Organizations in B Corp, Benefit Corporation, and the social impact space are hard at work creating their annual Impact Reports now. I’m taking part in my first impact report this year as a board member. It’s a wide-reaching effort that involves many people and requires a lot of time and care. Once done, though, I’ve
In just a couple of weeks, the successful #SmallBusinessSaturday celebration will take place on November 26th. As always, it falls on Thanksgiving Weekend and follows Black Friday. Now in its 12th year, Small Business Saturday (started by American Express) has sparked a social movement to #ShopSmall for the holiday season. In 2011 even the US
I love checklists and use them in my daily life for both business and personal use. For example, I created a travel checklist after forgetting my neck pillow on the last plane trip I took. It was a 5-hour cross-country flight and I paid dearly for that oversight. I also have a grocery shopping checklist,
Did you know that any business can use the B Impact Assessment as a benchmarking tool to measure your business’s impact in these five important areas: Employees Community Environment Governance Customers Whether you're going for #bcorp certification or not, these measurement tools will expose areas in need of attention to get you where you want
Congratulations on achieving B Corp Certification and joining a global community of kindred spirit organizations that are working hard to make business as a force for good and change in the world. It’s no small feat to make it into this community and now it’s time to ensure that investment of money and time pays
The current economic environment means that discounts are everywhere but it’s not always a good thing. At least not for the small business owners. It used to be that only high-priced ticket items were shopped. Now, consumers want to shop everything from toilet tissue all the way up to mortgages. If you’re selling to consumers,
A full-blown book addict, I have never walked by a bookstore or book sale and not stopped in. And I have never left one empty-handed. Ever. The Japanese language has a beautiful word for this: tsundoku. Roughly, this translates to buying more books than you can read. One of the reasons I decided on a
Of all the business functions you’re juggling, marketing is the most important. Why? Because marketing — including all of its components — is the only revenue-producing business function there is. Additionally, marketing should be integrated into everything you do. From operations to budgeting to your phone message to hiring employees and more. The key? Consistency
As the Marketing Director and Board Member for an arts nonprofit, I often partner with local organizations to advance the arts in our community. The three most recent cause-related marketing campaign partnerships have been wonderful experiences for us. Why? Because in each case, the sponsoring company made it easy for us to participate by supporting
“He who has a thing to sell and goes and whispers in a well is not so apt to get the dollars as he who climbs a tree and hollers,” Anonymous Public Relations is a powerful marketing tool. Strategically, publicity helps establish your thought leadership, launch a new business, and gain exposure to a wider