January 2025

How Small Businesses Can Build More Resilient Supply Chains

Disruption is the only consistent aspect of supply chains. They will continue happening whether or not they make headlines. Every unexpected delay can have extensive downstream effects on small businesses, impacting reputation and revenue. Building resiliency is crucial since disruptors will always exist within extended supply networks. 

How to Effectively Manage Employees Resistant to Feedback

Feedback is critical for professional development. However, constructive criticism can be a tough pill to swallow for some employees. Although your intentions are good and will enable growth, you may be met with resistance, defensiveness and dismissal. Unfortunately, when an employee pushes back against feedback, it can impact the company's success and tarnish team morale.

It’s up to you as a manager to explore why some workers demonstrate resistance to feedback. A high level of emotional intelligence (EQ) is necessary to reach them effectively and develop solutions. 

Maintaining Consistency and Local Relevance When Building a Global Brand

Do you dream of connecting your small business with global audiences? Make it a reality with a scaling plan and determination. Consistent and practical branding should be the foundation. Then, consumers everywhere can identify you among thousands of competitors. Follow these recommendations to overcome the challenges designers, marketers and owners face during expansion.

6 Green IT Initiatives to Consider in the New Year

With increasing climate change impacts and growing stakeholder and consumer demand, sustainability is on every company's mind as they enter the new year. The information technology (IT) industry especially has the capacity to become more environmentally friendly. 

From energy- and water-guzzling data centers to massive amounts of electronic waste, IT teams should consider these six initiatives to enhance green operations. 

Navigating the Privacy Concerns of Biometric Data in the Workplace

Biometrics are an increasingly common part of everyday IT functions. Facial or fingerprint scans offer a streamlined, reliable way to secure access to sensitive systems or bolster multi-factor authentication (MFA) practices, but they’re not without their controversies.

As cybercrime and digital privacy concerns have risen, the use of biometrics in the workplace can face scrutiny. Employers and IT managers should consider the potential drawbacks and create a formal plan to address them before implementing any biometric security measure.

A Business Owner's Guide to Business Credit Scores

A business credit score is similar to a personal credit score because it helps lenders and other stakeholders assess the risk involved in offering credit to a company. Investors and lenders can calculate creditworthiness using Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) facts, Experian's Intelliscore and Equifax's Payment Index score. 

A combination of the reports can provide a clearer picture of whether a business will repay a loan promptly. Your score can impact the amount of credit, interest rates, and whether a loan or line of credit gets approved. Investors may shy away from companies with poor ratings, fearing they will fail and take their money without any return.

Enhancing Workplace Accessibility: Strategies for Inclusive Design

Creating accessible and inclusive workplaces is essential for modern businesses aiming to thrive in a competitive industry. Prioritizing this aspect ensures employees of all abilities can fully participate, contributing their unique skills and perspectives. This commitment fosters innovation by encouraging diverse approaches to problem-solving.

Inclusive workplaces boost team satisfaction by creating environments where everyone feels valued and supported. Embracing usability can position organizations as forward-thinking, ethical and ready to meet the needs of a dynamic workforce.

How Your Business Can Embrace the Gig Economy

The gig economy has grown exponentially in recent years, revolutionizing how companies approach staffing and workforce management. Characterized by freelance and short-term contracts, this dynamic workforce model offers flexibility, cost-efficiency and access to specialized skills.

Understanding how to harness the gig economy can give businesses a competitive edge. Here are 10 strategies for effectively integrating gig workers into their operations.

How Should Your B2B Marketing Strategy Differ From Traditional B2C Marketing Advice?

Most traditional marketing advice centers around business-to-consumer (B2C) interactions. Brands that inadvertently apply these recommendations to business-to-business (B2B) sales may not get the engagement or return on investment they are hoping for. Although B2B and B2C strategies have several similarities, they are fundamentally different.

This fact is especially true as of late. Digitalization has recently begun influencing the fundamentals of B2B and B2C marketing methods. What worked well a few years ago may no longer be effective today. How should small and medium-sized business (SMB) owners and marketing professionals modify their strategies?