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Zack Oates of Ovation on Building Business Connections through Digital Storytelling
Soliciting feedback from customers often seems like a daunting task. However, Zack Oates and his team at Ovation have cracked the code with a proven strategy that not only encourages guest feedback, but also establishes a personal connection for exceptional results.Zack Oates and the guest feedback platform Ovation have taken a radically different approach to hearing from customers, which stems…
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How a Night in the Jordanian Desert Taught Me a Business Lesson I’ll Never Forget
Many of the world's top business leaders swear by the benefits of traveling beyond their comfort zones. In fact, a study by Deloitte in late 2022 found that 77% of CEOs believe adaptability is more important now than ever, given today's rapidly changing global landscape. Exploring unfamiliar territories, immersing in…
Feel Like Your Business Is Destined to Stay Small? Here’s How to Unlock Explosive Growth.
When I started my business, PostcardMania, all I had was a phone, a computer, a tiny 600-square-foot cottage and my bestie Melissa (who is now president) at my side. Prior to this, I had worked odd jobs, but I was determined to follow my dream of creating a successful business.I…
Walk Into Your Next Client Meeting Armed With These 4 Principles, And Leave With a Paying Client
I had been having four cups of coffee a week with potential clients and acquiring about one out of four. The back-of-the-napkin data I was keeping showed my conversion rate from "Buying Conversation" to signing a new client was 27.59%.Then "it" happened. For almost two months, nobody bought anything –…
5 Ways Gen Z Can Be the Secret Weapon for Your Business
Gen Zers carry unique skills for promoting better ways of working and thriving in diverse work environments. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Gen Z will make up about 30% of the U.S. workforce by 2030.As career catalyzers with an appreciation for purposeful change, this generation's approach to…
Why Hyperlocal Advertising is the New Recipe for Success
In an era where consumers are skeptical of broad marketing messages, traditional national advertising campaigns are facing new challenges in reaching and resonating with their target audiences. As consumers seek recommendations from within their own communities, successful advertisers are cutting through the clutter with the power of hyperlocal targeting and…
How to Get Your Employees to Take Ownership
There's a big difference between an employee completing tasks and one taking full ownership of their work. One is engaged, and the other is invested. An engaged employee meets expectations, follows instructions and completes the job. An invested employee looks beyond the task, asks why it matters and seeks ways…
How to Write Irresistible Emails That Demand Attention
If your email marketing campaign isn't doing well, it's not that email is old. Your strategy likely needs improvement. A typical professional gets more than 120 email messages each day. This means your email campaign must compete not only with other marketing emails but also with social media updates, company…
7 Rules of Doing Business in Turbulent Times
Uncertainty, turbulence and rapidly changing business environments pose serious threats to entrepreneurs. Businessmen trim their sails for the weather all the time when looking for new markets, reconsidering their approaches to team management and taking risks to survive the competition. Entrepreneurs cannot indulge in being passive in difficult times.Undoubtedly, despite…
Why Fear Isn’t the Enemy — It’s the Secret Weapon You’re Not Using Yet
Entrepreneurship is thrilling. It's also terrifying.Fear is an unavoidable companion for entrepreneurs, and it shows up in different forms: missed opportunities, embarrassment and failure. It's something I've come face to face with and had to work through with my co-founder in our 19 years together growing Wistia.As humans, we're conditioned…
3 Books That Made Me 6 Figures — Part 2
My first article on three books that helped me pass the $100K mark was very introspective, and I love the books showcased in that article — they truly changed my life. I still listen to them often; they never get old, and I learn new things each time.But, fair warning,…
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Creative Ways Startups Can Earn Funding in Tough Economic Times
In a declining economy, startups face an uphill battle when it comes to securing funding.…
I Asked AI to Create a Plan for a Fake Company — The Results Blew Me Away, But Not in the Way You Might Think
With all of the recent news about artificial intelligence (AI), it got me thinking about…
Ideas To Transform You From Good To Better To Best
A while back, I took a couple of my grandchildren on a tour of the…
5 Crucial Challenges Startups Must Overcome
Startups face numerous challenges on their journey to success, and failing to overcome any one…