Karen Mangia

expert panel

Though an investment of time, effort and money do make entrepreneurship easier, leaders should still expect to encounter challenges. The entrepreneurial journey is full of highs and lows for every business leader. And even when a leader has considerable resources, there is no way to completely avoid encountering business challenges. While these hurdles can completely shake a business, they can also double as valuable learning experiences that help entrepreneurs grow and develop their skills as leaders. Below, 17 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one specific business challenge they believe usually results in a great teaching experience and what lessons leaders can carry forward into the future.

expert panel

Committing to building a culture of unwavering customer centricity can effectively transform your business for the better. From Fortune 500 companies to startups, companies that prioritize customer centricity stand out in the market. They understand that customers are more than just revenue sources—they are the foundation of business survival and expansion. A customer-centric culture places the customer at the heart of every decision, fostering trust, loyalty and long-term relationships. But how can businesses truly embed this philosophy into their culture? Below, 20 Newsweek Expert Forum members explore the most effective strategies to cultivate a customer-centric culture within an organization and delve into the reasons why these approaches are vital for sustainable growth.

expert panel

Give your employees the flexibility they need to thrive with these unique offerings and strategies. Numerous studies have found that employees not only value flexibility in the workplace, but they also thrive when they actually receive it. While hybrid and remote work arrangements have become increasingly commonplace, organizations continue to explore unique and uncommon ways to provide even more flexibility. Companies that do this are more likely to attract and retain a workforce that's both productive and highly satisfied. To help businesses support their teams, 20 members of Newsweek Expert Forum share out-of-the-box offerings and strategies to give employees the flexibility they crave.

expert panel

Leaning on the perspectives and expertise of the entire team can help ensure decisions are made with care. Leaders are often faced with critical decisions that can significantly impact a company's success. However, the process of decision making can often be clouded by preconceived notions and assumptions. To make the best possible choices, leaders must step back and evaluate their own biases—but they may not always be sure how to do so. Below, 18 members of Newsweek Expert Forum share top strategies to help leaders set aside their assumptions and approach critical business decisions with an objective eye.

expert panel

While business can sometimes seem like an extrovert’s playground, introverted leaders can network effectively with other professionals to build lasting relationships. As a leader, being able to make solid connections with professionals in and outside of one’s industry is key to running a successful business. Though introverted leaders may dread networking, the long-term benefits of cultivating both personal and professional business relationships can significantly boost a business and give a leader access to new opportunities.  From scouting potential contacts online to joining community organizations with a focus on their hobbies, there are numerous ways for reserved leaders to put themselves out there without it being too much of an obstacle. Below, 18 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice on how introverted leaders can overcome the challenge of networking while making it more natural and fun.

expert panel

Making the effort to take full advantage of personal and professional growth opportunities can help leaders achieve significant goals. Many business leaders will attest that running and maintaining a successful business happens only with a continued investment of countless hours. While this time investment is crucial for ensuring that the business is performing well and on track with goals, it can limit the amount of time leaders have to spend on other pursuits, such as acquiring new knowledge and the development of a leader’s skills.  Despite this, there are steps a leader can take to reprioritize and dedicate more time to investing in themselves and their own personal and professional growth. Below, 10 Newsweek Expert Forum members share specific ways a business leader can pursue further education and ongoing growth opportunities when they have limited spare time.

expert panel

Being in constant communication with customers can help businesses ensure they are following the right trends. Customer trends are constantly changing in response to societal, environmental and technological advancements. To continually meet and even surpass customer expectations, it’s critical that businesses keep up with and adapt to these emerging customer trends. However, with so many trends appearing regularly, it’s difficult for business leaders to know which trends are short-lived and which ones have the potential to disrupt the industry for good. This distinction is key, as the wrong investment in a particular trend can mean wasting limited time, effort and resources. To help, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice on how a business can stay on top of emerging customer trends and leverage them wisely.

expert panel

Investing in the right tools early on can help a business achieve long-term success. In today’s highly competitive business environment, achieving business success comes down to the steps an entrepreneur takes in the early stages. For the B2B space in particular, the right technological investments early on can help not only build a reputable business reputation with potential customers, but also ensure that proper processes and procedures are put in place and maintained over time.  From systems to manage communications with customers to artificial intelligence technology that’s constantly evolving, there is a wide range of tech tools entrepreneurs can leverage for a new business venture. To help narrow down the selection, eight Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one tech tool they consider an essential early investment for successfully launching a brand-new B2B business.

article

How prepared are you to tell your story in a way that leads to your desired outcome?

expert panel

B2C outreach involves creativity and planning, and these tips will help your team achieve long-lasting results. Successful B2C outreach hinges upon a well-rounded strategy that engages and resonates with your target audience. To achieve this, there are several essential ingredients that must be carefully incorporated into your approach. Each factor plays a crucial role in driving meaningful connections and driving business growth. Here, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one vital ingredient needed to craft well-rounded, effective B2C outreach and delve into why these ingredients are pivotal in capturing attention, fostering loyalty and generating lasting results.

expert panel

Cultivating a values-driven environment will help align team members' actions with the core principles of your business. Company values are the guiding principles that shape an organization's culture and define its identity. However, only having values in place is not enough. To truly embed them within the fabric of a team, it is crucial to reinforce and strengthen each member’s understanding and commitment. Below, 19 Newsweek Expert Forum members share effective strategies leaders can use to nurture a values-driven team. These approaches will help solidify the team's understanding of company values and foster a deep sense of commitment. 

expert panel

Adopting tried-and-true strategies for achieving ongoing success through hard work, smart planning and unwavering dedication can help leaders advance. In the pursuit of success, it can often appear as though some individuals are blessed with luck, stumbling upon triumph by chance. Yet, upon closer examination, it becomes evident that true achievement stems from a combination of unwavering dedication, meticulous planning and strategic execution. This begs the question: What are the powerful strategies that foster consistent and repeatable success?  Below, 19 Newsweek Expert Forum members explore key strategies that pave the way for sustained success and the underlying mechanisms that make them so effective.

expert panel

Increasing the reach of job postings can be as simple as making a few changes to the required qualifications. Over the last few years, many businesses have begun recognizing the benefits of cultivating a workplace that welcomes diversity, equity and inclusion. This kind of environment not only helps the business to better cater to the changing needs of customers, but it also helps to attract and retain high-caliber talent that greatly contribute to the business’s overall success. Unfortunately, while employers are actively seeking diverse candidates, finding these applicants is proving difficult in a tight labor market. To help, 11 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one strategy recruiters can leverage to ensure their job postings are reaching a diverse group of candidates.

expert panel

To attract and keep customers coming back for years to come, businesses have to maintain their human essence. As the old adage goes, "People buy from people." In today’s technologically-driven business landscape, entrepreneurs now have a multitude of ways to engage with current and potential customers across the world.  While changes like automation can increase employee productivity, streamline operations and boost the number of interactions that lead to sales, many businesses focus so much on the efficiency aspect that they don’t recognize the potential of losing the human touch, which is what initially entices customers to purchase and keeps them coming back. As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum have experience making their brand more appealing to customers. Below, 16 of them share concrete ways any business can humanize its product or service offerings and why these actions are essential to building long-term relationships with customers.

expert panel

An exceptional customer experience is the key to keeping current customers coming back as well as enticing potential customers to purchase. Many entrepreneurs tend to consider their products or services the most important part of their business. As a result, a significant amount of time, effort and money goes into developing what people may need or want.  However, the utility or desirability of an offering is only a small part of what actually entices customers to buy. Rather, a top-notch customer experience can be the differentiating factor that convinces current customers to keep purchasing and potential customers to give a business a chance. Luckily, making changes to a business’s customer experience can be a simple process. To help entrepreneurs ensure they are properly taking care of their customer base, 17 Newsweek Expert Forum members share “low-hanging fruit” ways for businesses to effectively improve their customer experience.

article

When you invest in something new, you must divest something else.

expert panel

E-commerce businesses are a dime a dozen, but those that provide standout customer service are the ones that will ultimately thrive. In the competitive world of e-commerce, providing exceptional customer service is crucial for building a loyal customer base and staying ahead of the competition. However, with so many brands vying for attention, it can be challenging to stand out and provide a consistently positive customer experience. Below, a panel of 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members shared essential tips for e-commerce brands to better serve their customers. By implementing these tips, e-commerce brands can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty, ultimately leading to increased sales and business growth.

expert panel

Success in any industry, including technology, often depends on how well a company can keep up with the latest news and trends in its field. In today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, it's essential for organizations to stay up-to-date with the latest industry changes to remain competitive and relevant. Failure to keep pace with the latest trends and innovations can result in missed opportunities, loss of market share and ultimately, business failure. To stay ahead of the curve, organizations need to continuously educate themselves on the latest technological developments, anticipate emerging trends and be ready to adapt their business models accordingly. To help you do this, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members shared some of the best ways for organizations to stay informed about industry changes in tech and explained why doing so is crucial for their long-term success.

article

Your crossroads moment is an opportunity to discover your potential.

expert panel

Rather than perpetuating the same old top-down power dynamics, leaders can instead prioritize employees' needs. The role of company culture in many businesses has changed in recent years. This has meant moving away from traditional power structures where leaders decided the business path forward to systems that focus on intentionally giving employees a seat at the decision-making table.  While these efforts have proved fruitful for attracting and retaining employees, fostering a supportive internal culture is an ongoing undertaking that must regularly be assessed. As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum understand the key role that leaders play in maintaining company culture. Below, 15 of them share their best advice on how leaders can create and sustain a supportive internal culture.

expert panel

Reaching out to peers for support is a great way to work through negative feelings. The last few years have brought many changes across personal and professional lives across the globe. While some of the changes have been positive, such as the prioritization of work-life balance, other changes like persistent uncertainty are causing many professionals to feel overwhelmed.  As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum are familiar with the toll professional life can have on a person. Below 14 of them offer coping tactics that can help reduce overwhelm and get professionals back on track.

expert panel

By providing ongoing support, leadership can ensure that a manager has the tool and resources to succeed. Great managers are critical to the success of an organization. These managers sometimes step into the role already possessing innate traits and experiences that will help them succeed as leaders, but management as a skill should also be taught. If an organization builds systems to develop and shape the skills of their talent on an ongoing basis, leadership decreases the chances of creating and perpetuating bad management behaviors that negatively impact the culture and operations of the business.  To help leaders ensure managers are performing at their best, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members share specific actions they can take to increase the effectiveness of their managers.

expert panel

Having a deep understanding of yourself and your own goals can help prevent feelings of inadequacy. From Instagram and Twitter to now even LinkedIn, having a presence online today means constantly reading about what everyone has going on. This includes the life updates that people typically post but social media has also increased people’s tendency to primarily share the highlights rather than the entire picture. While this is not a bad thing on its own, constantly viewing the success of your peers can amplify your own feelings of inadequacy around personal and professional failures. Simply deciding to take a step back is one approach to consider, but it can negatively impact your relationships with peers over time. Below, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members share recommendations for how professionals can connect and maintain healthy relationships with peers without comparing themselves to others’ success and accomplishments.

expert panel

Ensuring stakeholders on all sides are regularly supplied with information is key for building and sustaining lasting relationships. A business is nothing without its stakeholders. Because stakeholders potentially encompass everyone from investors to employees, customers, volunteers and interns, entrepreneurs have the extraordinary task of determining how to best serve all of the stakeholders contributing to their business’s operations simultaneously. This is where clear communication can make a real difference. Only by establishing communication processes and procedures that cater to prioritizing and sharing information on all sides will a business be able to gain and retain the support and engagement of their stakeholders.  To help entrepreneurs establish communication systems that keep stakeholders in the loop, eight Newsweek Expert Forum members share strategies they’ve found effective.

expert panel

As markets evolve and more people embrace the digital world, entrepreneurs have to be willing to try something new in order to attract more business. In the past, generating new customer leads came down to a variety of approaches. These included paper-based marketing advertisements, cold calls, referral incentives for current customers and word-of-mouth. And as many industries digitized, these efforts also began to include online spaces like social media platforms.  While the medium has changed, at their core, marketing and sales have not. To stand out today to current and potential customers, organizations have to remain committed to continually providing products and services that address the needs and desires people have.  To help entrepreneurs attract more business, 11 Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer one suggestion entrepreneurs can leverage to find customer leads in a modern, novel way.

expert panel

Taking notes on how the world's largest and most innovative corporations operate can help businesses of any size emulate their success.  There are certain companies you hear about nearly every day, whether they're new or have been around for decades. These powerhouse companies find a significant problem that needs to be solved and develop innovative, pleasing solutions for customers. Many startup leads aim to achieve that kind of notoriety, and there is much to be learned from observing powerhouses like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and others. Below, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members shared some important lessons they've learned by watching the strategies of other successful businesses. 

expert panel

In operating a business, the one thing entrepreneurs can undoubtedly expect is to encounter challenges. Even with a solid business plan, well-developed products or services and a network of established customers hungering for said business offerings, organizations have no guarantee of challenge-free success. In fact, if there is one thing a business owner can expect, it’s that they will encounter adversity.  Despite this fact, adversity should be regarded as an opportunity for businesses to regroup and innovate. Learning strategies for effectively handling and overcoming these obstacles can allow entrepreneurs to operate their business in an even better way than before. To that end, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice below on how entrepreneurs can strategically leverage adversity for business success.

expert panel

In order to keep moving toward set goals, leaders must ensure that the organization's purpose is prioritized. In life, the only constant is change, and the same is true in business as well. While businesses are typically created around a vision or specific purpose, the evolving reality of running a business can cause leaders to gradually stray from the original mission. Purpose-driven organizations do work that benefits stakeholders on all sides, so having a guide when making decisions can help leaders manage change better and more efficiently. To ensure that their organizations remain focused on their mission, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice on how industry leaders can keep purpose at the forefront of everything they do.

article

Eventually, every career comes to a crossroads.