has worked with the likes of dating app, Hinge and fitness brand, Gymshark, as well as been working on a new project called No Brainer TV, a platform for original content.

Now, Pubity Group has 15 main pages that people might not know are all owned by the same company. Kit and Iyrah are really pushing creating their own content, with Iyrah saying, “We’re making videos with our own inhouse creators who have their own big followings on TikTok, and we’re using them to create cool brands together and make our own content instead of using other people’s.”

He continues, “We’ve done some really good stuff. We’ve got the biggest dad jokes brand in the world, and for that, we’ve done a best-selling Amazon book. We’ve done a lot of sports stuff, too. In all these niche areas, we’re trying to create as much original content as we can.”

So, what’s next for the behemoth that is Pubity Group? Iyrah shares, “Our next step going into 2023 is to really double down at creating our own original content because we’ve seen really good success over the last six months from creating our own stuff. For example, our video went super viral on TikTok and we gained over 200,000 followers on a brand new page in just two weeks.”

There really is no signs of stopping for Kit, Iyrah, and the team, who are well on their way to becoming one of the biggest youth/gen z publishers, and we at CEO Monthly are truly rooting for their continued success.

For business enquiries, contact Andrew Chilvers from Pubity Group via email – [email protected] or on their website – www.pubitygroup.com

Founded in 2009 by dynamic father/daughter duo, Don and Shareena Sandbrook, Frogparking came about from watching a parking warden chalking tyres in the rain. Having been successful in other industries using cutting-edge technology, the pair decided to modernise the world of parking. We find out more about the firm as it celebrates Shareena being recognised as CEO of the Year, 2022 – New Zealand.

Frogparking is a Deloitte Fast 50 company offering an end-to-end smart parking solution to large premium clients around the world. Remaining nimble in its approach enables Frogparking to be agile and future focused, whilst its parking technologies offer one-of-a-kind profitable solutions to customers, fit for their unique business needs.

First in the world to produce solar-powered parking sensors, laser indoor sensors, and wireless parking guidance, the firm has a full, in-house hardware and software design team, and its unique platform also includes custom mobile apps, dynamic signage, and cloud-based data reporting software. But whilst it may be a highly innovative tech company, Frogparking still upholds its deep-seated family values.

“As our culture is very much a family supportive environment, my leadership style is also inviting and encouraging – I will always have my doors open for communication with staff,” explains CEO, Shareena, who actively encourages a collaborative environment to nurture joint leadership throughout the firm’s internal structure.

With a Bachelor of Business Studies in Marketing from Massey University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies, and an Executive MBA from Waikato University, Shareena may be armed with the paper qualifications she requires to take the business far, but her skills extend much further. Shareena has an extremely strong customer focus, shaped around building sustainable long-term relationships and effectively communicating to shape the competitive advantage of the company.

“With my extensive marketing background, I took it upon myself in the early stages of Frogparking to develop sales and marketing strategies and implemented them myself,” Shareena elaborates. “Although my time is mostly spent as CEO, my love for marketing results in a natural gravitation towards those activities. I see this as an advantage as I’m still very present in the sales and customer-facing environment and can ensure our direction remains customer focused.”

Having such a large portfolio of corporate and business owners with high value parking assets, Frogparking must ensure that it stays ahead to keep its competitive advantage. One of its key differentiators is that it can offer a full end-to-end solution, something that no-one else in the world can offer, and which clearly sets the firm aside.

What makes Frogparking truly stand out is the ability to customise its hardware to match what its customers need and want, enabling its clients to make smart business decisions by using accurate data analysis from its reporting dashboards, and caring about what its customers can provide to their own customers in turn.

“We call our solution FrogOne,” says Shareena. “It’s the only solution that saves clients money in the long run and drives higher ROI. In brief, it’s one supplier, one dashboard, one system, and one aggregator. When we say we offer end-to-end, our product really does it all. Although it can integrate with third-party solutions, our customers don’t need to bring in other providers for a complete parking solution.”

But it’s not simply clever technology that has made the company so successful, it is also down to the diligence of the team behind the scenes at Frogparking.
 
“The passion and dedication that is reflected in our everyday successes and milestones is due to our staff and the hard work they put in,” Shareena enthuses. “Having such a strong working culture means that the passion for Frogparking’s success is contagious amongst our team. This helps us not only drive our business in the right direction, but it fosters long-term staffing connections.”

It is Shareena’s dynamic leadership style that earned her success within the CEO of the Year Awards 2022. This award recognition comes hot on the heels of another prestigious accolade for Frogparking as it was recently recognised as one of the Top 10 Smart Cities Solution Providers in the GOVT CIO Magazine.

Now, with the next 12 months firmly in her sights, Shareena has big plans for the company.

“We are building our brand specifically focused on our US market, directly launching our world-first end-to-end solution, FrogOne,” she states. “The nature of FrogOne allows us to target the industry’s low hanging fruit which means our long-term goal to grow revenue to 50 million is inevitable as we look beyond the next 12 months.”

And does Shareena have any plans to build upon her own career? Of course she does! Whilst Frogparking is always going to be her first priority, she is constantly looking to see how she can utilise her knowledge and expertise to give something back. She is also keen to fly the flag for women in business and wants to encourage like-minded females to push past the industry barriers that are all too often placed in their way.

“It wasn’t always an easy path to get to where I am today, but it is very important to me that I continue encouraging other women to always advance in their own careers, no matter what the challenges at hand may be.”

For business enquiries, contact Shareena Sandbrook from Frogparking on their website – https://frogparking.com/

Having just toasted to its 20th anniversary in business, TOOJAYS Training & HR Consultancy Ltd (TOOJAYS) has another reason to celebrate as its enthusiastic, passionate, and driven CEO, Lee Martin is named CEO of the Year 2022 – East of England. We find out more from Lee about the firm, its history, and its future.As an award-winning leadership, management, and team development training and HR consultancy company based near Peterborough, TOOJAYS Training & HR Consultancy excels at delivering inspirational learning and development, and HR solutions to a global client base.

Working across all sectors and industries, from FTSE 100 to SMEs, public and private sector, wherever there is a need for the development of people, there is a need for TOOJAYS’ services.

Big brand names such as Kuehne & Nagel, Heineken, The Rank Group, Allianz, John Lewis, HM Treasury, CIPS, Z Hotels, Avon, Cedo, Aviva, Sodexo, and Matalan, to name a few, have engaged TOOJAYS’ services over the years. They have experienced the company’s bespoke programmes and enjoyed its ability to really listen to and understand their needs, and deliver tangible value.

TOOJAYS was officially established in 2003, however its story started much earlier than this. Formed by Lee Martin, the original focus for the firm was on providing enjoyable and relevant soft skills courses for managers and leaders. Lee’s own experience of training providers had left him disillusioned with their lack of flexibility, understanding of client and delegates’ needs, and ability to deliver. As a result, he was convinced there had to be a better way. So, stepping out of his senior HR role with his corporate employer, and utilising his own consultancy and L&D expertise, he set up TOOJAYS.

Lee explains more about these early years and how the company evolved even further to become what it is today. “As time passed and the business grew, more clients were approaching us to assist with specific development and personnel issues,” he begins. “That’s when things got interesting. Because of our adaptability, understanding, and expertise, we were able to create tailored solutions to clients that had real impact and made a difference.”

Soon, Lee found himself involved in much more than just training courses. His approach to experiential learning meant that his reputation proceeded him – and coaching, team building, HR advice, graduate development, and event management found their way into the company portfolio.

Utilising a core team of experts and excellent facilitators, Lee is now able to continually ensure the quality of everything the firm does and, while he continues to add more services and solutions, as well as strives to provide a unique partnership relationship to clients, his initial goals haven’t changed since day one. These are to respect the individuality of clients and ultimately equip and enable them to succeed for tomorrow’s achievements.

“Regarding our values… we value innovation,” he enthuses. “We always aim to be leaders in our field and address tomorrow’s challenges today. We value passion and we are passionate about our work and look to inspire our customers to feel the same about what they do. We value excellence and are committed to providing a high-quality service at all times. We value integrity and strive to uphold the highest professional standards and, finally, we value teamwork. We believe in bringing out the best in each other.”

So, let’s learn a little more about Lee… As a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) he is an experienced Learning and Development professional having spent over 25 years in L&D consultancy, training, and senior management positions.

Having established TOOJAYS in 2003, Lee has worked internationally in both public and private sectors in a variety of industries, providing training, coaching, facilitation, and consultancy to managers and directors at all levels.

He has project managed change management initiatives, delivered training and learning needs analysis (TNA & LNA) processes, as well as delivered outplacement services and works as a HR Director and Head of L&D departments.

As a motivational trainer and coach, Lee has worked with high performing individuals at all levels, from CEOs, executive teams, VPs, MDs, to front line staff. He has delivered bespoke training and leadership programmes to graduates through to board level in both national and international organisations.

Lee has designed and facilitated team building events, business planning sessions, focus groups, and strategic planning sessions, with a diverse range of clients from the small through to large multi-nationals and even professional bodies.

With his trainer hat on, Lee has worked internationally within organisations to deliver certificated programmes and presentation techniques and, finally, as a business adviser, Lee has worked with hundreds of SMEs to improve leadership, management, and HR capabilities to help grow clients’ businesses and ensure legal compliance.

Overall, Lee’s passion for enabling others to achieve their goals has been the driving force behind the success of TOOJAYS.

“My leadership style has always been one to show respect and humility to the knowledge within the team,” he elaborates, telling us what he believes makes him a successful leader. “Listening to others, gaining understanding from their experiences and coaching development and solutions, as well as effectively empowering others to perform and reach their potential, which in turn benefits the team and company. This is fundamental to the DNA of TOOJAYS and the way we work and engage with clients. Listen, respect, engage, empower.”

Despite his exceptional skills as CEO, Lee is also quick to sing the praises of his dedicated workforce, describing his staff as the reason for the company’s overall success. When looking for new talent to join the team, Lee wants a customer-centric mentality, combined with the ability to take the initiative to resolve the customers issues, and a thirst for constant self-improvement.

In fact, his dedicated team were behind him and the firm all the way when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and the workload dropped off the proverbial cliff.

“We had to adapt very quickly – which, credit to the team, we did successfully,” Lee states. “We moved our courses to online delivery via Zoom and webinars, which required a different skillset but enabled us to maintain the high standards of leadership and management development. We also developed our own range of on-demand training. We’ve found post-Covid these approaches live on and whilst we are returning to face-to-face training, the remote and on-demand solutions are still very much of the new way of working which supports a hybrid workforce.”

This adaption to offering remote solutions was obviously a huge challenge, but the ability of Lee and his staff to be agile served TOOJAYS in great stead, and business is once again booming.

Having learned lessons from the pandemic, yet survived to tell the tale, was just one of the reasons that Lee recently gained recognition in the CEO of the Year Awards and was named CEO of the Year 2022 – East of England, UK.

Now, as he looks to the future, it seems that the firm will continue to be a fast adaptor of new technology and mediums in order to deliver its leadership and management solutions effectively, with 2023 looking bright when it comes to providing more resources and greater access to its podcasts, YouTube videos, online remote eLearning courses, webinars, and downloadable content.

And how does Lee intend to build upon his current success? “I’m always learning, and don’t believe age should be a barrier to that,” he laughs. “I continue to learn new tools, techniques, and processes for the team, and from clients, colleagues, and collaborators. I am sure that will continue into 2023, and as a result, benefit the company.”

For business enquiries, contact Lee Martin from TOOJAYS Training & HR Consultancy Ltd on their website – www.toojays.co.uk

By John Castro, CEO of Investment Mastery –

Regardless of the prosperity of the organisation, often the atmosphere around money and personal finances in the offices is quite tense. Some people might think that they should not tackle the topics of salary or investments with their colleagues as it might make them be perceived as overly confident or well-off, or quite the opposite, they may refrain from seeking financial advice and discussions due to insufficient knowledge. But as a business leader, you can play a key role in injecting a healthy approach to all the money-related topics in your organisation. Here are the steps you and every other member of the organisation can follow to alter their thinking about money.  

Ask yourself some critical questions

In order to be a good influence on your organisation, you first need to get into the core of your relationship with money. Give yourself some time and discover what limiting beliefs around money you might be carrying around? For example, do you believe that savings are strictly for a rainy day? Do you avoid investing in fear or losing everything? Do you hold any biases surrounding people who are well-off or impoverished? 80% of success boils down to the right mindset, so if you hold some unfavourable views on finances it will translate directly into actions. 

Examine each limiting belief 

Each of the beliefs that we hold comes from the outside. Either from the experience, someone else’s story or it was engrained in us when we were very little. Very often, even though our financial circumstances changed we still persist in the old pattern of thinking, for instance, if your parents barely made the ends meet and money was always an issue, even though your situation might be completely different now, you still hold that limiting belief that your financial condition is in danger. In consequence, you might back off from any type of investing and risk-inducing decisions. 

Invest in financial education 

After you unpack your personal relationship with money and embark on a journey of introducing a healthy money mindset in your organisation, you can arrange a financial education course for your employees. Of course, you do not need to be the one leading it. Organisations such as ABC and XYZ can help spread knowledge about finances, foundational skills, and psychological factors and engage your co-workers through a wide range of online webinars, workshops, tasks, and presentations. 

Consult with a mentor 

Financial mentors can support you in getting rid of money-related biases and contribute towards the development of a healthy mindset. They can equip you with the right tools, strategies and practices on how to successfully navigate your personal and organisational budget as well as how to develop a growth mindset when it comes to investing. 

Read as much as possible 

Getting inspired by successful entrepreneurs, founders and investors and gaining new knowledge on financial strategies, planning and risk management will always benefit you in developing a healthy mindset around money. You can use plenty of free, online resources such as YouTube videos, podcasts, and books talking about personal finance, small business and startup operations.  

Put theory into practice 

All the theory in the world is not worth it if you do not put it into practice. So, start with small steps. Look at one of your limiting beliefs and the consequence it has on your decisions either in a private sphere or in your company, and start to take the voluntary risk by doing something opposite to your former belief on a small scale. 

Remember that as with every practice, it will need to take time for you to feel confident in following another way of doing things. However, the more effort you put into it, the more progress you’ll notice in your confidence in decision-making and financial risk management. 

About John Castro, CEO of Investment Mastery

John is the CEO of Investment Mastery, an e-learning and online training company dedicated to educating beginner investors on how to use the Stocks and Crypto Markets to create financial independence for themselves and their families. From humble beginnings, John thrived for success at a young age, which has seen him involved in many business ventures throughout his 20s, using his impressive sales skills to produce untapped revenue for several 7 to 8-figure organisations.

Today, he has harnessed his ability to understand human buying behaviours, build high-performing teams and his methodology of keeping business very simple, to take Investment Mastery to new heights, which has seen over 25% growth year on year since 2017. Using Investment Mastery’s investing methodology, his investment portfolio grew 147% in 2021, and now, still only in his 30s; while embracing the ongoing evolution of the e-learning industry, he is leading Investment Mastery through a transformational plan to expand internationally with a plan to 2.5x the business in the next three years and champion the combination of EdTech with FinTech through the ever adapting Investment Mastery membership platforms. 

About Investment Mastery 

Founded in 2003, Investment Mastery is a premium training and education company delivering easy-to-follow and profitable trading and investing strategies. 

Today, Investment Mastery delivers over 47 training seminars and workshops, online and live in-person, annually. They have educated over 15,000 people across 25 countries, while also developing and delivering industry-leading online support and training that is delivered in three different languages. 

Led by founder and chairman Marcus de Maria and his expert team of real traders and investors in the fields of stocks, cryptocurrencies and forex, Investment Mastery’s training education is influenced by the exact same proven techniques that Marcus uses to trade and invest his own money. 

The team at Investment Mastery do not just help clients to strengthen their finances, but their mindset too. This helps clients uncover, address and breakthrough their limiting beliefs behind wealth creation and find their reasons ‘why’. This unique approach is what sets them apart from other wealth creation educators and is why clients achieve such incredible results. 

https://www.investment-mastery.com/  

Porsche is the car brand “for those who follow their dreams”, epitomising freedom and independence – and the inner drive to achieve goals. As CEO, Jonathan Mannell spearheads Porsche Cars Great Britain (Porsche Cars GB), a brand which is wholly owned by Porsche AG in Stuttgart. Having devotedly worked his way up the Porsche career ladder over the last 15 years, CEO Monthly magazine now recognises Jonathan for his hard work and outstanding leadership, crowning him ‘Prestige Vehicle Manufacturing CEO of the Year 2022 – UK’. We got in touch with the man himself to learn more about his career and the colossus that is Porsche.

The role of Porsche Cars Great Britain is to embody and exemplify the experience of Porsche to all its dreamers, drivers, and dealers. With 46 Porsche Centres across the UK, including its Porsche Service Centres, the highest standard of sales and aftersales service is guaranteed to customers. The Porsche Centres, and those who work within them, reflect the outstanding quality and cutting-edge technology that only Porsche can offer.

Austrian-German automotive engineer, Ferdinand Porsche founded the Porsche car brand back in 1931, and he is best known for creating the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, the Volkswagen Beetle, the Auto Union racing car, and the Mercedes-Benz SS/ SSK, among other significant automobiles and technologies.

However, it was Ferdinand’s son, Ferry who was highly instrumental in developing the range of cars that made the Porsche brand famous, starting with the 356 in 1948. Ferry’s mindset back then remains just as relevant into the company’s future, having described Porsche as “the brand for those who follow their dreams”. In response, Jonathan enthuses, “We want to help our customers realise their lifelong dreams. Porsche celebrates all those dreamers who, like Ferry Porsche before them, are fuelled by passion for making their dreams come true.”

For over a decade, Jonathan has been working his way up the levels of Porsche, with this experience having given him a deep, rich insight and appreciation for how all the different parts of the organisation work and how to enable them to work together in the most effective way.

Expressing his passion for the brand, he goes on to say, “I love to talk about our vision – What the brand stands for and what it should look and feel like to our staff, our partners, and customers. This way, we constantly keep alive a sense of honesty, transparency, and commitment to uphold the right level of quality, decision making, and direction that everyone can buy into and understand the context of their contribution to.”

Jonathan believes that Porsche Cars GB is truly a great place to work, as reflected through low staff churn and high average length of service. By placing value in the people that make up the Porsche family, the company’s people in turn value being part of it. At the foundation of this robust team is an internal culture that consists of four core values.

The first is what Germans call ‘herzblut’, meaning ‘heart and soul’. It’s the spirit of Porsche that drives the team.

Second, it is one family. Despite the size and recognition of the brand, the team is small enough to feel like one family who share a common passion.

Third is having the same pioneering spirit that Ferry Porsche had, which made him do things differently and pursue his own path towards his dream.

Fourth is the team’s sporting and competitive spirit that make them love a challenge and the familiar feeling of winning the race!

Ultimately, Jonathan loves “communicating, motivating, exciting, inspiring, and leading such a great team”. He adds, “As long as I can keep doing that, then I will be happy and fulfilled! There’s nothing like new challenges and opportunities to sharpen, test, and refine those skills!

Among new opportunities, Porsche has discovered, like many businesses, that it could work just as or more efficiently by giving more flexibility and freedom to its teams. This had a really positive and evolutionary impact on the organisational structure, culture, and approach to work and collaboration.

And challenges are indeed a reality at Porsche, just like any other company, too. It may be a huge global brand, but that’s not to say that it doesn’t have its own hurdles to jump – including the current global volatility which has taken its toll on the company’s production capability, product availability, and lead times.

Meanwhile, the car manufacturer was expecting Brexit to be a significant challenge, but it was well prepared, and, whilst it has added complexity to its operations, the company has managed to stay on top of it. Then, covid and forced recession looked like they would be hugely detrimental, but they actually had the opposite effect. Alongside all this, there is the war in Europe and supply chain issues which couldn’t have been predicted, but Porsche has been gradually finding its way through and has come out on the other side stronger.

Jonathan comments, “I couldn’t be more proud of the adaptability, agility, and commitment from all the team to have not only sustained the business but enabled it to grow significantly through all these challenges.”

Indeed, while these difficulties have tried to throw a spanner in the works for Porsche over the last couple of years, it has amazingly seen a noticeable increase in demand for its products, with Jonathan delightedly saying, “2022 was a record year for Porsche and 2023 will break them all again.”

He goes on to tell us more about what the future of Porsche entails: “Our product line continues to excite and create desire to be a part of our brand story. There are more exciting new cars and technology to come, along with opportunities to experience and engage with Porsche.”

For business enquiries, contact Jonathan Mannell from Porsche Cars Great Britain Ltd on their website – www.porsche.com/uk

No matter what industry or sector your business is in, the chances are that you have to use computer software for at least a part of your operation. Whether it is in managing staff, making sales, or virtually any daily tasks undertaken, software has become an essential to almost every company.

However, it is unfortunately the case that many businesses don’t put enough thought or investment into their software requirements. This can leave them in a position where their competitors’ operations are actually far more advanced than their own, and make it very difficult for them to remain competitive. 

In this article, we will take a look at the specifics of business software, and why it is essential that you should not underestimate the importance of software to your company. 

The rise of industry-specific software

For a long time it was the case that almost every business made use of a small number of software providers. For those businesses that moved beyond tracking the specifics of their company via Microsoft Excel, there were catch-all project management or business management software solutions. 

These were often used by companies varying from restaurants through to construction firms, with the software itself falling firmly into the category of being jack-of-all-trades. And of course, these forms of software can be effective to a point. But ultimately, for businesses to maximise their efficiency and productivity, specialist software becomes a necessity. 

Software is rapidly being developed for virtually every business sector you can imagine. From the legal industry and carpet cleaners to pizza takeaways and barber shops. For any business looking to streamline their operation, specific software has become an essential. And this effectively gives you two options: develop your own software or licence software that has been designed for your industry. 

Developing your own software

If your business needs a completely bespoke piece of software that caters to the exact needs of the company, your best option is always going to involve developing your own software. Doing so can ensure that you design and own a piece of software that none of your competitors have access to, and that is entirely personalised around your needs. 

By developing your own software, you have complete control over the technology and can adapt it as needed. This can be particularly useful for businesses in niche industries, where off-the-shelf software solutions might not meet their requirements.

However, developing your own software requires significant investment in terms of both money and resources, including technical expertise and software development skills. This can be a challenge for smaller businesses or those with limited budgets. 

There is the consideration that developing software requires ongoing maintenance and support, which will require both time and resources. Similarly, if software development is not your business’s core competency, this may mean that it is a far less efficient wayto proceed than opting to work with a team of experts. There is also always the risk that the software may not work as intended, which can cause major disruptions to business operations.

Is licencing software the right move for you?

The other option is licencing industry-specific software that has already been developed. This can have a range of advantages of its own. Firstly, it saves time and resources. Developing bespoke software from scratch can be a time-consuming and expensive process, as it requires hiring specialised developers, designing and testing. On the other hand, pre-made software is already available, tested, and proven to work, allowing businesses to start using it right away.

Industry-specific software is developed by experts in the field who understand the needs and challenges of the industry. They have the experience and knowledge to develop software that meets industry standards and regulations, which reduces the risk of errors or compliance issues.

In addition, licensing industry-specific software also provides businesses with access to regular updates and upgrades. This means that businesses can keep up-to-date with the latest features and functionalities, ensuring that they remain competitive in the market. Furthermore, many software vendors offer technical support and customer service, which can help businesses to quickly resolve any issues that arise.

Challenges with software adoption

Adopting software can be a major challenge for businesses, particularly when it comes to integrating new systems into existing processes and infrastructure. This can be a time, skill and cost intensive process, requiring significant planning of resource and expertise to ensure a smooth and effective transition.

One of the main challenges of software adoption is compatibility. Businesses need to ensure that the new software is compatible with their existing systems, as well as ensuring that it integrates seamlessly with their current processes. This can often require significant IT support to prevent compatibility issues that would otherwise result in reduced functionality, or even data loss.

Another important focus area is training. The new software may require staff to change the way they work, and this can naturally lead to a level of resistance from employees. Properly trained staff are key to successful implementation and effective day to day operations. Again, time, effort and resource are central to ensuring the new software is smoothly executed and managed. Businesses need to ensure that their employees similarly have the necessary technical skills to be able to use the new software in an ongoing capacity, which can be a challenge for companies with limited IT resources.

A further key consideration is ensuring that the true cost of software adoption is understood. This needs to include not only  the cost of the software itself, but any related hardware upgrades or implementation costs. The initial process of adoption can also result in lost productivity, as staff become familiar with the new software, which may result in a negative impact on business operations for a length of time.

The importance of software to businesses cannot be underestimated in today’s increasingly digital world. Whether it’s through licensing industry-specific software, developing bespoke software, or adopting expensive software solutions, businesses must ensure they have high-quality software and are using it to its full potential. 

While there are challenges to software adoption, the benefits are clear: increased efficiency, improved customer experiences, and a competitive edge. By recognising the significance of software and making strategic decisions in this area, businesses can secure their place in a future driven by technology.

As the old saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work. Even the most successful and profitable business cannot reach its milestones or hit its targets without hardworking people making the magic happen every day. 

Whether totalling 2 or 200, a business is nothing without its team collaborating to achieve its goals. Without teamwork, a business is destined to fail.

Every company owner dreams of creating the perfect team and growing their business. Whether they are at the start of their business journey or have significant experience under their belt, company owners cannot always predict that someone is going to be the perfect fit. Several factors could affect how well someone performs for your organisation. Company culture, micromanagement, job dissatisfaction, improper leadership – the list is endless. However, these factors could all affect someone who, on the surface, is perfect for a company.

So what can you, as a business owner, do to ensure you’re setting your company and team up for long-term success? How can you ensure you get the right team in place, harnessing all of their strengths to accomplish your company goals? This guide looks to answer all of that. 

What Makes a Successful Team?

While the idea of sourcing and recruiting ambitious, experienced and determined people to come on board might sound easy on paper, the reality is very different. The average cost of a bad mid-management hire is £132,000, based on productivity loss, recruitment fees and wasted training costs, according to Agency Central. 

You undoubtedly want to bring the best talent to your company to help you achieve your goals. However, this requires far more time, preparation and effort than simply bringing anyone and everyone on board at once. You can’t rely on the word of someone’s CV or cover letter alone; you’ll need to look for signs that they can take complex problems and provide realistic, tangible solutions that will provide benefits to your projects, your wider team, and your business as a whole. This will require you to look beyond what the prospective employee says and does.

So how can you get the right people on board? Ensure that you – and your prospective team members – share the following characteristics:

• A positive attitude
• Leadership
• Commitment 
• Effective communication
• Drive and motivation
• Organisation
• Appreciation of different perspectives

Of course, you’ll likely have your own criteria for assessing the suitability of people you bring on board. The above list should merely be taken as a guide.

7 Ways to Build a Strong Team

It takes hard work, patience and consistency to build a successful and unified team. Start by following these seven crucial steps.

1. Define and Communicate Your Vision

It’s crucial to ensure that your team is on the same page as far as outcomes are concerned. You probably have your business plan already mapped out, but you should also ensure that your specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) goals are also defined. 

During the initial phases of setting up your business, onboarding clients, liaising with suppliers, and others, you can learn the most effective ways to communicate your vision. You may even seek regular advice or consultancy services from industry professionals, contacts in your professional network, mentors, coaches, and so on. Before long, you’ll be able to communicate your vision to your future team.

2. Determine What is Crucial to Realising Your Vision

It’s not just the people themselves that are vital for helping you achieve your goals and vision. You’ll need to establish clear roles that they will need to fill. 

For example, if you run a wealth management practice, you will likely need to recruit for specific roles within that firm, which could include protection planning, investment planning, mortgages, tax management, pension merging, advisory and consultancy services, among many others. 

While that’s not to say that one person couldn’t perform multiple responsibilities, you’ll need to assess who and what you need as a priority. Above all, the roles you need to fill must complement your vision.

3. Find Dedicated, Influential Team Members

Now you can begin assembling your team. One of the key things to look for at this stage is diversity, not just in terms of race, culture or gender, but the skill sets too. You will also need to assess each person objectively, whether they are a new hire or someone upskilling and progressing from another department in your company. Zety found, in a 2021 study, that loyalty and integrity were the top two qualities that recruiters and hiring managers look for these days.

No matter how ambitious, passionate or interested a person may feel, they need to demonstrate the qualities that you have deemed most important. You need to feel confident and assured that you are making the correct choice by appointing them. 

4. Instil Strong Values

While it’s important to consider who is on your team, you’ll need to ensure that each person works well with the next one you hire and vice versa. 

Consider the working styles, habits and personas of your team members. What values do they hold dear? What drives efficiency for them? What are their common challenges? Successful teams are built on consistency, respect, honesty and, most importantly, trust. Set these expectations from day one and your team is more likely to gel together, professionally and personally. 

5. Facilitate Communication

As a business owner, you carry prominent influence, management and leadership. That said, you’ll have to wear several different ‘hats’ at various times, ensuring your company is running smoothly. There will be times when things fall by the wayside, projects are missing certain necessities, issues won’t be raised effectively; the list goes on. 

The core issue at the heart of most – if not all – of these issues is communication. People communicate differently, and it’ll generally be your responsibility to address any barriers in how your team communicates. What can be done to improve them? Good leaders inspire teams to push forward, hold them together, keep them focused, and remain approachable through times both good and bad.

6. Empower and Retain

All companies need to have some rules and policies in place, but there is a fine line between being lenient and understanding and throwing the rulebook back in someone’s face. You need to set clear boundaries of what is considered acceptable and not, but without becoming a bureaucracy.

However, be mindful that too much red tape can cause frustration and dissatisfaction, and can cause people to reconsider their career with a business.

What you can use to your advantage is to empower your team through regular one-to-one meetings (or delegate these to your line managers), giving your team the platform to come forward with concerns, issues and ideas. They will appreciate these and feel valued if handled professionally and with discretion, even more so if problems they raise are addressed properly and efficiently. 

7. Positive Reinforcement and Encouragement

Rewards don’t always have to be physical, but they are crucial in helping your team stay motivated, especially during time-intensive and difficult projects. You don’t necessarily have to provide your team with presents or perks; sometimes a simple acknowledgement is enough. Some goals may be unattainable for individuals, but possible for teams. 

Fostering a positive atmosphere where hard work is celebrated will encourage people to take more risks and aim even higher. What’s more, even if things don’t go to plan, teams should not be chastised, especially if it was out of their control. 

How to Take Your Team Further

Hopefully, the above tips have given you plenty to consider when building your perfect team. But once you’ve established an excellent, hard-working, positive team, is that the end of it? Far from it.

Building your team is arguably never truly done, particularly when your business is experiencing times of growth, expansion or even a recession. As a company owner, you’ll need to constantly assess how your team’s performance is, and how it’s contributing to your wider company aims. Therefore, some ongoing tips for you to continually come back to are as follows:

1. Set specific and feasible goals for your team.
2. Build on your team’s strengths.
3. Acknowledge and celebrate their achievements.
4. Reward the team and make them feel valued.

Knowing how to build a team doesn’t happen overnight, and along the way, you will encounter individuals that are harder to work with than others. It takes time and patience to create a winning team, but it is possible with the right level of confidence, empathy and guidance. 

By Stefano Maifreni, Founder and CEO of Eggcelerate

If you are worried about the economy and think small businesses are in danger now more than ever, you’re not alone. Inflation and high energy prices walloped so many small business owners that some think businesses will not survive this economic downturn.

Are these fears justified? With so much uncertainty about how things will play out for businesses in the coming months and years, what can you do to keep your company strong and thrive – no matter what comes our way?

In this article, we will introduce you to some clever tactics to help protect your business against risks and minimise their impact on your financial standing. So, if you’ve been feeling the pinch due to the recession and are concerned about where things are headed, read on.

Spending Review

To ensure your company is prepared for the future, making a few core changes is critical. The first, and perhaps the most important thing you can do is find a way to offset the increasing cost of goods and services. It is probably the most immediate thing that might spring up in your mind. It’s also the easiest, to some extent, but potentially the most dangerous if you go too far and limit yourself to cost-cutting.

Setting up spending controls across functions helps companies to identify costs that are no longer justified or that could be avoided by doing work differently, e.g., cutting out any products or services not in use, which allows a business to prioritise expenses consistently and ensure that any savings identified are not slipping backward over time.

One of the biggest challenges for small businesses now is skyrocketing prices for raw materials, as well as the cost of transportation. One of the surest ways small-business owners can fight inflation is by stocking up on everything with a lower storage cost before prices go up even further. Businesses can lower costs by changing the composition of products, renegotiating prices and terms with current suppliers, and finding materials from new suppliers. It not only gives you better pricing, but it also allows you to diversify your risk. 

Price Reviews

Ultimately, companies must look at their larger markets and what competitors are doing rather than simply looking at inflation. High inflation also strangles innovation, making it more difficult for companies to find the capital to undertake new investments and projects.

While raising prices is not ideal, it can help fight inflation’s effects on your company. For businesses that need to increase prices to cover costs, a more common approach is to raise them across the board. Especially those businesses with price-sensitive customers or fierce competition can implement creative pricing strategies to mitigate the perceived impact of a price increase, e.g., giving better payment terms, if the cash position allows, or transportation terms. Be careful, as raising prices may prevent some of these reductions, but you risk losing customers who do not perceive sufficient value in your products or services to justify paying more.

Operations Assessment

Think about whether your team could streamline processes and improve efficiency.

Furthermore, you can cost-effectively improve efficiency by investing in automation. Adopting digital technologies can help reduce costs across the business. 

As they gear up to face higher inflation during this current inflationary period, companies must build more scalable platforms to grow, positioning them for strategic reinvestment into programs that deliver greater resilience and more robust buying and pricing power. Investing in resiliency and automation while cutting non-strategic costs can help companies keep growing.

Moreover, companies cannot go wrong with moving quickly and aggressively toward productivity and cash, boosting the capacity of their workers to provide greater value per person while controlling costs, thus increasing earnings and maintaining the ability to grow. These companies can prioritise working capital and seek opportunities to unlock trapped cash, manage longer-term liabilities, and divest from unprofitable or non-core businesses not providing a cash flow benefit. It can give them an advantage over competitors and improve each employee’s worth, cut costs, enhance services, and optimise operations, ultimately driving down their costs and increasing margin.

People Training

As inflation impacts, businesses across industries must review their jobs and determine which ones add the most significant value and are essential, providing both cost savings and an opportunity to direct funds and scarce labour resources toward things that will help them grow. Providing employee training will help implement this, and it will not only help attract the best employees but also help retain new joiners and existing staff.

One of the most significant issues facing many small businesses is employee retention. Many companies have difficulty retaining or hiring new employees due to the current economic crisis. Training not only makes your company a better place to work, but it also makes it more attractive to potential candidates. 

Conclusion

If your business feels the pinch of the current economic crisis, it’s time to start working on a business survival plan. It means not only dealing with immediate problems but also taking a long-term approach to help your company survive in the long term. The current economic crisis has made it more challenging than ever for businesses to operate, but many have managed to survive and thrive in these trying times. 

In times of uncertainty, you’ll need every advantage to thrive, which means taking practical measures to safeguard your company from the dangers ahead. 

Recession-proofing your business is a proactive rather than reactive measure, and it means planning to survive the next recession and thrive during the upturn.

With some foresight and careful planning, you can protect your company from the effects of the current economic climate and help it thrive in the long run.

Biography

Action- and delivery-focused “efficiency geek” with an entrepreneurial spirit, able to link thoughts and actions, can anticipate and manage the tornado caused in operations by a butterfly flapping its wings in sales. Aware of the boundary between disciplined operations and bureaucracy, he can work “one level up and two down” if needed without fear of getting his hands dirty.

He has a background in the ICT industry, where he worked for blue chips and FTSE250 companies. Subsequently, He further developed and diversified his experience working closely with a portfolio of growing companies and start-ups in technology-intensive and innovative sectors, such as IT, Technology Manufacturing, Drones, IoT, AI, GreenTech and Insure/FinTech.

Stefano is the Founder of Eggcelerate. If you are a CEO of a small B2B business experiencing flat-lined results, Eggcelerate’s FlexCOO service will help you achieve focus and sustainable growth and bring your business back on track.

He has P&L management, international expansion experience, and international and intercultural expertise in managing, developing and leading cross-functional teams in complex environments.

Stefano is an Executive MBA graduate of the London Business School and a published author (Forbes, The Guardian, The Telegraph, and various SME-focused publications) on topics from Strategy to People and Operations.

By Alex Hattingh, Chief People Officer at Employment Hero

Occupational stress refers to the ongoing and progressing stress that can be experienced due to the responsibilities, conditions, environment or other pressures of the workplace. Occupational wellness or ‘occupational health’, on the other hand, is the sense of fulfilment and happiness that those at the C-Suite level can find in their professional life.

Loving your job and having a poor sense of occupational wellness aren’t mutually exclusive, and leading your team can sometimes be a challenge when finding the motivation to roll out of bed and motivate others. That being said, there are ways that senior and leading executives can stay motivated when managing a team or workforce:

Set yourself KPIs

By setting Key Performance Indicators, you’re able to align your team with multiple ambitious goals that are designed to enhance motivation. The beauty is they allow you to not only set broad objectives but also to think of each key step needed to accomplish a certain goal. By having something to work towards, you are more likely to stay on track and be more motivated to hit the ground running. Set objectives that are challenging and inspiring for you and your team.

Be sure to reward yourself

It’s important to give yourself a pat on the back when you’ve been successful in your role. It can be easy as a leader to focus all your energy on celebrating your team’s achievements while allowing your own to fall by the wayside.

Maintain a work/life balance

Having a healthy balance between your working and personal life is essential in preventing yourself from becoming demotivated and burnt out. This most certainly applies to leaders. When you’re running around catering to everyone else’s needs, it’s easy to forget your own. If you neglect to find a healthy balance between the two, you’ll soon find yourself running out of puff.

Recognise when to delegate tasks

Whether it is five or fifty people working within your team, leading a team will always involve carrying additional pressures and responsibilities on your shoulders. If you find yourself lacking the motivation to complete a task that your team members are capable of handling themselves, don’t be afraid to delegate.

Just because you’re leading a team does not mean you’re a superhuman capable of finishing everyone’s work. Try not to be so hard on yourself. Too many responsibilities can suffocate creativity and force you into a downward spiral of demotivation.In these instances, brainstorming and problem-solving techniques are at an all-time low, and your teams will be left wandering aimlessly.

Become a Mentor

It’s no secret that over time our work can become a little stagnant and repetitive. Finding that passion you had on the first day of the job can sometimes feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. That’s why we recommend spending time with someone who is just getting started. Guiding, mentoring and passing on your experience to someone new can help clear out any cobwebs and provide a sense of motivation for the kind of work you do. Watching someone learn and grow within your team is an inspiring feeling in itself.

As a leader, it’s essential to keep employees feeling pumped up and ready to work. However, without your own motivation, your team’s overall performance will start to decrease. No matter who they are or what they do, every person is capable of an off day. There’s nothing wrong with losing heart, feeling tired or drifting away from your work for a period of time, so long as you know how to motivate yourself to get back on track.

Whether you are an employer or an employee, you’ve likely come across the topic of background checks. A large number of jobs require this type of check prior to the beginning of employment, but the idea can be nerve-wracking to those who don’t understand what’s happening.

What is a Background Check?

A background check is essentially a thorough screening of a person’s private and public records, including but not limited to: employment, criminal record, and education.

Most employers will use a FCRA-compliant consumer reporting agency (CRA) to gather information on a potential employee that can verify they are who they say they are. The contents of the background check are required to align with the reason for the check itself. If you are applying for a job in the financial world, as an example, educational and criminal background check details would be applicable.

When is a Background Check Necessary?

For the most part, employers are not required legally to conduct a background check, meaning that it technically is never necessary. However, companies that deal with sensitive information with the ability to make a serious impact on society or the economy will almost always utilize a background check. With that said, 93% of firms globally report using background checks to vet potential employees, going to show the importance of being ready to partake in one.

What You Should Know About Background Checks

Before applying for a job that requires a background check, you may want to know what’s involved with the process. The majority of background checks will include:

• Criminal Felony and Misdemeanor searches
• National Sex Offender list search
• National Criminal search
• Educational background
• Employment history

The amount of time the background check covers depends on the agency that is running it. For the most part, background checks will cover at least 7 years of history. If you’ve ever used an alias in the past or had a maiden name, the background check will still pull the results of your information. Whether you’re an employer or an employee, there are a number of benefits and drawbacks to be aware of:

Pros for Background Checks

Workplace Safety: By running a background check, employees can rest assured knowing everyone around them is not a violent offender who may pose a risk to the workplace.

Hires are more likely to be qualified: Anybody can lie on a resume but lying about your educational background will be discovered with a standard background check. This can save a company time and money from having to rehire a new employee after the first doesn’t work out.

Protection against cybersecurity risks: In the modern day and age, cybersecurity breaches are on the rise like never before. In fact, a hacking attempt occurs every 39 seconds, meaning that employers need to be sure the person they’re hiring isn’t trying to set up an attack.

Cons for Background Checks

The Time and Expense: Background checks are not free, and they certainly aren’t cheap to run. Background checks can be hundreds of dollars per employee which, for larger corporations, may not be as much of an issue. However, if smaller companies would like to ensure the safety of their workplace then they will need to pay large sums of money. Additionally, the turnaround time for background checks is not overnight which means a potential candidate may join another organization if it takes too long.

Bias Against Potential Employees: An unfortunate side effect of background checks is that they can be used to unfairly judge an individual. In some cases, a person with a criminal background who has turned their life around may have trouble receiving a job offer due to their past. Rather than judging the results of a background report from a first glance, it’s best if employers consider all scenarios.

The pros for running a background check will outweigh the cons for most organizations. Protect your company by ensuring the safety of your workplace, but be sure not to make rash judgments off the results of a background check.

Keep your organisation protected when hiring

Ensuring your employees don’t have any skeletons in the closet can help protect your organization from lawsuits and other legal issues. As an employee, keeping your history clean will help reassure employers that you are capable of bringing everything that you offer to the table. Background checks are extremely common and are nothing to fear, provided you have nothing to hide.

Welcome to the February 2023 issue of CEO Monthly.

As always, CEO Monthly is dedicated to providing the latest news and features across the business world to our readership. By sharing knowledge, insights, expertise and success stories from around the globe, we aim to inspire individuals and promote positivity in a world that is in a constant state of evolution.

Now that we have settled into the new year and begun working on our goals for 2023, we are pleased to be presenting our February collection of award-winning businesses. Among these are some of the world’s most leading CEOs and entrepreneurs and we delight in sharing their stories with you.

Our cover feature is Frogparking’s passionate and dedicated CEO, Shareena Sandbrook, who, alongside her father, Don, founded the business that is revolutionising the world of parking. With a dynamic leadership style and a family culture, she has taken the company from strength to strength and the FrogOne solution is making the lives of drivers and parking wardens easier.

Also amidst our award winners is Porsche Cars GB CEO, Jonathan Mannell who has ardently worked his way up the company to his current leadership position. His passion for the brand and its vision of inspiring customers to follow their dreams is evident through his hard work and daily motivating and uplifting of his tight-knit team.

It doesn’t stop there; we have an array of exciting CEOs and businesses to pique your interest, and we hope you find their tales to be intriguing and insightful. We wish you a prosperous month ahead and look forward to welcoming you back again soon.

Figuring out how to become a better CEO is important both for entrepreneurs who didn’t start out as managers and who took on the role of the leader of a startup and for established company heads who want to make a bigger impact on their organisation.

For companies like Huge Supplements who want to back up their product with stellar leadership practices, it’s crucial to know the key things that impact your company and how to invest your attention in improving the big picture a priority.

These 5 tips will help you become a more effective CEO by encouraging you to think deeper about your company’s goals and direction by focusing on stakeholder values, crafting a quarterly game plan, and taking actionable steps to ensure that your teams’ contribution is using every day to act on communicated vision, steps, and goals.

1. Focus on What’s Important for Your Company’s Vision

The first thing to do when you’re trying to become a better CEO is to nail down the things that matter the most to your company.

This means solidifying your mission or your why as a leader and as an organization. It can be hard to define your purpose. Think back to what you wanted to achieve when you started your company. Your purpose or mission statement should be a powerful reason why your company exists in the first place.

Ask yourself, what’s the reason that you’re in business? What (including and beside financial success) are you trying to achieve? Ask yourself what your mission is to your customers, your team, and the world.

What ways can you engage your team and inspire them to get passionate about this mission so that they believe in your company rather than just watching the clock for a pay check?

Having a strong sense of purpose and learning how to embody and communicate it so that you inspire those who work for you and those who buy your service or product is foundational to becoming a great CEO. In fact, companies who demonstrate a clear social initiative have outstandingly outperformed the S;P 500 during the past two decades.

Once you know your powerful purpose, it’s your job to focus on that vision, lead with purpose, and let that inspire your employees’ wellbeing, and build brand loyalty. Use your purpose to develop your strategy to focus on areas of your company where you want to improve and make your purpose shine clearly. This can include company culture, customer service, and shareholder expectations.

2. Cultivate Intentional Company Culture

Your company culture is the invisible force that informs your team’s decisions and behaviour when no one is overseeing them. Team culture is crucial to attracting and keeping great talent that is an asset to your company. Your team culture can either leverage or limit your capacity to produce successful results.

You can’t do amazing things if your company has a poor team culture. One of the most important ways to invest your time is to intentionally build the kind of culture that you want for your company.

This means using the right people to build and develop your leadership team. Think about the kinds of people that you will eventually need to manage and lead and start grooming them for the role. Check for any gaps, issues, people, or behaviours that fracture your team and work to upgrade it.

3. Don’t Forget Stakeholder Value

It’s all too easy to immerse yourself in your passion for what your company does and lose sight of the people that you serve. A great CEO knows that an organisation’s drive comes from the value that it provides to stakeholders, whether that’s for customers, investors, or your team.

As you solidify your goals and work to hit them each quarter and year, it’s important to recognise that your job as a CEO is not about getting as much as you can from people. Instead, it’s about asking them what they need from you and serving them more than they serve you.

Tap into feedback about customers’ needs, what your shareholders are looking for, and what your team needs to do their job effectively. Once you get the facts about how your service process can improve, take concrete steps to make things happen.

4. Create a Quarterly Action Plan

Many companies think about what they want to accomplish in a year. The problem is that this is too broad a goal. If you want to become a better CEO and help your company flourish, you’ll need to draw up a quarterly plan of action and go over this every quarter.

A quarterly action plan can help your company define its priorities and develop an actionable strategy to propel the business forward towards its goal. A simple one-page action plan delivered every quarter helps keep everyone on track. It also breaks down big goals into smaller, actionable steps which are crucial for a small or midsize company.

After you draw up your plan and work towards meeting those goals for several quarters, it’s a good idea to gather your top department leaders and ask them to craft a one-page quarterly action plan for their own department as well.

This step has two major benefits. First, it breaks down the actions that will make a big difference for the company at a departmental level. It also creates an accountability blueprint to check in on how their department is carrying out your company’s vision and goals.

5. Set the Standard for Accountability

A good CEO knows how to delegate, but he or she also knows how to set the ultimate standard for your organisation.

Stay true to yourself and your defined goals. This doesn’t mean that you stick inflexibly with old techniques. Instead, listen to the feedback from your managers, employees, and customers. Get multiple perspectives, but invest the company’s time, money, and energy in the right places that will make the most impact or achieve the most results.

At the end of the day, a CEO is the gatekeeper for a company’s goals, priorities, and values. Hold yourself, your leadership, and teams accountable to use every day to act in accordance with these stated goals.

Conclusion

This list of best practices is just a start when it comes to becoming a better CEO. Great leadership starts with honing in on your mission and how you can best accomplish it for all involved. Your financial performance flows from your company’s vision and mission and that comes down from you to your team.

It takes self-reflection and confidence to lead a company successfully. It means looking inside, connecting with your customers, stakeholders, and team, and acting from there. Most CEOs want to avoid major mistakes and may not stretch themselves or their team as a result.

If you want to become a better CEO and see greater returns, then you will need to step you, manage yourself and others, and avoid becoming stagnant. Work to fulfil your vision and seize the best opportunities that will drive strategic growth.

While it’s important to break down big goals into small, actionable steps, your company goals shouldn’t stay small. Set big and bold goals that will challenge yourself and your team to reach your highest potential.

Within a decade of their emergence, cryptocurrencies have taken the world by storm. The value of Bitcoin, the first-ever cryptocurrency, currently sits at over 20,000 USD.

However, crypto is not immune to the highs and lows of the market. In recent times, the value of cryptocurrencies has been tumultuous, prompting experts to wonder if mining crypto is profitable anymore. It has also impacted tech companies in major ways.

Is Mining Crypto profitable and how will it impact tech CEOs in 2023

Cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin, have always enjoyed high value in the market. But in recent times, their values have been extremely unstable. This, coupled with the rising prices of energy has made it very difficult to mine crypto and turn a profit from it.

Crypto tracking website Bitinfocharts.com reported that the profitability of Bitcoin sank to the lowest in months in July 2022. As there are various factors that determine the profitability of crypto, there isn’t a simple answer to whether mining crypto is profitable or not for tech CEOs in 2023.

Understanding crypto mining

In simple words, crypto mining refers to the process by which a cryptocurrency is verified as well as recorded in the blockchain. It is mined on a custom-built complex computing system. Miners earn the crypto by validating it and solving a hash.

There are a variety of factors that affect the profitability of a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. However, not everyone has to mine to earn cryptocurrency. You can simply purchase one without getting involved in the complex logistics of mining cryptocurrency.

Buy Bitcoin with PayPal to invest in the biggest cryptocurrency and boost your portfolio. You’ll be able to hold, sell, send or spend your Bitcoin as you please. You might even swap or donate it, making it a multiple-use currency.

Whether you mine cryptos or invest in them, you want them to be a profitable venture, especially if you are a tech company. Cryptos are majorly impacting the tech world and you need to be knowledgeable about their mining and profitability to extract profits in the market.

When it comes to mining a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, there are some crucial elements involved:

Hash rate — It is the speed of processing transactions on a blockchain. The more miners enter the market, the more difficult it becomes to ensure the quantity produced remains the same.

ASIC — Application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) are the system on which crypto is mined. They’re the single most important elements in crypto mining. Your ASIC determines the profitability you’ll achieve by mining.

Difficulty rate — An automatic system is in place to adjust the difficulty of mining based on how many miners are in the market at the moment. The higher the difficulty rate, the more difficult it becomes for individual miners to succeed in mining.

Profitability of crypto mining

At its core, mining a cryptocurrency can be profitable. Many people as well as corporations are profiting off mining Bitcoin as of now. The profitability of mining crypto majorly depends on the equipment used for the process.

After that, you take into account other components such as hash rates and networking. The equipment itself can help you adjust the costs as many equipment and computing systems used to mine Bitcoin over the years have adapted themselves to lower mining costs.

In simple words, crypto mining is similar to the mining of physical assets such as gold, silver, and diamond. The higher the price of the asset is, the more profitable it becomes to mine it. Moreover, miners don’t even need to be as efficient to make a profit.

Consider the following the major contributors to the profitability of a cryptocurrency: Mining Equipment

Mining Equipment You’ll need to assemble a system made up of various equipment to mine crypto. The price of the systems often varies greatly. However, their prices suffered an all-time low in 2022 when the high and mid-tier ASIC dropped their price to 70%.

The drop in price has allowed smaller miners to get their hands on a good quality ASIC and turn profits. This drop in price and newer minors joining in with vigour have bolstered blockchain production.

The price of crypto

The price of many cryptocurrencies has been extremely volatile, especially in recent times. This has led