The United Nation’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs created The Agenda for Sustainable Development. This Agenda outlines a plan for “dignity, peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and in the future.” These goals are set in 15-year increments and through a collaboration among business entities worldwide, nearly all of the goals from the past 15 years were accomplished. Nonprofits and government bodies don’t have the structure to address many of the effects of global economic inequality but business people are nimble and innovative and as such, are able to make a profound impact. Take for example, TOMS Shoes who, for every pair of shoes purchased, donates a pair of shoes to a child or adult in need. As of 2016, TOMS

Read More…

Transcript: Jody: Hello everybody. This is Jody Johnson. Welcome to Made In Miami, where we interview small businesses here locally to learn more about why they love doing business in Miami, how they got started in their business and what their advice would be for others who are about to start a business or looking to grow their businesses. Today we’re going to be with Liz Nieves of Ilo Gear.  Hi Liz. Welcome to Made In Miami. Liz: Hi Jody. Thank you so much. I’m super grateful to be here. Jody: We’re delighted. So tell me a little bit about how people can find you, the name of the company, and the best way for them to be able to find you once they know

Read More…

Brand fascination may sound a bit mysterious but it’s actually something we are all familiar with in our personal relationships. Do you ever feel like you gravitate towards someone because of their personality or the way they communicate? The same can be said for business relationships. The way you communicate your brand affects whether or not people are drawn into a relationship with your brand. Therefore, positioning your brand to fascinate your audience and draw them in is one key to attracting clients and operating a successful business. So what are some key components of brand fascination? A solid understanding of your company’s identity Take time to assess what beliefs and values your company is built on and how you are pursuing your mission. Instead

Read More…

Transcript: Jody: Welcome to made in Miami where we’re interviewing small business owners that have their businesses here and are thriving in Miami. Every month we’ll be interviewing another small business to give you insights on how they’re making it. In Miami today we’re going to be talking with Cris and Claire from FrameWorks. So would you two introduce yourselves. The name of your company in the best way for people to find you. Cris Sweeny: Our company is FrameWorks the best way to find us is frameworksmiami.com. My name is Cris Sweeny on one of the founders and co-owners of FrameWorks. Claire Lardner: My name is Clare Lardner and I’m the other founder of FrameWorks located in Miami. We have two locations, one in

Read More…

All small businesses are affected by change. It could be something as simple as implementing a new payroll system or as monumental as switching to a new operating system or moving the office to a new location. Even if the change is warranted and the results are promising, change is rarely easy and a large percentage of change efforts fail. So how can leaders set themselves and their teams up for success when it comes to implementing change? It truly all begins with effective change leadership. Personality types of effective change leaders When you look at the Clifton StrengthsFinder personality types, effective change leaders can emerge from any of the four strength domains: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building or Strategic Thinking and any combination thereof. When

Read More…

10+ years after the Great Recession of 2006-2007, the U.S. economy is healthy. For the majority of small business owners, taking out loans to fund growth is relatively easy through conventional banking as well as alternative funding sources. Many small businesses sales are strong. But how long will this trend last? History teaches us that the economy ebbs and flows and on the heels of every boom there is an eventual downturn. Currently, there is a sense of uncertainty due to the political and economic climate here in the States and around the world. Additionally, as we come up on an election year in 2020, many people will sit tight and withhold spending. Let’s take a look at how an eventual economic downturn will affect

Read More…

21st century leadership is moving away from the traditional leadership hierarchy of the past and embracing a more approachable leadership style. Leaders are climbing down from their lofty positions of power and forging a more human-to-human connection with their team(s). This shift in leadership styles is largely fueled by research from thought leaders such as Pat Lencioni and Brené Brown who acknowledge the value of empathy in leadership and is driven by employees who, in this age of social media, equate transparency with trustworthiness. Vulnerability – the precursor to empathy Our ability to be daring leaders will never be greater than our capacity for vulnerability. – Brené Brown Empathy is putting ourselves in the shoes of another in order to truly understand their experience.  This

Read More…

We’ve acknowledged the employee engagement crisis and established the importance of engaging your employees. But how does an employer go about this? Would adding a soda machine and a ping pong table to your breakroom engage your employees and turn a bigger profit for your company? Most certainly not. Increasing employee engagement requires a clear employee engagement strategy. Here are some important components of an effective strategy: Be transparent: In order to engage employees, it’s crucial to gain their trust and be relatable. As opposed to the temptation to appear larger than life, foster open and honest communication with those you lead. Tell the truth, admit when you make a mistake and ask for input from employees when it’s appropriate. Your employees will respect your

Read More…

If employee engagement increases business profitability, why, according to 2016 Gallup statistics, is employee disengagement at an all-time high? In fact, 53% of U.S. workers are not engaged at their jobs and 17% of workers are actively disengaged. Employers must take the time to invest in formal employee engagement strategies to engage and retain their employees. Gallup also reports that, without an engagement strategy in place, teams are 21% less profitable, 17% less productive, have 10% lower customer ratings and increased employee turnover. What does an engaged employee look like? So what’s the goal? An engaged employee is energized by their work, passionate about their work and fulfilled in their work. They are driven by a desire to achieve excellence in all their tasks and

Read More…

Transcript: How to Attract Top Talent to Your Company I think you’ll agree that most business owners say they’re struggling to attract top talent to their company. Many of them tell me they’re struggling to attract ANY talent to their company. However, what if I share with you in this video what top-talented people are looking for in an employer? I’m going to share with you the four things that top-talented people are looking for when they go to join the company. Hi, this is Jody Ann Johnson with ActionCOACH – Team Sage, where we work with small business owners and their teams to help them grow their businesses, keep more of the money they make, be more profitable and free up their time. If

Read More…