Business for Good: Trashmitter A former Philadelphia firefighter has created an app that’s Uber for trash disposal to help landlords and small businesses keep the city clean. Now he’s ready to grow it big When Jason Centeno first got into the hospitality business after 23 years as a Philadelphia firefighter , he anticipated headaches — but not stemming from waste management. As the manager of 25 Airbnb units in the city, however, he quickly stumbled into trash problems . He often found his properties generating lots of garbage bags at inconvenient times. Without a dumpster or backyard to store them in until trash day, those bags were pest -attracting, litter -generating eyesores. At first, he would pay locals to haul trash away from his units as needed, but this piecemeal approach proved unreliable. Centeno realized he was going to need a more systematic solution. And then he realized that he must not be the only Philadelphia business owner or resident struggling with these same issues. He started brainstorming, sought out some expert advice, and before long had come up with an idea for an app: “think Uber but for trash disposal.” The Uber metaphor, while useful, doesn’t quite capture […]

Click here to view original web page at thephiladelphiacitizen.org

Pricing strategy is a critical aspect of any business, as it directly impacts customer perception, revenue and profitability. However, with so many different pricing models to choose from, it can be challenging for business owners to determine which approach is ideal for their company. From tiered and introductory pricing to subscription models and more, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to understanding the pros and cons of different pricing strategies. A panel of Forbes Business Council members offer their best advice to help business owners make an informed decision on which pricing strategy is best for their product or service. Members pictured from left to right. Photos courtesy of the individual members. 1. Focus On Experiences I would actually argue now that experiences more than pricing will determine how a product is differentiated in the market. It’s easy to rely on the price or superiority of a product, but many buyers are deciding based on their experience with your brand—whether direct experience as an existing account or indirect through peer reviews or independent research. Giving and receiving value is punctuating almost every buying decision, and experiences are how that value is measured. – Eric Miquelon , Avanade […]

Click here to view original web page at www.forbes.com

New series provides practical insights directly from experienced home service entrepreneurs and industry influencers TORONTO, Feb. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ – Jobber , the leading provider of operations management software for home service businesses, announced the availability of three new YouTube Series: "Ask a Business Mentor," "Shop Talk," and "Jobber Academy" video series with episodes already available to stream on Jobber’s YouTube channel . Each series will continue to release episodes on a bi-weekly basis during their seasons, which will consist of 8-12 episodes. Jobber’s YouTube videos have already received 65,000 views since the initial episodes were released in December 2022, demonstrating the significant demand and ongoing need for educational content in the home services industry. The new YouTube series joins a long list of free, value-first content created by Jobber that demonstrate the company’s commitment to the home service category and the professionals within it. Resources provided by Jobber include, but are not limited to: Jobber Grants , a program that recognizes home service pros who demonstrate excellence in their industries; Jobber Summit , an online event where service pros can get the expert advice they need to take their business to the next level of success; Jobber Academy […]

Click here to view original web page at www.prnewswire.com

Josh Jackson (SAIC) Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) has announced the appointment of Josh Jackson as senior vice president of the company’s Army Business Unit, responsible for leading strategy, business development and program excellence across the company’s portfolio of solutions and services delivered to a wide range of U.S. Army customers. “Josh’s passion for solving complex mission challenges for our customers, while leveraging emerging technologies in smart and unique ways, will continue to serve SAIC and our customers well,” said Bob Genter, president, Defense and Civilian Sector at SAIC.“I am confident Josh will increase the positive momentum we have seen across our Army portfolio, aligned with our strategy to grow our systems integration efforts and drive operational excellence in our IT modernization portfolio.” Since joining SAIC in 2002, Jackson has held positions of increasing responsibility while delivering a track record of growth and driving innovation for defense customers. He joined SAIC as a program manager, followed by division manager, chief engineer and operations manager before being promoted to business unit leadership within the company, where he led the Naval portfolio for the last three years. In his new role, Jackson reports to Genter. Jackson is a founding member of […]

Click here to view original web page at www.hstoday.us

John Clemons consults for Rockwell Automation and Maverick Technologies , a leading platform-independent automation solutions provider. getty Smart manufacturing brings together cutting-edge information technologies and puts them to work on the shop floor. Technologies like the industrial internet of things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), cloud computing, wireless technologies, big data and advanced analytics are all having a significant impact on manufacturing. But these technologies are just tools. What really matters is what’s being done with these tools, what impact these tools are having on the manufacturing business. In this series of articles, we’ll look at specific manufacturing business goals and the impact that smart manufacturing is having. Smart manufacturing helps accelerate business growth by increasing revenues, reducing costs and creating new and innovative ways of doing business to stay ahead of the competition. Let’s look at how smart manufacturing accelerates business growth by focusing first on products, people and assets. Speed To Market Smart manufacturing helps companies develop and introduce new products faster and easier to accelerate business growth. These could be entirely new products, or a variety of product enhancements, extensions, variations or even customizations. Smart manufacturing helps companies design and develop […]

Click here to view original web page at www.forbes.com

On Valentine’s Day in 2015, two of China’s biggest ride-hailing start-ups , one backed by the tech giant Alibaba and the other by Tencent, announced they would merge after burning through hundreds of millions of dollars in a price war. Brokering the deal, while managing the egos of combative founders and investors was Bao Fan, the rainmaker of China’s tech industry. His company, the investment bank China Renaissance, went on to advise and invest in many of China’s most successful tech companies, taking them public in Hong Kong and New York. “If you don’t know Bao Fan,” goes a saying in the industry, “you haven’t made it.” Eight years later, on Valentine’s Day last week, rumors started circulating that Mr. Bao had gone missing. His company later confirmed his disappearance in a regulatory filing. Chinese media reported that he had been summoned by the authorities to assist in an investigation of a former senior executive of his company who used to work at a state-owned financial institution. China’s tech world is watching closely what will happen to Mr. Bao, who knows or has worked with nearly every mover and shaker in the industry. He is not as well known […]

Click here to view original web page at www.nytimes.com

getty With 2023 well underway, an uncertain economic landscape is prompting business leaders to carefully assess their budgets and reduce spend wherever possible. However, many businesses today lack sufficient visibility into vendor costs, which can lead to uncontrolled spending and a host of new risks. After all, you can’t control the spend you can’t see. Spend visibility begins and ends with procurement, a function that has remained largely unchanged for nearly a decade. With renewed business mandates to reduce costs, mitigate risk and increase efficiency, outdated procurement processes won’t meet requirements. So, what’s a business leader to do? Start by evaluating current processes, identifying inefficiencies and potential blind spots, then implement the right procedures to achieve a modern, scalable procurement process. The Business Impact Of Inefficient Procurement Processes any procurement teams today are limited by a multitude of factors, from team bandwidth to legacy approval workflows and outdated communication methods. These, in turn, are slowing down the procurement process and, in some cases, encouraging employees to make purchases that are outside of the bounds of procurement altogether. My company’s recent survey of finance and accounting professionals found that a majority of businesses still rely heavily on outdated forms of […]

Click here to view original web page at www.forbes.com

FILE – This Sept. 6, 2012, file photo, shows the Amazon logo in Santa Monica, Calif. T(AP Photo/Reed … [+] Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribu Amazon Wednesday closed its $3.9 billion acquistion of One Medical, bringing the giant online retailer into the hotly competitive business of owning primary care physcian practiecs. The deal means Amazon will now provide One Medical’s “in office and 24/7 virtual care services, on-site labs, and programs for preventive care, chronic care management, common illnesses, and mental health concerns,” the companies said Wednesday. “If you fast forward 10 years from now, people are not going to believe how primary care was administered,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said. “For decades, you called your doctor, made an appointment three or four weeks out, drove 15-20 minutes to the doctor, parked your car, signed in and waited several minutes in reception, eventually were placed in an exam room, where you waited another 10-15 minutes before the doctor came in, saw you for five to ten minutes and prescribed medicine, and then you drove 20 minutes to the pharmacy to pick it up—and that’s if you […]

Click here to view original web page at www.forbes.com

Stepping into Air France’s new business cabin is like checking into a mini luxury hotel suite in the sky. With full-flat seats that lie down to nearly 6.5 feet long, a push-button sliding door for privacy, and elevated dining from French chefs who’ve helmed Michelin-starred restaurants, every detail is focused on making passengers in the 48 seats feel completely pampered. While fully enclosed seats have become a growing trend among business cabin offers, paired with the Paris-based carrier’s signature flair for style and service, the experience feels a notch above others. “With our new business cabin, we offer a new standard of comfort,” says Fabien Pelous, Air France’s senior vice president of customer experience. “The seats ensure optimal privacy for each passenger.” The first of 12 Boeing 777-300s equipped with the upgraded class took off from Paris ‘ Charles de Gaulle Airport to New York City’ s John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 20, and now runs on one of the six daily flights in each direction, the 5:30 p.m. Paris-bound flight from NYC and the 8:30 a.m. departure the opposite way. It also runs on selects routes to Rio de Janeiro and Dakar, Senegal . While the […]

Click here to view original web page at www.cntraveler.com

Courtesy iStock A new three-year strategic plan from the region’s economic development agency aims to create and retain 4,000 jobs and generate $500 million in capital investments. The Right Place Inc. announced its new strategic plan Tuesday, Feb. 21, to a group of 240 investors. The crux of the plan aims to retain and create 4,000 jobs by the end of 2025. The Right Place’s region covers eight West Michigan counties, including Kent, Ottawa, Allegan and Muskegon counties. The plan also hopes to draw $550 million in capital investments and $100 million in community development investments in the same time period. “From both internal research conducted and stakeholder conversations held, we see that greater Grand Rapids has a great deal of opportunity in the years to come,” the report reads. “While by some measures — such as gross regional product growth — pre-pandemic momentum has slowed, our region’s growth still stands above most of our fellow Michigan metros. “As we look onward to become the growth leader in the Midwest, we must continue to tackle longstanding issues impacting the overall competitiveness of the region, such as industry diversification, capacity for innovation and talent retention.” Ernst & Young and more […]

Click here to view original web page at grbj.com