HobNob Brentwood TN | Displaying items by tag: Business

Displaying items by tag: Business

Franklin based Metova named to top 500

Metova, a mobile application developer, has been named to Inc. magazine’s 500|5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country. Ranked 492nd overall, the company cited a three-year growth rate of 689 percent.

The Franklin, Tennessee based company, ranked fifth out of the 53 Nashville metro area companies that made the list. The company also ranked 47thnationally within the software industry.

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Published in Business News

Top 300 Small Businesses of the South

Recently, Business Leader and Who’s Who Magazines of Tennessee ranked the Top 300 Small Businesses of the South. You can find a listing of winners, as well as podcast radio interviews with many of the winners at www.BusinessLeader.com/Top300smallbusinesses. About 50 of the winners were from the state of Tennessee.

We wanted to formally congratulate our top 300 winners and invite you to listen to a special one-hour radio show on wsRadio counting down the top ten winners. You can access an archive of that broadcast Here. We hope you will enjoy hearing from our winners.

2011 Women Extraordinaire Nominations are now open:

Business Leader is currently accepting nominations for its annual Women Extraordinaire awards in Tennessee.

The Women Extraordinaire Awards honor top women business leaders in Tennessee and will be selected based on the following criteria:

Candidate must be an influential leader within her company or business, with an extraordinary impact on its economic success and forward-thinking strategies; Candidate must be actively involved in the professional organizations and associations related to her industry; Candidate must be active in her community by utilizing her skills and/or time to promote philanthropic organizations or causes; and, Candidate must be a recognized mentor and example to other women in her industry, especially by maintaining a high functioning work-life balance.

Winners will (1) be honored in Nashville and Memphis on October 4th and 6th respectively; (2) be interviewed on wsRadio; and (3) be featured in our next Business Leader magazine issue.

Nominations can be submitted at www.BusinessLeader.com/WEX.

The nomination form takes less than five minutes to complete, and winning gives you a chance to be honored amongst some of the top leaders in Tennessee.

Published in Business News

2010: Marketing is NOT Marketing

In the age of transparency, marketing is not about crafting artificial or half-true brand stories for consumer audiences. Marketing is about uncovering, fostering, sharing, and engaging with employees and consumers around the true stories that make your brand unique. Let’s take a look at how a few of the departments in your organization are the real marketing departments.

Product design and development is marketing

If your marketing department and the agencies it’s hiring are not taking a deep and genuine interest in your product development team and their methodologies, you’re headed down the wrong road. Your messaging around a product cannot be spun on some “me too” approach to a product. Marketing needs to be genuinely rooted in the problem that your product development team set out to solve.

For a ton of ideas and examples on this topic go read Bogusky and Windsor’s Baked In – Creating Products and Businesses that Market Themselves.

The post-purchase experience is marketing

How are you communicating with your customers post purchase? Whose job is this anyway – customer support, marketing, sales? Define ownership of this space and seize the opportunity to engage with the most important people on the planet – your existing customers.

Don’t just email them one-way marketing spam featuring the next product you want them to purchase. You know what product they bought, so provide them with valuable content that will help them use your product better and more frequently. Share tips on use and care. Invite them to submit photos, text, or videos in a contest. Invite them into an invitation-only community of consumers or power-users. Solicit their feedback and then make sure they know that you listened when the next generation of your product hits the shelves.

Customer support is marketing

Don’t miss huge opportunities in strengthening your relationship with your existing customers when they need your help. Remember that when a consumer experiences a problem with your product, good brand experience is not about what went wrong and why, but how quickly and painlessly you can solve that customer’s problem. Are your telephone and online support experiences robust, efficient, and helpful? Good customer service equals good word-of-mouth and good word-of-mouth is the best marketing out there.

There’s lots of hype around big brands (like Best Buy or Comcast) using Twitter as a customer support channel. Is it? Really? It may be a first step in connecting with a customer who has a support issue or even one that loves your product, but Twitter is not the best place to resolve a complicated support issue. You need to build an entire support ecosystem that allows you to channel conversations to the right place. Maybe you identify an issue on Twitter, direct users to GetSatisfaction where you’re working on solving the issue, and when it’s resolved maybe you send them to your revised documentation online.

Twitter is not a customer support tool alone anymore than it’s a customer acquisition tool alone.

Reviews are marketing (and product development )

Since we’re thinking about word-of-mouth, let’s turn our attention to reviews. No eCommerce site is complete without them. There are a number of popular review and problem-solving sites (see Epinions, Reviews.CNET.com, Yelp, GetSatisfaction, or Fixya). How is your customer support team (or anyone for that matter) engaging in these online ratings and review spaces? Are they seizing opportunities to set the record straight when an unfair review is posted? Do they have great text, photo, and video content to share that refutes an inaccurate review?

Every employee is marketing

Every employee within your organization is a brand ambassador. They have the power to influence a huge network both on- and offline. Do they believe in your brand and its products and services? If not, you have a staff or brand problem that marketing is not going to fix.

They are already engaged through any number of social networks – have you provided them with guidelines for participation? The worst thing to do is to ban them (sorry Man U) – you want to empower them to participate and let them know that you trust them. If you believe in your brand, your workplace, and your employees, then you have nothing to hide. If you do have something to hide, fix it, because no amount of marketing will. Intel and Cisco are two companies that have gotten a lot of praise for their social media policies for employees (you can find them both here). Both companies clearly believe in their culture, as both policies essentially boil down to “Don’t be an idiot.”

Every employee … particularly your CEO or visionaries

You know you’ve got them – they may be C-level execs or someone on your human resources or sales teams. They are visionaries; they’re always the smartest people in the room, and they drop gorgeous nuggets of wisdom without even realizing it. Elevate them! They should be blogging and Tweeting daily. They should be speaking at conferences. Your PR agency should be serving them up as experts for any media that might take them.

But don’t make them just shill for the brand. Let the head of human resources talk about human resources in general. Let each visionary use examples of best practices from other companies as well as from your own. In the long run, everyone will know where that individual came from, and you’ll have the type of marketing that money can’t buy.

Now what?

Take a good look in the mirror and engage internally. Invite your entire company to do the same.

Distribute surveys and ask everyone: Who are we? What do we do best? What’s our elevator pitch? What’s our best product? What’s our worst product? What opportunities are out there for us? The insight that your own employees can provide will put just about any high agency to shame. This does not mean that an agency can’t help – this soul-searching may reveal the need for a overhaul of your brand, or at least a more articulate definition.

Deploy a company social network, using a platform like Ning. Invite discussion and debate – you’ll need to practice internal transparency if you expect to let the outside world in. Share ideas, YouTube videos, and insightful articles. Give the most junior member of the customer support team a vehicle to share his ideas with the product development team.

Through your surveys and community, particular employees from any department will float to the top – they’ll be engaged, insightful, and excited. These are your new marketers. This is your new marketing.

Published in Business News

Degrees that will make you indispensable in the workplace

(ARA) - From digitizing and analyzing America's health records to developing the next big video game or hardware program, careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields continue to gain prominence in the work force. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor predicts a growing demand for technological advances will result in a job growth of 22 percent for STEM occupations between 2004 and 2014.

As employment opportunities within these new and emerging industries continue to expand, educational institutions are taking a look at refining curriculums to provide career-focused higher education, and better prepare students for careers in specific fields.

To do this, universities are working directly with high-caliber employers to ensure their future employee needs will be met. DeVry University, for example, works directly with companies including IBM and Cisco to create these student programs. DeVry University graduates from the last five years have worked at 96 of the Fortune 100 companies.

"Students are looking to obtain the education and knowledge needed to succeed in the high-growth industries that continue to thrive," says Donna Loraine, vice president, academic affairs for DeVry Inc., and dean, DeVry University's Keller Graduate School of Management. "Our academic structure is one that allows for swift implementation of new programs and curriculum once we notice a specific need, allowing us to better prepare students for these in-demand 21st century careers."

According to the Center for Education Policy Analysis, technology is pervasive in almost every aspect of daily life, and as the workplace changes, STEM knowledge, skills and the ways in which problems are approached and solved in these subjects are important for a variety of workers.

DeVry worked closely with Cisco using the Cisco Networking Academy program to deliver curriculums that teach students how to design, build, troubleshoot and secure computer networks.

"Working with DeVry University to equip students with technical knowledge and hands-on experiences will help meet growing demand for skilled workers in a variety of industries ranging from broadband and wireless to healthcare and green technologies," says Amy Christen, vice president of corporate affairs at Cisco and general manager of the Cisco Networking Academy. "Individuals that are trained in the latest technology careers today will be well-prepared for a variety of exciting career opportunities tomorrow."

In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is anticipating an approximate 45 percent growth in the computer software engineer and application occupations. Anticipating this demand, these student/employer partnerships aim to prepare soon-to-be graduates for these technology careers, while helping to fill a growing need for professionals in the emerging industries around the world.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Published in Business

Plumbing the depths of a top 50 in-demand job

(ARA) - Plumbing is among the top 50 occupations for job stability, median wage and anticipated demand, according to careervoyages.com, a Web site jointly maintained by the departments of Labor and Education.

Joe DeLange, trades department chair of plumbing at WyoTech in Fremont, Calif., isn't surprised. "It's a flexible and stable trade, and plumbers will always be in demand," he says.

"If you like working with your hands, don't mind getting a little dirty, and want steady work in a skilled trade, it's time to take a look at the plumbing profession," DeLange adds.

While many of us are familiar with plumbers who conduct minor in-home repairs, the occupation can be very diverse. Plumbers and pipefitters can specialize in a variety of areas, including the installation and repair of potable water and gas piping systems, drain waste and vent systems, and hydronic (water) heating and cooling systems. Plumbers are also needed for remodeling and new construction projects in the residential and commercial industries.

The demand for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters is expected to increase 10 percent between 2006 and 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Much of this demand will stem from new housing construction and building renovation. The rise in popularity of green technologies like radiant floor heating, solar hydronics, condensing and modulating boilers, and tankless hot water systems is also expected to increase demand for plumbers.

In addition, many people currently working in these trades are expected to retire during the next 10 years, creating more openings for plumbers. The Career Voyages Web site also notes that from now until 2016, there will be a demand for more than 150,000 new plumbers.

"Job stability is an important aspect of any career. This is what makes plumbing so appealing as a profession," DeLange says. "There is constant work. There will always be a need for basic repair and maintenance of water and pipe systems."

In addition to job stability, plumbers and pipefitters enjoy some of the best median wages in the trade fields. In 2006, the median hourly earnings of waged and salaried plumbers and pipefitters were $20.56, and the middle 50 percent of all plumbers earned between $15.62 and $27.54 an hour. The top 10 percent of plumbers earned more than $34 an hour.

Christopher Draves, plumbing instructor at WyoTech in Fremont, Calif., explains that the freedom of working for yourself and seeing tangible results make a career as a plumber an excellent choice. "Many plumbers eventually go into business for themselves," he says.

One of the most satisfying aspects of the plumbing profession is that you see the results of your labor, Draves adds. "At the end of the day, you solve problems, clean up messes and build new piping systems. It's a very satisfying career. You can look at the results and be proud of what you accomplished."

It takes a number of years to become a licensed professional plumber. Most plumbers learn skills through a combination of education and on-the-job training through apprenticeships. Most apprenticeships require 144 hours of classroom work and then a number of years of on-the-job training. At WyoTech, students receive 720 hours of combined classroom time and hands-on lab skills.

"While the need for plumbers is constant, technology and water management systems keep changing, so there is always more to learn," Draves says. "I definitely recommend a career in plumbing to those who are interested in a stable trade."

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Published in Business

Keeping America's information safe offers a secure career

(ARA) - From shopping to working to banking, Americans are doing it all online. Consumers need their private information to be safe, but at the same time, they want the speed and convenience of instant transactions, all without giving it a second thought.

Online safekeeping doesn't just happen. Information security specialists are in the shadows, ensuring consumer and business data security worldwide, and providing the skills needed to track down information in criminal investigations.

Because nearly everyone is at risk from a cyber security threat, professionals in information systems security are bucking unemployment trends. Students interested in information security careers can study at DeVry University, which offers a specialized track providing the skills to help design security system procedures, standards, protocols and policies.

"I have been in the IT industry for about eight years, working on information security-related projects for most of my career," says Najmus Qazi, a DeVry University alumnus from Chicago working in the telecommunications industry. "Most recently, companies have been paying more attention to their information security due to the simple fact that there are a lot of bad guys with ingenious ways of stealing data. The constant change and evolution of my role has made it incredibly exciting."

With new methods of "capturing" volumes of personal information online, it is no wonder that the security of personal and corporate information has become a hot button issue ... and a true career opportunity. There is a real and practical need for specialists who develop and deploy systems to make sure proprietary or private information is protected.

"Despite the recession, IT specialists holding certifications in information security have actually been in demand," says John Giancola, dean of Devry University's College of Engineering and Information Sciences. "Because we have become so mobile and unwired, our personal data is accessible in so many ways - from cell phones to laptop computers - so we need to make sure our personal information is not compromised. Information security behind the scenes keeps us safe."

The field of information security is the first line of defense in preventing unauthorized access, use, disclosure and destruction of data for both businesses and individuals. But for individuals, the extra prevention helps protect them against identity theft.

The importance of this field came into sharp focus earlier in 2009 when President Obama created a cyber security cabinet-level position. This "Cyber Czar" will be responsible for integrating and coordinating all government protections of cyberspace and will lead the U.S response to any hacker attack on U.S. networks.

Five careers under the information security umbrella are helping keep the virtual world safe from would-be hackers and viruses:

* Network systems and data communications analysts are projected to be the fastest growing occupation, with projections of more than 50 percent growth through 2016. They analyze, test and evaluate network systems.

* Information systems security specialists help organizations prepare for, react to and recover from security threats. These experts develop and implement security procedures, protocol and policies.

* Disaster recovery agents work to ensure a company's data systems and networks are recoverable. They often perform and analyze disaster simulations to ensure prompt restoration of services.

* IT managers play an important role in implementing technology in their organizations. They oversee network security and direct Internet operations.

* Computer forensics specialists perform the vital task of investigating suspected fraud and criminal cases. They recover deleted, encrypted or damaged digital files and often provide expert testimony in criminal court cases.

"After spending years as an automotive service advisor, I went back to school to find a new career that offered solid potential for the future," says Marc Brown, a computer information systems student with a specialization in computer forensics at the North Brunswick, N.J. campus of DeVry University. "Studying computer forensics has exceeded all my expectations. Every day, I look forward to all my classes and instructors. It's fun when friends recognize the value of what I do from the nightly news or crimes shows."

DeVry University offers associate, bachelor and graduate degree programs in the information security field at campuses across the nation as well as through online classes. By enrolling in an accelerated program and attending classes year round, undergraduate students are able to earn a bachelor's degree in as few as three years. Learn more at www.devry.edu.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Published in Business