Thought Leaders | Page 9

Thought Leaders

They Asked Me to Fudge the Numbers — What I’d Tell My 25-Year-Old Self About Standing Up to Leadership

Every day, high-powered senior leaders ask a lot of their teams. Sometimes, we disagree but succumb to the pressure to say yes. Before you sell your soul, know you have options in how you respond.

By Amy M Chambers

Thought Leaders

How to Harness the Power of Fear and Transform It Into a Leadership Strength

By Wilson Luna

Thought Leaders

5 Things to Do (and 1 Thing to Avoid) to Reach Your Entrepreneurial Goals in 2025

By Kelly Hyman

Thought Leaders

I’m Living Through the California Wildfires — Here’s How Every Business Can Prepare For a Natural Disaster

By Nellie Akalp

Business Branding

How Introverts Can Lean Into Their Strengths and Unleash Their Personal Branding Superpower

Introverts are just as well-equipped as extroverts to share their thoughts and messages on social media platforms. Learn why and some tips on how to build confidence and get started on your personal branding journey.

By Megan Thudium

Human Resources

Stop Blindly Following ‘the Customer Is Always Right’ — Here’s What to Do Instead For the Sake of Your Employees

Businesses should move away from the outdated "the customer is always right" mindset, which often leads to employee burnout, high turnover and, ironically, poor service quality. Here's how to prioritize building genuine relationships and empower employees to use empathy and their own judgment when addressing customer needs.

By Milos Eric

Human Resources

It’s Time to Rewrite Your Company’s Values — Here’s How

Most companies' values are forgotten or disconnected from daily operations. By rethinking and co-creating values with your team, you can transform them into actionable tools that align behavior, build trust and drive performance.

By Bradley Hook

Thought Leaders

Hard and Soft Skills Go Hand-in-Hand — These Are the Ones You Need to Sharpen This Year

The coming year promises to be one of change, which can be daunting and exciting. While it's important to stay on top of new technologies, the key will be sharpening those soft skills.

By Aytekin Tank

Thought Leaders

The Holiday Return Surge Ruins Our Planet — Make These Small Changes to Create a More Sustainable (and Profitable) Business.

As the holiday season winds down, retailers are bracing for an inevitable surge in product returns. Optimizing the returns process can lead to both business growth and sustainable action, transforming waste into a net new value stream.

By Emily Hosie

Building a Business

Law School Taught Me a Lot — But Not How to Run a Business. Here Are 3 Lessons I Learned the Hard Way.

The world is full of smart, capable professionals whose businesses didn't succeed — not for lack of skill, but for lack of business know-how. And I was one of them. Here's what I learned about running a business that law school never taught me.

By Mikal Watts

Human Resources

This Simple Rule-of-Thumb About Annual Raises Will Reduce Employee Turnover

If you're looking to keep your best employees, maintain morale and stay competitive in today's market, the secret might be in your approach to annual raises.

By John Boitnott

Thought Leaders

You Have the Power to Create Your Own Legacy — What Will It Be?

True legacy is not just in the success of our endeavors, but in the impact that we have made on others around us. We can leave an "intentional legacy" in the world by making a positive impact on the lives of others.

By Ivan Misner

Building a Business

Thinking of Starting a Business? 2025 May Be Your Year

As we head into the final months of the year, I believe 2025 will be just as big as 2020 for startups — maybe even bigger. Here's why.

By Aytekin Tank

Thought Leaders

I’m a Leadership Coach — Here’s the One Mental Exercise Every CEO Needs to Try When They’re Feeling Drained

Here's a simple, powerful exercise to help leaders refill their own "container" and cultivate self-care, resilience and compassion for themselves and others.

By Tugba Yanaz

Thought Leaders

These 4 Business Risks Lie Ahead in 2025 — Here’s How You Can Prepare

As companies digest the hard-won lessons from this volatile year, 2025 looms with both new risks and fresh opportunities for those prepared to navigate a landscape where adaptability is key to survival.

By Randy Sadler

Entrepreneurs

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.

By Arthur Wang

Building a Business

Why Business Owners Should Streamline Their Operations Now for Success in 2025

As the holiday season and year-end approach, business owners face heightened operational demands, from inventory management to spend control. By streamlining these processes and partnering with flexible suppliers, businesses can maintain efficiency, meet customer needs and focus on growth while navigating this busy period.

By Ashley Hubka

Thought Leaders

As a Leader, Take These 5 Steps to Bridge the Gap Between Innovation and Execution

Companies that want to turn ideas into action must align their people and listen to their customers.

By Dax Dasilva

Thought Leaders

Want To Be A Better Coach At Work? Start With These Unexpected Insights

I had many coaches outside of business teach me invaluable lessons about developing people.

By Craig Mullaney

Human Resources

This One Act of Courage Completely Shifted My View on Leadership

It's not always easy to do the right thing. I've learned a lot of great lessons from leaders, but sometimes the best lessons come from our peers. Here's what one peer did that blew me away and the four insights I had from it.

By Amy M Chambers

Thought Leaders

Leadership vs. Management: How to Understand the Difference and 6 Ways to Bridge the Gap

Here are the key differences between leadership and management, highlighting their complementary roles and providing six strategies to develop managers into future leaders.

By Jason Zickerman

Building a Business

Success Isn’t About Having the Best or Most Original Idea — It’s About Resilience. Here’s How to Build It.

A genius idea is only a small part of what makes a successful company. The rest is your ability to persevere when things aren't going your way.

By Aytekin Tank

Thought Leaders

Here’s the One Trait You Need to Be a Successful Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are often lauded as being risk-takers. But there's a distinction between being a risk-taker and being brave — and only the latter is necessary for entrepreneurs.

By Aytekin Tank

Building a Business

Your Firsthand Experiences Shape the Way You Run Your Business — Here’s How Mine Shaped Me

Growing up in a family-owned Chinese restaurant instilled in me the entrepreneurial spirit that now drives my tech venture. From handling customer complaints to managing staff, these early experiences shaped my approach to business and leadership.

By Arthur Wang

Thought Leaders

Ditch the ‘Fake It Til You Make It’ Mentality — Here’s Why You Need to Be Honest About Your Weaknesses

Vulnerability comes more naturally after success, but being vulnerable about your weaknesses should be the first thing you do as a business owner. Here's why.

By Ryan McGrath

Thought Leaders

‘Hire Fast and Fire Faster’ Is Terrible Advice — Here’s What You Should Do Instead

While slow, conscientious growth may not grab headlines, it is far less risky and more sustainable than rapid expansion.

By Aytekin Tank

Thought Leaders

How to Turn Self-Doubt Into Success and Build Your Confidence in 3 Steps

Confidence may seem like something you either have or you don't. But that's not true — you can build it. Here's how.

By Aytekin Tank

Thought Leaders

4 Coaching Stages Every Leader Should Master to Help Others Grow

Effective mentorship involves adapting your approach to match each person's growth stage, ultimately guiding them toward independence and the ability to mentor others.

By Darian Shimy

Marketing

Thought Leaders Are Encouraged to Share Personal Stories — But Can It Go Too Far? Use These 3 Tips to Open Up Without Oversharing

Entrepreneurs who want to establish themselves as thought leaders rely on authenticity to connect with their audiences. But what happens when authenticity goes too far?

By Megan Thudium

Thought Leaders

Skip the Small Talk — Use This Powerful Tool to Build Meaningful Relationships and Create Lasting Change

Unlock the power of public narrative and discover why it's important for entrepreneurs to reflect on the experiences and values that have shaped them and led them to do what they do.

By Cheryl Kiser