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The Seventh Power and the Age of Shared Leadership

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Kevin Hancock is an award-winning author, public speaker, and CEO of one of America’s oldest family businesses, Hancock Lumber joins Enterprise Radio. Kevin is an advocate of strengthening voices of all individuals—within a company or a community—through listening, empowerment, and shared leadership.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Kevin Hancock discuss the following:

  1. You have been CEO of Hancock Lumber for 25 years. However, it is in the past decade that you feel there has been a shift in your leadership style and thinking. Can you give us a bit of context for this shift? What sparked this change?
  2. How does mainstream view of leadership vary from the new leadership model that you have been working on?
  3. What do you see as the biggest hurdles in making the transition to this new model of leadership where power is pushed out to individuals rather than gathered toward the power center? What will be the tipping point for change?
  4. What makes the difference at Hancock Lumber, meaning what do you attribute to having been named a ‘Best Places to Work’ in Maine now for 5-years running and setting records on every major business metric?
  5. While your management teams and employees at Hancock Lumber are working to implement these leadership transformations and empowering all of your employees, you set out on a series of adventures to deepen your learning. Where did you travel, and what did you learn?

Kevin Hancock is an award-winning author, public speaker, and CEO of one of America’s oldest family businesses. Established in 1848, Hancock Lumber Company grows trees, manufactures lumber for global distribution, and operates retail stores in Maine and New Hampshire. The company, thanks to its five hundred employees, is a five-time recipient of the Best Places to Work in Maine Award. The company is also a past recipient of the Maine Family Business of the Year Award, the Governor’s Award for Business Excellence, the MITC Exporter of the Year Award, and the Pro-Sales National Dealer of the Year Award.

Kevin is a recipient of the Ed Muskie Access to Justice Award, the Habitat for Humanity Spirit of Humanity Award, the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Award, and Timber Processing magazine’s Person of the Year Award. Kevin is also a former history teacher and a lifetime youth basketball coach. He is a graduate of Lake Region High School and Bowdoin College.

Kevin lives in Casco, Maine, with Alison, his wife of twenty-eight years. Together they have two adult daughters, Abby and Sydney. Kevin has a national platform as a public speaker and business executive.

Kevin is an advocate of strengthening the voices of all individuals—within a company or a community such as Pine Ridge—through listening, empowerment, and shared leadership.

Websitehttps://kevindhancock.com

Facebookfacebook.com/kevindhancock


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Is your office space repelling clients, money and opportunities?

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Patricia Lohan, the author of the Happy, Healthy, Wealthy Home, that teaches entrepreneurs how magnetize their business for money, clients and fame through the ancient art of Feng Shui joins Enterprise Radio.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Patricia Lohan discuss the following:

  1. What is Feng Shui?
  2. Why is having a Feng Shui’d Office vital for business success ?
  3. How can people improve their office space using Feng Shui?
  4. What is the first thing you would like listeners to take action on in their offices?
  5. Do you have any other tips for prosperity that our listners might be able to implement?

Patricia Lohan is a Feng Shui Expert, Speaker and Author. She helps entrepreneurs make their home magnetic to money, luck and blessings. She shows you what they don’t teach in business school, what lies between the lines, your top secret tool for success. She is a Feng Shui expert, a healer and passionate female entrepreneur who has shaped her dream life living in Bali with her husband. Patricia has a gift at making Feng Shui simple, easy to understand and implement.

She has helped thousands of people across the globe embrace Feng Shui and create lasting changes in their businesses, homes and lives. Patricia has seen first hand the power of the mind, surroundings and inner healing, clearing and aligning everything so it works holistically. She loves entrepreneurship with 15 years of experience running and growing three successful start ups of her own.

Website: www.patricialohan.com

Social Media Links:
Facebook: facebook.com/PatriciaLohan.RestoringYouBack.ToHarmony
Dream Life & Biz Creators: facebook.com/groups/DreamLifeCreators
Twitter: @LohanPatricia
Instagram: instagram.com/lohanpatricia
Pinterest: pinterest.com/parashakti888

The views, ideas, thoughts and opinions expressed on any program are those of the persons appearing on the program and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Entrepreneur Podcast Network.


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Technology in the CPG industry

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Aidan Porter, Co-Founder & CTO at FREY that is a modern laundry detergent subscription service joins eCommerce Radio to discuss technology in the CPG industry.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Aidan Porter discuss the following:

  1. Tell me a little about yourself.
  2. Who is FREY and what do you do?
  3. How is FREY bringing tech into the CPG industry?
  4. How has social media pivoted the way companies market themselves?
  5. How do you use data to make business decisions?
  6. Where can you see technology leading industries such as this?

From top to bottom, we created FREY with you as the focus. Striving for the highest quality ingredients and minimalistic elegance, FREY brings a new element of class to laundry and clothing care, while making a positive impact on the world.

FREY formulations are created to treat your clothing better, lengthening its lifespan and helping to retain its natural color and feel.

We utilize natural, more readily-biodegradable ingredients because we know that you care about the products you choose.

We guarantee you will love FREY.  Get 20% off your first order and another 10% when you buy more than one item! If you don’t like FREY better than your current detergent, we will refund you 100%, no questions asked.

Websitehttps://livefrey.com

Social Media Link:

Tips to Becoming a Successful Product Manager

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A product manager is an important member of any business organization. After all, a brand has to offer something to its audience, and product management teams are at the forefront in this area. They handle research and development of new offers that can benefit the market and enable the business to expand into newer areas of opportunity.

For this, effective leadership is essential. Product managers will need the right qualities in order to function well in their roles as the overseers of their businesses’ product lines. No doubt, much of this is developed through training and experience.

If you think you’re on your way to a career in product management, you can follow these important tips that will help you reach success in this area.

  1. Have an eye for research

Product management is all about research — a ton of it! You will need to make time to gauge market preferences and know what people want from your line of industry. To make sure your business succeeds, there’s no room for inaccuracy, and there’s definitely no room for guessing games.

Data is important, so before thinking about creating a profitable product that your audience will buy, make sure you look at your numbers. Age, gender, and location are vital to mapping out your market. This will help you determine the type of product your business should invest in.

  1. Take competitors into account

It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, so don’t expect your competitors to be lax when it comes down to product development. If anything, you should be able to conduct competitor research to anticipate possible developments, offer something new to the market, and stay ahead of everybody else.

For this, make sure you’re keeping tabs on your competitors’ activities. You can monitor their websites and social media activity. This will provide you with ample market intelligence you can use to offer something better.

  1. Keep yourself up to speed

The field of product management is continuously evolving, due largely to technological advancements. New tools are being made available to organizations, providing greater leverage along the lines of efficiency and productivity.

One thing’s for sure, you will need to keep yourself up to speed on these latest developments. Organizations are looking for individuals who can provide them with the skills they need to push their brands forward. Flexibility is one thing that’s important in this field, so it really pays a lot to be adaptive to the changing business landscape.

  1. Be persistent

Patience and persistence are just the two ingredients you will need to make a breakthrough. If you’re starting out on this career path, it’s important to know that businesses want more than just technical knowledge in finding the right product managers. It takes a great deal of pitching and promoting yourself in order for these businesses to notice you.

For this reason, you may as well visit a Product Management Interview Blog for resources on how to make it past the application process for certain large enterprises. This should give you everything you need to know to make a successful career in product management.

Who the Hell Wants to Work for You?

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Tim Eisenhauer, President and Co-Founder of Axero that develops and markets Communifire, a social intranet and collaboration platform & the author of WHO THE HELL WANTS TO WORK FOR YOU? joins Enterprise Radio.

This episode of Enterprise Radio is working in association with the Author Channel.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Tim Eisenhauer discuss the following:

  1. You say that employee engagement is such a pervasive problem and everyone is talking about it.  How does your book aim to solve it?
  2. What are some key mistakes leaders in NOT engaging their teams? What starts the problems?
  3. What are the basic steps to get your employees engaged and working together as a unit?
  4. Communication clearly plays a big role — what are some effective ways to communicate with your people that will be clear and direct but also motivating?
  5. What do you hope leaders or business owners will learn about themselves from your book?

I’m Tim Eisenhauer, president and co-founder of Axero. My company develops and markets Communifire, a social intranet and collaboration platform. Over five million people use our software, and that number is growing.

Our customers invest in Communifire because it saves them time and frustration. That’s the technology promise. The social element adds up to something extra–employee engagement.

Employee engagement has always been a vital topic for Axero. We are a virtual company in a highly competitive market. If people aren’t psyched to work for us, we go out of business tomorrow.

I am fascinated by human behavior and ingrained biases in our thinking. If we are to achieve success, we must learn to work with the human brain, and not against it. It’s true for software development. And it’s true for employee engagement.

Websitehttps://axerosolutions.com/book


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Get the Fuzz Out: 10 Extremely Creative Direct Mail Ideas for Your Business

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Want to make your direct mail stand out from the rest and avoid the trash can? You need to check out this ultimate list of creative direct mail marketing ideas.

Don’t listen to the rumors, folks: direct mail is far from dead.

Even with the advancement of the internet, direct mail encourages anywhere from 10 to 30 times more responses than digital forms of marketing. Regardless of how far technology has come, nothing can quite compare to the power of touch.

But that doesn’t mean any old postcard will do the trick. If you really want responses, creative direct mail is a must.

That’s why we’ve created the top 10 ways to keep your mail from going into the trash.

10 Creative Direct Mail Ideas

To really grab the recipient’s attention, companies must get creative in their direct mail campaigns. Unfortunately, many businesses “make do” with a simple postcard complete with a blown up photo and some text.

But this doesn’t work. The piece has to sell itself in a way that is interesting and practically irresistible to the target audience.

It has to be creative. If it’s not, it’s going into the recycling bin.

1. Interactive Cards

Very often, marketers forget about one of the most fundamental senses humans have: touch. There’s nothing quite like a marketing ad that encourages people to touch it, move it and interact with it in order to receive a message.

These interactions form a symbolic link between the direct mail and the individual. In fact, studies find that individuals who hold merchandise are more likely to purchase it because the act of holding it encourages a psychological sense of ownership.

Perhaps it was this relationship that made Microsoft’s ad promoting Windows so effective. They embedded their envelopes in slabs of concrete and sent them to software sales staff. The accompanying hammer was used to break the concrete wall and reveal the letter inside.

Likewise, LavOnline sent fake tomatoes that individuals threw at a picture of a shirt. When the flattened tomato shrank back into its regular shape, removing itself from the shirt, the message was clear: LavOnline’s laundry service won’t leave a stain.

There are so many ideas to consider here:

  • Puzzles
  • Scratch-offs
  • Magnet-embedded messages
  • QR codes
  • Letters or cards that can be folded into a 3-D object
  • Stickers

The creative options are endless–and effective.

2. Free Gifts

Everyone loves free gifts, but the idea is to provide something that is surprising and that potential buyers will use.

Promotional advertising has the opportunity to increase brand recognition and loyalty. Keep it small enough to be held in the hand and make it something recipients will utilize often.

Freebies might seem like a waste of money, but they enhance a company’s reputation, customer loyalty and revenue if the brand name is included on the item.

Just consider 7-Eleven’s Free Slurpee Day. After giving away 4.5 million drinks, Slurpee sales increased a whopping 38%.

The more creative you are with these gifts, the better. Creative gifts that are associated with your goods or services stand out and create a lasting impression.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to make the envelope somewhat lumpy and to consider the packaging carefully. People simply can’t resist a lumpy package.

3. Folding Mailers

There’s interactive . . . and then there’s the never-ending card.

This is a simple yet effective design. With it, a new image and text appear with every fold, cycling through in an endless loop.

Not only do these designs encourage recipients to touch the mail itself, but they also allow marketing teams to utilize a broad range of messages. The curiosity about what the recipient will see next fuels them to actually engage with the mailer instead of throwing it in the trash.

Furthermore, endless folding mailers are inexpensive to create and market, making them an ideal choice for businesses.

4. Visual Effects

Fireworks make viewers “ooh” and “aah,” just like the right visual effects on letters or cards are sure to gain attention.

Coatings are especially gaining traction, as they can be used to create the illusion of anything from wood to mud spatters. This gives companies lots of wiggle room to find a coating that relays something about the product or business itself.

Effects can be used to create reflections, to distort images, to make words or pictures glow in the dark and more.

5. Pop-Ups

Even adults love pop-up picture books. If you don’t believe us, just consider the market for adult pop-up books that have sprung into the publishing world.

Pop-ups don’t have to be complicated, and their retro heritage makes them endearing and fun to practically every age. Marketers can even integrate cell phone use and QR codes to make the pop-ups more interactive and realistic.

If you want something jazzy and fun, a simple pop-up card goes a long way.

6. Audio

We can’t forget about one of our other senses: hearing.

Nothing draws attention or surprise quite like a burst of sound upon opening a mailer. But at the same time, you don’t want to annoy the viewer.

Instead, consider a more subtle approach. Sound doesn’t have to include a narrator. It could be a natural noise, like rain patters, or perhaps a well-known song.

If a narrator is used, make sure the message will resonate with the customer or that the voice is from a person the customer will recognize.

Aside from audio, even video is making its way into direct mailing campaigns. This choice is on the pricier side, but it’s a route a few companies take. It’s an easy way to stand out from the crowd.

7. Texture

It’s time to break out the fuzz and glitter. Research proves time and again that humans like certain textures.

If it’s soft or smooth, humans get a certain sort of pleasure from touching an item. Jagged and sharp items, however, have more negative responses.

Textures are so strong an element they even influence our moods. It’s why, on a bad day, we want to snuggle in bed under a soft blanket.

In the marketing world, textures offer a plethora of possibilities.

Paper can be made to feel like glass. Cloth samples can be utilized to demonstrate superior quality. Pearlescent shimmers can make your message shine.

Whatever the goal, identify the mood you want customers to have and find the texture to suit it.

8. 3-D Printing

3-D printing has opened an entirely new arena for print marketing. No longer are companies restricted to two dimensions to get their message across. Now, 3-D models can be affordably created and sent to homes.

3-D printing also allows personalization. Instead of relying on manufacturers to create large batches of the same item, businesses take it upon themselves to make whatever they see fit and vary it accordingly.

Furthermore, the blueprints for these items can be electronically sent to other businesses in the network, cutting delivery costs. And now, businesses can even print their own mailing labels using services like the one offered at this company.

Sure, dimensional mailers are a tad costly. However, studies demonstrate they have a higher response rate than traditional mail. In fact, responses are around 8.5%.

Simply put, people open them and they won’t soon forget about it.

9. Hidden Messages

Everyone loves a good mystery, and if you utilize this in marketing, you’re bound to get more attention.

Instead of giving your message outright, leave it up to the recipients to “decode” it using your directions.

Perhaps the mailer needs to be put together a certain way for the message to become clear. Maybe it has to be held under a certain light. Whatever it is, this provides a fun and entertaining way to share your message.

Just make sure the final outcome (the message) actually pays off.

A great example occurred in 2009 when Advertising Agency Duval Guillaume in Belgium sent out direct mailers to market World Water Day. The blue card had a simple instruction at the top informing the recipient to hold it under water. Only when it was held beneath water could the message be read.

10. Smells

What’s that delicious smell? No, it’s not cookies in the oven. It’s a scent attached to the card you just got in the mail.

Humans can sniff out at least one trillion different scents, and yet this is one of the five senses that is vastly underrated. It shouldn’t be.

Smells stick with us. We remember 65% of scents after one year whereas we retain only 50% of visuals after a few months. Even more importantly, 75% of our emotions are triggered by smells.

There is even a museum in England that pumps scents into the building so visitors know what it would have smelled like in the Viking days.

If you want to stand out, consider fraternizing with your customers’ noses.

Dive into the Business World

Mailers and direct marketing campaigns are far from over. Although digital media has made quite a splash in business, the traditional use of paper and the US Postal System are still alive and thriving.

However, for direct marketing tactics to work, entrepreneurs must know how to grab attention and make their message relevant. That’s why creative direct mail is a must.

Then again, every marketing team needs the right tools. Whether you’re going the digital route or using traditional media, check out our list of the top seven affordable marketing tools.

It’s time to wow some customers.

Your business will only be as big as you are!

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Samantha Brown, the CEO of JACK, Australia’s leading Personal Development Education Company who curate events joins Enterprise Radio. JACK is designed for you to play a bigger game. Achieve more. Do more. Be more.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Samantha Brown discuss the following:

  1. What is one of the greatest pieces of advice you’ve applied to growing yourself and growing your business?
  2. What are the mandatory pieces of the puzzle required for someone to actually expand their potential?
  3. Was there a time in your life that might have been a bit of a catalyst for you, to expand into the next stage or phase of your self and your business?
  4. You manage one of the worlds foremost Personal Development educators, Dr. John Demartini, What are some of the greatest lessons your community have learnt from him?
  5. While we’re all striving to be the best version of ourselves, what do we do when we have a knock back or a set back —WHAT amount of personal development can motivate us?

JACK is a community, a hub and a platform that empowers personal growth. Through events, programs, consultancy and online content, Jack gives people the knowledge to help grow their business, their relationships and themselves.

For the past 12 years, Jack CEO, Samantha Brown has been partnering with the world’s leading minds in the field of personal development. Working closely with her carefully selected team, Sam has run life-changing events that have been the catalyst for exponential growth for tens of thousands of people across the country.

Jack is constantly evolving, which means that we are focused on delivering the best content in an accessible way. Our audience is empowered through exclusive access to:

  • A digital resource that provides people with ongoing and up-to-the-minute tools and training, delivered on a variety of platforms
  • A website that showcases all upcoming events and webinars
  • A community of like-minded people who inspire each other and challenge each other to grow personally and professionally
  • Print publications
  • Live events that range from two-hour workshops to multi-speaker events and retreats.

Websiteswww.jackgrows.com | www.jacklearns.com

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JACK.GrowBeyond
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackgrowbeyond


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Brenda Langstraat, CEO of Chicago’s Working in the Schools (WITS)

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Brenda Langstraat, CEO of WITS, a literacy program that supports students in Chicago Public Schools joins Enterprise Radio.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Brenda Langstraat discuss the following:

  1. How did WITS get its start in Chicago?
  2. What is WITS’ overarching mission? How do the current programs support this mission?
  3. How does WITS collaborate with Chicago Public Schools and their existing curriculums?
  4. How can people support WITS? (Either through fundraising or through your volunteer program)
  5. Can you tell us more about The Blackboard Affair in November?

Summary: WITS serves over 10,000 students across 80+ schools in the Chicagoland area, and 100% of what we do is made possible through private fundraising. With zero funding coming from public school or city budgets, things like The Blackboard Affair make it possible for us to continue the great work that we’re doing.


Brenda Langstraat is the CEO of Working in the Schools (WITS). WITS is the largest literacy organization that partners with Chicago Public Schools (CPS). WITS provides holistic literacy support for students in Chicago Public Schools by creating positive and collaborative communities of teachers, volunteers, principals, and investors. WITS serves more than 10,000 students in 80 elementary schools through programs that provide professional development for teachers and engage volunteers with students in 1:1 literacy mentorship.

Brenda joined WITS in 2012, her life-long love of reading and MA in literary criticism driving her passion to advance students toward reading proficiency. From 2012 to 2013, WITS experienced revenue growth of more than 50%, giving the organization the capacity to expand school-year and summer programs and to support students impacted by school closures.

In January 2015 Boundless Readers, a leading literacy organization focused on teacher professional development, merged into WITS. Around the time of the merge, WITS moved its offices to the Chicago Literacy Alliance’s shared office space, the Literacenter. 

Brenda joined WITS after serving as Executive Director of Parkways Foundation for seven years and as a development professional at the Chicago Humanities Festival for five years. Brenda serves on Chicago Literacy Alliance Board of Directors, on the Forefront Mission Sustainability Oversight Committee and the Mentor Illinois Leadership Council.   

Websitehttp://witschicago.org

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/witschicago
Twitter: https://twitter.com/witschicago
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/witschicago


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Do you pay attention to politics? Because politics pays attention to you!

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Brian Trascher a best-selling author, a keynote speaker, and a governmental relations expert who is using his experience to help empower people on how to get involved in the public policy process joins Enterprise Radio.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Brian Trascher discuss the following:

  1. The title of your book is “Laws and Sausage”, how did you come up with that title?
  2. What type of organizations do you speak to, and who is your target audience?
  3. Given the current toxic political climate, does that make people more or less likely to seek out your expertise?
  4. What advice can you give people on how to effectively communicate with their elected representatives?
  5. You say in your book that public protesters are just wasting their time, what do you mean by that?
  6. What is a tip you give people on ice breakers and how to start a meeting with an elected official?

Brian S. Trascher is a New Orleans businessman who has helped to bridge the divide that often exists between business and politics. As a Senior Partner at Gulf South Strategies, a local governmental relations and business development firm, Brian has worked to give both access and a voice in local and state government to a diverse roster of clients that spans everything from local non-profit organizations to multi-billion dollar corporations on the Fortune 500 list. Gulf South Strategies is also the firm largely credited as the political force that paved the way for Uber Technologies’ recent entrance into the Louisiana market.

As the Principal of Laws and Sausage, LLC, Brian S. Trascher delivers keynote speeches about the public policy process to corporations and trade organizations. Brian also offers corporate consulting and training through the Laws and Sausage Citizen Advocacy Workshop. In 2017, Brian published “Laws and Sausage: You Never Want To See Either One Get Made!” The book is now available on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle

Brian S. Trascher is also the Principal at CCS Business Services, a small business consulting firm that helps entrepreneurs get their projects off the ground. CCS also specializes in mergers and acquisitions of existing small businesses, providing turnaround services as well as marketing and structuring for resale consulting services. Trascher’s portfolio of companies include local brands in the car wash and food service industries, as well as international franchise brands like Planet Beach Automated Spas.

Brian S. Trascher is a Board Member of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, Past-President of the Third District Kiwanis Club of New Orleans, and a Parishioner and Lector at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in New Orleans. Brian also serves on the board of the Louisiana Living History Foundation, the entity which coordinated the Bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans.

Brian S. Trascher is a 1993 graduate of Brother Martin High School, a 1997 graduate of Louisiana State University, and a 2007 Fellow of the Loyola University Institute of Politics.

Websitewww.briantrascher.com/video

Social Media Links:
Facebook: facebook.com/briantrascher
Twitter: @Btrascher


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5 Ways A Business Can Benefit From Virtual Offices

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Drive in your car on any major freeway during rush hour in the United States, and it easy to understand why the virtual office has transformed the modern office. Originally, an offshoot of the remote-working platform, the virtual office has saved commuters countless miles and money in terms of mileage and gas. However, the virtual office has done more than save our time and environment. It provides basic apps in the online format.

Instant messaging and sending emails back forth made it awkward to work, but the virtual office made working in the online format effortless and simple. Moving out of antiquated office tools, today’s virtual office has created a landscape that is limitless and provides your business with a way to transition into other formats if necessary. Take a look at Servcorp Virtual Office America to learn how this office format can be leveraged to help your business by clicking onto the following link www.servcorp.com/en/virtual-offices/.

Keep reading to learn about all the ways that businesses can benefit from the virtual office platform.

Online Bookkeeping Apps And Software

The online platform has been made so much more accessible through the use of accounting and bookkeeping software. Much of the software can reduce the amount of time you spend with administrative tasks. Tasks related to tracking sales, generating invoices, paying bills, and an assortment of tasks can be automated.

Furthermore, some of the more advanced software allows you to sync your credit and bank account information. As opposed to storing all of this information in onsite file cabinets, your business can move unsightly file cabinets to an online format, which is much safer. Your virtual office can pretty much run itself these days with the right software.

Building Teams

Another way that the virtual office can be used to make the managing of your business run smoother is with team building. Creating teams in the online platform can happen at any one of the social media sites, or you can build a website that creates opportunities for others to contribute to conversations about new ideas or projects they are working on alone. Finally, the virtual office, through file sharing and other current communication, can pretty much be used to complete whole projects online.

Hiring Top Talent

The business of hiring qualified candidates has just been made easier. Hiring contractors has reduced the cost related to bringing others on board, but more importantly, it is the timeliness that has allowed business to make new hires in the professional marketplace that has been established online. Moreover, the online platform has made it possible for businesses to hire top talent from around the globe, which virtually eliminates geographical limitations to hiring qualified people.

Marketing Researching

Many of the tools that are used today are online research tools that allow business to complete a number of tasks. In addition to gathering data that can be used to predict behaviour, your online platform allows you to do much research on any topic or industry. Not only can you find information related to potential markets, but you can also figure out whether a particular industry is going to be lucrative in terms of your target demographic.

Maximising Public Relations      

Through social media and other popular platforms, you can essentially build your brand. You can create a recognisable logo, and create the momentum that gets brand recognition. A lot of what goes into making a product successful is connecting that product to its potential public, and to do that, you can begin the relationship online or in real space.

Virtual Office Efficiency

The virtual office has made much of modern office work so much more efficiently. At the same time, it has allowed businesses to tap into larger markets and not just in the United States but from around the world. Your business can only benefit from a platform that is a blank slate with limitless space and many opportunities to showcase your expertise.

6 Powerful Tactics for Promoting Your Business on a Budget

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If you have a tight marketing budget, you might feel like it is an impossible feat to reach your target audience. Yet it doesn’t need to be, as there are many affordable and unique methods when it comes to branding your business and reaching out to your audience. Read about the six powerful tactics for promoting your business on a budget.

  1. Connect with Followers on Social Media Networks

As 56% of adults use more than one social media platform, you must develop a presence on the various popular channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Twitter. It is a free online platform that allows you to connect with your demographic. However, your success online will be determined by your commitment to developing a solid social media strategy. Instead of attempting to master every network in one quick swoop, you should focus your time and attention on learning about a few select channels. Once your business starts to generate a good ROI, you should then invest in sponsored social media posts.

  1. Publish Valuable Content

Both Google and potential customers love great content. It can therefore be an effective and free way to market your business and increase your brand awareness. The more high-quality blogs, videos, infographics, and podcasts you produce, the more people with engage with your content and the higher it will appear in Google.

  1. Invest in Custom Decals

Impress pedestrians and drivers with car advertising decals, which can provide your business with a fantastic return, as they can increase your brand awareness, provide information on your business, and can encourage customers to contact your company. High-quality decals can also last for a long time, so your business will benefit from the professional decals each time a company vehicle hits the road for many years to come.

  1. Host a Giveaway or Contest

Giveaways and contests have the ability to go viral, as many people will happily engage with your social media posts to win a free prize. For example, you could provide your followers with a free item in exchange for sharing your post, submitting a contest entry, or writing a comment. The good news is, you do not need to provide an expensive product, as your audience might happily enter a contest or giveaway for an online eBook, notebook, or another affordable item.

  1. Partner with Complementary Businesses

Marketing your business doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg. If you want to boost brand recognition and increase sales, you should aim to partner with other complementary businesses; for example, they should share your company values and target a similar demographic. You can then embark on cross-promotion advertising, or you could refer each other’s companies to customers for a mutually-beneficial relationship.

  1. Increase Brand Recognition by Gaining Free Publicity

Increase brand exposure by finding ways to gain free press attention. For instance, you could do something beneficial for the community to encourage media coverage. You could also embark on a publicity stunt to help you appear in news articles online, newspapers or magazines. You could also find interview opportunities for TV, print or radio, so you can become an industry thought leader.

Interview with Glen Wakeman Explores the Idea Behind LaunchPad Holdings

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Glen Wakeman the co-founder and CEO of LaunchPad Holdings, LLC, a SAAS firm that enables early-stage entrepreneurs to increase their success rates by providing online business planning services joins Enterprise Radio.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Glen Wakeman discuss the following:

  1. How important are setbacks to your entrepreneurial journey?
  2. What are some of the key things you’ve learned working around the world?
  3. What do start-ups have in common with established businesses?
  4. How do start-ups differ from established businesses?
  5. What advice would you offer to budding entrepreneurs?
  6. What do you mean by “risk management”?

Glen Wakeman is the co-founder and CEO of LaunchPad Holdings, LLC, a SAAS firm that enables early-stage entrepreneurs to increase their success rates by providing an online business planning services.

Passionate about growth, innovation and executive development, Glen mentors several C-level executives and holds advisory positions in numerous start-up companies. He blogs frequently about business transformations, global affairs, emerging markets, and leadership skills. He also gives advice on business strategies, angel financing, and raising capital.

Educated at The University of Chicago, Glen Wakeman has lived in six countries and worked in 32 during his 20-year career with a previous company. He has led and transformed businesses with close to 20 thousand employees and $15bn in assets. His endeavours have included start-ups, divestitures, mergers and acquisitions, integrations, downsizing, new market entries, and exponential growth.

Websitesglenwakeman.com | LaunchpadHoldings.com

Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/glenwakeman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glen.wakeman


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Unleash Different: Achieving Business Success Through Disability

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Rich Donovan, the Founder of the Return on Disability Index and author of the new book Unleash Different: Achieving Business Success Through Disability joins Enterprise Radio.

This episode of Enterprise Radio is working in association with the Author Channel.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Rich Donovan discuss the following:

  1. You state that today’s largest economic opportunity is disability.  Can you give a few reasons why?
  2. What are some common misconceptions about the disability market?
  3. You’ve worked with leading companies like Pepsi, Google and Walgreens on hiring disabled workers with great success.  How can smaller companies also employ disabled workers successfully?
  4. In the book you provide some examples of how companies market – or should market — to disabled customers.  What are some ideas for reaching that market even if your product or service is not specifically for disabled people?
  5. You speak about how you can actually build a better company by focusing on nontraditional markets.  What are some of the benefits?

Rich Donovan is the author of Unleash Different and is Founder/CEO of The Return on Disability Group and is an expert on the convergence of disability and corporate profitability. He has been named one of the Top 50 Most Influential People with Disabilities in the world.

Rich holds an MBA from Columbia Business School. Rich lives in Toronto, and is an avid sailor and proud parent of his son, Maverick, along with his wife, Jenn. Rich also happens to have cerebral palsy.

Websitewww.unleashdifferent.com


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The HoistCam Solution: Visualizing Safety

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Christopher G. Machut, the Founder and Chief Technology Officer for Netarus, LLC, a Norfolk, Virginia-based company joins Enterprise Radio. Netarus manufactures and sells industrial-grade video monitoring solutions which improve employee productivity and workplace safety in the construction, industrial, marine and transportation industries.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Christopher G. Machut discuss the following:

  1. For the benefit of our listeners, please tell us what Netarus does?
  2. Regarding your HoistCam series of crane cameras, how do these products improve construction safety?
  3. A recent column in Insurance Thought Leadership cited Netarus’s effort to increase safety. Why is it important for the insurance industry to encourage the use of HoistCam?
  4. Briefly explain some of the key advantages of HoistCam.
  5. Finally, what events (past or upcoming) or issues involving Netarus would you like our listeners to know?

Christopher G. Machut is the Founder and Chief Technology Officer for Netarus, LLC, a Norfolk, Virginia-based company. Netarus manufactures and sells industrial-grade video monitoring solutions which improve employee productivity and workplace safety in the construction, industrial, marine and transportation industries.

Its HoistCam product range is a rapidly deployable wireless camera system, placing the eyes of the crane operator anywhere on the job. The HoistCam platform suite provides optional remote monitoring, recording and management analytics reporting to operators and site supervisors. HoistCam Director enables centralized monitoring for the job site via HoistCam, other cameras and even drones.

Chris is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a Bachelors Degree in Computer Engineering and is an experienced entrepreneur. He is responsible for researching, launching, and expanding two successful computer-based business companies.


Websites: netarus.com | hoistcam.com

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HoistCam
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hoistcam


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Best Exercises for At-Home Workouts

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Whether you have a gym membership or not, knowing what exercises to do for an at-home workout is always a great idea. At-home workouts can be perfect if you want to save some money and not have a gym membership, if you have a small child and want to utilize being at home or if you simply feel more comfortable working out in the comfort of your own home. Regardless of your reason, having a to-go at home workout is always a great idea. To have that it’s important to know some great exercises. We wanted to compile a list of great and basic at-home exercises. You can then take your favorite ones and do a small circuit at home and utilize them. Remember, there are lots more that can be found online or at https://fitnessachievement.com. Good luck!

Press-up

To do this exercise, you will either sit or stand up. You will have your hands shoulder-width apart and your back flat. Have your hands just above your shoulders with the palms up. You can grab weights as light or heavy as you feel appropriate. Make sure that you do not overdo it at the beginning. You will then press up in a straight line. Once your arms come back down above your shoulders that is one rep. This exercise works your shoulders.

Squat

You can do this simply with your bodyweight or you can put dumbbells in each hand. Have your feet shoulder width apart and keep your head back and straight up. Sit back into the squat keeping your knees over your toes. If you have dumbbells in your hand, squat down until they are about one inch from the ground. Make sure that you focus on keeping your chest out too. Don’t arch your back or lean forward when you drop. Squats are a great all-around exercise. They primarily build your lower body muscles.

Step-up

This is another exercise that can be done with dumbbells or simply with body weight. The height you are stepping up to will also vary depending on what you have available and what your fitness level is. Place one of your feet onto a bunch and push through your heel as you lift your entire body up. Step down with your opposite foot and that counts as one rep. Make sure that you do the same number of reps on your right side as your left so that you stay symmetrical. If you are doing this exercise with weights, simply hold the dumbbells in your hands and dangle them on either side of you. This exercise is once again great for working your lower body. If you are new to working out, have a step-up box that is quite low to the ground. As you become more advanced, that box can end up being as high as a 90-degree angle when your leg is on it.

Plank

One exercise that works your entire core is the plank. Get into your knees and instead of getting into a push-up position, have your elbow on the ground and balance your body by having your arms on the ground. Press your body up and hold it there without your hips sagging. You can utilize this exercise for as long or short as you can. Although crunches are great, the plank will utilize your entire core meaning that it works your abs as well as your lower back muscles.

Floor Press

Lie down on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend at the elbow and have your arms in the air. Press from when your elbows touch the ground until your arms are at a full lockout. This exercise is similar to the bench press and works the same muscles, but you don’t have to have as much equipment.

Bench Dips

Sit on a bench and then slowly take your hips off it and place them in front of the bench so you have all of your weights on your arms. Slowly lower your arms until they reach 90-degrees. Using your triceps, lift yourself back to the starting position. You can do this with a bench, but you can also use a chair, the stairs or a table. This works your arms, chest, and shoulders.

Crunch

When people think of working their abs they are normally thinking of doing a traditional crunch. One of the reasons why this is so popular is because you can do it anywhere – including your own home! That is why we included the crunch on our at-home exercises. You will lay flat on your back with your knees in the air at a 90-degree angle. You will place your hands by your head (try not to use them as extra momentum) and raise your body off the floor a few inches. When you are at the highest peak you can hold that position two seconds to get an extra abdominal blast. You will then return to the starting position of being on your back. This is considered one rep. Remember to try and go slow and controlled. You will get a better workout if you focus on quality rather than quantity.

Lunges

There are a few different ways to do the lunge. The best way at home is to utilize the lunge in the same place. Start by standing in place with your feet together. Place one foot in front and slowly bend your body by squatting down. You will go directly down. Make sure that your lead foot is not going past your toe. Go back to the starting position with your two feet together and that is one rep. Make sure that you do the same on the other side too so that you say equal. This exercise will use your entire lower body. For a more intense workout, add weights in either hand and dangle them to each side of you.

Jump rope

A jump rope is a great purchase to get your cardio in. If it’s raining out, the jump rope is an inexpensive purchase so that you still are exercising on a regular basis. It’s not just for kids! You can do it as a warm-up, in between exercises to keep your heart rate up or you can do it for a few minutes as a cardio activity. If you are scared you will get whipped too many times, you can always have a pretend jumping rope in your hand and still go through the motions.

If you are unsure of how heavy weights to buy and don’t want to buy the wrong ones, you can also fill up water bottles and use them. If these are way too light, you know you will have to go a little heavier. If they are a good weight but having a dumbbell in your hand would be easier, simply head to a store like Walmart or Dicks and purchase a few dumbbells.

There are so many different exercises to do to work your entire body from the comfort of your own home. You can also purchase a band so add resistance to. If you travel a lot, this is a great way to still get a workout in at your hotel. For more tips on exercises at-home, contact us today!


What Is Medical Billing And Coding And Why Is It Necessary?

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With our population ever increasing, the demands for health care keep growing, which has made the healthcare industry to keep up in order to meet the rising needs. In order to keep track of all the data and paperwork involved, the healthcare sector came up with a system that helps them keep such information flowing efficiently between the medical service providers and the insurance providers. The terms medical billing and medical coding have mutual ties as they are both very important in the reimbursement cycle. This goes both ways, to the health care provider and to the patient. To better define medical billing and coding, it’s best to break the phrase into two easily ingestible terms. So what exactly is medical billing and coding, and why is it essential?

What Is Medical Coding?

Medical coding involves a process more or less like a translation. Most of every medical procedure, diagnosis, and injury has a corresponding code to it. It’s the work of a medical coder to assign a standard code to the medical classification system. Such medical codes are used to summarise the final medical services and reports.

Medical codes come with their own set of rules and guidelines, which is in accordance with either the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) or the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT). After a patient visit to the doctor’s office, it’s the coder’s mandate to translate the relevant information in regards to the patient’s report, from the symptoms, tests, diagnosis, and medication. The codes are then entered into a software program which is then used to bill.

What Is Medical Billing?

Medical billing is the information gathered, in codes, from the medical coder in making the bill for the insurance companies, which is also known as a claim. It involves the medical biller analyzing the codes, looking at the doctor’s diagnosis, and scrutinizing the prescriptions, to create a claim form.

It’s the duty of the medical biller to relay such information to the relevant insurance company for evaluation. The insurance company will then, after evaluation, return it to the medical biller who then calculates how much the patient owes after the insurance is deducted.

Why Is Medical Billing And Coding Necessary?

These are the most important components in any medical environment. When these two components are handled with accuracy, it ensures safe, rapid, and efficient operations. Below are some of the reasons why medical billing and coding are necessary.

  1. Regulates Contract Compliance

The medical practitioner’s contracts are bound by the insurance companies. These contracts spell the right rates for various medical procedures and treatments. Adhering to an accurate coding and billing system ensures that all the medical practices are in contract compliant.

  1. Ensures the Proper Flow of Payments

The medical billing system ensures the smooth operations of the revenue cycle in a medical environment. For there to be an improvement in terms of service delivery, the collection of revenue needs to be efficiently handled throughout the practice.

  1. Helps Take Care of the Patients

Proper medical coding ensures that the insurers have all the appropriate information in regards to diagnostic codes, for better reimbursements. Disease prevalence studies, demographic assessments, and treatment are as a result of accurate medical coding.

With the information above, it’s now clear that medical billing and coding are the integral components in medical practice. And as a practicing health professional, it might come to a point where you need medical billing and coding services. Thanks to the internet, all you need to do is type the phrase medical billing services near me and you’ll have lots of options to choose from depending on your area or level of practice. These services make things easier for you and your patients, as well as the involved insurance companies and other parties.

How to Do a 1031 Exchange: 5 Things to Do First

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A 1031 exchange can help real estate investors defer capital gains taxes. But you need to know how to do a 1031 exchange. Here are 5 things to do first.

In a world of increasingly high taxes, a 1031 exchange can feel like a gift from the heavens. The exchange, named after a section of the IRS regulations, allows savvy investors to defer, or even completely avoid capital gains tax altogether.

The 1031 is essentially an investment property exchange. This means that you can avoid capital gains tax by re-investing the revenue into a similar property. The process of undergoing a 1031 exchange investment isn’t for beginners, as there are a lot of rules and stipulations.

Here’s what you need to know about how to do a 1031 exchange.

How to Do a 1031 Exchange: Find Out if You Qualify

You can’t just class any property exchange as a 1031 investment. You need to make sure the assets in question fit the strict rules laid out by the IRS. Most importantly, the properties involved in a 1031 real estate exchange must be “like-kind”. This means the property you are selling and the property you are placing the sales revenue in must be similar.

They must be for business or investment purposes, and not your primary residence. These can include offices, malls, land, and industrial buildings.

Know Your Time Restrictions

You will only have a limited window of time in which to complete a 1031 exchange real estate. According to IRS rules, you will have 45 days, including weekends and holidays, from the sale of the property to either close on or identify a replacement property. This is non-negotiable.

Similarly, once a replacement property is found, you will have 180 days exactly to close on that sale and assume ownership of the property.

Choose the Right Value Replacement Property

If the value of your replacement property is any less than the value of the one you have sold, you will be liable for taxation. The 1031 rules stipulate that the replacement property must have greater or equal value to the one you are selling.

Fortunately, any other costs associated with acquiring the replacement property can be added to the “value”. These include realtor fees, inspections and broker costs.

Find an Intermediary

1031 investments should always be conducted with the assistance and oversight of a qualified intermediary. This will be a financial professional who will be able to act as a mediator between you, the IRS, and the entities involving in the acquisition of the replacement property.

They will be qualified according to IRS definitions, and will likely work with a bank in your area.

Consult the Experts

1031 exchanges are simply not for rookie investors. While they are highly effective, they can only be so when done correctly. Entire industries have developed to deal solely with the bureaucratic minefield that is the 1031.

The regulations for 1031 exchanges may also differ depending on what state you’re in, and what your other income sources are. Always speak to a professional financial advisor well before approaching an exchange of this nature.

Learn More

You can learn more about how to do a 1031 exchange, or any other methods to maximize your investment returns, by listening to our podcast. You’ll be able to master the rules of finance, wherever you are in the world.

4 Tips to Easily Make Money with Facebook

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Facebook is undoubtedly one of the biggest social media sites in the world with more than a billion active users. Most people use Facebook as a simple social media site for interacting with their friends however Facebook can be used for far much more. Facebook can be used to make money from the fact it has very many users and also has global reach. There are so many ways that one can make money on Facebook and here are some of those ways.

  1. Sell your own product or service

This is the basic way that you can use Facebook as an advertising portal. This means that you can create a page where you can use to advertise your product. You can basically sell anything on Facebook be it a product or a service. You can have customized products like mugs, t-shirts or even shoes which you can advertise and sell on Facebook. You can also use Facebook to market your service business which in turn can help you make money by driving traffic to your business.

  1.    Drive traffic to websites

This is another popular way which one can make money on Facebook.  There are very many websites which pay people to drive traffic to their website. There are also companies like Sensei Funnel which drive traffic to websites.  This is through sharing of links of Facebook where people are then directed to this websites. Businesses have understood the impact that social media has in driving traffic to their website and they are always ready to pay people who can drive adequate traffic to their website.

  1. Be a social media manager

This is another popular way that most people are making money on Facebook. If someone is a social media savvy then one can be hired by a corporate to manage a company Facebook page. Even though one may still manage other social media sites Facebook is the major site that one will manage. Corporate and other major companies are actually paying people to schedule their Facebook post, interact with their social media fans, building social media size and creating social media ads. A social media manager job is a well-paying job as one handle a company whole social media aspect which is crucial to the success of the business.

  1. Social Media Influencer

Another very crucial way that one can make money on Facebook is by being an influencer. There are companies who pay top dollar to those who can influence their fans to purchase their product. An influencer is someone who has a huge social media impact and a huge Facebook following where they are able to influence the customer purchasing decision. This is more like advertising where once company determines that if the customer decision comes directly from the influencer then they are paid for that. There are very many social media influencers in forms of individuals and companies who are earning a lot of money from influencing people purchase decision.

Can You Hear Me Now? A Small Business Guide to Finding the Best Office Phone System

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What is the best small business phone system out there? We consider the options, looking for the most practical and operational. No frills, just performance.

Effective communication is vital in any business.

In an era where everything has an app, is a traditional small business phone system necessary? If yes, how?

Communicating with clients and customers requires the best small business phone system. Based on the needs of your business, there are various options for buying and setting up a telephone system.

Overall, relying solely on mobile phone packages might not be the best strategy for your business. A well-run, professional business needs some features like voicemail or automated receptionist to present a strong business image and connect clients/customers with whomever they’re trying to reach.

Thankfully, there various kinds of office phone systems that are effective for all types of businesses, such as those operating mainly in one location and those with many employees in the field.

If you’re looking for a small business phone system, it pays to take your time doing some research. Read on so you can find the best phone system for your business.

Office Phone Systems for Small Business: Your Options

To pick the best phone system for small business, you need to first understand the various business phone options available to you. In this section, we’ll look at the three main options: PBX, virtual VoIP systems, and IP PBX.

These options have subdivisions, like the variation between onsite and cloud-based VoIP systems, or between browser-based and app-based virtual systems.

But to keep things simple and help you pick the right small business phone system, let’s look at these options:

PBX

PBX phone systems use phone lines. Your business communicates through traditional telephones and your office hosts and maintains the PBX communications server.

PBX technology has been used for ages, and its stability compensates for its bulkiness and lack of flexibility.

Virtual VoIP Phone System

Virtual VoIP systems work without any hardware. You make and receive calls directly on your computer, or via your browser, or provider’s app.

A virtual VoIP phone system is a softphone, meaning that there’s no need for SIP or traditional phones. Your service provider hosts and maintains the servers handling both your inbound and outbound calls.

The only tool you need on your side is a reliable internet connection to handle your call volume.

IP PBX

IP PBX phone systems handle communications through the internet instead of the traditional telephone lines. This is known as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP). You or your service provider hosts the communications server.

Your staff will use hard phones with SIP to place calls. While IP PBX phone system systems are becoming more established, they still depend on a reliable internet connection to work.

What to Consider When Picking the Best Small Business Phone System

Here are some things to consider when looking for a small business phone system:

Existing Infrastructure

Want to upgrade your current system? Starting a new business from scratch? These are vital questions to think about.

For example, choosing a pbx system might not be feasible if you already don’t have the infrastructure, as digital has generally replaced analog.

IP PBX phone systems are fairly easier to set up but you still will need to buy equipment and sort out licensing, which may take too long for your liking.

Pick a system with the most seamless transition. This may mean choosing a virtual installation if you’re starting out. Then again, if you’re already equipped with landlines and hard phones, you may not want to swap these resources for a virtual system.

Call Volume

If you consistently handle a large volume of calls (both outbound and inbound), it might be wise to go for a strong analog connection. You can also have a digital option in case there are infrastructural problems.

If you have a very large team, an analog system would take quite some time to set up. But if you opt for a completely virtual system, you might have a problem with reliability.

But if flexibility is a problem, owing to changing seasonal activity, then you should go for virtual.

To add and remove users to your PBX/IP PBX system, you’ll need to buy extra hardware. This might leave you with a surplus.

On the other hand, a virtual business phone system is as easy to adapt and flexible as you want it to be.

Features

Phone system features will vary depending on the kind of office phone system you choose. Most service providers vary their features depend on the kind of plan you buy.

Most office phone systems have a basic set of features, then charge for extra features, either via add-on charges or a high-tier plan.

Features include these:

  • Automated attendant
  • Call queues
  • Call monitoring
  • Conference calling
  • Extension dialing
  • Directory assistance
  • Integration with programs such as Salesforce and Outlook
  • Missed call notifications
  • Interactive voice response
  • Ring groups
  • Local or toll-free number
  • Voicemail
  • Video chat
  • Call reports
  • Call recording
  • Call forwarding/routing
  • Voicemail-to-email
  • Voicemail transcription
  • Voicemail-to-text
  • Internet faxing
  • Call transferring
  • Interoffice instant messaging

Of all the phone systems, VoIP systems are likely to have the widest variety of features compared to landline systems and go for a cheaper price.

Office Space

Work from home? Share a working space? Work on the road?

The beauty of a virtual system is that regardless of where you operate from, your business number can be forwarded to any telephone number on any phone.

If you’re not in the office often, it makes sense to get a virtual number. Each time a prospective customer calls, you won’t miss the call since you can have it forwarded to your mobile phone.

Received a voicemail? No problem. It can be sent to you via email, ensuring that you’re able to read it or listen to it at any time.

Reliability

Since third-party providers host cloud-based phone systems, you’re basically trusting a stranger to take care of your business communications. For this reason, it’s very important to also research the provider’s capability to maintain an almost perfect service.

You can begin by finding out what their data centers are like.

What redundancy measures are in each data center? Do they make sure that their data centers are in excellent condition? How many centers have they got and where are they placed?

This is vital because if there’s a disaster or something goes amiss in the entire data center or one server, you have the assurance that other centers can pick up the slack.

Support

You’ll need round-clock support if you have no IT staff. Also, consider the various ways through which you can reach support and how fast you can expect a reply.

User reviews can help you find out the most common customer complaints.

Mobility

Virtual phone systems have inbuilt mobility. But for VoIPs, there are mobile options. For instance, some service providers have cell phone apps that allow the user to make calls through the service.

Cost

When looking for the best phone system for small business, you must consider both upfront and recurrent costs.

A PBX system will have hefty upfront costs, for licensing, hardware, and installation. An IP PBX system will be less arduous, based on whether you’re in charge of the infrastructure or not.

These two options also have significant ongoing costs: equipment maintenance, software updates, and replacing outdated hardware, to mention a few. Traditional phones are cheaper than SIP phones, but they’ll need replacing more often (about every 5-7 years).

A virtual system doesn’t require upfront and maintenance costs, but instead charges a monthly subscription per user. VoIP solutions also require adequate bandwidth for all users to comfortably make and receive calls.

You should also take into account the cost of a stable internet connection for both virtual and IP PBX business phones.

Security

Choosing the wrong IT partner can have devastating security implications. But if you pick a reputable hosted service provider, they’ll be able to keep your information secure.

Hosted providers do a better job of securing customers’ data mainly because of the wealth of resources at their disposal. But if your business needs to comply with security rules that require onsite data storage, then a hosted provider may not be the right solution.

Consult a Professional

If you’re still struggling to find the best business phone system, it could be wise to talk to a professional. Maybe your business has no dedicated IT staff, so you’re struggling to understand the technicalities.

Most service providers will gladly guide you through their plan if you contact them. Or you could use a consultant for this task, to evaluate your resources and goals and find a system that takes the two into account.

The Bottom Line

As with picking anything for your small business, it’s important to understand your needs before investing in a new product.

When it comes to choosing the best small business phone system, determining your budget, how flexible your service should be, and how many users will be accommodated is a good starting point to finding the perfect solution for you.

Be sure to explore our blog for more information, inspiration, and advice on running and growing your small business successfully.

The Three Rooms Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life

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Kevin Murphy a former Wall Street managing director & Author of The Three Rooms: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life joins Enterprise Radio.

This episode of Enterprise Radio is working in association with the Author Channel.

Listen to host Eric Dye & guest Kevin Murphy discuss the following:

  1. Why this book, and why now?
  2. What is the main message, or takeaway you would like your readers to get from the book? 
  3. This kind of book doesn’t seem to fit with your background: 33 years in the corporate world. How did you end up writing a book on thoughts and consciousness? 
  4. How did you come up with the metaphor of the Three Rooms? 
  5. There is a lot of material available today that highlights the power of our thoughts. How is this book any different? 
  6. If so many people know they should live in the “present”, or in the “now”, why do so many people seem get stuck in the Past or Future Rooms?  
  7. How about when you get dragged into the Past Room, even though you don’t want to go there. How do you prevent that from happening?  

Kevin Murphy is a former Wall Street managing director for Citigroup, high school and collegiate wrestling champion, community activist, speaker, coach, and author of the book The Three Rooms. 

These experiences have given Kevin a unique and eclectic mix of understanding human nature. He noticed that our happiness and unhappiness in life is always the result of our thoughts – whether observations of the present, memories from the past, or projected fears about the future. Combining this theory with the deep personal insights he attained along his own 20+ year spiritual journey, Kevin stepped away from the corporate world to write the book The Three Rooms, in which he explains how observing which room your thoughts are in, can change your experience of life. 

The Three Rooms invites you to start the process of better monitoring your thoughts—while providing you the keys to transform your life by doing so. As Kevin notes, those thoughts merely affect our health, our wealth and our relationships.

Websitewww.thethreerooms.com

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Three-Rooms
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-murphy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevinMurphy3R
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the3rooms


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