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getty As a business development leader, you constantly seek ways to grow and scale your business. Exponential growth may seem like an elusive goal, but with the right strategies in place, it is achievable. In this article, I will break down five steps you can take to maximize your business growth. 1. Identify your target market. Knowing exactly who you are targeting is the first step toward scaling your business. This means understanding the needs, wants and pain points of your target market and tailoring your products or services to meet their specific needs. By focusing on a specific market segment, you can come to an understanding of their needs which enables you to create a value proposition that resonates with them. In the early 2000s, I founded a small boutique law firm with the aim of serving owners of medium- to large-sized businesses seeking legal services to protect their organizations. Through market research and client discussions, the firm focused on helping our clients develop a tailored value proposition that could help them navigate the legal landscape and grow their businesses. I came to recognize how important it was to identify and resonate uniquely with a target market. This […]

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getty Since I started working in HR, the way HR is viewed by the business community has changed for the better. The growth of our role as business partners means the department is less often seen as the "department of no" (that accolade is now held by security it seems). It has been exciting for me to see this transformation, but I feel businesses could still be getting more value from their HR teams, which in many places are underutilized when it comes to business growth. In a period of growth, especially after a funding round, there is often a large increase in hiring. And while HR is often responsible for those hiring processes, I have seen that many times other aspects of HR take a back seat. Increasing headcount can be made significantly harder if the company has to replace employees at the same time as it adds new ones. This also makes recruitment harder, as well as onboarding, training and team formation. In these instances, HR professionals can be tasked with the multifaceted goal of retention as much as they are charged with hiring. Here are three ways HR can enable business growth by going beyond its […]

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Craftsmen work on cast metal for the production of an art work at the Hermann Noack fine art foundry’s production site in Berlin on January 24, 2023. A January Ifo survey showed improved sentiment among German businesses. Craftsmen work on cast metal for the production of an art work at the Hermann Noack fine art foundry’s production site in Berlin on January 24, 2023. A January Ifo survey showed improved sentiment among German businesses. Tobias Schwarz | Afp | Getty Images German business sentiment improved in January, according to a widely watched survey from the Munich-based Ifo Institute — in a prospective sign that Europe’s largest economy could swerve a recession. Ifo’s Business Climate Index rose to 90.2 points from 88.6 points previously on “considerably less pessimistic expectations,” a release said. This still left the index below its 2021 and early 2022 level. Companies reported overall lower satisfaction with their current situation. This was offset by a better sentiment on trade and by signals of present satisfaction and future optimism from manufacturing firms. “The expectation was that there might be a recession in the fourth quarter of ’22 and the first quarter of ’23. Now it looks like the […]

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Rabiul Islam is a seasoned cybersecurity specialist. He is also the founder, CEO and managing director of TechForing Ltd . getty As cloud-based solutions are becoming increasingly popular, more and more organizations are adopting them. Business data is sensitive by nature, which is why protecting your business data from data breaches should be your top priority. There are a number of key points to ensure your company’s data security. In this article, we’ll discuss 10 critical cloud security key points that you should consider for your business. Each key point can help you protect your data and reduce the risk of a security breach. With the right procedures in place, you can rest assured that your data is protected and your business is running smoothly. Let’s take a look at these essential cloud security key points. 1. Identity And Access Management Identity and access management (IAM) is the core of a secure cloud environment. According to Azure, cloud customers should use identity as the primary security perimeter , managing who has what access to which resources. Role-based access control can ensure that only authorized personnel have access to critical information. IAM security measures include multifactor authentication (MFA) implementation, password […]

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The restaurant thanks customers for supporting the business for 41 years as Cliff and Jan Tappa retire. DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – Tappa’s Steakhouse announced Tuesday that the restaurant will be permanently closing on February 7th at 8 p.m. The building is for sale, according to a Facebook post, and the restaurant thanks customers for supporting the business for 41 years as Cliff and Jan Tappa retire. For more information about the closing or the steakhouse, click here. Copyright 2023 KWQC. All rights reserved.

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MADISON, Wis. – Inflation has caused the price of staples like gas and groceries to increase. That has forced many to cut leisure activities out of their budgets completely. At Midwest Clay Projects and Studios , owner Brian Kluge said he has actually been seeing the complete opposite. “A lot of people are making gifts for loved ones and a lot of the craft fairs around town,” said Kluge. (Spectrum News 1/Cody Taylor) Kluge offers lessons and studio space. Right now, his studio space is full and his kilns are overflowing. He even hinted at expanding his business. “Our membership is full. These kilns conserve this number of people, and if I got more kilns, I would want to have more people,” said Kluge. The problem that Kluge has faced is with supplies. His studio has been having trouble getting the materials they used to get. (Spectrum News 1/Cody Taylor) “We are able to make due with some locally made clays and so far we have been able to substitute different materials that we haven’t been able to get for the glazes,” said Kluge. Like other businesses, Kluge has had to adapt due to supply chain issues caused by […]

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How this tech giant is developing a more digital Africa Reuters — Microsoft (MSFT) on Wednesday said it had recovered all of its cloud services after a networking outage took down its cloud platform Azure along with services such as Teams and Outlook used by millions around the globe. Azure’s status page showed services were impacted in Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Only services in China and its platform for governments were not hit. By late morning Azure said most customers should have seen services resume after a full recovery of the Microsoft Wide Area Network (WAN). Microsoft quarterly profit falls 12% but cloud computing business shows strength An outage of Azure, which has 15 million corporate customers and over 500 million active users, according to Microsoft data, can impact multiple services and create a domino effect as almost all of the world’s largest companies use the platform. Businesses have become increasingly dependent on online platforms after the pandemic caused a shift to more employees working from home. Earlier, Microsoft said it had determined a network connectivity issue was occurring with devices across the Microsoft WAN. This impacts connectivity between clients on the internet to Azure, […]

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Edward Tuorinsky , Managing Principal of DTS, brings two decades of experience in management consulting and information technology services. getty Signs are starting to point to a recession just as businesses were hoping to emerge from the pandemic times. The economy is the latest challenge in a string of unnerving events for businesses and their leadership. How you respond now will determine where you land after this storm has passed. I’ve always found that in times of turmoil, it’s best to go back to the basics. The strategies that build a strong business foundation can carry you past any number of obstacles or roadblocks. And starting early is its own advantage; while others panic or scurry later, you’ll already have a plan. Begin with five foundational strategies: 1. Set a budget and shore up cash reserves. Creating and tracking a budget provides insight into how you’re spending your money and your cash flow throughout the year. In lean times, it’s more important than ever to have a detailed plan for the expenses you know you’ll have, from employee pay raises to insurance premiums to hardware upgrades, as well as the activities you know you need to do, like protecting […]

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Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations. Running a business may be expensive, and it can be challenging to find financing that covers the cost of operation and expansion. In addition to traditional business loans, eligible business owners can address ongoing cash-flow needs with unsecured business lines of credit. These let business owners access cash as needed without having to pledge valuable assets. However, this financing tool doesn’t make sense for every company, and it’s essential to choose a lender that best fits the business’s financial situation. Featured Partner Offers What Is an Unsecured Business Line of Credit? An unsecured business line of credit is a revolving loan that business owners can use to finance the growth, expansion or day-to-day operations of a small business. This type of financing provides access to cash up to an approved credit limit and can help cover unforeseen costs or provide working capital until more permanent funding becomes available. Because it does not require collateral, it can be an attractive option for newer businesses without sufficient assets to pledge as collateral. How Do Unsecured Business Lines of Credit Work? […]

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NEW YORK — Productsup , the leading Product-to-Consumer (P2C) software company, today launched the Business growth report , a study comparing business priorities for the year ahead with today’s consumer expectations. The report reveals a sharp contrast between what consumers want and how businesses intend to meet demand amidst the downturn and provides decision-makers with actionable takeaways on how to create a competitive advantage by straying from the norm. The report identifies four key areas where businesses should focus their attention in 2023: Product information Businesses’ concern over the quality, consistency, and accuracy of product information across global campaigns is on the rise. Sixty-two percent (62%) of businesses fear poor product information is creating negative online experiences, up 72% year-over-year. Additionally, 55% feel it could leave them vulnerable to competitors, up 49%. Considering consumers reported that knowing more detailed information about products was one of the top factors that would entice them to choose one brand or retailer over another, companies need to have full control over their product data ecosystem. Sustainable shopping Nearly half (49%) of businesses recorded increased demand for sustainable products in 2022, but 34% of consumers say brands and retailers make sustainability information too difficult […]

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