Thought Leadership Archives

Conquering Business Development Challenges: 15 Insights from Startup Leaders

Navigating the complex world of business development presents unique challenges, which is why we've gathered insights from CEOs and marketing experts. From personalizing sales outreach to specializing to stand out, discover the diverse experiences and...

byBrett Farmiloe

April 1, 2024

Bridging the Connectivity Gap in the Startup Ecosystem

Nearly a decade ago, we saw a significant rise in the number of leading global corporations who sought to collaborate with emerging companies to drive innovation and growth. But a noisy startup ecosystem filled with...

byCamille Manso

August 15, 2023

‘Lessons My Brothers Taught Me’: Building a Great Team

This excerpt from “Lessons My Brothers Taught Me” by Charles McCarrick highlights the importance of building a great team in business and emphasizes the responsibility of managers to create a supportive workplace environment. Building a...

byCharles McCarrick

June 13, 2023

PROMPT: How ChatGPT Might Help You with Clients … and Even Life in General

When we got word about a new book called PROMPT that explores — and employs — ChatGPT, our eyes widened for a couple of reasons. We’re fascinated by artificial intelligence in general and ChatGPT in...

byColin McMahon

January 24, 2023

3 Critical Trucking Industry Challenges — And How to Meet Them

The transportation industry is essential to the global economy, but it also faces significant challenges. From increased competition to changing regulations, transportation businesses have an array of exposures that can lead to costly losses if...

byKeith Tubergen

January 17, 2023

In Michigan’s tech sector, optimism shines through the clouds

With more economists forecasting a recession in 2023, some business owners are expressing concern about making it through what promises to be a tough year. But Fred Molnar of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation reports...

byStartupNation

December 1, 2022

4 Major Obstacles Every Entrepreneur Must Overcome

With very few exceptions, the road to successful entrepreneurship has never been without its obstacles. Even during the best of times, blazing new ground in the business world has always been risky. After all, if...

byJohn Rampton

October 25, 2022

Why Having the Right Advisors When Launching a Startup is So Crucial

When startups don’t have the right advisors, they waste time, money, energy and human resources — but that’s not all. According to Svetlana Kamyshanskaya, a startup advisor with extensive connections in Silicon Valley and founder...

byJT Ripton

September 21, 2022

Your Playbook For Success Means Understanding Your Workplace Rules

This is a modified excerpt from "Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger, and Multiply Your Impact" by Liz Wiseman. Copyright 2021 by the author and reprinted by permission of Harper Business. ...

byLiz Wiseman

August 30, 2022

3 Tips to Maximize Your Energy to Live an Optimal Life as an Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are passionate leaders with seemingly endless energy, helping to advance our world one brilliant idea at a time. Throughout my career, I’ve been humbled and honored to speak at conferences filled with entrepreneurs, and...

byRob Dube

August 12, 2022

Avoiding Dumb Decisions in a Smart Tech World: Here’s When to Listen to Your Gut

Technology has become the backbone of how modern businesses function, with all types of organizations using tech applications to manage nearly every aspect of operations, from customer service to employee engagement. Whether using smart tech...

byRikki Roehrich

July 15, 2022

Why I Would Rather Be Guided than Driven

The following is adapted from "Stop Chasing Squirrels: 6 Essentials to Find Your Purpose, Focus, and Flow" by Ted Bradshaw. Copyright 2022 by Lioncrest Publishing. When I was a young businessman, chasing possibilities didn’t...

byTed Bradshaw

June 16, 2022

Using a Startup Mindset to Benefit a Legacy Business

When you think of innovation and dynamism in the business world, what comes to mind first? Maybe it’s a young company that’s growing at hyper speed. Maybe it’s a charismatic young founder who’s using technology...

byShannon Stephenson

June 2, 2022

Is Working Weekends Worth It? Self-Made Millionaires Weigh In

Some top executives believe you need to work on the weekends to be successful in today’s connected world. Others stress the importance of setting boundaries and disconnecting. We asked six self-made millionaires and Advisors in The...

byThe Oracles

June 2, 2022

Resilience in the Face of Crisis: How to Rise Up to Challenges

The following is an excerpt from "Rise Up: Leadership Habits for Turbulent Times" by Mike Watson and Ali Grovue. Copyright 2022 by Figure 1 Publishing. Through COVID-19, my team and I at Ignite Management...

byMike Watson

May 17, 2022

5 Ways to Retain Talent by Using Relational Intelligence

The following is adapted from "Relational Intelligence: The Five Essential Skills You Need to Build Life-Changing Relationships" by Dr. Adam C. Bandelli. Stress affects all of us differently. Since the start of the COVID-19 global...

byAdam C. Bandelli

May 3, 2022

Tough Conversations: It Takes Practice

The following is an excerpt on leadership from "Leading From the Jumpseat: How To Create Extraordinary Opportunities By Handing Over Control" by Peter Docker. Copyright 2021 by Why Not Press. Despite years of facing...

byPeter Docker

April 5, 2022

CEO Excellence: Make Your Team the Star

Excerpted from "CEO EXCELLENCE: The Six Mindsets that Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest." Copyright © 2022 by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller & Vikram Malhotra. Excerpted with permission by Scribner, a division of Simon...

byCarolyn Dewar

March 15, 2022

Entrepreneurial Studies Within MBA Programs Prepare Students for Real World

The value of textbooks and lectures delivering theory in a graduate business curriculum is unquestioned, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past two years of the pandemic, in these uncertain times they...

byBarry Sandrew

March 4, 2022

9 Reasons Startups Should Hire Internal Candidates

Give one reason why a startup should hire internal candidates when looking to fill a new role? To help startups discover the benefits of internal hiring, we asked hiring managers and startup CEOs this question...

byBrett Farmiloe

March 1, 2022