Mack McKelvey

expert panel

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.

expert panel

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. 

expert panel

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.

expert panel

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.

expert panel

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.

expert panel

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.