Can a Small Business CEO Have a Vocational Degree?

I am a recent graduate of a four year University, and I will say it wasn’t exactly National Lampoon’s Animal House like I expected. Sure I went to my share of parties and football games, but I also sat in a lecture hall Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and oh yes, Friday.

can a ceo have a vocational degree

When I first went to college I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do – my major started undecided, changed to marketing, changed to PR, changed to journalism, and finally landed on English education. For me, a four year University was exactly what I needed to get my thoughts together, and the career path I ultimately choose required a four year degree.…

Continue reading →

Due Diligence for Mergers and Acquisitions – Why Include IT?

include IT in merger due diligenceAs we start to see mergers and acquisitions activity ramp up, we shift focus to the value of technology due diligence.

What do you review during due diligence? You probably look at financials, customer lists, markets and existing executives. You may even review operations, eyeing potential efficiencies, such as those gained by integrating departments like HR, accounting and IT.

Randy Myers, CFO Magazine, states “For CFO’s, valuing the synergies to be realized by eliminating overlapping or redundant systems and operations is a fundamental aspect of M&A due diligence.” But how often do you review the technology area itself?

Not planning ahead can be painful.…

Continue reading →

Leadership Assessments – Do 360 Degree Feedbacks Work?

Does 360 ° feedback really work? Some organizations decide not to use this process as a leadership assessment, while others support it. I am a fan, and I’ll share tips in this article that will help to increase the effectiveness of 360 ° feedback for you.

First of all, for those who do not know what 360 ° feedback is; it is a leadership assessment that provides feedback about a leader’s behaviors. It is one of many types of assessments that can be used to increase leadership effectiveness.

What’s different about the 360 ° feedback process is that it gathers input from people who work for, above, and side-by-side with the leader (hence, the name 360 ° feedback).…

Continue reading →

Is Your Social Media Campaign Falling on Deaf Ears?

As with any campaign your business runs, how it is received by customers goes a long way in determining whether or not it will be successful.

In the event you’ve orchestrated a social media campaign and it has fallen on deaf ears for the most part, there is a reason to focus in on as to why that’s the case.

is your social media efforts falling on deaf ears

Presumably, your company’s reasoning for using social media in the first place is more than likely at fault. Before you dump the social media campaign, ask yourself:

  • What was our goal with social media in the first place?
  • Did we put 100 percent behind the plan or was it a half-hearted effort?
…Continue reading →

How To Host An Event That Sells Your Company

Conferences can be extremely good business and hosting an attractive event with the right speakers can ensure a full house of people who are eager to part with their cash in order to hear the wisdom that is on offer.

promoting your company at a conference

While conferences can be a good money spinner on their own, it is important not to overlook the promotional possibilities that are on offer when you are hosting a conference, as the chance to have a room full of people who will have an interest in your products or services can be too good to turn down.

Of course, you don’t want to turn your event into one giant sales pitch, so how do you tread the line between offering delegates a fulfilling and worthwhile event and trying to promote your company?…

Continue reading →

How To Pick The Right Office Furniture And Why It Really Matters

choosing the right office furnitureAs a small business CEO, there is a ton to think about – finances, hiring, marketing, social media, branding, partnerships. As someone who gives advice to small business owners and entrepreneurs, I know just how much advice is out there when it comes to best practices and business plans.

However, as someone who also works in an office 40 hours a week, I also know that there is one subject that is not quite as discussed, but just as important – office furniture.

Many new CEO’s find themselves hard-pressed for time just before the opening of a new business, so office furniture is put by the wayside.…

Continue reading →

Leadership Styles – Be An Empowering Leader

“I am the type of manager who is most comfortable giving direction to my team members. I am very good in my field, and I believe that my knowledge has gotten me promoted to management positions. Therefore, I need to keep directing them since I’m the expert and highest in authority. But lately, I’m hearing more and more about empowerment to create engagement. What is it and how do I do it?”

how to be an empowering leader

This thought process is a common one for many of today’s managers. We simply do not know how to empower others. To empower is to give over power and authority to someone else; to enable others.…

Continue reading →

How To Effectively Manage Your Brand In The Digital Age

manage your brand onlineWhat can one comment on Twitter do to your brand? Surprisingly, a great deal. Social media plays a vital role in how people perceive your goods or services.

Depending on how well connected your brand is, a positive comment from someone with a strong online presence can instantly catapult your sales figures, while a negative comment can diminish your reputation.

A great way of monitoring this is to use a free app such as Tweetscan which allows you to type in search terms relating to your brand. It then produces a list of all the comments on Twitter that use that term, and updates the list every minute or so.…

Continue reading →

Four Tips For Small Businesses Using Facebook As Their Main Website

small businesses using Facebook as main websiteMore and more small businesses are setting up their Web headquarters on Facebook instead of a traditional website. This has several benefits over a typical small business website. For one, a Facebook page is free. It also provides an instant connection to potential customers in a way that standard websites don’t. You don’t need to hire a professional to design a Facebook page, and you don’t need to pay someone to optimize it for search engines.

However, if you are planning to make a Facebook page the center of your business’s online strategy, there are a few tips you need to consider.…

Continue reading →