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There is no such thing as instant coffee

Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk Management

You and I have been born into an accelerating world. Travel that took a week by horseback two centuries ago is now competed in a few hours in the air-conditioned comfort of your car. Just 10 years ago, the two-hour meeting you had in the next time zone that required flights and overnights is now completed in two hours, plus two minutes for the setup and tear down of a GoToMeeting session. Email, smartphones, internet, Skype, social media…everything is happening faster and faster. We’ve become so used to speed that we actually believe there is something called instant coffee.

Everything you need to know about Gen Z

Emma Fitzpatrick Marketing

While millennials have dominated headlines and infatuated marketers for years, they’re a bit old hat now. The oldest millennials are well into adulthood, age 37 and proud homeowners, while even the youngest millennials, age 22, have already graduated college. Now, it’s time for them to step aside so that we can focus on the trendy, new generation — Gen Z. By 2020, in just two years, they’re predicted to become the largest generation of consumers, according to Fast Company.

Surprising things to do if you are let go

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Even when we see the writing on the wall, being terminated is a challenge few of us are prepared to face. For most, the natural responses swing between putting our heads down and trying to get through it as quickly as possible; and trying to craft elaborate ways to seek revenge against the perceived perpetrators. Neither are in our best interest. Instead, consider these options if you are ever let go.

Is a ‘new’ NAFTA in the cards?

Seth Sandronsky Manufacturing

The U.S. and Mexico have reached an initial agreement to change the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). What we also know is that many eyes are Canada, the third nation in NAFTA, now. "It would surprise me if Canada remained outside the agreement," Martin Hart-Landsberg, an author and economics professor at Lewis and Clark College, told MultiBriefs. While details of the new NAFTA remain largely unknown, it appears that there are some improvements.

Management mistakes that could be creating issues at your spa

Elizabeth Donat Retail

If you are managing a spa or medical spa, then you know that it is a position that requires many skill sets. You likely wear many hats, including go-to human resources person, scheduler, client dispute handler, event coordinator, interviewer, premise supervisor, bookkeeper and the boss' go-to person, just to name a few. However, it's crucial to recognize if you are making some mistakes that could be hurting your bottom line and your staff. Read my expert tips and see if you are making any of these common spa management blunders.

How to stop losing your best people to your competition

Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Recently, I was speaking with an owner of a recruitment firm who told me a story about a 26-year old tech worker who his firm just poached. The candidate wasn’t actively looking for a new opportunity and seemed satisfied making an annual salary of $450,000. In less than two weeks, the tech worker received and accepted an offer from a competitor, which included a 44 percent pay increase and the opportunity to work directly with the CIO. Here are some things you can do to ensure this doesn’t happen to you.

2 strategic intangibles critical for terminations

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Terminations can be tricky, especially in employee-friendly states like California. And although there is no shortage of advice on best practices for reducing the risk of wrongful termination claims and other associated legal challenges, we still get it wrong often. In many cases, this is because, in addition to all the checklists, forms and steps to implement a termination, we often forget the personal side. Here are two strategic intangibles critical to a more successful termination in any state.

5 tips for a more productive project team

Deborah Ike Business Management, Services & Risk Management

It’s one thing to be able to create an extensive project plan, charter, budget, and dashboard. The skill set required to lead a project team that’s cohesive and productive is quite different. Project management involves a mix of hard and soft skills, and you’ll need to know when to use each tool in your project manager toolbox at a given time. Here are five tips based on my experience. Unfortunately, some of these I learned from doing wrong at first.

Heads-up: Safety and liability in manufacturing

Delany Martinez Manufacturing

Innovation in manufacturing has made for surprisingly even footing among rivals in a variety of industries. The last remaining point of competition for market share, some argue, is found in speed and efficiency: even if two companies are making the same products, the business that gets the products made and shipped more quickly is the ostensible winner in the battle for consumer wallets. That intense focus on speed and volume, however, can come at a high cost for companies that don't tread carefully.

Why leaders should never stop being curious

Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Sarita, the CFO of a midsized sales organization, contacted me to ask for help with a problem. Her company’s customer base was getting increasingly diverse, with many new clients from Africa and Asia. Her sales team, who had been outselling their competition for the last several years, was starting to lose business. Almost all of the team were U.S.-born, white and male, and, for the most part, had little experience doing business with clients who were not originally from the U.S.

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