tag:www.wncbusiness.com,2005:/categories/advice?page=3Advice | WNC Business Page 3Connect | Inform | Inspire2023-09-01T13:04:53-04:00urn:uuid:8ec4a2d5-ab5b-4ac4-abce-c08980e219bb2023-09-01T12:39:19-04:002023-09-01T13:04:53-04:005 ways learning & development contributes to business success2023-09-04 12:30:41 -0400Michael Murphy<span><p>Running a high-performance company in today’s competitive, ever-changing business environment requires that you have team members willing to learn advanced skills to handle rising challenges. Specifically, you want to develop your team in tandem. To this end, you need to facilitate and invest in your human capital’s growth as part of the business’s core strategy.</p><p>Learning and development strategies are meant to help develop your workforce’s capabilities, skills, and competencies. When done right, these strategies could be the foundation of a successful business. Here’s how L&D can contribute to maintenance of a high-performance company.</p><p>TALENT MANAGEMENT</p><p>At present, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/05/11/millennials-surpass-gen-xers-as-the-largest-generation-in-u-s-labor-force/">more than one in three American workers are Millennials</a>. Fifty-nine percent<a href="https://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/193274/millennials-jobs-development-opportunities.aspx"> of these Millennial candidates express the desire to learn and grow</a> even as they pursue their career paths; ditto for Gen Z candidates who, according to the <a href="https://learning.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/amp/learning-solutions/images/wlr21/pdf/LinkedIn-Learning_Workplace-Learning-Report-2021-EN-1.pdf">Workplace Learning Report 2021</a>, believed it to be the key to a successful career path. Learning is essential to both cohorts making up the majority of the recruitment pool. It would only be appropriate to invest in learning and training programs to attract and retain talent.</p><p>The onboarding experience is key to attracting and retaining employees. Research shows that when you have a strong onboarding process, your business stands the chances of improving <a href="https://b2b-assets.glassdoor.com/the-true-cost-of-a-bad-hire.pdf">new hire retention by 82% and employee productivity by over 70%.</a> When you take the time to train new employees at the onboarding stage, it shows that the organization already values them which improves the chances of retention.</p><p>When you show your commitment to the development of your employees, it generates a sense of loyalty with your business that makes them want to stay. Investing in employee development is considered an investment in the company’s growth and sustainability.</p><p>ENGAGEMENT AND MOTIVATION OF EMPLOYEES</p><p>Keeping your employees engaged is serious business! Unfortunately, finding a single approach to successful employee engagement is rather impossible. Still, <a href="https://www.findcourses.com/prof-dev/read-us-ld-report-2018-13558">research</a> shows that almost 42% of L&D professionals reported that employees that were highly engaged in learning also showed high engagement throughout the organization.</p><p>One strategy to engage and motivate your employees is generating company-wide influence. This simply means uniting and engaging your entire workforce by making training and learning a shared endeavor. You will be leveraging the power of across-the-board engagement that leads to higher employee engagement overall.</p><p>BUILDING OF AN “EMPLOYER BRAND”</p><p>Having the right talent is critical to the success of your business. You want to have a team that delivers the right innovation, skills, and insights if you are to stay ahead of the competition. Achieving this becomes difficult when you cannot attract the right candidates. Fortunately, having L&D strategies in place could help make your business the “employer of choice.” The ripple effect would be top talent naturally gravitating toward your business.</p><p>To further use L&D to build your brand as an employer, consider making the strategy personal, as generic L&D is bound to fail. Practical examples would be to provide individual applicants or employees individual logins and dashboard. This sells your brand as being an employer that’s big on self-led capabilities.</p><p>CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A COMPANY CULTURE</p><p>Post-COVID, we are seeing greater adoption of remote and hybrid workplaces. This new work model presents unique challenges, especially as it pertains to developing and maintaining company culture. Fortunately, L&D can help with building a sense of community and a value-based culture even with the dispersed workforce. Developing these two facets of your organization is important, as Millennials, who make up the highest percentage of your employee pool, express great interest in working for values-based, sustainable enterprises.</p><p>As an organization, it would be best if you adopted a culture of being a “learning organization.” This means training is no longer considered a luxury item employees rarely value or are resistant to. This elevates L&D as a strategic and necessary investment that should see the business continue to grow and increase its market position.</p><p>DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR PEOPLE AND THEIR CAPABILITIES</p><p>With the growth of innovation and knowledge base, knowledge becoming outdated or forgotten is a more frequent occurrence. The consequence is the value of your human resources decreases, which informs the need for these to be supplemented by new learning and relevant work experiences.</p><p>Regardless of the industry, a rapid change of pace means employers and employees need to stay ahead of the curve, and there’s got to be focus on L&D. Note that when you invest in developing your employee’s skills and capabilities, you are likely going to have this investment paid off as higher productivity and ability to handle new challenges.</p><p>To survive in today’s business environment, you require a sustainable competitive advantage. A key consideration in the pursuit of this competitive edge is the organization’s workforce. Training and development of this workforce has proven to be integral to business success.</p><p>Going into said training, you require an intelligent and modern solution that is highly adaptive to the changes within your organization. This solution is meant to ensure that you achieve the aforementioned while ensuring the audience still feels your commitment to their development. The tool should be able to take care of the administration, automation, and delivery of the learning material, training programs, and real-time instructional sessions.</p><p>Execute your organization’s online learning programs with <a href="https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/428763/2021%20isolved%20Co-branded%20pdfs/LEARN%26GROW-how-to-shop-for-an-lms-white-paper-rev-nb-isolved-platinum-group.pdf">isolved Learn & Grow</a>, an end-to-end learning management software that drives continuous learning and training, all while keeping your employees engaged and your business compliant. </p><i>Platinum Group is a human capital management resource with solutions to help you streamline operations so you’ll have time to manage your business. For more information about Platinum Group, or to </i><a href="https://platinum.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?__hstc=173929916.672a38e896911c794f952a27b897469d.1572383980104.1572383980104.1572383980104.1&__hssc=173929916.1.1572383980105&__hsfp=1588301246&hsCtaTracking=93ff34fe-af5e-4987-92b0-d823574b5c34%7Ce8d4d6a7-ef51-4e38-9e1e-1761b2e023fe"><i>schedule a demo</i></a><i> of isolved, please </i><a href="https://www.platinum-grp.com/"><i>visit </i></a><i>Platinum-Grp.com.<br>Source: Platinum Group</i></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:5a583b1f-c7fe-4437-8657-b043277c764f2023-08-02T11:56:43-04:002023-08-02T11:56:47-04:00Investment ideas for business owners 2023-08-05 11:56:36 -0400Katherine Morosani<span><p>By definition, business owners put a lot of their financial resources into their enterprises. As an owner, you may need to invest in more than inventories and payroll to help achieve the future you’ve envisioned. </p><p>Here are a few investments you may want to consider: </p><p>• <b>Retirement account</b> – Depending on the nature of your business and how many employees you have, you can choose from a variety of tax-advantaged retirement plans, such as an owner-only 401(k), an SEP-IRA, and a SIMPLE IRA. By contributing regularly to one of these accounts, you can avoid being entirely dependent on the sale of your business to pay for your retirement years. </p><p>To fund your 401(k) or other retirement plan, you’ll have many investment options — stocks, bonds, mutual funds and so on. If you “max out” on your retirement plan, you may even be able to build a separate investment portfolio. In any case, keep in mind that you’re already putting a lot of money into your business; so to achieve a level of diversification, you may want to concentrate your investment choices in areas outside your industry. However, while diversification can help reduce the impact of market volatility on your portfolio, it can’t guarantee profits or protect against losses in a declining market. </p><p> • <b>Property</b> – Your physical space is a key part of your business’ success. So, you may want to invest some time in comparing the pros and cons of renting versus owning. Of course, owning your building may require a big financial commitment, and it may not be feasible, but it could free you from worrying about untimely rent increases. </p><p>• <b>Disaster protection</b> – If a fire or a weather-related disaster should strike your business, would you be prepared? It’s important for you to create a disaster recovery plan, which can include business interruption insurance to pay for your operating costs if you’re forced to shut down for a while. </p><p>• <b>Emergency savings</b> – While a disaster protection plan with appropriate insurance can help keep your business afloat, it’s unlikely to cover other types of emergency needs, such as a major medical bill or an expensive repair to your home. For these unexpected costs, you may want to build an emergency fund covering at least a few months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid account. Without such an emergency fund, you may be forced to dip into your 401(k), IRA, or other long-term investment vehicle. </p><p>You’ll also want to invest the time and energy into creating a business succession plan. Will you keep the business in your family? Sell it to outsiders or a key employee? If you do sell, will you do it all at once or over time? Clearly, the answers to these types of questions will make a big difference in your ultimate financial security. </p><p>Finally, invest in help. Enlist the services of a financial advisor and business-planning professional so you’ll be able to make the decisions that work best for you and your business. Your business may well be a lifelong endeavor — so make sure you’re investing whatever it takes to earn a lifetime of benefits. </p><p><i>This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Katherine Morosani, ChFC®, CEPA® who can be reached at 828-793-4310 or Katherine.Morosani@Edwardjones.com </i></p><p><i>Edward Jones, Member SIPC</i></p><div><br></div></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:15adb159-5f38-4d93-9f5f-a4abc9daf4002023-07-14T12:38:11-04:002023-07-14T12:38:15-04:00Tips to consider for your business telephone system2023-07-18 12:33:01 -0400Andrea Robel<span><p>Western North Carolina’s business-friendly environment, lower taxes, pro-tech scene, and quality lifestyle make the state a destination in and of itself for many companies big and small. </p><p>Telephone service for businesses is not your plain old telephone service (more commonly referred to as a landline) that has been around using copper lines. Today’s telephone service is over the internet commonly referred to as Voice over Internet Phone (VoIP). </p><p>As a business owner, your business telephone is critical to operating your business in today’s world. It’s important to pay attention to:</p><ul><li>What type of phone are you using for your business?</li><li>Is using your personal cell phone for your business the best way to go?</li><li>Is your business provider really providing your business with the most cost-effective system?</li><li>Is your business phone provider providing design of system, training, and support?</li></ul><p>If you are still using an AT&T or cable company landline business phone that you have had for years, are you sure that you have not been switched over to a VoIP system? If so, you may be paying more for your phone than you need to be.</p><p>Using a cell phone or your personal home phone line for your business leaves a lot of open questions. You may find considering these questions can help you spend your money wisely. The biggest questions include:</p><ul><li>Are you separating your work time from your personal time? </li><li>What about security for your business or your personal self? </li><li>Is your current phone sales rep just asking how many lines you need and selling you that number, or are they taking the time to find out how you work, want your needs really are, and designing a system that really meets your needs? </li><li>Is your current phone rep selling you a third-party service and passing you off to another phone company? </li></ul><p>Benefits of VoIP for Business in North Carolina:</p><ul><li>Cost Savings: Affordable, competitive rates versus traditional phone systems to allow businesses to increase their bottom line.</li><li>Business Scalability: Allows businesses to easily add or remove phone lines as per their needs. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for growing businesses in North Carolina.</li><li>Business Mobility: VoIP enables employees to access their business phone lines from</li></ul><p>anywhere with an internet connection. This feature is especially useful for remote workers or businesses with multiple locations.</p><ul><li>Advanced Features: VoIP systems offer a wide range of advanced features like call forwarding, voicemail to email transcription, call routing, virtual attendants, and conference calling. These features enhance productivity and streamline communication within the business.</li><li>Integration: VoIP can integrate with other business applications and software systems, such as customer relationship management platforms, to enhance efficiency and streamline workflows.</li></ul><i>Not sure how to get set up with a new business phone connection? Call Andrea Robel at Vistanet today at 828-348-5366 or email </i><a href="mailto:Info@Vistanet.co"><i>Info@Vistanet.co</i></a><i> for a consultation.</i></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:df1e5090-21d2-4723-9965-ec01350f47642023-07-17T12:37:51-04:002023-07-26T12:21:36-04:00Guerrilla marketing and understanding your audience2023-07-17 12:37:50 -0400Chris Kaminski<span><p>Understanding your audience is a critical step in any marketing campaign, including guerrilla marketing. It allows you to tailor your strategies and messages to effectively reach and engage your target market. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to understand your audience and create a successful guerrilla marketing campaign.</p><p>Identify Your Ideal Customer: Start by creating a detailed profile of your ideal customer or "customer persona." Consider their basic demographic information like age, gender, location, income level, and occupation. However, it's crucial to go beyond these surface-level details and delve deeper into their lifestyle, interests, hobbies, and behaviors. </p><p>Research: Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups with your current and potential customers. This research will provide valuable insights into their needs, preferences, and pain points. Analyzing website and social media analytics can also offer a wealth of information about your audience such as their demographics, engagement patterns, and online behavior.</p><p>Competitor Analysis: Study your competitors to gain a better understanding of who they are targeting and how they communicate with their audience. While it's important not to copy their strategies outright, analyzing their successful tactics can inspire innovative approaches for your guerrilla marketing campaign.</p><p>Social Listening: Monitor social media platforms, online forums, and relevant discussions related to your product, brand, or industry. By actively listening to conversations, you can uncover valuable insights about what your target audience is talking about, the challenges they face, and their core values. This information will help you tailor your messaging to resonate with their interests and needs.</p><p>Monitor Trends: Stay abreast of the latest trends in your industry and broader cultural landscape. Understanding these trends allows you to identify emerging interests, preferences, and behaviors among your target audience. By incorporating these insights into your guerrilla marketing campaign, you can capture their attention and establish a deeper connection with your brand.</p><p>Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from your customers through surveys, reviews, or direct communication. This feedback loop enables you to gain firsthand insights into their experiences, preferences, and expectations. By actively listening to your audience, you can refine your strategies, improve your offerings, and ensure that your guerrilla marketing efforts align with their desires.</p><p>By understanding your audience, you can create a guerrilla marketing campaign that resonates with them, captures their attention, and encourages engagement with your brand. It ensures that your marketing efforts are focused and effective, minimizing wasted time and resources on strategies that don't resonate with your target audience. </p><p><i>Chris Kaminski is the owner of Lone Bird Studio LLC. Lone Bird Studio specializes in guerrilla marketing and can provide expert guidance throughout your campaign, maximizing its impact and success.</i></p><p><i>Learn more at LoneBird.com.</i></p><div><br></div></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:671ded71-fd54-4025-8e65-6e775e271c612023-07-06T08:21:20-04:002023-07-06T08:21:24-04:00Tech-Enabled human connection 2023-07-06 08:21:20 -0400Jami Daniels<span><p>As technology rapidly improves and the world becomes increasingly automated, things that are declared “dead” are getting more important all the time. Human connection has never been more critical in branding, sales, and customer development. The trick is to effectively use technology to facilitate a conversation and reach your customer where they are. </p><p>Low-value interactions that can be replaced with automated tech should be. Your customer doesn’t want to spend a lot of time jumping through frustrating hoops, but when a customer has an important need to meet, or if it’s more of a high-stakes interaction, there’s really no replacement for a real, live person. A bot can help a customer find the right URL for your business; however, it cannot help your customer with an issue that is difficult to verbalize or may even have them steaming. </p><p>As you try to build trust in your brand, it’s critical that you connect with your customers in a meaningful way. Creating a positive buying or service experience with your customers is the fastest way to establish trust. It seems so basic, but the fastest way to differentiate your company is by being authentic. </p><p>Personal customer service is also the fastest route to surprise and delight. Remarketing is now a basic standard. (Remarketing consists of those ads that show up after you leave something in an online cart then emails you, and seem to haunt your every social media move). Marketers use it because it works. It really works well with a lower-value sale.</p><p>A friend in the jewelry business suggested that most interactions with an online storefront can and will be replaced in no time with AI. Imagine that his customer left an expensive bracelet in their cart. What if instead of some pesky email, someone called that buyer to inquire why they didn’t pull the trigger? If a person called, it may create that moment of, “well, since you asked…,” opening an opportunity to create a meaningful interaction with your customer.</p><p>Expectations of customers are relatively low. They no longer expect real engagement from a company. A genuine, human-powered interaction creates a huge opportunity for your company and a positive buying experience for your customer. On the other hand, people want to be able to find what they need on their own when they need something quickly. Balancing this correctly is the key to maintaining wildly happy customers. </p><p>Using tech tools effectively can help remove tedious, low-value uses of your team’s time. Leveraging your team’s skill set can make their working hours more efficient. If something is easily replaced with tech, replace it. Let your team focus on the critical needs of your business and your customer. </p><p>Our business is in an ‘old fashioned’ industry that has never felt more modern. I wonder if young people might be surprised that you can actually have people answer the phone for you! Tech advancements in our industry have enabled us to be faster, more efficient, and do more with less, but the power of what we provide is the human aspect. </p><p>We’re used to surprising people when we answer our customer’s phones. Lately though, the true strength has been in reaching out. We work with universities that want to connect more deeply with prospective students. If a student goes on their site and leaves without converting, we give them a call to find out what their interests are or if they have a question about financial aid, etc. We then route them to the expert on the question at hand. This creates a powerful opportunity for the university to actually connect with that prospective student.</p><p>Tech has allowed us to be more connected than ever, yet we grow farther away from our customers. What used to seem so mundane can now be a critical differentiator for your company or organization. Build trust and deepen your relationships with your customers by using well-timed, meaningful human interactions. </p><p><i>Jami Daniels is the third-generation business owner of a company that was started in downtown Asheville on a park bench. Brightbell Virtual Receptionist powered by tech-enabled, customer-focused people. Learn more at </i><a href="https://www.brightbellco.com/" target="_blank"><i>BrightBellCo.com</i></a><i>. </i></p><br></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:542fe59b-b519-4b56-9448-577e941b1db32023-05-07T16:51:21-04:002023-05-15T08:42:20-04:00Inclusive language: More than just a word game 2023-05-07 16:51:20 -0400Beverly Jurenko<span><p>What comes to mind when you hear the term "Inclusive Language?" For some, it's an opportunity. For others, it can be an annoyance. Objectively, inclusive language is a powerful tool that demonstrates our way of being with others. With practice, we can see the positive impact using inclusive language can have on others. </p><p>So what exactly is inclusive language? Inclusive language is a form of communication that uses words, phrases, expressions, metaphors, and sentences that are welcoming to everyone. It avoids incorporating assumptions that may exclude people so that no one feels left out. We are all different and there are many dimensions of diversity. Everyone's voice is important. </p><p>Inclusive language encompasses emails, messages, marketing materials, social media, cards, websites, and other forms of communication including imagery. Once we understand the importance of inclusive language and know how to use it, we may begin to notice statements that are not inclusive. However, not every exclusion equates to ill will. Sometimes the use of language that is not inclusive can be inadvertent. As we build skills in this area together, a bit of patience and encouragement can go a long way.</p><p>If it’s a priority to be effective in your communication, inclusive language provides an important tool. Whether speaking to someone in a cafeteria or giving a presentation at a conference, we want to make an impact on our audience. The goal of effective communication is to engage people, not turn them away. When others are turned away, they close their ears and may not absorb the rest of the important message we aim to convey. We show compassion and respect for others when we work to be aware of our differences and promote inclusion in our language. Here are a few examples: </p><ul><li><p>When talking about disability issues, lead with the person first. Say "the man with a hearing disability" rather than "the deaf man" because people with a disability want to be known as a person first and not only for their disability. </p></li><li><p>When referring to groups or work roles, avoid gender specific terms. Say ‘chairperson’ rather than ‘chairman’ because the chair is not always going to be male. Try saying "Hello everyone" instead of "Hello ladies and gentlemen" because not everyone identifies as male or female. </p></li><li><p>Avoid using words or terms like ‘blacklist’ that imply a color associated with a group of people is undesirable. </p></li><li><p>If discussing groups and subgroups that relate to majority or minority sets, use the term ‘typical’ rather than ‘normal’ because who wants to be tagged the opposite of normal (abnormal) simply by being a member of a smaller group? </p></li></ul><p>If you are struggling to embrace the ‘why’ in all of this, consider this quote from a 19th century theologian named Tryon Edwards: “Thoughts lead on to purposes; purposes go forth unto actions; actions form habits: habits decide character; and character fixes our destiny.”</p><p>Words are powerful, and being inclusive in all forms of speech makes people feel more comfortable about being themselves. Inclusion lowers stress, which brings out the best in everyone. It takes only a very small amount of effort to use inclusive language, and the benefits abound. Just give it a try, and watch how people around you bloom, grow, and seek to be in your presence.</p><p><i>Beverly Jurenko, MBA, certified DEI practitioner, and member of the International Coaching Federation, provides Leadership & Career Coaching and Diversity Equity & Inclusion Consulting through Inside Edge Consulting LLC.</i></p><p><i>Learn more at Inside-Edge-Group.com or contact her at Beverly@Inside-Edge-Group.com.</i></p><div><br></div></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:8b3baf7e-35a6-4804-94db-9cbb941f260f2023-05-01T13:51:45-04:002023-05-04T17:16:39-04:00Workforce really is the name of the game2023-05-01 13:51:44 -0400Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood<p>In the world of community colleges – whether you’re here in North Carolina or at a college in Virginia – workforce is the name of the game. </p><p>And for all of us in higher education, we are currently experiencing this phrase on a visceral level, even though we’ve been focused on workforce for a long time. Only now, the expectations for how we support workforce in our communities is increasing. </p><p>Given this new and more profound emphasis, it raises an important question. While we have been diligently developing our workforce, are we playing “the game” the right way? </p><p><b>Regional needs demand regional solutions</b></p><p>As a trusted partner to employers and a lifeline for students, community colleges must evolve to respond in a regional and collaborative manner. Our commitment to serving our counties in which we are located – staying within a specific service area – has been the foundation of our work. But as we’ve all come to recognize, employment and training opportunities no longer follow county boundary lines, particularly when you’re working and living in a rural area. </p><p>Our business and industry partners, students, adult learners and dislocated employees often have to venture out to find solutions. Similarly, economic and workforce development needs a regional approach that extends beyond a particular county. Asheville-based Pratt + Whitney is a good example. They draw employees from multiple counties, and these employees have to be trained. A-B Tech, Haywood Community College, Mayland Community College, McDowell Tech and Blue Ridge are all partners in this process. One entity can’t do it alone. </p><p><b>Intentional relationships fuel responsive programs</b></p><p>In my last column, I discussed community colleges that intentionally align with industry through collaborations and partnerships. I also reinforced the value of our advisory committees in the development of new programs. While it may have sounded formulaic, as if program development follows a linear, scripted process, sometimes the process changes. What happens when a real-world situation presents itself that isn’t part of our usual process? How do we respond?</p><p>Quickly. </p><p>For example, last fall, Blue Ridge Community College began receiving phone calls from engineering firms and businesses saying that they needed our help to train skilled workers in the fields of environmental and civil engineering. And they needed it now. </p><p>Within two weeks of that initial onslaught of calls, we hosted a meeting with representatives from municipalities, engineering firms and environmental agencies within our region, all of whom stressed the importance of having these types of programs. Given the overwhelming amount of infrastructure and development projects underway in our region, it’s not a surprise that everyone in attendance that day said that if we were to start such programs, they would hire our graduates.</p><p>This experience is the direct result of what happens when we practice intentional alignment with key industries in our region, particularly through relationships like those built by our Chair of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, Sharon Suess.</p><p><b>Tapping into expertise to build the program</b></p><p>While we were encouraged at this meeting by the amazing support from our partners (as well as the creation of jobs for our graduates), there was plenty of heavy lifting to do. We had two programs to build, curricula to develop, accreditation to gain and instructors to hire. Could we even find this type of instructor in such a short time – especially in a competitive job market? </p><p>The answer was yes. Several industry partners stepped forward, saying they could loan or contribute employees to teach classes. Others volunteered to assist with the sourcing of equipment. Meanwhile, our team quickly pulled together to write a successful prospectus for each program, and within a few months of those desperate calls for assistance, we assembled our data and rationale for SACSCOC accreditation. This was the fastest response and development of curriculum we had ever accomplished without an existing program from which to reference. </p><p><b>Listen well, react quickly</b></p><p>We are proud to announce that Blue Ridge will offer two new associate in applied science degree programs this fall in Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering, each with stackable certificates within the degrees. We also plan to develop apprenticeship opportunities to attract even more people to fill this pipeline. </p><p>All of us in the community college system are here to meet the needs of our local – and regional – workforce. And although we prefer to develop programs to meet those needs in proactive ways, it doesn’t always work out like that. This situation was reactive, and it serves as a model to our team about how to respond in the moment with agility and intentionality while meeting the need at hand. The result is innovative programs that will impact our region for many years to come. </p><p>I’d say that’s a winning strategy in the game of workforce development. </p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/997807/fill/700x0/Leatherwood_2022.jpg?timestamp=1682963474"></div><i>By Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood, President</i><br><i>Blue Ridge Community College</i><br><p><i>Main Photo Caption: Sharon Suess, chair of engineering and advanced manufacturing at Blue Ridge Community College, teaches students to use a diagnostic tool on a robotic assembly line at the campus in Henderson County. (Photo by Rich Keen, Blue Ridge Community College Marketing & Communications Dept.)</i></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:ba1f026e-8de0-4c05-96c7-c68673c77ee82023-04-24T07:36:37-04:002023-05-02T17:42:25-04:00How to start a small business in NC2023-04-26 07:36:32 -0400Randee Brown<span><p>Nick Hawks, founder of 1-2 Teach You and teacher with the North Carolina Community College Small Business Centers, is a long time small business owner who shared some information and insight into the significance of small businesses in the state as well as the necessary steps to take in order to create your own small business.</p><p>North Carolina is one of the best, easiest, and most popular states to start a business in, according to Hawks, because it has the fourth lowest business startup cost and the third lowest tax rate in the country.</p><p>Hawks shared results from a study stating the top motivations for starting one’s own business, included 49% of people said they wanted to be independent, and 43% said they wanted to have freedom and flexibility. Other reasons included: people wanted extra income, to share their creative passion, work from home, or found an opportunity to fill a niche in a specific market.</p><p>Small businesses make up 99.6% of all businesses in the state. This represents a total of 964,280 businesses and 1.7 million employees or (45.1% of all NC employees). As of 2021, the top five industries represented by these small businesses are:</p><ul><li>Other Services (excluding Public Administration) - 125,511</li><li>Professional, Scientific, and Technical services - 120,826</li><li>Construction - 116,863</li><li>Administrative, Support, and Waste Management - 101,586</li><li>Real Estate and Rental Leasing - 94,968</li></ul><p>Small business ownership varies by demographic group as well. Of all small businesses in NC, ownership demographics are represented by:</p><ul><li>Women - 44.2%</li><li>African American - 13.6%</li><li>Veterans - 8.4%</li><li>Hispanics - 6.2%</li><li>Asian - 3.8%</li></ul><p><i>*Above data from the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy</i></p><p>According to the Small Business Administration, the definition of a small business varies according to industry. Some ‘small businesses’, like those described by the North American Industry Classification System as Automobile and Light Duty Motor Vehicle Manufacturing, can maintain that classification with up to 1,500 employees. Other industries, such as Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers, can maintain that classification with up to 100 employees.</p><p>Within the 22 westernmost counties of North Carolina, for 2020, there were 172,783 businesses with 9 or fewer employees. The majority of these businesses are categorized as follows:</p><ul><li>S-corporations - 86,224</li><li>C-corporations - 36,208</li><li>Individual Proprietorships - 19,280</li><li>Partnerships - 16,560</li><li>Nonprofit - 13,662</li><li>Government - 346</li><li>Other non corporate legal forms of organization - 503</li></ul><p><i>*Above data from the U.S. Census Bureau</i></p><p>Survival rates of small businesses tend to be around 80% for the first year, and the number of surviving businesses declines after more years in business. After five years, 55% of small businesses are still in operation, and after 15 years, only 25% of businesses are still in operation, according to Hawks.</p><p>“The majority of small businesses fail because there is no market for what they are offering,” Hawks said. “They could also be outcompeted, face pricing or cost issues, have no business model, or use poor marketing strategies.”</p><p>Hawks said that it is important to research market needs before spending time and money with business startup costs. He said that it’s imperative to know the businesses values, mission, and target market. In addition, startups will need a business plan, name, structure, and an understanding of the products the business will handle, if applicable.</p><p>“There are always classes on how to make a business plan,” Hawks said. “Plan ahead, make sure you have the resources, do your market research, and account for startup costs.”</p><p>Examples of startup costs can include: research, opening a facility, advertising, travel costs for securing distributors or suppliers, consulting fees, fees to organize a partnership or corporation, wages to train employees, and costs to create a product inventory, according to Hawks. He also said that liability insurance, rent, and utility bills should also be considered for brick-and-mortar locations.</p><p>When starting up a new small business, considerations also have to be made for the type of business structure that makes sense for the company. Different organization structures include: </p><ul><li>Sole Proprietorship - Owner is responsible for profits and losses and legally liable for the business.</li><li>C- or S-corporation - Owned by shareholders and managed by Board of Directors.</li><li>General Partnership - Two or more owners that are both legally liable and contribute money, labor, and skills as well as share profits and losses.</li><li>Nonprofit Corporation - Owned by members and managed by Board of Directors with no tax on income.</li><li>Limited Liability Corporation - Member ownership legally separated from individuals.</li></ul><p>Another important consideration when creating a business, according to Hawks, is deciding on its name. When considering options, Hawks said it may help to say it out loud and share the idea with others. He said to check the NC Secretary of State business database at<a href="http://sosnc.org"> SOSNC.org</a> to see if the business name already exists, and to make sure that the new business name is not too similar to an established business.</p><p>Once a name has been decided, the next step is to file an Assumed Business Name with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina at EDPNC.com. Hawks said the website has information on corporate and employer forms that may need to be filed.</p><p>Hawks said it is also helpful to go ahead and register a domain name for your website, and there are a variety of platforms with which to do so. A business can also register a trademark for any intellectual property, start social media accounts to claim handles, and obtain an Employee Identification Number for tax purposes. </p><p>It will also be necessary for businesses to register at NCDOR.gov to pay state income taxes as well as file annual reports with the Secretary of State.</p><p>Other NC small business startup requirements can include permits or licenses for specific occupations or zoning locations. Federal, state, and local agencies may have different requirements, so it is important to check with them all.</p></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:e51ea085-41e0-42a5-8145-c6aa9500ccc72023-04-19T10:18:35-04:002023-04-19T10:18:46-04:00Understanding Performance Feedback 2023-04-19 10:18:34 -0400Beverly Jurenko<span><p>It's not unusual to dislike giving or receiving feedback on job performance. The Society for Human Resources Management has reported that as many as 95% of managers are dissatisfied with their performance review systems, and 56% of employees surveyed said they do not typically receive feedback on what to improve. </p><p>Complaints like these may lead companies to consider doing away with performance reviews altogether, but avoiding difficult conversations won't help your company or your employees improve. How can we make giving and receiving feedback easier on everyone involved? Simply being open and authentic are keys to making this exercise easier. </p><p><b>The risk of avoidance </b></p><p>Giving feedback on job performance isn't easy, especially when it requires sharing information that an employee may not want to hear. However, when managers don't express what’s on their mind, both sides have missed an opportunity to improve. It's tempting to avoid discomfort by sticking to check-the-box type comments like "good job," but fake accolades can actually cause damage. Hiding your true feelings will eventually act as a barrier within the relationship between the manager and the employee. Until what was left unsaid has been acknowledged, this barrier will interfere with communication flows and jeopardize ease in the relationship. </p><p>Moreover, from the employee's point of view, nothing makes them feel more invisible than hearing "good job" when they know there's more to explore. Being told your work is good when you know there is room for improvement can also lead to a real disconnect when it comes time for promotions and bonuses. It's always better for everyone involved to know exactly where they stand so they have time to adjust, learn, and grow.</p><p><b>Start with compassion </b></p><p>Let humanity speak first by showing you care about an employee's development and success. It doesn’t have to get too personal - this is not about being best buddies - but do take an interest in what motivates the employee. Focus on shared values, experiences with the work being done, and what the employee has to offer on a professional level. </p><p><b>Be direct and specific </b></p><p>Feedback should always be tied to the work, not to the person. It should be specific, related to identified projects and situations, and include examples of what should have been done that was not done. It should also be based on what has been measured and verified, not on assumptions or hearsay. If there are feelings that an employee did not do a good job with something, you must share that with them, but understand that the priority is sharing where the work, not the person, fell short. </p><p><b>Stay away from brutal honesty and personal insults </b></p><p>Humiliation is never a good thing for motivation, but being truthful is important. It’s a good idea to combine your need to speak the truth with acknowledgement that you respect the recipient of the feedback as a human being. When feedback becomes too harsh or personal, employees can feel discouraged and may even seek employment elsewhere because an aggressive tone can be interpreted as a lack of care for their professional development. When managers cross the line and discuss personal aspects while giving feedback, the impact can be highly detrimental to morale for everyone since negativity tends to spread. If you notice a conversation moving in this direction, take a pause, redirect, and begin again from a place of compassion. </p><p><b>The right balance </b></p><p>Being authentic and compassionate while delivering performance feedback can be tough, but with practice it can be learned. Finding the right balance will foster substantive conversations between managers and employees, and will inspire trust and motivation to improve. By using the heart and the head together, it is possible to leverage our contributions, learn from our shortcomings, and maximize our ability to grow by seeing the opportunity inherent in giving and receiving performance feedback. </p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/994990/fill/700x0/Beverly_20Jurenko__20photo_20by_20Traci_20Ling.jpg?timestamp=1681913735"></div><p><i>Beverly Jurenko, MBA, certified DEI practitioner, and member of the International Coaching Federation, provides Leadership & Career Coaching and Diversity Equity & Inclusion Consulting through Inside Edge Consulting LLC.</i></p><p><i>Learn more at Inside-Edge-Group.com or contact her at Beverly@Inside-Edge-Group.com.</i></p><p><i>Beverly's photo by Christina Morillo</i></p><div><br></div></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:a06959f2-1143-4468-a78d-4662ccc261692023-04-12T07:30:03-04:002023-04-20T17:33:08-04:00Streamlined Wi-Fi Runs Small Businesses 2023-04-17 07:23:00 -0400Ellen Stallings<span><p>It is no secret that small businesses rely on technology and digital tools, not just for the day in and day out of running their businesses, but to reach new customers, communicate with employees, innovate, and grow. In the past few years, we have seen an exponential growth in cloud-based platforms for every area of running a business. Small business owners find they are managing several different applications to perform necessary tasks like point of sale, inventory management, customer contact, accounting, logistics, human resources… It is a long list. </p><p>For these programs to be successful in streamlining business functions, a fast, reliable connection to the internet that can handle uploads as fast as downloads is essential. Seventy percent of business owners report that when there is an interruption to their network, their business is seriously impacted. However, many small business owners struggle with both the cost and complexity of managing their own network. With so many pressing concerns for a business owner, this important task can feel overwhelming. </p><p>What should a small business owner be thinking about when it comes to their business network? Here are the top questions to ask yourself:</p><p><b>Security:</b> Small businesses are often targeted by cybercriminals. Small businesses need to consider the use of firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention, and regular security updates to protect against the continually changing and evolving threats. How protected is your network?</p><p><b>Reliability and Speed:</b> This decision is not just limited to full outages but also includes the speed and the symmetry of service. Do you know the average speed of your connection? Is your upload speed significantly lower than your download speed? Do you experience lag during certain times of your business day? Is your provider local with prioritized response times to commercial customers? Do you have a fail-over connection plan in place?</p><p><b>Scalability:</b> As your business grows and technology advances, your network needs will change. Will your current network scale when needed? The Internet is delivered to the end user in many ways. Are you connected with the most advanced choice available? Beyond how your service is delivered, your experience can also be impacted by the equipment used inside your network. Do you understand your current equipment and available options?</p><p><b>Cost-Effectiveness: </b>Managing a network in-house can be expensive and time-consuming. Though it can feel like an extra expense, a professional Managed Network Service Provider can help you save money and time by taking on the responsibility of network management and maintenance. Are you ready to make the investment to protect your network and business?</p><p><b>Expertise:</b> Managed Network Service Providers have the expertise and experience to help you make the most of your network. They can provide guidance on best practices, troubleshoot problems, and help you make informed decisions about your network infrastructure. Have you weighed the benefits of professional services?</p><p>As a local internet service provider to small businesses, we highly recommend you seek out a partnership with a Managed Service Provider. Riverwave has the privilege of working in tandem with many excellent MSPs in WNC. Whether you are a Riverwave customer or not, we are happy to point you in the direction of professionals in your area that excel in working with businesses just like yours. Reach out to us for recommendations.</p><p>If engaging an MSP is on your horizon but not in the budget just yet, Riverwave offers a customized managed Wi-Fi solution that will get and keep you up and running. Our service is Fiber Optic, meaning the service supplied is not only reliable, it is fast, symmetrical (download and upload speeds are the same), and scalable as you grow. We offer speeds from 100 mbps to 1 Gb, and you can increase your speed with just a phone call – no change in hardware needed. Knowing that it takes more than a great connection to have a great experience, we include a carrier grade Wi-Fi router, award winning network security, and an app that puts the control of your network in the palm of your hand. Through our BizWorks offering, we can help you check off all the boxes above. With full-service installation by one of our local in-house technicians, your business will be up and running at the speed of light. If our business can help your business, please reach out to us. It would be our pleasure to serve you.</p><p><i>Ellen Stallings is the President at Riverwave Broadband. Learn more about how Riverwave can help your business at RideRiverWave.com or by emailing </i><a href="mailto:Ellen@RideRiverWave.com"><i>Ellen@RideRiverWave.com</i></a><i>.</i></p><div><br></div></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>