These 4 Elements Are Key to Branding Your Business
In today’s world of rapid startup growth, branding your company is essential to stand out from your competitors and find success.
Competition in business today is tough, yet more and more businesses are entering the arena than ever before. While many companies never make it through their first five years, some hit it big overnight. There’s a treasure trove of wealth to be made for those of us who know how to unlock it, but times have changed, and these are unprecedented business waters.
With more avenues to reach consumers than ever before and more businesses starting up every day, all brands know they have competitors out there, but they can still take steps to stand out.
To rise above the rest, a clearly articulated and targeted brand identity is key. Here’s how to do it right:
1. Brand everything
Remember that just as important as branding your particular product or service is branding everything that goes along with it. Think about how your brand can define every aspect of your company’s identity. On your website, make sure your call to action is appropriately branded. Make sure your blog posts or social media branding all flows in line with the same branding inspiration. Especially when you put money into your company, make sure that every investment is going to be worth it for your brand identity in the long run.
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The Best Employees Display These 6 Characteristics
Good employees are rare and valuable. Here’s how to identify them.
When I sat for a panel discussion to go over my expertise in the board space recently, one of the main topics revolved around identifying a quality outside board member. To me, this is an easy answer: The qualities that make a great board member are the same ones that would make a great employee.
Like a great board member, a great employee has expertise and education, which are easily identified through the accumulation of credentials over time. But even without experience, good employees exist — people with untapped potential and the drive to work harder and excel at what they do — with a strength of character that’s challenging to build in someone when it doesn’t come naturally. To avoid letting these good employees slip through your company’s proverbial fingers, here are six traits to look for to identify them:
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The No. 1 Predictor Of Company Success Is Your Board
Putting a board together is more than bringing on members and assigning them the title “board of directors.” The structure of a board should be set up to see you succeed, and they should have access to all the necessary resources to guide them to that success.
When choosing board members, be diligent, take your time and pay attention to the specific ways each one can help grow your business. Create a board that does exactly what a board is meant to do: Bring your company success.
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The Perfect Blend: How to Successfully Combine AI and Human Approaches to Business
Combining a human and machine approach will change the efficiency, revenue and productivity of your business.
When looking to Hollywood for our data on AI — out-of-control robots taking over the world or coming back from the future to alter history — it’s no wonder we might fear it. But I saw an image the other day that illustrates the problem with this thinking perfectly:
A robot tries to pass a slice of bread to a prisoner, pressing it up flat against the prison bars. A human trains the robot to turn the slice sideways so it fits, and it successfully passes the prisoner their bread. Then, when the robot is unable to fit a bowl of water through the bars, they attempt the same solution: turning it sideways. The bowl passes through fine, but the water spills onto the floor.
There is no need to worry about AI making our decisions or taking our jobs. AI can present data, but it needs humans to provide the data. While that may sound like a simple, one-off task that could then spiral out of control, humans are needed not only to train and explain, but also sustain AI operation long-term. These three roles are vital to a healthy relationship between AI and humans. By balancing the speed and accuracy of AI with the human ability to identify right from wrong, you can create a powerful blend that will radically alter the trajectory of your business.
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Good employees are consistent: Tips on fighting the Great Resignation
In America, people are lucky enough to be able to choose their opportunities. From traditional office jobs to start-ups to freelancing, the options are always growing. This abundance of opportunities is the American Dream that draws immigrants like me to pursue success despite the challenges we might face in the process. But it also makes finding and retaining good employees more competitive.
How Small Businesses Drive The American Economy
Just as enough tiny droplets of water slowly fill a bucket, the growth of small businesses fills the U.S. economy. Big corporations might get a lot of attention when it comes to creating jobs, but small businesses employ more people and are more resilient when times get tough. Before coming up with something innovative that propelled them into growth, all big businesses once started out small. Not only are small businesses driving the U.S. economy, but they also keep the American dream alive.
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Here’s how leaders reduce their anxiety over public speaking
Public speaking isn’t an easy thing for every leader, but you have to conquer the fear factor if you’re planning to represent a business. By focusing on your passion for going into business, sharing authentically, and continuing to practice being in front of a room full of people every chance you get, you’ll be a pro at it in time.
5. TREAT IT LIKE A ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION.
I remember in school and all the way through college freezing up and feeling like I would never be good at public speaking. As I got older and gained confidence and authority, it became easier. The key for me is to stay transparent and treat every speaking engagement as a conversation. Try not to think about who is watching, how many people are watching, or how many will watch it in the future. – Martin Rowinski, Boardsi
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Here’s how to maintain your ‘peak performance mode’ all week
Everyone has dips in their energy and productivity. However, when you’re trying to lead a business, it’s tough to lose valuable work time to a slump in motivation.
To help you stay in optimal performance mode, a panel of Fast Company Executive Board members would like to share how they manage to keep themselves at their peak, regardless of what’s happening throughout the week.
13. WARM-UP FOR THE DAY.
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You Can Think Yourself Into the Person You Want to Be
Use the power of thought for maximum success.
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a mentor — someone to turn to for help, direction, motivation and the next big steps in your life. I know because I was one of those unlucky people, but sometimes you have to make your own luck. Even if you find yourself without a mentor, you can still establish that same relationship with someone that might not be as real through the inspiration they left behind.
What if you could turn to a roundtable of counselors that included powerful minds like Napoleon Hill, Augustine “Og” Mandino, Dale Carnegie, Norman Vincent Peale and Orison Swett Marden? Imagine being able to call on any of history’s greatest success stories as mentors whenever you need help. Well, you can! They wrote everything down in their books with the very intent of having others find the answers they need.
Among my roundtable of mentors, the one who most influenced my life was James Allen. By picking up his book, I can call him any time and get the answers, life lessons and character-building I need. He may not be alive to know it, but James Allen’s mentorship taught me to understand the relationship between my thoughts and circumstances, which allowed me to become the leader I am today.
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13 ways introverted leaders can raise their voice in the spotlight
If you’re an introverted employee who is uncomfortable about speaking in large group settings—internally or externally—you probably prefer to keep your head down and let your work speak for itself. This method has helped you to succeed in your industry and now you’re at the top of your game.
4. START IN SMALL SESSIONS OR GROUPS.
Introverted team members often have great ideas and thoughts, but may keep them to themselves. To encourage them to share, make the meetings small in a one-on-one session or just a few people. When their ideas are shared and valuable, provide positive feedback to encourage them to continue speaking up over time. – Martin Rowinski, Boardsi