Mack McKelvey

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Plan better in 2025 with these gift-giving suggestions that your staff can appreciate beyond any seasonal occasion. Whether your company is thriving in its industry or going through tough times, it makes a big difference to the success of your establishment when the right team is on board. Putting your trust in reliable talent who will always have your back is essential to helping a business grow and remain relevant. However, even the most loyal talent may doubt their commitment to the organization if they are not getting a return on their investment. Although the holiday season is the perfect time of year to celebrate your staff's dedication and achievements, it's more meaningful to communicate with your staff members authentically and regularly about the huge impact they have on your company's ability to operate. It's the thoughtfulness behind gift-giving that truly stands out. As the new year begins, 16 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each share one idea that will help elevate team morale and purpose beyond the holidays.

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Taking their insights to heart underscores the value they bring to your business.  In a shifting and competitive marketplace, attracting and retaining loyal clients or partnerships to help your business thrive is not what it used to be. Leaders and their teams must work even harder to gain the time, respect, trust, and financial investment of others if they want their company to grow. With the start of a new year and unforeseen challenges awaiting, now is the time to rethink how best to show up for your biggest supporters—not only when the holidays roll around again, but also throughout the year. To help you put a strategy in place to strengthen your business relationships and brand reputation further, below, 12 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each offer one best practice to express how much you truly appreciate customer loyalty and brand partnerships year after year. Here's how to make your thank yous much more memorable.

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Discover expert strategies for fostering meaningful connections and building a supportive virtual culture in the era of AI and remote work. With the rise of AI and an increasing number of employees working remotely, maintaining human connection within your team has never been more critical. Although technology provides remarkable tools for efficiency and productivity, it also presents challenges in preserving the personal touch that drives team cohesion and morale. Below, 20Fast Company Executive Board members share their best tips for encouraging human connection in a digital-first workplace. These strategies can help you create meaningful connections, encourage collaboration, and build a supportive virtual culture.

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Keep your business priorities straight by focusing on the most impactful areas. Running a business is a game of competing priorities, both day-to-day and long-term. With so many areas to tend to, business owners can easily favor certain tasks over others—including those that aren't necessarily the most impactful. To help, the members of Fast Company Executive Board discuss the things business owners tend to put too much weight on and why overprioritizing these areas can limit growth. They also share their insights on what business owners should focus on instead to achieve lasting success.

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When used correctly, consider AI technology as a minor contributor to your daily workflow, not a major threat to your current role. Marketing is all about the creative process of the human mind, but after so many years of coming up with brand campaigns, it's not surprising that new ideas can sometimes grow stale. That's where the evolution of AI tools comes in.  Whether companies are using artificial intelligence to gauge a potential customer base or to spark an attention-grabbing subject line in the latest email newsletter, most teams realize the benefits of utilizing AI responsibly to personalize their brand communications and increase their daily productivity with the help of automation. To demonstrate how AI tools have improved their quality of work life and technological mindset, 14 members from Fast Company Executive Board each offer one specific way marketers can treat AI as a "tool in the shed" to support their creative outlet process, not take it away.

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It's lonely at the top if you don't have the right support network to lean on regularly.  According to a Harvard Business blog, approximately 70% of CEOs have reported feelings of loneliness. But the good news is, they don't have to go it alone if they begin to lean on their peers with similar career circumstances and are willing to collaborate and learn from each other. Keeping an open-door policy at work and staying connected with staff members across departments is important for strengthening work relationships and a sense of togetherness. However, it's also necessary to maintain a work-life balance to enjoy meaningful activities with family and friends that will reinvigorate your purpose for pursuing your livelihood each day. The following experts from Fast Company Executive Board have all had their moments. Here, they each offer their suggestions on how to find the right support and build community to create success in any role.

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When the going gets tough, these leading experts have had the tenacity to keep it moving through each struggle. Taking on a leadership role in the workplace may seem like a daunting task if you don't have the right mindset. You'll need to address just as many challenges as the wins you celebrate—so it's not a position designed for the faint of heart. If you're feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or underappreciated, it's essential to prioritize what matters most, take a step back, and consider the bigger picture. There is usually a silver lining in most situations. Whether you decide to stay in the game for the long haul and find the best solution, or you're ready to take a risk and consider your next career move, the experts from Fast Company Executive Board describe how they've maintained their own positivity during a difficult time in their career. Below are 20 best practices to help other professionals do the same.

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These strategies can help you forge good relationships with the press and encourage positive PR for your business. Media coverage and strong press relationships are often essential for elevating your company's public-facing profile. But how do you effectively engage with the press and create a business relationship that benefits both parties? Below, Fast Company Executive Board members offer their best tips for leaders who want to connect with journalists and secure valuable media exposure. Read on for their recommendations on navigating press relations and securing positive media coverage.

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Apply these best practices to pique your employees' curiosity and increase their participation. When employees begin to demonstrate stagnant behaviors or disinterest at work, it may be a sign that it's time to offer them a new challenge to keep them engaged in their current roles and potential growth at the company they represent. One way company leaders can boost their team's low morale is to build a creative lab within the confines of the organization to create "intrapreneurship" opportunities, as well as a timely reminder of the business mission and goals and why they're here. Below, 16 experts from Fast Company Executive Board offer their best strategies for designing safe spaces that give staff members a voice to collaborate on innovative ideas and solve problems that will help the company grow.

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Don't sleep on yourself. Apply these brand strategies to remain diligent about pouring into your future no matter where you are in life or work.  Whether you own your own business or represent your current employer, the fluctuating marketplace continues to demonstrate that nothing is guaranteed. That's why business owners who are also thought leaders and career professionals and are trying to elevate their industry stakes are all the wiser for nurturing their personal and professional brands simultaneously.  It may mean taking up a course to update their skills or knowledge on a particular industry topic, or it could be as simple as becoming more intentional about connecting with like-minded industry peers and mentors. Either way, professionals who are proactive in ensuring they have the potential to grow outside of any one organization or business venture are more likely to set themselves on course to secure a stable outlook for their future no matter what conditions the economy is facing.  Below, 12 Fast Company Executive Board members each offer one best practice for aspiring and current thought leaders who want to strengthen their personal and professional brands successfully.

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Apply these best practices to add your voice to the conversation and take your seat at the table. Whether you're launching your career in your industry of choice for the very first time or you're a new hire fulfilling your latest role, it may take some time to prove your worth on the job and gain the trust of your leaders, direct co-workers, and other cross-departmental teams. In theory, employers must ensure that leadership, from the top down, is creating a psychologically safe environment for their employees to feel heard and share ideas or concerns. But if the organization that you signed up for is not being proactive about putting policies in place to improve its company culture, experts from Fast Company Executive Board offer 20 best practices to assist aspiring leaders who want to enhance their chances of having a seat at the table in their workplace.

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Apply these methods to build a successful company in today's marketplace. Launching a startup company may seem like a daunting task at the beginning, especially when you're juggling so many responsibilities all at once. You may be feeling overwhelmed, but if you work strategically to find the right balance and remain focused, the decisions you make about going into business will be worth it all in the long run. To share some encouragement, experts from Fast Company Executive Board weigh in on the countless ways every business owner can turn their personal experiences (upbringing, hardships, or financial setbacks) into business opportunities they'll be proud to put their name on.

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19 factors for employees to keep in mind before they leave their day jobs for entrepreneurship.  If you've always wanted to launch your own business and you're thinking that now is the time, slow down a bit to ensure you're making the right moves that will put you strategically ahead in the long run when it comes to laying out your future company's success and where you see yourself and team years from now.  In today's volatile marketplace, nothing is secure, and when you've been working at a corporation for a long time, you've gotten used to receiving certain perks and a support system that will disappear once you're out on your own. That's why conditioning a new mindset is just as important as getting your financial house in order before you jump ship. Here, 19 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each offer their advice to help leaders who've decided to fly solo anyhow and make a better transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship without missing a beat.

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Industry experts share top tips to make your mark in business and continue to move ahead. When your brand is competing in a saturated market, it's important to figure out how to stand out from other businesses. But it's not about being the loudest voice online or placing out-of-home advertisements. Standing out is most effective when leaders do their research to understand who they are talking to and what will resonate with their audience. Below, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members each provide one successful tactic for reaching the right audience and staying visible in a crowded market without being spammy or offensively persistent.

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Here's how to grow your audience with effective advertising. In today's tight economy, consumers and business owners alike are taking a closer look at their spending habits and evaluating which purchases make the most sense to invest in right now as they continue to hope for brighter days ahead.  Here, 16 Fast Company Executive Board members each share one idea to help company leaders and their teams create more engaging advertising and think outside the box so that more potential customers will be interested in spending their hard-earned money on their products or services.

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Don't sleep on this trending social media engagement opportunity. Engaging with others on social media through the latest app, Threads, may be a worthy strategy to make direct contact with influencers and like-minded industry professionals you've had trouble reaching for months. However, it's not just about posting general updates on your company's achievements or current challenges.  Instead, you'll want to be as open as possible, and share from your heart, if you want to build on your authenticity and create meaningful relationships. Below, six experts from Fast Company Executive Board each provide one tip that can help your company elevate its status in the marketplace and among competing organizations and the people who follow them.

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Here's how to improve your productivity and decision-making skills in 2024. Leading a successful corporation in the business sector or a nonprofit that is making an incredible impact on the local and greater community it serves sounds impressive and rewarding; however, it takes plenty of tenacity to maintain industry relevance and a different mindset to make smart business decisions. As the marketplace continues to transform itself in the new normal, managers may be feeling overwhelmed and burned out by all of the tasks piled on their plates to keep up with the changing consumer demands in an uncertain economic climate. To prevent them from high-stress levels, feelings of anxiousness, or seconding-guessing themselves when it comes to decision making, 16 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each offer one tip that could help company leaders get the support they need, which will change the course of their organization for the better.

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Modern companies should think beyond traditional philanthropic efforts and find ways to make a real difference for the people they serve. As consumers become more focused on brands that practice corporate social responsibility, more and more companies are finding impactful ways to make a positive mark on their local communities. Forward-thinking businesses are spearheading work programs, offering financial assistance, and nurturing entrepreneurial talents in their neighborhoods. Here, Fast Company Executive Board members discuss the strategies companies can adopt to contribute to their local communities in an impactful way. Follow their recommendations to create a lasting and meaningful change in your community beyond your bottom line.

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Here's what marketing teams are counting on to improve their client conversion rates this year. With the landscape of B2B marketing changing at a rapid pace, creative content leaders and teams need to stay ahead of the curve if they want to gain brand recognition among prospective clients in the marketplace. As we head into the new year, 19 Fast Company Executive Board members each offer one trend that they are most excited about and why other leaders should keep an eye on as well to promote their growth of business throughout the entire year.

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Finding startup investment capital doesn't have to be an obstacle to your success. Securing the necessary investment funds to kickstart your venture can be a challenge that even the most capable entrepreneurs face. However, with the right networking strategies and preparation, startup founders can raise enough capital to reach their desired growth stage. Below, 15 Fast Company Executive Board members discuss a variety of methods and approaches budding entrepreneurs can utilize to access the funding they need. Here are their top-recommended strategies to turn your business dreams into a profitable reality.

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Balance your core ‘bread and butter’ with diverse revenue options. When a business is faced with economic uncertainty in a competitive environment, it may be tough to gauge whether the right decisions are being made to ensure a stable future for the company and its team. The importance of leaning into what you know and are already successful at may seem like the obvious choice of action, but it's also important to recognize a good opportunity to bring in additional revenue when you see one. This may be the key to helping elevate your core business and continue to keep your brand at the forefront of the industry and top of mind for current and potential customers. Here, 16 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each share one strategy that can help company leaders future-proof their business in an unstable marketplace.

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Implement these innovations to give yourself back the time you deserve. In business, the saying goes: "Why reinvent the wheel when you don't have to?" As the digital revolution continues to rise, there are so many new technologies available at our fingertips to make work and home life more efficient.  Here, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members discuss one innovation that has influenced and improved the way they balance professional and personal responsibilities each day.

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Whether you're building a small, medium, or large business, developing a credible company reputation that potential clients and customers can rely on is what truly matters at the end of the day. If you are just starting in business, it's oftentimes difficult to book and retain your first major client if they're not familiar with your work.  Below, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members weigh in on the best ways to exceed customer expectations and create long-lasting loyalty—giving you the boost in credibility you need to win over potential clients.

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Here's how to build product and service momentum that continues to resonate with customers.  How do you keep the buzz going about your company's new product or service when the thrill of the launch is gone? It starts by treating the initial launch as just the beginning—with no foreseeable end in sight. Brand leaders can master this strategy by creating fresh content and sourcing updated data analysis that will give current and potential customers something to talk about. Below, 15 Fast Company Executive Board members share additional best practices to keep your company newsworthy during and beyond the initial buzz.

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You will join the ranks of successful Series B startups if you deliver for customers, invest in the right foundations, and hire the right team members at the right time.

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Leading experts share 20 tips to help managers and their employees find a reasonable work-life balance that gets the job done.  Even before the COVID-19 crisis took the world by storm in 2020, managers at most companies were not promoting the idea of a remote or hybrid work culture environment. But when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a shelter-in-place mandate, employers had to quickly adjust their traditional policy.  Realizing the cost-effectiveness on both sides of the aisle, some companies have fully leaned into the idea of enabling employees to WFH and have never looked back while others continue to resist the idea when their staff members question whether they must commute from home just to sit inside a cubicle space. Below, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members weigh in on how employers can work with employees to find common ground and implement the right policies—aside from the current standard hybrid solution.

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Leading business professionals offer advice to the next generation. In a changing world market and tough economy, no one can predict what the future of work will look like in the short term or 10 years from now. One way or the other, what people are realizing in the new norm is that although technological innovations are being elevated every day, companies need to embrace them if they don't want to be left behind. However, these business leaders also agree that the human touch is still essential to ensure smart decisions are being executed for the growth and success of organizations. Below, 14 experts from Fast Company Executive Board discuss how specific industries are currently being impacted and what the next generation of leaders should do to prepare for the unknown.

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It's Women's Entrepreneurship Day! This year, WEDO celebrates 10 years of its mission to empower more women in leadership.  Across a broad range of industries, women in leadership pour mentorship and guidance into developing their direct mentees or encouraging their colleagues to make sound business decisions—positively impacting the recipients' lives and future careers for the better.  However, in the marketplace, it is not uncommon for women (no matter what level they have reached in their field of interest) to experience "imposter syndrome." If left unchecked, this mindset can hinder their potential growth and success in the short and long term. Instead, the key is for them to boldly redefine their narrative and career path before someone else does. Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO) was founded by Wendy Diamond in 2013. To mark its 10-year milestone, 20 experts from Fast Company Executive Board share the best advice they've ever received from a successful woman in business.

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By hiring a product marketer, your startup can strategically position itself for product market fit—and ultimately, the critical A round.

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16 tips to showcase your business potential and achievements in minutes. Whether you are new to the business—trying to make a name for yourself—or a seasoned professional who wants to pivot your approach to share a new concept in the industry, networking opportunities may come and go, so they are essential and can be exciting at every point in your career. However, attending these types of events can also be intimidating or cause social anxiety if you are an introvert or extrovert who has not prepared properly to present yourself—and what you have to offer—to others.  The experts at Fast Company Executive Board realize how important it is to make the most of your time at these types of events. If you want to make a good impression this time around, here, they each share one way for business professionals to create the best networking elevator pitch to get your career or a new venture off the ground effectively.

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20 tips to overcome life's challenges and move ahead. No matter what type of career path you choose to follow in life, it's essential to develop tough skin and a positive, healthy mindset about your talents, goals, and purpose. Whether it's a new job opportunity, a promotion, or a business deal you're looking to close, it's normal to face plenty of rejections and hearing a lot of "nos" before you get to the yeses.  Talking through your frustrations with a trusted mentor or reading about inspirational success stories and how others have been able to overcome difficult setbacks in business and life, will remind you that failure can also be a pathway to success. Here, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members each offer one tip for aspiring career professionals who need a little motivation to keep going despite rejections.

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What inspired your career path? There are a variety of reasons why people choose to go into business or become interested in a specific career industry sector. Some would say that the key to finding your calling is to do what you love or pursue an area where your skills can truly make a difference in the lives of others. Here, 18 business leaders from Fast Company Executive Board weigh in on what inspired them to seek and maintain their current position as a professional in their succeeding organizations.

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Here are 11 areas to consider if you want to keep your business up to code. It's essential to remain compliant with marketplace regulations if you plan to stay in business. By doing so, your clients and partners will appreciate your credibility as a trustworthy brand. It also puts you in a better position when times are tough and when they are forced to make hard and fast investment decisions in a budget crunch.   Whether you are trying to comprehend individual state tax laws or trying to navigate how to handle data privacy restrictions that may impact your company and its stakeholders, it's necessary to cover all of your bases so you don't wind up in any legal trouble. Below, leading experts from Fast Company Executive Board discuss the market regulations that have been especially challenging for their organizations and how they were able to overcome the obstacles. In hindsight, abiding by these business requirements has helped some companies thrive even more. 

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Business leaders discuss their best practices. In today's marketplace, there's no way around it, no matter what the industry—content rules. But when it comes to attracting new clients and retaining longtime customers, how do you grab their attention without losing their interest every time? Doing so can be hit or miss. It's one thing to simply create general content and it's another to genuinely engage your audience and give them something to look forward to watching and reading on a regular basis. Whether it's a brand newsletter, a company social channel, or a new business podcast, members from Fast Company Executive Board have plenty of experience. They are here to explain 20 methods to encourage your target base to read, watch, hit the subscribe button, and share.

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If you want to strengthen your professional network, skills and knowledge, making time to attend industry conferences can be a great strategy. As a business professional, attending an industry conference can be a valuable opportunity to learn from experts, network with peers and stay current with the latest industry trends and innovations. Whether attending in person or virtually, these events provide a unique chance to gather insights, ideas and best practices that can help you stay ahead of the competition. Below, 15 Fast Company Executive Board members share some of the big benefits you can gain from attending an annual industry conference, from creating new partnerships to learning new information about your industry. Consider their insights the next time you hear of an upcoming event you may want to attend.

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Do your homework before you dive in. It's easy to get caught up in buzzwords and jump on the bandwagon when a trend has gone viral. However, in the business world, it's typically a smarter move if company leaders and teams tread the waters lightly to gauge customer sentiment and observe how other influences are leading the way in their approach. One way or the other, only time will tell which direction a popular fad may take as a fleeting trend or long-lasting opportunity—so it's best to err on the side of caution and learn from others' mistakes before you commit to a growing movement too quickly.  Below, 10 Fast Company Executive Board members share their tips on the best way to gauge whether or not a business trend is worth putting into motion.

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Living up to their own set of standards enables managers to increase credibility, mutual respect, trust, and engagement with their teams. Whether it's a start-up business owner or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, it's important to lead by example if managers expect their employees to emulate the core values and mission they promote to meet business goals. Expressing constant negativity about the challenges of work is also counterproductive for leaders who want to encourage an open-door policy for communication and build a culture of psychological safety. Being an active and collaborative listener, who is willing to consider the ideas and feedback of staff seriously, also inspires trust and team morale.  Below, experts from Fast Company Executive Board are here to explain 16 behaviors that managers should aim to avoid, and how they can improve on breaking the cycle.

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I believe highlighting the people who drive your organization’s brand should be considered a strategic investment in the future of your company. It’s no less important than pitching, R&D, product development, etc.

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Before you invest a lot of resources in a rebranding initiative, make sure it's worth it for your business to do so. Rebranding your business is a big decision that involves many different moving parts. A rebrand can mean anything from redesigning your webpage or launching a new product, to repositioning yourself in the market. Because of the time, money and energy involved in a rebrand, it's important first to consider whether rebranding is a necessary step for your business. What are you trying to change? Who are you changing for? To help you answer these questions, a panel of Fast Company Executive Board members shared some important factors to consider before a rebrand.

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Depending on who you ask, we’re entering an era of authenticity or one of transparency. It turns out both are true because they both relate to where we’re really heading: the era of the individual.

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Start by asking (and answering) some key questions.