To make sure productivity doesn’t slow after you walk out of the room, do two things after and in between meetings: Quickly send out clear and concise meeting notes and follow up on the commitments made. As the Chinese proverb goes, “The palest ink is better than the best memory.” If you don’t capture the conversation and put it into a form that can be easily retrieved later, the thinking and the agreements can be lost.
Read MoreWear your Unikko dress for 20 years, then stick it in your compost bin in the garden. Marimekko’s partnership with the startup, called Spinnova, is part of a larger push among fashion brands to reckon with their devastating impact on the environment. Marimekko debuted in the early 1950s, before fast fashion ravaged the fashion industry, and built its brand on classic looks in long-lasting fabrics. Over the years, it has become an iconic brand known for the way it weaves together fashion, art, and design.
Read MoreLife is full of tolerations that could go away if we just spent some money on them. But whether you’re cash-strapped or chronically frugal, those expenditures can seem impossible—or, at least, hard to justify. For example, you know you could convert that spare bedroom into a guest room or office if you could just find a free weekend. And why pay to hire someone to clean the house when you can just do it yourself?
Read MoreWhen you watch the news these days, it’s hard not to be pessimistic — and even harder for some people, depending on genes and socioeconomic status. Yet battling your inner Eeyore can have profound effects. Research suggests that optimists earn more money, have better relationships and even live longer. And the thing is: Optimism can be learned.
Read MoreMore than 2 million U.S. companies are stuck. Having endured the perils of starting up, they seem likely to survive. But they can't drag themselves above $10 million in annual revenue, generally considered the floor of the middle market. If just 10 percent did so, they would create 17 million good jobs, based on calculations derived from Census Bureau data.
So how do those companies get unstuck?
Read MoreI remember the rules my dad laid out for us kids growing up in a traditional Midwestern household: Eat everything on your plate. Finish your homework. Do what you say you’re going to do. That last rule would inform some of the hardest decisions I made throughout my life, whether it was sticking out a whole high school football season as an undersized teen or beginning my journey as an entrepreneur. Now, don’t get me wrong, persistence is a great value to live by. But it has its downsides when you’re an entrepreneur. While a never-quit attitude can make you strong enough to overcome challenges that most people would avoid, it can also lead you to work too hard on the wrong thing for too long and hurt you in the process.
Read MoreI’ve long thought the human body was not meant to run on empty, that fasting was done primarily for religious reasons or political protest. Otherwise, we needed a reliably renewed source of fuel to function optimally, mentally and emotionally as well as physically. The personal experience reinforced that concept; I’m not pleasant to be around when I’m hungry. There’s even an official name for that state of mind, confirmed by research: Hangry!
Read MoreBesides attracting and retaining customers who want these benefits, there's a significant advantage for subscription companies: recurring revenue. Instead of a one-time payment, monthly subscription businesses collect a monthly fee (or sometimes a year of fees in exchange for a lower monthly rate) before sending out the product or service. This revenue model provides an upfront spike in cash flow along with a longer-term outlook for a stable income. Moreover, you'll get a better sense of product volume for inventory planning and management. There is no time like the present to start a monthly subscription business to ride the lucrative wave. Here's how to launch:
Read MoreSpeaking from experience, deciding to be an entrepreneur will change your life and is one of the best things you'll ever do. It involves turning your back on the status quo, walking away from social conventions, and not settling for less than you deserve. Becoming an entrepreneur often means you are following your passion. Staying strong and moving forward won't always be easy. There will be hard days, weeks, even months. It's important to stay focused on your why and what got you into this entrepreneur game in the first place. Your hard work will pay off.
Read MoreAnd while perspective is certainly a factor in inventing products, there are other ways to build them. Practicing forms of brainstorming, identifying obstacles within yourself or your team, and setting forth an ideal product road map are all preferred ways of laying the groundwork for greater innovation. The following three pieces of advice are what I've found to be crucial for coming up with a big idea, whether your company is improving products already on the market or you're a budding entrepreneur ready to make your debut.
Read MoreIn No New Ideas, Conn breaks down a lot of the benefits of Franchising, and how to do it successfully. Many of the principles of success generalize to entrepreneurship and wealth creation in general. This short article breaks down what makes franchising different from traditional entrepreneurship, and how to be successful at it. Whether you're interested in starting a franchise or not, this article will help you understand much of how the process works.
Read MoreEmbracing diversity, inclusion, and belonging within your business is the right thing to do from a moral standpoint. But it also makes good business sense. Studies show that diverse teams outperform their peers. And although there is still plenty of work to be done, the good news is that many companies have long embraced diversity from a human resources standpoint.
Read MoreNot every burst of anger results from mishearing what someone else said, of course. But it often arises from placing your own interpretation and understanding onto someone else's words and behavior, rather than trying to figure out what that person is actually feeling and thinking. With that in mind, Nevid also offers a one-minute exercise for managing your own anger and regaining your calm.
Read MoreWe spend an inordinate amount of time, and a tremendous amount of energy, making choices between equally attractive options in everyday situations. The problem is, that while they may be equally attractive, they are also differently attractive, with tradeoffs that require compromise. Even when deciding between kale salad (healthy and light), salmon (a heavier protein), and ravioli (tasty, but high carbs).
Read MoreOne option to improve performance is to focus on strengthening your willpower. There’s some evidence that meditation may help with this. Other research shows that regular exercise is also conducive to building willpower. If you’re working out hard, then the training session itself becomes one big exercise in resisting the urge to quit. But even so, meditation and exercise are rarely enough.
Read MoreMost people believe they work incredibly hard. Most people claim they go the extra mile. Most people say they're willing to pay the price for achievement (in whatever way they choose to define success.
And then there was Kobe Bryant: Five-time NBA champion. Emmy winner. Oscar-winner. Venture capitalist. Successful entrepreneur. Family man. Friend.
Read MoreJust because you find your logo pleasing to the eye doesn't mean that it aligns with your brand message. Keep in mind that subconscious factors such as color and design "say" something to the viewer about who you are. A real-world example of this would be the most recent Starbucks logo change in 2011, the fourth logo design change in its history. In this latest version, all the text was dropped, the mermaid made the sole focus and her color was changed from black to the iconic Starbuck's green. It communicates a "strong" brand, as the image and color stand on its own, sans text. - INC.COM
Read MoreWork-life balance is a crucial part of successfully running a business without burnout, but sometimes it's difficult to leave work behind and really enjoy ourselves on the weekend. There are, however, a few tricks that can make it easier to enjoy your down-time on the weekend while staying on top of your workload. Take advantage of these tips, and you'll avoid being snowed under on Monday. - INC.COM
Read MoreIt’s great to dream big, but the way to achieve big is to start small — through micro habits. Micro habits are small components of a larger habit. By breaking down an ambitious job into smaller, more achievable ones that you build over long periods of time, micro habits help you complete big goals. Morning Brew for today comes from Harvard Business Review: To Achieve Big Goals, Start With Small Habits by Sabina Nawaz
Read MoreEmotional Flexibility: How to Hold *Everything* at Once
Frequently embracing a wide range of emotions is integral to living a thoughtful life.
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