Marketers tend to make a big deal out of terms like “purpose” and “authenticity.” Why? Because research findings, survey results, and numerous other studies indicate that these things matter to customers. Brands that exist beyond mere profit — and can communicate that purpose clearly — tend to succeed. On the other hand, those that behave in a way that doesn’t match their message are penalized by consumers. They’re…
The in-house agency, like most marketing trends, has had its share of leaps and starts. In 1986, Bank of America led the way with its internal agency, Enterprise Creative Solutions; in 1987, Fidelity Investments followed, founding Fidelity Communications and Advertising. Then, as quickly as it had come, interest in internal agencies waned. It wasn’t until the early 2000s, with the proliferation of mobile and digital marketing, that the…
If you’re not a product manager, you might wonder why the role is sometimes called the “product CEO” or even the “second CEO.” Don’t those terms also describe the head of engineering? What about the CTO? Unlike the typical CTO or lead engineer, product managers touch every area of the business. They’re responsible for the product’s progress, of course, but they also coordinate with marketing, sales, procurement, and…
There’s something to be said for focusing on the here and now. But to say that you can only control the present is a shortsighted view of business management. Smart leaders are equally focused on how they can prepare for the future. The Marks of a Forward Thinking Company As a business leader, you have no choice but to focus on what’s in front of you – the…
A business should always be moving towards a set of goals. As soon as one set of goals is accomplished, a new set of objectives needs to be put in place. But how do you track how your team is doing in between goal creation and realization? The Importance of Tracking Progress Whether it’s a fitness goal, business objective, or anything in between, tracking progress from the beginning…
Just like human beings, startups that grow up go through “teenage” years. No longer is the founder’s basement an acceptable workplace, but office rental costs aren’t exactly within reach, either. That sole salesperson has an assistant now, but can two people truly be called a “department”? Perhaps the most awkward part of business adolescence, however, has to do with office management. With two or three, it might’ve been…
Leaders aren’t born, they’re made. Whether it’s coaching, taking professional development courses or made through experiences, leaders should take plenty of opportunities to strengthen their skills. Leaders need to continue on a path of growth as individuals and professionals. One of the most effective ways to become a stronger leader is by reading management and leadership blogs from the people who have the experience and knowledge to become…
Early on in my career, I had a roadmap of where I was going. It was actually pretty ambitious. However, things didn’t go the way I planned. Now, I consider that this situation was for the best. But, there were moments when I wondered why I wasn’t as successful as I had expected to be. After some self-reflection, I determined that I was not as successful as I wanted…
If you want to start a business, there’s simply no excuse to be clueless anymore. Imagine the fact that a world class expert can work for 30 years to figure something out, completely devoting her entire life to one particular question — and you can get all of her knowledge on that subject in a 200 page book that can be read in a weekend. Consider the fact…
One of the biggest struggles millennials face is wading through the information overload to figure out what we should be doing with our time. Can you really blame us? Every time you look at your phone, dozens of pings, notifications and alerts flood the screen. All of them seem urgent. All of them could be important. So we spend entire days, weeks, months approaching these conflicting demands without…
