Business Coaching

B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Our economy stretches far beyond the CSRA

Dr. Rick Franza, Professor of Management at the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about taking part in the global economy. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: We often hear about the need to take part in the global economy. How do you define the term “global economy?” Rick: The term global economy is redundant. All business is international now, all economy is global. You can’t isolate your economy. There are raw materials

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Business Coaching

Coach Darin: What can predictive analytics do for your business?

Every business (yours included) generates a lot of data. Every customer interaction, sale, and follow-up report produces information of great potential use to the organization. The key is harnessing all that data and using it to your company’s advantage. This process is often referred to as predictive analysis. According to the Harvard Business Review, predictive analytics is “the use of data to predict future trends and events,” and leveraging “historical data to forecast potential scenarios that can help drive strategic decisions.” In other words, the information your company generates today (and the proper

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B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Pros and cons of outsourcing vs. hiring

Dr. Rick Franza, Professor of Management at the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week, he talks about the pros and cons of outsourcing vs. hiring. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: One of the difficult decisions facing many small and medium-sized businesses is whether to hire a new employee for a specific task or to outsource it to a freelancer. What are some of the pros of outsourcing as opposed to hiring someone? Rick: Certainly,

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Business Coaching

Coach Darin: Leverage AI to grow your business

Artificial intelligence. What once felt wildly futuristic has suddenly become mainstream and is growing more ubiquitous by the minute. You are likely already interacting with AI, even if you are not completely aware of it. When your text message autocorrects itself or when you apply facial recognition to log into applications on your smartphone. When you enhance that selfie with a little photo editing before you post it to social media. When your music streaming service recommends a new song it thinks you might like. When you interact with a

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B2B Stories

Strategy and Operations: The Yin and Yang of Managing Your Business

As regular readers of this column know, I am returning to the classroom as a full-time faculty member this Fall Semester in August. In my first semester back in the classroom, I’ve been assigned two courses to teach. At the MBA level, I will be teaching a course in Strategic Management, while at the undergraduate level, I will be teaching a course in Operations and Supply Chain Management. While my most extensive academic training and experience have been in Operations and Supply Chain, I have taught Strategy in both MBA

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B2B Stories

A grand book for our times

The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens, a new book by Richard Haass, has been placed on my short list of recommended books. Let me explain why. “Bill of Obligations” makes a powerful point. Enshrined in our Constitution is a Bill of Rights but no bill of obligations. The author, Richard Haass, had a long and distinguished career in the federal government. He served in senior positions in the State Department and the White House. He worked closely with Presidents from both political parties. Richard Haass writes with authority about

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Business Coaching

Coach Darin: Leverage AI to grow your business

These days, nothing seems more topical than AI (Artificial Intelligence). With the much-ballyhooed advent of ChatGTP, business owners and CEOs are examining new ways in which AI can help increase efficiency, streamline operations, and grow their businesses. What exactly is AI? According to Wharton Online, AI “refers to the ability of machines to learn and make decisions based on data and analytics.” For many businesses, automation based on artificial intelligence is the starting point for incorporating more AI into their operations. Built-in processes that rely upon repetition and timing benefit significantly through the application

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B2B Stories

Derek May: What changes have businesses made since the pandemic?

We’ve come a long way since 2020 and Augusta’s doing well. We’re taking a look back at the economic panel discussion from ABD’s Conference and Expo in May, in which Derek May, President of Azalea Investments, speaks about key economic indicators that show how the business world has pulled through.

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B2B Stories

The truth about burnout

Whether you work in healthcare, in sales, or own a small business, chances are you’ve experienced hitting that wall on the job. You’re tired, irritable, and just not motivated.  There’s a name for this phenomenon. Burnout. According to a 2020 Gallup study, 76% of employees experience burnout at least sometimes, with 28% reporting feeling it very often or always. The study estimated that burnout costs the U.S. economy up to $190 billion in healthcare spending each year. Nate Lauger, Operations Director at Manpower Augusta, said burnout was an issue years

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B2B Stories

Coach Dave Holdeman: The lifeblood of your business

David Holdeman (Coach Dave) has more than 30 years of experience running or partnering in various service businesses. He is the co-owner of the local TAB (The Alternative Board) franchise, specializing in helping small and medium-sized businesses run more efficiently. TAB is a peer-to-peer advisory board helping business owners work through opportunities and issues. For more info, email david@tabcsra.com. Your sales team is the lifeblood of your business. They are your most accessible brand ambassadors and are often, the only points of contact with your customers. They are the people

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