July 2025

The way performance reviews have been handled for years is broken. Managers can spend countless hours preparing ones that feel biased, outdated and disconnected from performance. Meanwhile, employees typically dread the annual ritual of subjective evaluations that may not reflect their real contributions. With artificial intelligence (AI) promising to automate routine work, eliminate bias and deliver data-driven insights, it may be tempting to let it handle your performance review tasks.

However, there's more to consider. Before you hand over this critical HR function to algorithms, there are crucial benefits, risks, and implementation strategies business and IT leaders need to understand. 

As podcasting continues to explode—with over 2.6 million shows and more than 60 million episodes available—marketers, publicists, and entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to this format as a primary channel for thought leadership and brand visibility. Yet, identifying and contacting the right podcasts remains a time-intensive challenge. MillionPodcasts, a rapidly growing platform, is tackling this problem head-on with a robust database of verified podcast contacts, advanced search filters, and a user-centric outreach management system.

Nearly every business with a physical location needs signage to guide customers and employees and comply with legal requirements. From restrooms to emergency exits, signs ensure people know where to go and how to respond in critical situations.

Agencies like OSHA and the ADA mandate specific signs to promote safety, accessibility and compliance. These regulations are the result of years of research and real-world experience, designed to protect people in emergencies and everyday scenarios. Signs make life easier by sharing valuable information, indicating accessible entrances or providing instructions during a power outage. Small business owners should prioritize signage to create a safe, welcoming environment for all.

Every leader seeks to establish a company that can endure the test of time. Establishing a mission founded on purpose, people and performance is a powerful means toward that end. Those that do so often create highly successful organizations with operations grounded in core values like grit, integrity, honor and a mindset of continuous improvement, which informs their leadership style and marketplace service approach. More than inspirational statements, these guiding principles serve as a human-centric organizational blueprint—foundational pillars that executives and team leaders can use to cultivate a dynamic company culture and construct a business model in which meaningful social impact is inherent.

Many entrepreneurs dream of expanding their reach, customer base and industry impact. However, the scaling journey is filled with financial complexities that, if overlooked, can quickly transform a growth opportunity into an unforeseen challenge. Discover signs that indicate if a company has the required fiscal resilience for successful and sustainable scaling.

One corrupt table or misconfigured bucket can stall an entire supply chain run. Fortunately, a clear-headed backup strategy turns that existential threat into a five-minute inconvenience.

Data Loss Reality Check

The numbers behind data loss read like a cautionary thriller. IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach report pegs the average incident at $4.88 million, including everything from emergency forensics to months of churned customers. Yet budgets alone can’t capture the scale of disruption.

Federal policy pushes public sector workers back to their desks, commercial landlords cheer each new badge swipe and investors ask private companies to make the space pay. For small and midsize businesses (SMBs), designers and marketers, the decision is more than a real-estate play — it shapes recruiting reach, brand reputation and daily cash flow. The following 10 considerations show where a strict mandate can strengthen results — and where it may undercut them.

It's been awhile since I reviewed anything Hi-Fi but this summer I brought into my house what what I call budget premium audio equipment. Audio equipment designed and built better than the price suggests offering the latest in streaming, room correction, and amplification. Lately, my focus has been on WiiM, a brand brand owned by Linkplay Technology. Linkplay is a company that has been backed by teams from such companies as Google, Broadcom, InterVideo, and Harman.

You might have nailed your local delivery strategy, but taking the same approach to national or global markets can lead to serious headaches. What works for neighborhood drop-offs or regional partnerships does not always scale when you are shipping across borders, navigating customs or trying to meet international demand. It is essential to understand how distribution shifts as your reach grows.

Each level brings new logistics, compliance and customer expectations. Here are a few examples of how global distribution compares to nationwide strategies.