Market Watch

A famous man quoted the Russian proverb, “Doveryai no Proveryai.” Translated it means trust but verify. Experience has taught me that’s a sound piece of advice for business leaders, too. I say that after dealing with countless business owners who have said “I trust my gut” when making important decisions about marketing or other strategies. What we refer to as “gut feelings” are really the instincts we develop based upon our experiences. I’m sure you’ve had the experience of meeting someone or considering a business deal and felt all sorts of alarm bells warning you something wasn’t quite right. We credit our guts because that’s where we often feel that anxiety. Much of the time, those warnings from our gut are on target. Most business owners (myself included) can recall situations in which ignoring those gut feelings led to regret. Maybe it was an interview with a candidate who had a great resume but turned out to be a lousy hire. Perhaps it was an equipment purchase that quickly generated buyer’s remorse. It could have been an estimate that came back to bite you. It’s good to pay attention to what your gut tells you, but when you ignore […]

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

Starting A Business: Tips And Strategies To Get You Going getty Starting a business can provide you with incredible experiences and opportunities, but with these come unique challenges, unlike those faced in any other profession. Running a business requires risk-taking, a willingness to learn from mistakes, the ability to adapt quickly, and the capacity to lead and motivate others. Entrepreneurs must make tough decisions, persevere when times get tough and stay focused on their objectives despite many distractions. While there can be plenty of uncertainty in starting a business, the potential rewards are worth it. Whether it be increased financial resources or meaningful work that drives success for yourself, colleagues, and customers – if you’re ready to take on the challenge of entrepreneurship, you could have an incredibly rewarding journey ahead of you. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for ways to improve what’s already established, these tips will help you get started on your journey toward success: 1. Business plan development Writing a comprehensive business plan is one of the best things you can do for your business. A thorough business plan should include an executive summary, company description, market analysis, management team overview, organizational structure, product/service […]

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

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Google, accusing the tech giant of anticompetitive behaviors that ‘severely weaken, if not destroy competition in the ad tech industry.’ A Google spokesman said the lawsuit ‘attempts to pick winners and losers.’ Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg News The latest U.S. lawsuit against Google compounds the legal issues the company faces worldwide while broadening the scope of the government’s allegations around the tech giant’s online advertising business. The suit also comes as Google faces one of the most competitive environments for its core business in recent memory, with the rise of apps such as TikTok and emerging artificial-intelligence programs fracturing the attention of internet users. Last week, Google completed its largest layoffs in company history, signaling it feels pressure to cut costs. Google is now in battle mode. It has hired high-powered lawyers, including a former litigator from the Justice Department’s antitrust division, to build a defense as it tries to protect its position in the search, mobile-software, online-video and ad-tech businesses that helped make it a $1.2 trillion company. Those four self-reinforcing pillars have helped create the world’s largest digital-ad business, bigger than that of rivals such as Meta Platforms Inc. and […]

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

Mayor Craig Greenberg believes Louisville needs a new approach to economic development. At a gathering on local business leaders held at The Olmsted on Wednesday, Greenberg said the city has too many obstacles that make it hard for companies to create good-paying, career path jobs in the community. "Right now, there is simply too many barriers and too much red tape between a good idea and a great start," Greenberg explained. "There are too many barriers between a desire to invest in our city and a grand opening. Heck, there is too much time between submitting a plan and getting a permit to act on that plan. "When you approach the city about planning, about starting a business, about growing your business, about an initiative that your nonprofit organization wants to work on, there should be no question that your city government is on your side." Greenberg shared his remarks at the first installment of Greater Louisville Inc.’s 2023 Capitol Connection series, presented by Norton Healthcare. The series connects the business community with elected officials and political leaders on key local, state and national issues. Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI), the regional chamber of commerce, also unveiled its 2023 Local […]

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

Layoffs are making headlines. What’s really going on in the job market Hong Kong/London CNN — IBM and SAP are the latest tech companies to slash thousands of jobs , as they reorganize businesses and profits come under pressure from a slowing global economy . IBM (IBM) announced the cuts Wednesday, saying they were related to the previously announced spinoff and sale of two business units. Some 3,900 positions, or 1.5% of its global workforce, are expected to go.The move will cost IBM (IBM) about $300 million this quarter, a spokesperson confirmed. SAP (SAP) , Europe’s largest software company, will lay off 2.5% of its global workforce of 112,000 , or around 2,800 employees, according to an earnings report published Thursday. The restructuring will cost between €250 million ($272 million) and €300 million ($381 million); the company’s shares were down 3.3% in Frankfurt. In a live streamed presentation to reporters, SAP CEO Christian Klein said that the restructuring was “targeted” and would allow the company to invest in the areas “where it really matters for SAP to be competitive in the future,” particularly its cloud business. The news comes as other major tech companies downsize their workforces around the […]

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

The past few years have shone a brighter light on women’s experiences at work: We’re exhausted , we’re underpaid , and we’re constantly battling for basic rights. In fact, we’re well in the depths of a “she-cession”: O ne in three women are looking to downshift their careers or leave the workforce entirely, joining the millions of women who have already exited these past few years. With a global labor shortage and a caregiving crisis continuing to strain workforces, smart leaders will invest in reversing the she-cession by making structural changes in how we work that emphasize flexibility. Failure to do so will push more women to their breaking point, and out of the workplace. But it is not women who are broken, it’s the system. And 2023 will be the year to start fixing it. There’s no question that flexibility matters. When it comes to determining job satisfaction, research by Slack’s Future Forum consortium shows that flexibility ranks second only behind compensation. This is particularly true for parents, especially working mothers. Today, 83 percent of working mums prefer a flexible location model. But, too often, the conversation about flexibility is limited to just the “number of days in […]

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

All those lunches — ranging from everything from sandwiches to sushi — that companies bought to encourage employees to hop out of their sweats and back into their suits, or at least clean khakis, will no longer be as lucrative a tax break in 2023. Most employees probably had no idea that tax rules spiced things up in the office last year and the year before that. But companies often could take advantage of a special tax deduction as they regularly bought food for the staff to encourage people to stop working remotely and swing back into the building after pandemic-related precautions unraveled much workplace activity since 2020. A tasty tax break In 2021 and 2022, companies could deduct the entire cost for many business-related meals and beverages purchased from a restaurant. The same wasn’t true if food was picked up at the supermarket, party store, vending machine, or convenience store. It had to be takeout or delivery from a restaurant or meals eaten at the restaurant. The temporary tax break was far better than the typical 50% deduction for business meals. To qualify, the IRS noted, payment or billing for the food and beverages had to take place […]

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

As the COO of a small business and a consultant for many small businesses, I have come to understand and appreciate that owners and team members must wear many hats. Marketing your business effectively often falls to the wayside when you’re focused on daily operations, and prioritizing marketing in your budget can seem daunting. In today’s digital world, marketing and public relations tools have become more accessible, and with a budget of any size, you can effectively market your business. A few tips to consider: Plan: Too many business owners only think of marketing in a reactive way vs. being proactive. This is rarely effective. Plan your marketing the way you plan any other aspect of your business, and adjust along the way. Budget: Make marketing a part of your budgeting process. Keep in mind that you control budgets when it comes to digital marketing avenues such as paid social or Google advertising. Don’t let a small budget deter you. Remember that using your own channels requires budget consideration. Small things like buying a new phone to collect better content or tapping into a platform such as Mail Chimp to communicate to an existing database require budget. Be thoughtful: […]

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

Zohaib Hassan is the founder & CEO of LeadOrigin , a growth consulting firm focused on digital marketing & data intelligence. getty Whether they’re blog posts, social media posts, podcasts or newsletters, content has never been this important for a growing business. It’s one of the most effective ways for brands to stand out from the competition and reach their audience wherever they are on the internet. The Importance Of Content Marketing Content marketing is the strategy of using valuable content to reach a target demographic for the purpose of generating leads and making sales. It is more than just the production or publication of visual or written content on digital platforms. It also involves marketing strategies that aim to attract and retain customers to boost your revenue. If you’re not using content to your advantage, you’re missing out on a lot of opportunities to grow. Benefits Of Content Marketing As technology continues to advance, content has grown to become one of the most powerful parts of an effective marketing strategy. Here are some of the benefits of content marketing: You’ll have a better chance of your audience sticking around longer. People love good content. It’s engaging and enhances […]

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

A customer looks through some clothing at Goodwill Industries of the Upstate/Midlands’ Auten’s Loft, a new upscale boutique offering discounts on name brands. Photo provided Goodwill Andrea Smith, director and CEO of Senior Action , said philanthropy can’t keep up with her clients’ needs. Two problems many nonprofits face are growing costs and more cash-strapped donors. To balance budgets and serve clients, many of them have had to adopt business and for-profit measures to stay afloat. It’s spurring a new era of philanthropy in which the old ways of simply opening the collection basket are no longer the focus — rather, nonprofits are becoming ever more entrepreneurial to meet modern challenges. Office space A painting workshop at Senior Action. Photo provided Senior Action, whose main office is at 3715 E. North St., Suite K, in Greenville, offers many services to seniors, including wellness, financial help and outreach. Still, with the Upstate’s growing senior population, the client base is growing quickly. Several years ago, the organization had outgrown its old office space but didn’t have the funding to move. It decided it was best to get into business for itself by purchasing a shopping center, the former location of a […]

Click here to view original web page at upstatebusinessjournal.com