Ian Wilding

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Before moving into a larger market, ensure you have a solid business strategy to engage online prospects. In today’s digital world, many companies have more flexibility when it comes to location. Entrepreneurs can set up shop in a smaller city and still find success through the connections they establish with local customers, investors and organizations. However, while operating in a small market can provide a number of business opportunities, being able to access “big market” resources and clients can unlock a new level of business growth. To catch the attention of potential customers and investors located in larger metropolitan areas, the right online strategy is essential. To help, nine Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one way entrepreneurs who have set up operations in smaller markets can attract clients and investors in larger city markets.

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In the race to become the next big thing, it's easy for founders to lose sight of the basics.

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To prevent a crisis from becoming even more of a problem, it's essential that leaders have communication plans in place. A crisis can showcase what a business is truly made of. In business, challenges can arise at any moment, and each and every step leaders take to tackle obstacles has a direct impact on brand perception. Communication in these situations is crucial to keeping stakeholders at all levels informed and maintaining calm in the midst of a storm. The right communication can result in increased brand loyalty from both internal and external stakeholders, but even just one communication misstep can cause irreparable damage to a business's reputation. To help leaders share information with care, eight Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one word or phrase businesses should avoid using when communicating during a crisis and what to say and do instead to drive forward movement.

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With inflation rising, businesses are being challenged to balance profit and customer satisfaction. Maintaining the delicate balance between profit and customer satisfaction is a constant challenge. These days, business owners find themselves in the tough position of needing to raise prices to maintain balance in a world plagued by inflation. In a competitive market, price changes can be a double-edged sword, potentially boosting revenues or driving customers away. To navigate this terrain successfully, it's crucial for businesses to identify the one sign that indicates it might be time to raise prices. To help, 18 Newsweek Expert Forum members delve into the intricacies of pricing strategy and explore the key factors that signal when your business should consider this significant step.

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Inviting employees to share their input in workplace changes helps ensure the creation of an inclusive and empathetic space. The idea of what constitutes a safe working environment has changed significantly in today’s global business environment. Where before the focus was primarily on physical safety, many organizations have evolved to now include well-being and psychological safety as well, resulting in increased productivity and decreased turnover.  While many businesses are committed to creating and maintaining a safer work environment, knowing where to start and what to focus on can be challenging. To help, 17 Newsweek Expert Forum members each offer one essential factor business leaders should consider when working to build a safer working environment in a business.

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Creating a workplace environment where all employees feel able to communicate their needs is critical to retaining your team. Every business goes through busy and stressful times. While many organizations are able to navigate and overcome these hurdles, it can result in leaders experiencing burnout. This is especially true for mid-level leaders as they tend to direct many different moving parts and interact with individual team members. Fortunately, with the proactive support of the executive team, there are tactics that can be utilized to mitigate or prevent burnout and reinvigorate mid-level leaders. To help, 20 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one way the executive team can help mid-level leaders get reenergized when they are feeling burned out.

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To make lasting, sustainable change, leaders have to be willing to throughly examine their existing culture and make needed changes. A business’s culture is its organizational backbone. As potential customers and employees have become increasingly interested in learning what a business is all about beyond its product or service offerings, culture can set an organization apart from its competitors on the market.  Leaders, however, have to be mindful of the culture that is created and preserved. Maintaining the wrong kind of culture is an action that can devastate a brand long term, but the damage can be reduced if leaders seriously commit to making a change. To help, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one essential step leaders must take when they begin the work of cultural change.

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In a world that champions individual brilliance, let's take a moment to appreciate the collaborative symphonies that truly drive innovation and success.

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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.

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The ability to combine employee engagement with confidentiality can propel corporations to new frontiers in innovation.

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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.

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By operating in a closed environment, the power of innovation becomes multiplied as corporations can safeguard their insights and foster collaboration.