Holly's Blogs

Get More Done – Interrupt Your Interruptions

Constant interruptions reduce focus and effectiveness. Learn how the human brain handles interruptions (poorly) and how to work more effectively by stemming their flow.

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Creative Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses: How to Stand Out in a Crowded Market

image source  47% of small-business owners manage their marketing efforts themselves.  In today’s competitive landscape, small businesses need to think creatively to capture the attention of potential customers. Traditional marketing methods are often too expensive or ineffective, so it’s essential to find innovative ways to stand out.  Considering all that, here are some creative marketing…

Growing a Business in the UAE: A Guide

image source The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has massively transformed into a thriving hub for business and commerce. With its strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and favorable business environment, the UAE offers immense opportunities for entrepreneurs and established businesses alike. This article delves into the various aspects of growing a business in the UAE, highlighting the…

Smart Classrooms, Smarter Students: AI Avatars Changing Education Dynamics

Image source Hey pals! Let’s have a conversation about how our classrooms are getting super smart with DEEPBRAIN AI avatars. These avatars are like super-smart computer buddies who are making our learning time way better! DEEP BRAIN AI avatars are like magical friends in our class. They help our teachers teach in a super cool…

Key Competencies That Any Business Leader Should Know Inside And Out

Effective leadership is the cornerstone of any thriving business. A leader’s role is multifaceted, requiring a diverse set of skills to navigate the challenges of today’s dynamic business environment. This article delves into five critical competencies that are indispensable for any business leader, shedding light on their importance and offering insights into how they can…

The Competitive Edge: Employee Rights and Talent Attraction

The battlefield for top-tier talent is no place for the faint-hearted. It demands enticing perks and brand prestige and a deep, demonstrable commitment to employee rights. Companies at the forefront know this secret: the brightest candidates seek a workplace where rights aren’t merely respected—they are celebrated. This realisation isn’t a light bulb moment; it’s a strategy…

Most Asked Questions By Small Business Owners

Launching and scaling a small business comes with no shortage of questions and uncertainties. Here we tackle some of the most frequent queries entrepreneurs have relating to legalities, marketing, technology, hiring, accounting and more. How Do I Choose The Right Business Structure? Factors like tax treatment, liability, investment needs and record-keeping determine ideal structures. Most…

‘Are You Swift? Creating Strategic Agility’,San Diego, October 19th

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Leadership: Then and Now

Think your job has changed significantly over the past decade or two? Compound that with the complexity of leading an entire organization! Previous generations of leaders could at least count on a reasonably stable world, where change unfolded at a much slower pace. These days, the past is increasingly less predictive, the future is almost…

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Breaking Out of Your Internet Filter Bubble

In today’s business world, leaders need to get ideas, opinions, and perspectives from diverse sources. In particular, there are times when we need to tune in to people and sources of information that contradict our prevailing view of the world. Unfortunately, many of the online sources we turn to for information are surreptitiously moving us…

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WOW Your Way to Better Results!

How many times have you had this happen within the past year? You attend a seminar or workshop led by a brilliant speaker. You take copious notes and receive excellent handout materials that reinforce the speaker’s key points. You return to the office brimming with a plethora of ideas and the best intentions for putting…

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San Diego Vistage CEO Presentation – “Innovating Every Day”

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San Diego Vistage CEO Presentation – “Innovating Every Day”

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It’s Time For Our Leaders to Start Acting Like Leaders, Part II

I rarely stray into the realm of politics in this blog, but I am really ticked off! I’m angry with political leaders who continue to put their own interests ahead of those of our nation. And I’m angry with politicians and the media for getting trapped in their own thought bubbles and constantly making stuff…

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Guest Blog: The Interview Process

The interview stage of the job application process is, understandably, crucial. Whilst a good CV will get you noticed, and a good covering letter will let you get your foot in the door, it all amounts to nothing if you’re unprepared for the interview process. There are certain things you can do to prepare for…

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Our Leaders Need to Start Acting Like Leaders!

The ability to inspire trust is an essential leadership trait. According to a recent survey conducted by the marketing research firm, Maritz Research, our current crop of leaders has a lot of work to do in this area. Conducted in March of this year, the survey reported that: 25 percent of U.S. employees have less…

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Did Cookie Monster Mislead Us?

What? Cookie Monster mislead us? That’s like questioning mom, apple pie and the 4th of July! But he did. If you don’t believe me, just watch this very short (one-minute) video clip <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WhuikFY1Pg>. Where’s the fib? In his implication that there’s only one right answer to the question. From a very early age we’˜re taught…

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How to Stop the Dreaded “Decision Drift”

Have you ever had a meeting that didn’t work out quite as planned? Where everyone agreed to a specific course of action and two weeks later you discover that what they’ve been working on doesn’t come close to your vision of what should happen? When these situations arise, we usually blame poor communication. We didn’t…

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Happy 4th of July!

July 4th is one of my favorite times to pause. I am perhaps one of the most patriotic people you could meet. I love this country. I am proud every day to be an American and proud of all that we have accomplished. I am proud of the men and women who serve us in…

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Is There A Gorilla In Your Market?

Is there a gorilla in your market? I’m not talking about the proverbial “800-lb. gorilla” that dominates a market. Almost every industry has one of those. I’m talking about the gorilla we don’t see. There’s a well-known experiment in which a researcher shows a videotape of six college students standing on a basketball court. Three…

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Not enough hours in your day? Start making better choices.

Feeling a little pressed for time these days? (Who isn’t!) It turns out you have more time than you think. In fact, that’s the title of a great book new book by journalist Laura Vanderkam — “168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think.” (168 = the number of hours in a week.) According…

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Want to influence others? Stop being so rational!

Salespeople have known it for years. People buy on emotion and then justify their decision with facts and logic. That’s why the best salespeople always lead with an emotional “hook” before presenting the facts and features about their product or service. So why, as business leaders, do we usually get it bass-ackwards when trying to…

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Protect yourself from the dangers of conventional wisdom!

Recently I wrote about the dangers of relying on conventional wisdom to make critical business decisions. I thought it would be fun to look at some actual examples from over the years. This “telephone” has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to…

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Do you get your customers? Empathize if you want to strengthen the bond

You’re experiencing unknown aches and pains in part of your body, so you schedule an appointment to see your doctor. During the examination, the doctor doesn’t ask any questions or conduct any tests. Instead, she says, “Here’s what I think is wrong with you” and then prescribes a medicine that has nothing to do with…

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Do you get me?

A while back I wrote a blog about resilience being one of the most important qualities for today’s leaders. A number of readers agreed with me, and one went on to point out another very important leadership trait that often gets overlooked – empathy. Most people don’t associate the word “empathy” with effective leadership. Business…

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