getty With Covid-19 and the evolution of technology, businesses must be agile and flexible to survive. Businesses need to pivot to changes in the market and be responsive, such as being open to experimentation and innovation. This includes being able to adapt to new ways of working, such as remote teams and virtual communication. Based on my experience as a serial entrepreneur, here’s my breakdown of the current state of business in 2023. A Shift To Digital Operations One major change for businesses is the shift to digital operations. The pandemic created more remote work, online retail opportunities and digital marketing campaigns, leading many companies to pivot their strategies in order to meet customer needs. This has led to an increase in cybersecurity threats. Businesses can protect themselves from cyberattacks by implementing a robust cybersecurity strategy that includes regularly updating software and systems to address known vulnerabilities, using strong, unique passwords and multifactor authentication and avoiding malicious emails. Increased Attention On Corporate Social Responsibility Consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental and social impacts of products and services they purchase and are demanding that businesses take action to address these issues. Many companies have responded by implementing sustainability […]

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A Qualcomm sign is shown outside one of the company’s many buildings in San Diego, California, U.S., September 17, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake Feb 21 (Reuters) – Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) on Tuesday said it is launching a paid cloud software service to help companies that use its chips keep tabs on goods as they move through the supply chain. The San Diego, California company is the world’s biggest provider of chips that help smartphones connect to mobile data networks. But Qualcomm has used its wireless communication specialty to enter other markets where devices need to talk to the internet, such as automobiles and factories. Qualcomm Aware, as the new service is called, works with Qualcomm chips that go into tracking devices for shipping containers, pallets, packages and other parts of supply chains to help companies track where their goods and materials are. Most of those trackers are made by third parties, but Qualcomm makes a few devices of its own, such as a tilt sensor that can be attached to utility poles to report whether they have toppled over during storms. Latest Updates Qualcomm has already shipped hundreds of millions of the chips involved, which typically cost less than $10 […]

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Founder and CEO of Scott Keever SEO ; a full-service digital agency that specializes in results-based ROI. getty ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to interact with human users in an almost human manner. Sound scary? It can be, but it can also be convenient. ChatGPT focuses on producing language through its interaction with previous data, which means that it can almost seamlessly answer questions, create content, and, as we’ll explore in this article, even help with digital marketing. Don’t worry, though—it’s unlikely that ChatGPT can replace humans in the near future. How Can ChatGPT Help With Digital Marketing? Let’s take a look at how ChatGPT is already helping businesses handle digital marketing in 2023: Social Media Content Creation We all know how difficult it can be to come up with new ways of phrasing the same marketing messages for social media posts, thinking for hours on end about catchy titles and intros to hook readers from the get-go. ChatGPT can help solve this problem by offering new phrasing with the backing of almost unlimited conversational data from its previous inputs. Instead of brainstorming new Facebook and LinkedIn posts, ChatGPT can get you started quickly on a […]

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Photo: ©NEW AFRICA – STOCK.ADOBE.COM NEW YORK — UK-based private equity firm Exponent has entered into an agreement to acquire the Flavor Specialty Ingredients (FSI) business of IFF. The transaction is valued at $220 million, and IFF will use proceeds from the sale to reduce outstanding debt. Previously operating as part of IFF’s Scent division, the FSI unit manufactured specialty natural and synthetic base aroma chemicals for flavor applications. The business generated more than $100 million in revenue over the last 12 months. “Aligned with our strategy, we’re continuously evaluating our portfolio to identify opportunities to strengthen our financial profile,” said Frank Clyburn, chief executive officer of IFF. “The sale of FSI will improve our capital structure while allowing us to focus on our core businesses to enhance growth and returns.” Included in the sale are FSI’s four manufacturing and distribution sites located in the United Kingdom, United States and China. The agreement is expected to be finalized by the end of the third fiscal quarter in 2023. The deal comes just two months after IFF entered into a sales agreement for its savory solutions group worth $900 million.

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getty From an early age, many of us are taught that "yes" is the more favorable response while "no" carries a cumbersome, negative connotation. As we get older, we’re encouraged to open ourselves up to opportunities, say yes to new experiences and step out of our comfort zone. Especially for entrepreneurs and business leaders, there’s an underlying pressure to always say yes. Perhaps you feel like declining something will result in an opportunity lost, because it helps avoid conflict or simply because you feel obligated to. But there is arguably more power in saying no. One of my earliest and biggest lessons was learning that sometimes, despite everything on paper might lead you to think you should be saying yes, your gut is still saying no. Trusting your gut is one of the most important skill sets a leader can develop. For example, my company once faced a tough decision when one of our team members had conflicting values with our agency. Despite being a valuable member of the team and performing her duties, our collective morale began to take a hit. We had to take a step back and ask ourselves, "What was the best thing for us […]

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Whether your business is a restaurant, office , or a non-profit, it may be worthwhile to find a way to secure an affordable, local way to buy essential products in bulk. Bulk shopping can save consumers money when compared to shopping at a grocery store. Until April 30, 2023, you could save 64% by getting a Sam’s Club Membership with Auto-Renew and a $20 Travel and Entertainment Promo Code , all for $24.99. A Sam’s Club membership may start saving your business money quickly. Inflated prices may make your operating costs higher than you initially projected, but a Sam’s Club membership lets you shop for office appliances, groceries, cleaning supplies, and more in bulk for higher potential savings. Sam’s Club offerings are not limited to the warehouse selection. They also have a large selection online, and you may even be able to arrange shipping directly to your business. If not, you may arrange store pickup directly, and you can sort by shipping options. Groceries and day-to-day essentials aren’t the only things that have been affected by inflation. Restaurant prices are up, and traditional catering could cost up to $40 per person. If you want to cut costs but keep […]

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getty When inflation and interest rates soar, businesses must look closely at their spending to protect their bottom line. In my many years of experience in accounts payable and automation, I have seen a recurring pattern: A significant untapped savings opportunity lies within most companies’ accounts payable processes. The scope of payment options has expanded so that we can now handle transactions faster and reduce transaction costs and both consumers and businesses are adopting digital payments. If you’ve been considering it, but haven’t yet taken the leap, here are a few ways digitizing payments could help improve your business—and how to get started. Six Ways Digital Payments Can Improve Your Business There are several ways digital payments can help improve your bottom line and make for a better customer experience. • Digital payments can help reduce fraud. Digital payments leverage several technologies to secure and encrypt transaction data and multi-factor authentication, making it more difficult for bad actors to initiate fraudulent transactions. Plus, with digital payment types like virtual credit cards , you have a one-off payment dedicated to only one vendor for only one amount, thereby helping to protect your actual credit card from being hacked. • Digitial […]

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Photo: ©FASCINADORA – STOCK.ADOBE.COM BATTLE CREEK, MICH. — Four former Whole Foods Market executives discussed the evolution of the food and beverage industry during a Feb. 15 webinar presented by Brandjectory, an online platform dedicated to connecting early-stage consumer packaged goods entrepreneurs to investors. The wide-ranging conversation touched on a variety of topics, from shifting consumer behaviors to product trends to strategic insights for brand founders. Here are four key takeaways: Taste remains king. The industry must constantly adapt to evolving consumer needs; however, “the reality is consumers buy food products and beverages because they taste good,” said Michael Schall, founder and managing director of Schall Consulting and consultant with FocalPoint, a division of B. Riley Financial, Inc. While various eating patterns have emerged in recent years, influencing product development as companies strive to retain relevance among shoppers, “taste is what will drive sales,” said Mitchell Madoff, senior vice president of private label and supply chain at Foxtrot. To that end, he said, product sampling is one of the most effective marketing approaches for new brands, noting, “You can do a lot with social media, but you’ve got to figure out a way to get it into someone’s mouth.” […]

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Feb. 21, 2023 — DENTON — Texas Woman’s College of Business took a big leap toward excellence this month, earning accreditation from AACSB International —The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), considered the world’s leading association of business schools. Less than 6% of business schools worldwide have gained the association’s accreditation , which is a highly-coveted designation that demonstrates a business college has met the most rigorous standards of excellence in business education. Texas Woman’s College of Business becomes one of 965 business schools across 60 countries and territories that have received the association’s accreditation. “AACSB accreditation recognizes institutions that have demonstrated a focus on excellence in all areas, including teaching, research, curriculum development, and student learning,” said Stephanie M. Bryant, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB. “We congratulate Texas Woman’s University and DeanRama Yelkur on earning accreditation and applaud the entire College of Business team—including the administration, faculty, staff, and students—for their roles in earning this respected honor.” “This accreditation is the gold standard for business education and achieving it is a testament to the quality and excellence of our faculty and staff and the high standards of learning we hold our students […]

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(TNS) — The city of Atlanta and its economic development authority recently unveiled a free online networking operation aimed at connecting small businesses to larger corporations and suppliers. The digital tool, called ATLinBusiness Marketplace, launched last week and allows Atlanta-based businesses to sell and market to other companies in the metro area. Mayor Andre Dickens said in a news release the online venture aims to integrate the city’s small businesses, including those owned by minorities and women, with the city’s corporate ecosystem. “ATLinBusiness Marketplace will create a more equitable business-to-business environment by connecting buyers and sellers in metro Atlanta — including minority-owned, women-owned and legacy businesses,” Dickens said. “With this program, we aim to provide resources to support our local economy, create more good-paying jobs and ensure Atlanta is a city of opportunity for all.” The marketplace launched in the middle of Black History Month and joins multiple efforts to support minority-led businesses in metro Atlanta. African Americans make up about half of the city’s population. But Black-owned businesses represent only about 20% of the city’s businesses, Invest Atlanta CEO Eloisa Klementich said. The marketplace is an extension of the city’s ATLinBusiness initiative, a business portal that helps entrepreneurs […]

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