Gergo Vari

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Access to the right technology can transform the employee experience and ensure maximum productivity and innovation from your team. An exceptional workplace experience should be at the top of many companies' lists when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent. Company leaders are increasingly turning to cutting-edge technology to transform their workplaces for this reason. Here, Fast Company Executive Board members explore how forward-thinking leaders can harness the power of workplace technology to design a workplace experience that's both engaging and efficient. Read on to discover the key strategies and emerging trends that are turning workplaces into dynamic hubs of productivity and collaboration.

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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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Staying true to what resonates with you is the secret to a career that's not just successful, but also satisfying.

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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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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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Amid performance review season, I understand the importance of embracing a holistic strategy that not only values individual contributions but also prioritizes fairness, open communication, and continuous improvement.  To cultivate this for our organization, we refactored our system of growth from being a linear promotion process to one that allowed for more divergent growth paths. Having an "up or out" model didn't work for our company culture. Having a lattice-based (rather than a ladder-based) approach gave people more autonomy in the course of their careers. And we made our promotion logic more equitable by transparently naming the conditions for growth. To help other leaders, I asked members of the Company Culture Group of Fast Company Executive Board, a community I lead, how they improve equity and transparency in their review process. Here are important steps that they take and the impact they’ve seen from doing so.

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Here are 10 steps to consider taking before you sign the ownership agreement. Evaluating a potential franchise partnership should never be a cut-and-dry transaction. Instead, leaders must do their due diligence to research the industries they are most passionate about and willing to go the extra mile for day after day when they're in the trenches. Below, 10 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each offer one best practice to help aspiring business owners pick the right franchise before they sign the contract.

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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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It's a tough economy. Implement these tips to help your company thrive. When you're trying to get a small-business operation off the ground, sometimes everyone on the team will need to work harder with less until you make a name for yourself and the cash is rolling in. Yet, there is something to be said for running a tight ship, being conservative about your business spending habits, and saving for a rainy day when business is booming. Below, 12 Fast Company Executive Board members each share one way that small-business leaders can effectively manage their cash flow and working capital to ensure they have the resources they need to grow or scale their companies as the economy dictates.

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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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Having a hard time finding potential new hires? Here are 18 methods for you to try at your next event. In a picky job market, the right career fair at the right time can be a win-win situation for the potential employer and the job seeker alike. It can cost a company a lot of money, however, if they are not focused on the right candidates who can fill their company's needs—right now.  But hiring managers should not solely rely on resume history—or if a candidate meets all 10 "job requirements"—as it's also crucial for the recruiter to find the right cultural fit and a team player who can help a department and company thrive in the long term. If you are scheduled to attend a career fair or networking event in the coming weeks or months, below, Fast Company Executive Board members each share one tip for leaders who want to attract the right new hires to work with.

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Here's how thought leaders are setting and achieving their short- and long-term goals—creatively. You can do it too. Whether you are planning your business career and the goals that you intend to accomplish or are thinking about certain expectations you have set for yourself in terms of personal aspirations outside of the 9-to-5 hustle and bustle, it's important to develop a plan and put it into action. You should also consider the process of writing it down on paper to keep it on your radar on a daily basis.  A vision board is a creative way to keep yourself inspired and flesh out your ideas and potential pathways to realizing your goals. To spark your ability to remain laser-focused and not give up on your path to success, experts from Fast Company Executive Board share how making a vision board inspires their determination and encourages them not to give up on themselves or their dreams. 

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14 business leaders discuss what to look out for and how to stay out of legal trouble. One of the most creative and fun aspects of launching a new business that produces quality products or services is to come up with the right company name that will attract organic users who will keep coming back to visit your website and browse long enough to improve your conversion rate. However, selecting and purchasing a domain name that will be memorable and easy to locate during a Google search is not just a random act of high hopes that people will come if you build it. It takes a well-thought-out strategy to ensure the domain also aligns with your brand's core values and will continue to be a good fit as your portfolio of offerings continues to grow over time. Below, experts from Fast Company Executive Board weigh in on essential items to consider whether you are purchasing a domain for a new or existing business.

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Don't rush your business decision-making process.  There are certain financial dealings that can make or break a company's ability to thrive—whether the marketplace is up, down, or all over the place. That's why it's so important to put a strategy in place (and stick with it) that aligns with the company's core values, purpose, and longevity. Without that, it's very easy to become distracted by unproven trends and potential investments that may or may not be the best fit for your organization right now. To help leaders become better decision-makers when it comes to business and finance, here, 20 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each share one financial trap that leadership should avoid.

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13 leaders discuss the strategies that are working for them. If you are trying to grow a successful business, it is imperative that you stay one step ahead and monitor what the competition is doing, no matter what type of field you are working in. Understanding a competitive edge they may have—be it marketing strategies, services, or top clients—is key.  This helps you to better identify how your company can fit in by finding its own voice in the current market, standing out in a sea of information overload, and delivering unique brand messaging. Plus, the bottom line is that future clients are seeking the best solutions to move them forward as well. That's why Fast Company Executive Board members share the rhyme and reason behind their best practices for monitoring the competition and their market share below.

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Here's what to do when your company—and customers—are being taken for a ride. In today's digital world, it's not unusual for consumers to be misled online, by phone, or in person by a fraudulent agent or entity posing as a well-known and trusted brand. So, what is the first thing a company's leadership team should do if the business and its customers fall prey?  Don't panic. Doing so could result in a misplaced overreaction that escalates the situation even further.  Instead, stop, take a breath, and assess all of the details: How and why has this happened? Next, create an immediate, transparent response to demonstrate your company's commitment to retaining the trust of loyal and potential customers and protecting its longstanding reputation in the marketplace. Whether you are seeking practical solutions to mitigate current circumstances or you want to proactively avoid being targeted in the future, nine experts from Fast Company Executive Board are here to offer some highly effective best practices.

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Technology is changing the game for companies and job candidates in the workplace. The talent acquisition process looks a lot different today than it did way back when. Gone are the days when candidates could simply head out for the day to pound the pavement, sit inside the human resources lobby of their desired employer to fill out a long-form application, and hope to get an interview callback in a few days.  In today's digital world, how has technology helped your company streamline its hiring process for managers and potential new hires alike? Here, eight Fast Company Executive Board members weigh in on the features of virtual recruitment they've come to rely on in efforts to build dynamic teams and enhance future company success.

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Consider these 13 design steps recommended by leading industry experts. When you're in the process of developing (or revamping) a company website, you can't be afraid to take risks, break the norm, and add a little more personalization to your brand image—especially if it means reaching out to an untapped market for conversion. But once you've suddenly captured the attention of potential customers and clients, how do you build on that momentum and keep it going? The next step is to offer them substantial information that is engaging and interesting to drive home a clear message of intent. Below, 13 Fast Company Executive Board members each provide one tip for designing a website that will get noticed in today's competitive marketplace.

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Inspire yourself to get stuff done in a new and improved remote work environment. Just because remote work affords you the freedom to maintain your business and family responsibilities alongside each other from the convenience of your home, doesn't mean it's okay to lose sight of maintaining an organized, professional, and productive workspace—when you are on the clock. Doing so allows you to concentrate wholeheartedly and remain stimulated by the daily projects and long-term projects on your plate.  If you are feeling siloed or unmotivated with low energy in your current WFH space, below, 13 Fast Company Executive Board members share their innovative ideas to help remote business professionals create comfortable, focus-driven workspaces that keep them inspired and motivated to produce great work each day. Applying these tips will also enhance work-life balance and protect physical and mental health.

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As we transition to a workforce reliant on platforms and hustle, traditional notions of work-life balance and income stability are being redefined.

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Don't let your physical or mental health go by the wayside. Landing a remote career opportunity with a great company may seem like the ideal solution to help busy employees navigate their current circumstances, especially for those in need of additional resources to balance a job that they truly love with caregiving responsibilities or other challenges they may be facing at home. However,  it's more than essential to make the most of what a true work-life balance should look like when the lines begin to blur. Based on their own remote work experiences, 18 Fast Company Executive Board members offer their top suggestions for promoting the best physical and mental health possible while working remotely. To keep moving and stay engaged with others, try the following.

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Apply these steps to disaster-proof your business in a volatile market. If the shifting economy has taught business leaders (and consumers alike) anything over these past several years, it's to plan wisely and invest in the future. Keeping your eyes on marketplace trends, signaling what's to come in the future, is also a good place to start when it comes to budget planning and saving. If you're not a numbers person, then bring in a financial coach who can give you the best advice before you make any concrete decisions. In the meantime, eight Fast Company Executive Board members each offer one step you can take to secure a disaster plan for the next financial crisis.

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Here's how to transition away from your current "transactional" sales approach that's getting you nowhere.  If you are feeling the pressure to help your company meet its bottom-line metrics quarter over quarter, working in a sales-driven environment is not the only way to encourage your sales team to achieve its goals. Instead, you may want to try a different approach that will also enable you to build a stronger rapport with current and potential customers. Here, 11 Fast Company Executive Board members share the best way to pivot your sales strategies and transition your team away from a "transaction now" mentality when dealing with potential clients. They also discuss how to maintain a good balance and still make the deal.

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20 tips to set your new company up for success in the marketplace. As a company leader, you may be confident about your organization's ability to meet consumer demands and thrive at meeting your quarterly goals on a regular basis right now. But if you don't have a systematic approach to coming up with ways to keep your business financially fit, you'll be setting your company and team up for failure in the event of unforeseen circumstances. For example, an unsteady economy. Your numbers may look good on paper but regulating your KPI metrics in real-time is essential to generate a true measure of financial success.  Below, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members share one piece of advice that aspiring business leaders or small business owners should consider when it comes to understanding the importance of financial management and planning for longevity in any industry.

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Consider these cost-reduction tips to future-proof your business. As a business leader in charge of ensuring your company's ability to thrive—no matter what type of economy financial experts are predicting—it would serve your team best to plan ahead and put systems in place to maintain a successful business during the good times and bad.  To help you improve profitability in today's tight economy or get your organization ready for the next wave of marketplace uncertainty, here are 13 members from Fast Company Executive Board to share cost-reduction strategies that are working for them and their teams.

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Business thought leaders weigh in on their top online marketing methods. Storytelling in the business world is essential if you want your organization to stand out in the crowd. How can business leaders become more strategic as they plan their content calendars to attract potential clients and partners through the digital marketing space? Using social media to improve a company's brand appeal is often directly linked to building genuine relationships. It's also about presentations and being more intentional about how you connect with others. By doing so, an organization is more likely to create trust and loyalty over time.  Below, 20 Fast Company Executive Board members discuss additional ways to increase brand recognition and financial growth through business engagement on social networks.

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Implement these strategies for start-up success. It's tough out there when you are trying to build brand recognition and rise above the noise. When you are just starting out in the marketplace as a business owner, how do you attract loyal clients and partnership deals? Below, 14 Fast Company Executive Board members discuss the most important factors in developing the brand identity that you want to be known for. Once your leadership team establishes that, it's essential that you continue to stand on the reputation that you want to build.

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Implement these tips to attract new clients and customers to your business.  In a competitive, fast-paced, uncertain economy with evolving digital marketing strategies, sometimes it takes time to accurately gauge the pulse of your industry network and social subscribers. If your content isn't refreshing and well-researched, then you could potentially lose readers or viewers who are looking for content leaders who can solve their problems and answer their most challenging questions on a regular basis in a more efficient manner.  To help other business leaders and teams promote brand awareness through content successfully, Fast Company Executive Board members sound off on 19 highly recommended best practices.

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Business leaders offer guidance on elevating your career in a struggling economy. With so many things happening in today's world, it may sometimes seem like it's impossible to ever get ahead. In a competitive, uncertain marketplace, how can employees begin to elevate their career status so they can move ahead and support themselves and their families in an impactful way? Below, 20 experts from Fast Company Executive Board share their top tips to help industry colleagues make better decisions concerning their personal strengths and the goals that will lead to more progress.

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Business leaders weigh in on their favorite technology solutions. When you’ve got numerous work deadlines to meet over a short period of time, it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks unintentionally, especially if you are feeling overwhelmed and losing the energy required to keep track of everything and maintain an efficient daily workflow. That’s where the latest boom of innovative technology solutions begins to kick in. But with so many gadgets and software solutions on the market to choose from, the biggest question is: Where to start? Below, experts from Fast Company Executive Board are here to shed some light on their favorite digital applications (to date) and why they are essential to the successful operation of any business—no matter what size or type of company you are responsible for running. 

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Business leaders share best practices to help your company build trust and longevity—no matter which industry your business serves. In a tough economy, when you are struggling to find ways to keep a new business from going under before it has a chance to take off and thrive, it is so important to think outside the box and come up with other sources of funding.  If approached in the correct manner, crowdfunding may be a viable option to consider and has the potential to benefit your company and its long-term mission if you can get the right supporters to back your organization and its mission. For startup business owners looking to leverage their ability to attract and obtain alternative solutions versus traditional capital investors and partnerships, members of Fast Company Executive Board, who are savvy in this area of negotiating financial opportunities, are here to offer tips.

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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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Business leaders weigh in on 15 steps to take before introducing your brand to new and growing markets. As the new economy and digital marketplace continue to evolve, some business leaders may feel like they are under pressure to upgrade their brand's image in an effort to remain relevant to the next generation of potential clients and customers. However, oftentimes, you may need to simply assess which areas of your business need some minor adjustments rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. So before you consider the redesign process, members from Fast Company Executive Board are here to discuss some steps that they recommend when contemplating a rebranding idea for your company's logo and image. 

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Layoffs aren't the only way to cut overhead costs in a challenging economy. In times of economic difficulty, companies often face tough decisions when it comes to retaining employees. Layoffs can seem like the only viable solution to cut costs and survive financially. However, these decisions can have lasting impacts on the morale and productivity of the remaining team members. Fortunately, there are alternative strategies that companies can employ to avoid layoffs and increase job security for their employees. To that end, a panel of Fast Company Executive Board members offer their top-recommended strategies for keeping your staff intact and discuss their potential benefits for both companies and employees.

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Get over yourself and trust your team. When you're a first-time entrepreneur who is trying to establish your company in the marketplace, there are plenty of responsibilities that will fall on your plate—anticipated or unexpected. You'll also need to maintain credible brand awareness, develop the right community of advocates to move your company ahead, and ensure repeat customers.  These challenges can be overwhelming if you don't have the right team in place. It's essential to build the strongest foundation of team leaders who can stand confidently and remain trustworthy in your absence. But your professional success also depends on your own ability to change old behavior patterns at work. To help guide your strategic action plan to improve workflow and remove distractions, Fast Company Executive Board members share advice on the 13 bad habits every start-up business owner may be guilty of at times and should eliminate from their daily routine hereafter.

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Now is the time to begin benefiting from the growing trend of programmatic job advertising.

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Here are five ways you can increase employee engagement and ensure that your staff stay loud and proud—and never become quiet quitters.

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To find more success with hiring, we have to think outside the box and go beyond the norms of the past.

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Job seekers can improve their chances of ending up with a job that makes them happy and excited to grow by taking a careful look into a company’s culture before they even apply.

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Applying AI in job search the right way injects a much-needed dose of humanity into the process.

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While most business owners turn to areas like marketing and IT to cut their budget, there are plenty of other places to find and eliminate "wasteful" spending. A lean thinking framework can help leaders trim excess costs in their business or organization. But to maximize the impact of your efforts, it's important to look everywhere for signs of wasteful spending.  The members of Fast Company Executive Board know how easy it is for leaders to overlook key business areas and functions when applying lean thinking. Below, 15 of them share the most common places business owners forget to look when reducing costs, and how exploring those areas can help your company cut expenses and streamline the budget.

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The best content in the world won't have a positive impact on your audience—or your bottom line—if nobody sees it. Creating content can be difficult on its own, but sometimes an even bigger challenge is ensuring that it reaches the target audience. Careful content crafting must always be married to a well-planned marketing strategy; otherwise, those you hope to help or to draw to your business will likely never hear your message. The members of Fast Company Executive Board know that a successful content strategy takes more than just a clever way with words. Below, 14 of them share practical steps marketing teams can take to drive more traffic to a company’s published content.

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If you’ll soon be getting back in the skies or on the road for business travel, take note of these smart tips. Business travel is beginning to pick back up thanks to the rise in vaccination rates. This means that many business travelers, many of whom used to travel frequently, have to once again figure out the best “travel hacks” to ensure safe and efficient trips.  Frequent travelers know that constantly being on the road or in the air can feel exhausting and overwhelming if you aren’t adequately prepared. That’s why a panel of Fast Company Executive Board members shared some of their best strategies to make traveling easier. Follow their must-know travel hacks if you’re constantly on the go for work, especially during the busy holiday season.

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Good communication skills are an essential key to success for any professional, but especially so for leaders. The art of communication is an essential skill for all leaders. They must learn to communicate effectively with various people, whether they're offering feedback to team members, sharing information with stakeholders, or pitching their organization's services to potential clients or the public at large. To get a message across effectively, leaders must be able to adapt as necessary to each situation. Of course, building this skill comes more easily to some people than it does to others, but it should be actively nurtured by anyone in a leadership position. Fortunately, there are several ways a leader can refine and improve their communication skills. Below, 16 members of Fast Company Executive Board share their best strategies for doing so.

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Being a professional is about becoming the steward of your own future.