By John Brady Glenbrook North High School might not be a household name outside of the Chicagoland suburbs, but if you’re a movie fan of a certain age, you’ll recall the image of Judd Nelson crossing its athletic fields, fist in the air at the conclusion of “The Breakfast Club” (1985). One of several themes […]
By Gerry Lantz Marketers, if they are good, compose a tightly positioned Brand Story around their products and services—and tell it at every interaction with potential customers. Smart brands tell their story across the spectrum of digital and traditional media. That’s the 50% you own as a marketer. The customer experiences your brand as a product […]
By Gerry Lantz I know we’re all glad that spring may actually be here and it’s a little odd to talk about snowballs right now. However, “a rock in a snowball” is a phrase shared with me in a late night conversation with Bill Hamilton, Creative Director at Ogilvy New York while I worked there. […]
By Peter Mares “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” applies to personal health as well as to the health of a business. Just as a doctor takes your vitals to assess your overall state of health and to recommend corrective changes in diet and levels of physical activity, an owner should […]
By Glenna Crooks As we contemplate returning to on-site office work, this may be a good time to recall the pre-pandemic experience of a New Zealand company that tested a 20%-shorter workweek. The result? It made employees happier and more focused while producing the same amount of work. To accomplish that, employees brainstormed ideas to […]
By Gerry Lantz Best Buy overcame the onslaught of the e-retail giant Amazon by executing a simple strategy that everyone could understand and act on. There are lessons in that strategy, how it was developed, and then executed that can apply to companies in every sphere. If your strategy isn’t a simple story, then it’s […]
By Frank Tait Mergers and acquisitions have contributed significantly to business growth for many years, having gained popularity in the 1980s. For growth-minded companies, acquisitions can be a quick way to gain market share. As appealing as this may be, the reality is that the majority of acquisitions fail to achieve their integration goals. Recently, […]
By Nancy Singer Many of the executives I coach have told me they often find themselves so engrossed and overwhelmed with work that too little time is left for engaging with family and community, not to mention having “me” time. This has been especially true over this past pandemic year where boundaries between our work […]
By Candida Seasock No leader can build a great business alone…and regardless of company size or industry, getting high quality advice can significantly improve a company’s chances for success. There are a number of ways to obtain advice, from informal networking all the way to boards of directors. For many business owners, the decision to […]
By Gerry Lantz What Stories Should Leaders Tell? And Why. The CEO and C-Suite leaders are under pressure like never before given the near “black swan” event brought on by the pandemic. C-suite leaders have two broad responsibilities: make decisions and move the company forward profitably. As companies face the “next normal” within their companies […]
By Neil Model Prescription spending used to account for a very small percentage of health care spend. Today, it amounts to over 20 percent, and is rising faster than any other health care cost components. An employer with 1,000 employees may easily generate 20,000 to 30,000 prescriptions per year, so it is important and beneficial […]
By Barry A. Furman, Esquire The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), created as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES Act”), authorized loans to certain businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. If businesses use their PPP loans to pay qualified business expenses, the entire loan may be forgiven. CARES Act Section 1106(i) excludes […]