Britton Bloch

expert panel

Keep up to date on the tech industry with these tools, websites and media resources used by successful business leaders. The tech sector moves at a breakneck pace and new developments emerge daily that can dramatically shift market dynamics and competitive strategies. Keeping abreast of these innovations and updates is both a challenge and a necessity for industry leaders.  How do today's leaders do it? Below, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members share their favorite resources to stay up-to-date in an ever-changing tech environment. Keep these reliable resources handy to stay above your competition.

expert panel

When you're feeling overwhelmed, try one of these go-to strategies to ground yourself. Work schedules can quickly become overwhelming, leaving professionals feeling lost in a sea of tasks and commitments. A set of strategies to find a calming center and regain control can be helpful when navigating the feeling of "busyness" that plagues so many professionals. To help, 19 Newsweek Expert Forum members share methods they use to help conquer stress and overwhelm and get themselves back on track. Read on for their practical steps to declutter your mind and schedule so you can move forward with clarity and purpose.

expert panel

Before agreeing to sell your business, make sure you understand how it will impact you and your company—both in the immediate future and the long term. Being approached with an offer to buy your business can be equally exciting and nerve-wracking. Whether you've received an unsolicited offer or have been considering selling in the not-so-distant future, it's important to approach this critical decision with due diligence and careful consideration. Below, 16 members of Newsweek Expert Forum share key factors to consider when another company is interested in buying your business. From the acquiring company's track record to your ultimate exit plan, assessing and understanding these elements can ensure you make the decision that's best for you and your organization.

expert panel

Motivating employees to see the benefit of looking at things from a different perspective can lead to business success. With the current workforce now consisting of Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials and, increasingly, Generation Z, these distinct generations all bring with them different ideas about how the day-to-day operations of a business should work. This can create a toxic environment of miscommunication and misunderstanding that negatively impacts a business’s ability to retain its employees and properly serve its customers. When these challenges arise, it’s vital that leaders develop a plan of action to connect and build strong relationships with employees, regardless of their age, generation or experience level. To help, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer tips to help business leaders pull the different generations in their workforce together to the benefit of the entire organization.

expert panel

Before scaling distribution, it’s important that leaders have a plan in place to continually meet customer needs. In business, operating on the more conservative side is generally regarded as a smart strategy for entrepreneurs just starting out. However, for a business to grow and reach the next level of success, leaders eventually have to increase the scale of their goods distribution in order to reach and meet the needs of a bigger audience. As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum have experience ramping up shipping operations and volume in a sustainable way. Below, they offer advice on how companies can seamlessly shift from a relatively small volume of shipping to a much larger scale of distributing goods.

expert panel

As a business grows larger, it becomes even more imperative that managers make time for connection with their team members. In today’s dynamic workplace environment, many businesses are now composed of in-person, hybrid and remote teams. While this presents communication challenges for leadership in companies of all sizes, engaging with and managing a dispersed and fast-growing team comes with its own set of obstacles. Implementing strategies that take employees into consideration can help managers effectively connect with their team members when one-on-one meetings are not always feasible. Below, nine Newsweek Expert Forum members offer advice on how managers of a rapidly growing company can ensure they regularly touch base with all their team members, regardless of their work environment.

expert panel

While a busy business is the ultimate goal for many entrepreneurs, too many initiatives can eventually begin to negatively impact the team without intervention. The ability of a business to take on more and more initiatives is a definitive indication that the organization is doing something right. However, between marketing, customer support and product development, to name a few essential business functions, starting too many initiatives without proper protocols, adequate resources and a large enough team can prevent the team from making effective progress on any of them. For business leaders to successfully manage the initiatives they start, it’s essential that they keep a close eye on internal happenings and hone their skills in recognizing when too many projects have been undertaken. Below, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one sign that a leader has too many projects going on and how they can take steps to dial back and reduce project quantities for the sake of the overall business.

article

From revolutionizing HR processes to enhancing employee engagement and decision-making, AI is driving companies toward a future where adaptability and foresight are paramount.

expert panel

Mapping out a marketing strategy beforehand can help a business ensure its efforts are focused and tailored to potential customers. The right marketing strategy can propel a business to new and exciting heights. While many leaders tend to focus primarily on product or service development, taking the time to reflect on potential marketing strategies is equally as important, as it can help establish brand identity and effectively reach a target audience. The holidays in particular mark a time for giving, and customers are especially eager to learn about brands that may provide the gift they’re looking for. Crafting a well-thought-out holiday marketing strategy in advance ensures a business remains focused, thereby increasing the chances of successfully engaging prospects and converting them to bonafide customers. To help leaders create effective plans, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one essential base to cover when developing an annual holiday marketing strategy for a business, as well as why these elements are important.

expert panel

For a successful international launch, conduct careful research into the laws, regulations, customs and culture of each new market. Businesses are increasingly considering international expansion as a key avenue for growth. However, navigating unfamiliar territories can be a daunting task for those venturing into new markets for the first time. Below, 18 Newsweek Expert Forum members share tips for how businesses can successfully navigate international growth. By prioritizing research and building strong local connections, business leaders can engage with new audiences with confidence.

expert panel

Putting yourself in the shoes of your ideal customer can be an effective way to ensure you remain focused on their needs and desires. A landing page is often the first interaction a potential customer has with your website and company. The wrong colors, not enough or too much information and a cluttered design can all be factors that turn potential customers away from a business. An appealing landing page, however, not only entices visitors to explore the website further but also can be essential in converting visitors to paying customers. Below, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one way to ensure a landing page is appealing and optimized for conversions. From simplifying the design to reaching out to your target audience for feedback, making even small changes can lead to higher conversion rates.

expert panel

To create a brand that truly resonates with customers, focus on addressing and solving customer pain points. The first step in starting a business is having an idea for a product or service. While this is a key move, it’s also just one step in the ongoing marathon of establishing and maintaining a business. To build businesses that grow and become sustainably successful, entrepreneurs will also need to form detailed plans for how they will set their brand apart and communicate their offering on the market. The members of Newsweek Expert Forum have experience building and managing businesses and learning what actions do and do not yield fruitful results. Below, 14 of them share their tips to help entrepreneurs effectively define and establish their brand’s niche in the market.

expert panel

In an increasingly digital world, knowing how to apply tools and technologies in your business is critical to keeping up with the market. While AI as a tool is not new, more and more businesses are looking to take advantage of it these days. From on-demand customer service and content generation to customer base management, there are many ways a business can leverage the power of AI to boost its ability to attract and retain customers.  As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum have experience navigating the ongoing process of implementing and maintaining AI. Below, 10 of them discuss how businesses can effectively use artificial intelligence for customer acquisition and the positive impact it can have on the bottom line.

expert panel

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.

article

In the age of fast-paced change and intertwining personal and professional demands, the onus falls on the leader to spearhead a healthy workplace culture.

expert panel

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.

expert panel

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.

expert panel

Though an uncertain market can be challenging for entrepreneurs, it can also be an opportunity to grow. While market downturns can devastate companies across industries, they can also be full of potential. By leaning in on being agile and flexible, business leaders can effectively navigate uncertainty, find new opportunities and execute needed change.  As experts, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum members have dealt with their own share of market challenges. Below, 15 of them each share one way companies can look for new business opportunities in a market downturn and secure a bright future.

expert panel

Doing a thorough examination of their own habits can help leaders see which behaviors are holding them back. Leaders play an essential role in organizations, helping to establish workplace culture and acting as examples for employees to model their behavior after. When leaders have good habits, it results in increased satisfaction, productivity and morale in employees. However, when leaders have bad habits, even when the intention isn’t to set a bad example, it limits and decreases the amount of success a leader and business can achieve. To help leaders identify which habits they should consider eliminating completely, 20 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one seemingly harmless habit that can actually hinder leadership success.

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

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

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

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

Engage seasoned professionals can empower aspiring individuals and foster lasting impact through mentorship, internships, education and networking. To maintain success, it is not only essential for leaders to focus on the present but also to invest in the future by empowering the next generation. By sharing knowledge, providing guidance and offering opportunities, experienced professionals can play a vital role in helping young talent thrive. Below, 17 Newsweek Expert Forum members explore various ways in which successful business owners and leaders can reach out and give the next generation a leg up. By actively engaging with and supporting the next generation, business leaders can foster a culture of innovation, inclusivity and continuous growth while leaving a lasting positive impact on future generations of professionals.

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

Business leaders can make data-driven decisions that drive growth and success for their organizations by leveraging data and analytics. In the age of big data, businesses are faced with an overwhelming amount of information to process and analyze. To stay ahead of the competition, leaders must leverage data and analytics to make informed decisions and identify areas for improvement within their companies. By utilizing data visualization tools, predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms, leaders can gain valuable insights into customer behavior, market trends and business operations. Below, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members shared several ways that leaders can use data and analytics to improve business performance, increase productivity and drive innovation.

expert panel

Devising simple ways to make the customer journey more seamless can keep customers coming back long term. In today’s competitive business landscape, the devil is in the details. With so many businesses competing for customers in both online and brick-and-mortar spaces, setting a business apart boils down to the customer experience strategy. If done incorrectly, businesses risk inadvertently driving away current and potential customers and ruining their reputation for good.  However, if done with care and regard for the needs of customers, businesses can rise above their competitors, even if they are offering similar products or services. To help leaders create a competitive advantage, 17 Newsweek Expert Forum members discuss how leaders can improve their company’s customer experience.

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.

expert panel

Taking the less obvious path when it comes to marketing is a great way to make your business stand out from the crowd. Marketing strategies that persist do so because time and time again they’ve been proven to lead to good results. And when something is successful, it’s difficult to stop doing what everyone else is doing and step outside of your comfort zone to change things up. However, taking the road less traveled is a great way to make your business stand out from the crowd.  To help leaders embrace thinking outside of the box, 10 Newsweek Expert Forum members share unconventional promotions that did wonders for their business.

expert panel

No matter what industry an entrepreneur operates in, developing ways of keeping up with emerging trends will help ensure they remain in business for the long term. Staying knowledgeable about what’s happening in the business world isn’t as simple as it used to be. Whether an entrepreneur is operating in a local, national or international market, they have to be committed to learning, evolving and adopting new ways of doing business or else they risk being left behind. With digital platforms and technologies being created and improved upon daily, it’s essential to devise ways of keeping up with what’s going on in and outside of your industry. To help entrepreneurs keep up in a changing market, 12 Newsweek Expert Forum members share strategies they use to stay informed about industry trends.

expert panel

Before taking on any additional work, it's best to ensure you and your team have the capacity to complete the work. An increase in workload is one indication that a business is doing well in a market. However, if the capacity of the current team is not considered alongside growing responsibilities, a business may end up with too much work and no ability to ensure it’ll be done in a timely manner.  To help dial back and shift focus before efficiency decreases, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members each share one critical sign that a leader or business has too many projects going on at once. 

expert panel

Before addressing any activism in the workplace, leaders need to have a well-developed approach. With racial justice protests, labor shortages, a global pandemic and a budding “quiet quitting” movement, the workplace of the past few years has undergone many changes. While it may have been easier to draw distinctions between one’s professional and personal beliefs in years past, it is growing increasingly difficult for leaders to keep these boundaries in the work environment in place as employees now expect leadership to stand for their values and take a side.   If leaders do decide to take action, it’s best to prepare beforehand with a well-thought-out strategy. To help you determine the best approach, 14 Newsweek Expert Forum members offer recommendations on how leaders can respond to growing employee activism in the workplace.

article

When there’s no fear of failure, greatness can be achieved. 

expert panel

Developing an effective SEO business strategy can be done without breaking the bank. Building an online presence today is all about learning how to best appeal to potential and current customers while also demonstrating that your business can provide needed solutions. Search engine optimization (SEO) is one way to improve your company’s search rankings, boosting visibility and conversions.. As leaders, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum know how important SEO can be for business strategy, as well as how those efforts can sometimes come at a cost. To help, they offer recommendations to ramp up a company's SEO at little or no cost.

expert panel

Creating an engaging workplace culture is all about putting structures in place to meet company goals and address employee needs. For a business to succeed today, an engaged workforce can make all the difference. With the workplace being more distributed across geographical areas than ever, establishing and maintaining a company culture that effectively engages all employees is a growing challenge. That’s why it is essential for leaders to adopt practices that balance the needs of the business with the desires of employees. Before making any internal changes to how the company operates, determining the best way to create an environment that supports employees is a great first step for ensuring employees feel valued. Below, 15 members of Newsweek Expert Forum provide tips for business leaders interested in keeping their employees engaged with the culture of the company.

expert panel

To keep your top employees around, it's important to show them how much you value their contributions and talents. A significant portion of one's life is spent at work, so finding value in that work is critical. As a leader, you want your employees to feel their time is being well-spent and their contributions matter. Happier, more engaged employees will result in stronger trust and higher-quality work. To help your organization achieve this, a panel of Newsweek Expert Forum members shared 15 ways you can help your employees feel valued.

expert panel

It's easy to choose a path based on preconceived notions, but business leaders must be as objective as possible when making decisions that impact their company. Objective decisions are vital to the success of a business. Sometimes, leaders have to make tough choices that may feel personal, like letting an employee go or hiring one candidate over another. Leaders may also be too close to the business to see a problem that needs to be fixed or a solution that might work better than a system already in place. These decisions and considerations contribute to a business's bottom line and are therefore important to carefully consider. Below, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members give their best advice for making sure leaders let go of assumptions about their business and make decisions more objectively. 

article

There are many competencies that fuel success and achievements.

expert panel

Each and every challenge brings with it the opportunity to learn and grow as an entrepreneur. When a leader is dealing with an obstacle, thinking of the lasting value of that business challenge isn’t usually what comes to mind in the heat of the moment. However, once a leader has had time to reflect, each and every challenge has the potential to positively impact their organization going forward.  Below, a panel of Newsweek Expert Forum members share specific challenges business owners faced and how leaders can use those experiences as a moment to learn and make lasting changes.

expert panel

There's no "silver bullet" solution to achieve rapid growth, but there are a few tips and tricks that can help you hit your goals faster. Whether it's financial growth, team growth or sales growth, nearly every business has concrete growth goals they want to achieve. But even with the best employees and loyal customers, sometimes it may be difficult to achieve that growth. Luckily, there are some "hacks" to help your business reach its goals quickly and efficiently. From journaling to using timeboxing strategies, 13 Newsweek Expert Forum members shared their best growth hacks and why they're so effective. 

expert panel

When choosing a technology solution for your SME, it's important to understand the business value you'll be getting for your money. Technology can certainly be an investment, especially for small- and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs). Many programs cost a lot of money upfront and may not end up serving the needs your business has. That's why it's so important to carefully choose which technologies your business invests in. This often entails doing some market research and understanding exactly how a tech tool might be able to solve your business needs. Below, 15 Newsweek Expert Forum members shared their insights to help SMEs optimize their technological investments. 

expert panel

Taking the time to mitigate stress can lead to a more productive work environment. Between tight deadlines, a heavy workload and multiple priorities that have to be juggled, stress tends to become part of the everyday work routine. Unmanaged stress, regardless of the cause, can eventually take a heavy toll. While some stress is natural, taking steps to mitigate it and its negative impact can prevent it from completely tanking your quality of life. Below, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum share strategies for handling feelings of stress at work.

expert panel

Positive, collaborative relationships between colleagues can greatly enhance your company culture. Here's how to encourage this type of dynamic. For most people, work takes up the majority of their waking hours. Whether you're working a 9-to-5 or running your own business, your professional life can sometimes blend in with your personal one, especially when it comes to friendships in the workplace. While it's normal and natural for colleagues to form strong bonds, it's important for leaders to encourage their staff members to forge appropriate and productive connections. Otherwise, they may let close personal relationships with their coworkers cloud their judgment or cause them to play favorites when it comes to working with the rest of the team. Below, 11 members of Newsweek Expert Forum offered their best tips for leaders who want to encourage meaningful but appropriate relationships among their employees.

article

Diverse experiences, skills and perspectives energize collaborative team dynamics.