Small Businesses Embrace The Role Of ‘Creator’ To Get Seen In 2026

August 13, 2026

by Frank Vella, CEO of Constant Contact

There’s some seriously good news for small businesses right now: Consumer love for independent brands is soaring.

But as any business owner will tell you, a surge in interest brings a whole new set of challenges. With social media now serving as a primary way for consumers to discover brands, small business owners find themselves playing the role of content creators on top of every other hat they’ve got to wear. At the same time, they’re navigating an economy where buyers are more carefully evaluating every dollar they spend.

For our latest Small Business Now report, we surveyed more than 5,000 small business owners and consumers across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to understand the current landscape.

We discovered that to stay visible while managing the daily hustle of running a business, SMBs (small and medium-sized businesses) are fundamentally rewriting their job descriptions to embrace the role of “creator” — and leaning on AI to get it all done.

Social media discovery means everyone’s a creator now

It seems like everyone’s a creator now, and it’s not just because they want to be social media stars. It comes down to how today’s consumers shop.

Social media platforms have officially overtaken search engines as a top digital discovery tool, with 49% of global consumers finding new small businesses on social media compared to 40% using search engines.

To capture that audience, entrepreneurs are stepping directly into the role of content creation.

73% of small business owners globally now identify as content creators to some degree.
Within that group, 40% identify primarily as creators and 33% see themselves as an owner/creator hybrid.
Nearly half (47%) of small business owners handle all of their social media management entirely on their own.

AI is helping SMBs get more done faster

Faced with the pressure to act like full-time social media managers on top of every other task on their plate, entrepreneurs are adopting AI into their daily workflows.

In the U.S., small business marketing adoption of AI tools has skyrocketed from 26% in 2023 to 87% as of April 2026.

Rather than trying to expand traditional ad budgets to keep pace with larger businesses, 40% of small businesses are leaning on AI and automation specifically to manage their marketing workload.

SMBs aren’t using AI as an experimental hobby; they’re modernizing the way they operate to become more efficient.

50% of AI users globally report that the primary benefit is saving time.
Small business owners are primarily using these tools to write copy and content (42%) and analyze data (38%).
Platform data from Constant Contact shows built-in AI tools reduce campaign and email creation time by up to 23%.

Consumer want to shop small, but budgets are tight

Where customers want to spend their money has shifted dramatically over the last few years. Consumers are actively turning away from giant retailers to spend money at smaller independent brands.

In the U.S., consumer preference for shopping primarily at small businesses nearly tripled over the last five years, rising from 10% in 2021 to 27% in 2026.
Consumer preference for shopping primarily at large corporations fell from 47% to 33% over the same period.

But due to inflation and rising costs, 49% of U.S. consumers have been forced to scale back their spending at small businesses.

Because consumers have fewer discretionary dollars to go around, they’re being selective about where they shop. A business’s online presence can no longer just look appealing; it has to communicate real value to earn a place in tighter budgets.

How to manage your marketing without burnout

You don’t need a huge budget or an army of employees to capture the wave of consumers who want to spend money with small businesses.

Move #1: Replace polished marketing with authentic storytelling.

Consumer preference has evolved: they don’t necessarily want highly produced videos or airbrushed photo shoots; they want something real.

Share the unpolished, behind-the-scenes realities of running your business. Authentic storytelling is often faster and less expensive to produce, and it helps build the kind of human connection that larger businesses struggle to replicate.

Move #2: Treat social media profiles as primary search landing pages.

Businesses should treat their social profiles like digital storefronts. Optimize your profiles for people searching for products and services like yours. Treat your bio, captions, and pinned posts like a website homepage. Include relevant keywords, geographic location, operating hours, and product or service descriptions so potential customers can find you.

Move #3: Build your list and send an email.

Your email contacts are a list you can own. With tools like Constant Contact, it’s easy to segment your list, set up behavioral triggers, and send the right message at the right time, so you’re working smarter instead of harder.

That ownership is what keeps you off the burnout treadmill. Instead of chasing platform shifts, you get a dependable line to both prospects and existing customers.

Frank Vella is the CEO of Constant Contact, the leading digital marketing and automation platform for small businesses and nonprofits. Frank’s previous successes stem from a passion for building customer-centric businesses. He has built effective teams at tech firms of varying sizes globally, including Microsoft, GE Capital, Virtustream and BlueJeans, among others.

Can Startup Founders Qualify For EB-2 NIW? Building A U.S. Immigration Case Around National Importance

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August 13, 2026

Yes. Startup founders can qualify for an EB-2 National Interest Waiver, but owning or launching a U.S. company is not enough. A petitioner must first qualify for the underlying EB-2 immigrant classification and then satisfy the three-part National Interest Waiver framework established in Matter of Dhanasar.

For entrepreneurs, USCIS does not simply ask whether startups, innovation, or job creation are good for the U.S. economy. The agency evaluates the petitioner’s qualifications, the specific work they propose to pursue, the prospective importance of that work, and the evidence showing that they are well positioned to advance it.

EB-2 Eligibility Comes Before the National Interest Waiver

An NIW is not a separate immigrant category. Before USCIS reaches the national-interest analysis, the petitioner must establish eligibility for EB-2 either as a member of the professions holding an advanced degree or as a person of exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business.

For the advanced-degree route, having a master’s degree does not automatically resolve the issue. USCIS considers whether the occupation through which the proposed endeavor will be advanced qualifies as a profession and whether the petitioner’s education and, when applicable, progressive post-baccalaureate experience meet the underlying EB-2 requirements.

This can be particularly important for entrepreneurs whose role is described simply as founder, CEO, or business owner. A petition should connect the person’s academic and professional qualifications to the work they actually intend to perform through the proposed endeavor rather than relying on company ownership alone.

The exceptional-ability route works differently. A petitioner generally must first satisfy at least three regulatory evidentiary criteria. USCIS then evaluates the record as a whole to determine whether the person has a degree of expertise significantly above that ordinarily encountered in the relevant field.

Meeting three initial criteria does not automatically establish exceptional ability. For an NIW petition based on exceptional ability, the claimed area of exceptional ability must also be directly related to the proposed endeavor.

The Three Questions USCIS Asks in an NIW Case

Once underlying EB-2 eligibility is established, USCIS applies the framework from Matter of Dhanasar. The petitioner must demonstrate that:

the proposed endeavor has substantial merit and national importance;
the individual is well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor; and
on balance, it would benefit the United States to waive the normal job-offer and labor-certification requirements.

For a startup founder, these are three separate evidentiary questions.

The petition must explain what the entrepreneur intends to accomplish, why that work could have broader importance, and why this particular person has the experience, progress, resources, or support needed to advance it.

A Promising Startup Is Not Automatically Nationally Important

One of the most common weaknesses in entrepreneur NIW cases is relying on the importance of an industry instead of documenting the prospective impact of the specific endeavor.

Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, biotechnology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, financial technology, and logistics may all involve work of substantial merit. But operating in an important sector does not automatically establish national importance.

USCIS focuses on the proposed endeavor itself and its potential prospective impact.

A founder developing cybersecurity software, for example, cannot rely only on the fact that cybersecurity is strategically important. The petition should show what problem the technology addresses, who is affected, how the solution differs from existing alternatives, how broadly it can be deployed, and what evidence supports the claimed impact.

Consider two entrepreneurs developing software for logistics companies.

The first explains that logistics is essential to the U.S. economy and projects substantial future revenue.

The second identifies a specific operational problem affecting a broader segment of the industry, documents pilot programs or customer adoption, explains how the technology addresses that problem, and provides evidence that the solution could improve efficiency or resilience across multiple organizations.

The second record gives USCIS a much stronger basis for evaluating prospective impact.

Define the Proposed Endeavor, Not Just the Company

A company and a proposed endeavor are not the same thing.

The company is the commercial vehicle through which an entrepreneur may pursue the work. The proposed endeavor describes what the petitioner actually intends to accomplish in the United States.

“Build and grow a cybersecurity startup” says relatively little about national importance.

A stronger description identifies the cybersecurity problem being addressed, the technology or methodology being developed, the intended users, the planned implementation, the expected scale, and the broader consequences if the project succeeds.

That distinction also determines what evidence matters.

If the claimed importance rests on reducing vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, the petition should include evidence relevant to that problem. If the argument depends on economic impact, the record should explain the expected scale and basis of that impact. If the endeavor involves new technology, evidence of technical validation, intellectual property, adoption, research, or industry interest may become particularly relevant.

Objective Evidence Makes Business Projections More Credible

Business plans can be useful, but projections are stronger when supported by objective evidence.

For entrepreneurial NIW petitions, USCIS may consider evidence showing progress toward the proposed endeavor, including investment, revenue generation, customer or user interest, business development, market information, and other concrete steps already taken.

A projection of rapid expansion is more credible when a company already has signed customers, paid pilots, recurring revenue, strategic partnerships, investment commitments, regulatory progress, distribution agreements, or measurable product adoption.

Similarly, a claim that a technology could influence an industry becomes easier to evaluate when independent organizations have tested it, purchased it, licensed it, invested in it, or expressed documented interest.

An entrepreneur does not necessarily need to operate a mature company before filing. Early-stage ventures can still present persuasive evidence. The record should, however, provide a factual basis for the claimed future impact.

The Entrepreneur’s Track Record Should Support the Endeavor

The second Dhanasar prong asks whether the individual is well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor.

Relevant evidence may include prior companies, product launches, revenue growth, research, patents, investment raised, major clients, leadership responsibilities, awards, technical achievements, industry recognition, partnerships, or previous work addressing the same problem.

The strongest records usually show a clear connection between previous achievements and the proposed work.

An entrepreneur who has spent years developing fraud-detection systems and now plans to commercialize a new payment-security platform can demonstrate that connection directly. A petitioner entering a field unrelated to their previous experience may need substantially more evidence explaining why their background positions them to execute the new endeavor.

USCIS does not require proof that the endeavor is certain to succeed. The relevant question is whether the evidence shows that the petitioner is well positioned to advance it.

Funding Helps, but Funding Is Not the Legal Test

Investment can strengthen an entrepreneur’s petition because it may demonstrate outside interest, available resources, or progress toward commercialization.

It does not independently establish NIW eligibility.

A venture-backed consumer company is not automatically nationally important because investors value it highly. Conversely, an early-stage venture with modest funding may still present a persuasive case when the record documents meaningful prospective impact and the founder’s ability to advance the work.

Founders evaluating EB-2 NIW for entrepreneurs should therefore examine the relationship between their underlying EB-2 qualifications, proposed endeavor, supporting evidence, previous record, and expected U.S. impact rather than treating investment as a substitute for the Dhanasar analysis.

Job Creation Can Support a Case, but Scale and Evidence Matter

Employment creation can be relevant to national importance, particularly when an endeavor has the potential to produce substantial positive economic effects.

But a business plan stating that a company intends to hire U.S. workers does not automatically establish national importance.

The strength of an economic-impact argument depends on the scale of the claimed effect and the evidence supporting it. Hiring plans should be consistent with the company’s funding, revenue, market demand, operating model, and realistic growth assumptions.

A founder relying heavily on job creation should be prepared to explain how employment projections were calculated and why they are credible rather than presenting hiring numbers as isolated forecasts.

Independent Validation Can Strengthen the Record

Third-party evidence can be especially useful in entrepreneur cases because it reduces reliance on the founder’s own predictions.

Depending on the venture, relevant evidence may come from customers, investors, universities, government agencies, accelerators, industry organizations, technical experts, research partners, or established companies.

Expert letters are most useful when they explain specific facts: how the writer knows the petitioner’s work, what results have already been observed, why the problem matters, and what broader impact may reasonably follow.

Generic praise carries less evidentiary value than concrete, verifiable information.

Customer contracts, investment records, technical validation, government interest, patents, market adoption, and expert evidence are most useful when they independently support the same claimed characteristics of the proposed endeavor.

How the Evidence Should Fit Together

An effective entrepreneur NIW petition requires more than a strong résumé or an attractive business plan.

The underlying EB-2 evidence should establish that the petitioner qualifies for the immigrant classification itself. The proposed endeavor should be defined precisely enough for USCIS to evaluate its potential prospective impact. Evidence of prior achievements should explain why the individual is positioned to pursue the work. Commercial and third-party evidence should support the claimed scale, feasibility, and significance of the endeavor.

EB-2 NIW can be particularly relevant to entrepreneurs because a qualifying petitioner may self-petition and seek a waiver of the usual job-offer and labor-certification requirements.

For startup founders, the central question is not whether entrepreneurship benefits the United States in general. It is whether the particular petitioner, pursuing a clearly defined endeavor, can establish the required EB-2 qualifications and provide credible evidence satisfying each part of the national-interest framework.

Building For Connection: Designing A Brand That Feels Genuine And Personal

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August 13, 2026

by Sherjan Husainie, Founder of KIRO

In today’s commercial atmosphere, customers don’t just look for a quality product; they expect a brand presence they can engage with that feels real and authentic. More than ever before, consumers are seeking out brands that align with their values and standards, and might make buying decisions based on whether a brand “feels” right.

If you’re looking to create a brand focused on authentic customer connection, here are some methods to get you started!

Humanize at the Core

Communicate Values.

Figure out what your brand stands for and display these values in prominent places on your website; customers appreciate when brands are enthusiastic and verbal about what’s important to them. It can also be helpful to define what your brand stands against, as this can help distinguish you among competitors as a brand that’s working to fix common problems in your industry.

Showcase Leaders and Individuals.

Customers connect more effectively with people than they do with brands as a whole. Make spaces to feature company leadership and other personnel, as well as narratives about these people and their roles in the company. Customers who feel like they “know” someone at your company are more likely to engage with your brand.

Prioritize Social Media.

Social media is the best avenue your brand has to regularly demonstrate its identity, and it’s also the easiest way to directly connect with customers. Focusing resources on a responsive, humanized social media identity helps portray your brand as one filled with real people that care about the customer experience.

Strive for Quality

Focus on the Details.

When consumers feel good about a product, they feel good about the brand, and are more likely to become returning customers. Keeping a focus on consistency and quality at all levels of detail won’t go unnoticed by customers.

Invest in Presentation.

For many consumers, presentation can be just as important as messaging. Modern, unique branding and web design signal the same effort and quality in your product and tell customers that your brand is contemporary and suited to their preferences.

Stand Out from the Crowd.

Focusing on the unique aspects of your brand will boost discoverability, but it also helps increase consumer connection. Customers feel more connected to a brand when they feel like they’ve found something special. Your brand will feel much more authentic if it doesn’t look or function the same as all of your competitors.

Support Company Culture.

When your employees feel good about their workplace, that positivity will spread to your brand and its interactions with customers. An internal company culture that aligns with your values and empowers staff will project outwards, fostering stronger connections between staff and customers in the many places they interact.

Personalize Communications

Tailor at Every Step.

Wherever possible, customer communications should be tailored to their recipient to avoid the feeling of identical mass emails. When messages are customized by user and by context, customers feel like they’re interacting with real employees that have something to share, not just an automated email schedule or machine.

Real-Time Messaging Triggers.

With the wealth of options and information available to customers today, transactions are rarely conducted all at once; instead, customers might place an item in the cart, compare with other brands, or simply leave the website for a while before making the purchase. When executed well, communications tailored to a variety of customer behaviours can enhance connections by portraying responsiveness and care.

Center Customer Feedback

Respond Effectively and Quickly.

Your branding and product are the primary ways that you engage with your customers, and their feedback is the primary way they engage with your brand. By regularly collecting and acting to resolve complaints, your brand can be seen as one that doesn’t just feel genuine, but truly cares about its product and the customer experience.

Monitor Multiple Channels.

Customers don’t just express feedback in direct avenues like reviews or support interactions. It’s also important to monitor things like forums and social media channels to gain a fuller understanding of how consumers are engaging with your brand.

Scale With Systems

Create Customization Guidelines.

Working with your brand’s customer engagement team to create systems for personalizing messaging can empower them to represent the brand in a consistent manner while remaining adaptive in a wide variety of contexts. As your business grows, customization guidelines will allow engagement staff to strike the perfect balance between responsiveness and brand consistency.

Document Patterns

Tracking successes and pain points in customer interactions will provide you with lasting data on what has and hasn’t worked in the past. Knowing positive trends to uplift and negative signs to address will allow your brand to continue improving its connection infrastructure as it scales.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you design a brand that feels authentic?

An authentic brand can be created by highlighting personnel and values, prioritizing social media responsiveness, investing in product quality, and personalizing customer communications.

Why is it important to design a brand that feels genuine?

Customers expect a brand presence they can connect to and feel good about supporting. When a brand feels like it’s run by a group of passionate, visible people with clear values, customers can more easily identify it, driving lasting loyalty and authentic engagement.

How do you create authenticity at scale?

To create a genuine brand presence that can scale with company growth, create frameworks that describe where to focus on customization and where to stick to established brand messaging. This allows brand representatives to adapt to a variety of situations while adhering to a consistent set of brand guidelines. Documenting customer feedback and patterns also helps keep brands responsive as they grow.

Why is social media important for brand authenticity?

Social media is the most regular avenue for a brand to engage with its customer base. Implementing a consistent, human-first outward social media strategy will display a sense of care and connection. Posts that feel like they were written by people, not a machine, will drive better engagement. It’s also important to provide rapid, effective responses to customer concerns; a reputation for caring for the customer experience drives repeat business.

Sherjan Husainie is the Founder of KIRO, the world’s most advanced chiropractic brand. He studied Aerospace Engineering at the University of Toronto and Financial Engineering at UCLA Anderson. Before founding KIRO, Sherjan worked at Google and was a Vice President in Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley. His mission is to make modern, accessible chiropractic care available to 100 million members globally.

Why Profit Visibility Matters More Than Revenue Growth

Contributor

August 12, 2026

by Himanshu Gaba, founder of Sellerview.ai

Every founder loves a revenue chart that goes up and to the right. It’s the number that gets celebrated on LinkedIn, the number investors ask about first, the number that feels like proof you’re winning. But revenue is a vanity metric dressed up as a health metric, and for a lot of growing businesses, especially in ecommerce, it’s quietly hiding the real story.

I learned this the hard way, not from my own business at first, but from watching hundreds of others. Over the past seven years, I’ve worked on profitability and advertising for more than 300 ecommerce brands. The pattern repeats constantly: a seller doubles their sales over a year, feels great about it, and has no idea that a third of their catalog is actually losing money.

The Problem Isn’t Sales. It’s Blindness.

Here’s what usually happens. A business tracks top-line revenue closely because it’s the easiest number to see, it’s right there on the dashboard, updating in real time. But real profit depends on reconciling a dozen or more moving costs: platform fees, advertising spend, storage costs, refunds, returns, and cost of goods sold. Individually, none of these look alarming. Together, they can erase 20 to 30 percent of a product’s margin without anyone noticing until it’s time to do the books.

By the time a monthly reconciliation surfaces the problem, the damage is already done. The ad campaign that looked like it was driving growth was actually burning margin on a low-profit SKU. The “bestseller” everyone was proud of was barely breaking even once real costs were counted. Growth had been happening. Profit had not.

Revenue Answers “Are We Selling More.” Profit Answers “Are We Actually Winning.”

This distinction matters more as a business scales, not less. A small operation can survive a blind spot for a while because the dollar amounts are small and mistakes are cheap to fix. But scale multiplies everything, including the size of the leak. A 2 percent margin problem on a $50,000-a-month business is a rounding error. The same 2 percent leak on a $1,000,000-a-month business is $20,000 evaporating every single month, quietly, with a revenue chart that still looks great.

I’ve sat across the table from founders who were stunned to learn this. Not because they weren’t smart or diligent, but because the tools most businesses use are built to show revenue in real time and profit only after the fact, if at all. Traditional accounting reconciles monthly. Ecommerce platforms show sales, not net margin. Nobody built the businessperson’s dashboard to answer the one question that actually determines whether the company survives: are we more profitable today than we were last quarter, per unit, per SKU, per channel?

What Real-Time Profit Visibility Actually Changes

When a founder can see true profit per SKU as it happens, not 30 days later, the decisions get sharper immediately. You stop scaling ad spend on products that are secretly unprofitable. You catch a fee change or a refund spike the week it happens instead of the quarter it happens. You start making growth decisions based on what the business keeps, not just what it sells.

This is the entire reason I eventually built Sellerview.ai, a tool that connects the pieces, sales, ad spend, platform fees, cost of goods, and refunds, into one live number: real profit, per SKU, in real time. Not because revenue doesn’t matter, but because revenue without profit visibility is just a story you’re telling yourself.

The Takeaway For Any Founder Scaling A Business

If you only remember one thing from this: the number you’re proudest of might not be the number that matters. Growth is not the same as health. Before you pour more into customer acquisition or double down on your bestseller, ask a harder question: do I actually know if this is making me money, right now, at the SKU level, not the quarter level?

Most founders don’t have a clean answer to that question yet. The ones who build the habit of asking it early tend to make far better decisions later, when the stakes and the numbers are both much bigger.

Himanshu Gaba is the founder of Sellerview.ai, a profit analytics platform that helps Amazon sellers see real net profit per SKU instead of just revenue. Before starting Sellerview.ai, he spent 7+ years running Amazon PPC and profitability campaigns for 300+ ecommerce brands, which shaped his focus on solving the profit visibility problem so many growing sellers face. Connect with him on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/himanshugaba.

Striking The Right Content Balance On Social Media

Contributor

August 11, 2026

by Meagan D. Saxton, Social Media Specialist, ddm marketing+communications

Too often, brands see their social media presence as a direct extension of their marketing arm. The mantra of “sell, sell, sell” bleeds into every post. This approach runs the risk of alienating frequent social media users who are looking to escape ads, and are easily put off by sales and marketing language. What’s a brand to do?

Every company that attempts to have a social media presence wants to stand out in the best way possible. Those that do use their social feeds, over time, to build trust and community with audiences that might not otherwise be exposed to their brand. Getting there requires a blend of content — not just sales talk — using original language that knows when to break away from the norm.

Striking the balance

The professional consensus has formed around a “50-30-20 rule” for how to balance social media content. The last of the three percentages, the 20 percent, reflects how much should be considered “promotional.”

For most marketing professionals, this will be the intuitive part. Designing and devising visual assets, language, and other promotional materials are time-honored pillars of any marketing campaign. These materials are naturally portable onto social media platforms. The same high-resolution image that catches eyes in an email campaign will probably do well on Facebook, Threads, or LinkedIn. Because most social platforms limit character count, the written messaging need not be long.

The roughly 80 percent of your social media content that is not promotional is where things get tricky. The 50-30-20 rule dictates that 50 percent of social content should be created (or “engaging”), and 30 percent should be curated. What does that mean, exactly?

Understanding created social media content

Created content, simply put, is any content produced within your organization. In the context of the 50-30-20 rule, it’s content that is not designed to sell, but rather to engage, inform, educate, or occasionally entertain.

A strong social media team will be equipped with the expert knowledge about a company’s people, products and services, and the industry context in which it exists. Leveraging that expertise shouldn’t be hard — topical, non-sales-focused content material is everywhere. A post that celebrates your female employees during Women’s History Month offers potential customers and clients an insight into your workforce and its values. A daily, weekly or monthly trivia quiz (relevant to your brand) can gain a loyal following, if every post shows up on time. The only limits to created content are a platform’s character count and media bandwidth, and your own imagination.

Some will be more tempted than others to jump in on a meme or trend. Viral posts that ask users to “post a picture” or “name a celebrity” or “think of a time” will often elicit a knee-jerk response. Feel free to sit those out. The risk/reward ratio for jumping in on a trend is high. The odds of “going viral” for the right reason are low, and could easily invite criticism from those who don’t see the humor in your post. You don’t have to jump in on every meme or trend, and probably shouldn’t!

Understanding curated social media content

The 30 percent of your social content that is “curated” will draw on outside sources for inspiration. More than ever, consumers rely on branded social media accounts to share trusted sources of news.

Sharing reliable news, scholarly research, or other informative content relevant to your industry can demonstrate expertise over time, while promoting immediate awareness of a topic relevant to your brand’s mission statement. Establishing your account as a reliable source of relevant information might not directly lead to sales, but it can foster long-term trust, spark discussion, and grow your follower count — important goals for brands old and new to the social media game.

User testimonials from your website are also free, curiosity-sparking sources of content. If your website doesn’t have a feedback form, you’ll want one — if only to help feed your social content calendar. Newer organizations might not have many user testimonials they can share. That’s OK. Every social media account has to start somewhere.

The challenge of being authentic

Achieving the 50-30-20 balance is just one prong of a broader strategy. Before launching any new social media channel, brands old and young need to do their homework. What content is popular on the channel with your competitors? With organizations in another industry with a similar size, mission statement, or regional interest compared to your own?

Nor should 50-30-20 be an ironclad rule. There will be times when a new product or service achieves enough “buzz” to go beyond 20 percent for a day. Other times, the online buzz around a topic relevant to your industry will yield engaging discussion from your followers, or offer your own team the opportunity to “go deeper” on a subject relevant to your lane of expertise. Trends break quickly, and brands must be flexible enough to adapt and respond to the moment — to “read the room” and its emotional current.

Regardless of how you seek to balance your social content, remember to be authentic to your brand and its target audience. No two corporate social media feeds will look exactly the same. A company that consists of 10 employees will have a different social media presence than one that consists of 1,000. Whether your company has existed for 100 years or 100 days, it’s important to start with what you know.

Generally speaking, the balance of social media content should hold steady throughout the year. Educating and informing should comprise the majority of a channel’s content. The goals of social media — building trust and community, and fostering two-way engagement — necessarily appeal to a more general audience than perhaps any other public-facing forum. Copying and pasting sales language, hitting send, and calling it a day won’t meet those goals.

Meagan Saxton is a Social Media Specialist at ddm marketing + communications. She has several years of experience creating content and managing social media accounts for healthcare, higher education, and financial services organizations.

A B2B Lead Form Should Capture The Next Decision, Not Just Contact Details

Contributor

August 7, 2026

by Yinghang Wu, founder of ChinaBrandPath

Most B2B lead forms are good at identifying a person and poor at explaining why that person has arrived. A name, company, email address and phone number tell a sales team whom to contact. They do not reveal what the prospect must decide next, what evidence is missing or whether anyone inside the company can approve the next step.

That gap matters most in a small business. A lean sales team cannot afford to treat every form completion as an invitation to the same discovery call. Nor should a promising buyer have to repeat the context that prompted the inquiry. One well-designed question can make the handoff more useful for both sides: “What decision are you trying to make next?”

Contact data is not buying context

A person downloading a specification sheet may be comparing suppliers, checking whether a product will fit an existing range, estimating landed cost or preparing an internal recommendation. Those are different jobs. Sending all four people the same follow-up sequence creates activity without necessarily creating progress.

The usual qualification fields do not solve this problem. Company size, industry and budget range may help a business rank leads, but they still describe the account more than the decision. Even a field labelled “How can we help?” often produces vague answers because it asks the prospect to write the seller’s brief.

Ask for the next decision instead

The most useful version of the question is concrete and time-bound. A form might offer choices such as:

Compare two or more options
Confirm technical or commercial fit
Build an internal business case
Plan a small trial
Prepare a purchase recommendation

An optional sentence can then ask, “What would you need to see to make that decision?” The answer may be a sample, a price range, lead-time evidence, a compliance document, a reference or a conversation with a specialist. Now the sales team knows what progress looks like.

Two lightweight follow-up fields add useful context: who else will take part in the decision, and when the decision is expected. Neither needs to become an interrogation. A role selector is usually enough for the first, while a simple date range or trigger – before a range review, before the next budget meeting, before a pilot – can cover the second.

Keep the form proportionate

Capturing decision context does not mean turning a landing page into a procurement questionnaire. The form should ask only for information the business will use. If the next-decision question is not going to change the response, routing or advice, it should not be there.

Progressive disclosure helps. Start with a short list of decision types. Show one relevant follow-up question after the prospect chooses. Keep free-text boxes optional and explain why the information is being requested. On a high-intent page, a few extra seconds may save days of unproductive follow-up; on a low-intent newsletter form, the question probably does not belong at all.

Route the response around the decision

The value appears after submission. Someone comparing options may need a structured comparison, not an immediate sales call. Someone assembling a business case may need cost assumptions and implementation boundaries. A prospect planning a trial may need success criteria, quantities and a named owner before discussing a larger order.

This also gives a small team a fairer way to prioritize. Urgency alone is a weak signal. A lead with a clear decision, known evidence gap and realistic internal owner may deserve attention even if the eventual order is modest. A large account that cannot name its next decision may need useful information and time rather than repeated chasing.

Measure movement, not form volume

A better lead form should improve what happens next, so that is what the business should measure. Track whether the first response addressed the stated decision, whether the prospect supplied or received the missing evidence and whether the opportunity moved to a defined next step. Form completion rate still matters, but it is no longer the only measure of success.

The aim is not to collect more data. It is to remove one avoidable round of guesswork. When a lead form captures the next decision, the first follow-up can begin where the prospect actually is, not where the seller’s automation assumes everyone starts.

Yinghang Wu is the founder of ChinaBrandPath. He works with importers and local distributors on supplier evaluation, product readiness, controlled pilots and market-entry decisions.

You Are Now Entering The Age Of The Alternative Career

Contributor

August 5, 2026

by Vicky Oliver, author of “Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots”

This is an extraordinary time to be embarking on a career. Surrounded by the doom and gloom of the high cost of living, AI displacing entry-level positions, and political turmoil’s effect on the economy, you somehow need to find a way to make a living.

It’s become evident that answering online job posts, even with your undergraduate degree and choice summer internships, isn’t getting you anywhere. What now?

Time to take matters into your own hands. Your best course now is to craft an alternative career. (And, truthfully, do you really want to spend your days in a fluorescently lit monochrome cubicle?) This means pursuing an interest or need you’ve pinpointed and shaping it into a way to pay your rent.

At first, the thought of striking out on your own may seem daunting. But think again. In devising your own alternative career, you’re able to put your particular skills to work for you. You’re able to tap your vibrant imagination toward your own purposes — not some undeserving or unimaginative boss’s vision. You’ll only have to answer to yourself, and you can test out your own hunches without naysayers casting doubt on your plans.

Perhaps you already have an idea brewing that you’d hoped one day to give more attention to. Think about it. Here’s an example: Did you always enjoy wearing the mantle as the best babysitter in the neighborhood? Did devising the clever games and craft projects to entertain your young charges provide enjoyable hours of creative inventiveness? Did your ability to channel their young energy give you a true sense of fulfillment? Why not parlay these points of pride into a business that offers day camps during the summer and after-school programs during the school year?

Or maybe you’re the one who always helped your siblings with their homework. Why not become a private tutor? You’ll have flexible hours so you can go on any job interviews that arise. If you’re particularly brainy, and scored over 700 on your math or English SAT, you may be able to become an SAT tutor. You’ll help yourself while helping others, which is truly fulfilling.

If, instead, you’re uncertain what direction to take when for an alternative career, take a close inventory of your interests. In setting out to uncover ideas worth exploring, ask yourself these questions:

1. How do you like to spend your free time?

For example, would you rather spend your Saturdays rebuilding the engine of a recently purchased clunker than watching sports on TV? Then you’re someone who feels at home under the hood of your car. You’re the one that all your mom’s friends are asking to diagnose and fix their car problems. At this point, all you may need to earn money with your hobby is to secure an auto mechanic’s certification.

2. What activities do you do that don’t feel like work?

If hours can go by without notice as you put together playlists for an upcoming party, you may want to consider making the leap into hiring out as a DJ. Or if you find yourself in a flow state whenever you work in your garden, you could be a natural at landscaping. Think about those activities you do where the project perfectly matches your skills, your interests, and your curiosity — where you’re able to eliminate external distractions or find your mind wandering. Are you a gym rat? Maybe you can teach Zumba or yoga while earning cash and getting your gym membership for free. Whatever it is that you’re truly a natural at may just be what you’re meant to pursue in your career.

3. What problems do you like solving?

If you read the novel or saw the film, “Lessons in Chemistry“, the female protagonist was a talented chemist in the 1950s when women weren’t considered true scientists. Instead, she applied her expertise via a televised cooking show. Whether the problems you enjoy solving are related to chemistry — or fitness, fashion, or pet behavior, consider ways to apply your focused attention while making it marketable.

4. What topics or issues energize you to learn more?

A friend of mine from New York City was everyone’s confidante whenever it came to relationship issues. None of us were surprised when he became a personal coach. He asked those questions that led to an understanding of someone’s motivations and provocations. That enabled him to see the 10,000-foot view and offer more perspective. Ask yourself where you frequently find yourself diving in just because you’re interested? In what issues have you become a bit of an expert, but are hungry to know more? Your extracurricular research may be the source of a worthwhile professional pursuit.

When you curate a career specifically from your own talents and interests, you’ll be doing what you love. And you’ll be paid. Instead of succumbing to just any available job offer, you can arrive at a career more fulfilling than you ever imagined.

Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-bestselling author of five books, including “Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots” (Sourcebooks, 2008), “301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions” (Sourcebooks 2005), named in the top 10 list of “Best Books for HR Interview Prep,” and “Power Sales Words: How to Write It, Say It and Sell It with Sizzle” (Sourcebooks, 2006). She’s a sought-after speaker and seminar presenter and a popular media source, having made over 901 appearances in broadcast, print and online outlets. She co-hosts the Resilient Women series podcast for Relatable Media. For more information, visit vickyoliver.com.

5 Signs The Success You’re Building Is Starting To Feel Gray

Contributor

August 4, 2026

by Gina Maier Vincent, founder of Exquisitely Aligned and author of “Exquisitely Aligned: A Pocket Guide to Your Magnificent Future“

When you are building a business or career, progress is supposed to feel exciting.

You land the client. Earn the promotion. Launch the offer. Reach the goal you have been working toward for months.

Then something unexpected happens: the achievement arrives, and the excitement barely lasts.

You are still moving forward. From the outside, everything appears to be working. But privately, the work has started to lose some of its color.

That does not always mean you are burned out. Sometimes it means you have become very good at building a version of success you have already outgrown.

Capable people rarely stop because something feels slightly off. They adapt, become more efficient, and keep going. Before long, momentum can harden into a career, company, or future they never consciously chose.

I call this Underliving™ … what happens when fine replaces fascination and functioning begins to stand in for fully living.

A demanding week is normal. But when the grayness becomes a pattern, it deserves your attention.

1. You Reach the Goal, but the Excitement Fades Quickly.

Achievement gives you a brief lift, then becomes the new baseline. Instead of enjoying what you accomplished, you are already focused on the next target.

The problem is not ambition. It begins when every win becomes proof that you should keep climbing, rather than a reason to ask whether you still want to be on that particular ladder.

Try this: After your next win, pause before setting another goal. Ask, “Do I genuinely want more of this, or have I simply become good at achieving it?”

2. You Are Good at What You Do, but Increasingly Bored by It.

Competence can hide disconnection.

When you are talented at something, people keep asking you to do more of it. You become known for it, trusted with it, and paid for it. Eventually, your ability becomes the reason no one questions whether the work still interests you … including you.

Try this: Notice which tasks absorb your attention and which ones make you check the time. Skill and fascination are not the same thing.

3. You Accept Opportunities Because They Look Smart.

Some opportunities are difficult to refuse because they offer visibility, money, credibility, experience, or access. This is especially true early in a career, when every opportunity feels important and saying no can feel risky.

Sometimes the practical opportunity is the right one, particularly when you are building experience or financial stability. The danger is allowing a temporary decision to become your permanent direction without ever looking again.

Try this: Ask two questions: “Is this a good opportunity?” and “Is this a good opportunity for me?” The answers may be different.

4. Your Schedule Is Full, but Very Little Holds Your Attention.

A busy calendar can look like momentum. But movement is not the same as engagement.

If your days are productive but forgettable, most of your attention may be going to deadlines, obligations, and other people’s priorities. When every week looks the same, there is little room to notice what interests you or what might need to change.

Try this: For one week, label your main activities deadens, neutral, or engages. Do not overanalyze. Look for the pattern.

5. You Keep Expanding What Works Without Asking Whether You Still Want It.

A service sells, so you offer more of it. A skill gets rewarded, so you build your role around it. A path earns approval, so you continue following it.

But “working” is not the same as “fitting.”

Growth without reflection can leave you deeply invested in a future you would not choose today.

Try this: Ask, “If I were starting today, knowing what I know now, would I still choose this?” If the answer is no, do not panic. Pay attention.

What to Do When Success Starts to Feel Gray

You do not need to quit your job, shut down your business, or redesign your life overnight.

Start smaller.

Notice where “fine” has become your automatic answer. Look again at what captures your attention, sparks curiosity, or makes you feel more present.

Then make one practical change. Remove one commitment. Redesign one offer. Protect one hour. Start one conversation. Explore one idea that feels genuinely exciting.

The goal is not for every day to feel exciting. No career or business does.

The goal is to notice when excitement has been absent long enough to become information and to stop mistaking capability for connection before momentum hardens into a future you never consciously chose.

Sometimes the next right move is not another achievement. It is creating enough space to discover what you are genuinely excited to build next.

Gina Maier Vincent is the founder of Exquisitely Aligned® and creator of Underliving™. A writer, speaker, podcast host, and modern culture observer, she examines capability, adaptation, attention, and what happens when people become exceptionally good at building careers, businesses, and lives that no longer fully engage them. Gina is also the author of the two-time award-recognized book “Exquisitely Aligned: A Pocket Guide to Your Magnificent Future“.

Founders Do Due Diligence On Everything. Except, Weirdly, The AI Tools That Touch Their Money.

admin

August 3, 2026

Founders are professional due-diligence machines. Before a hire, references get called. Before an integration, the API docs get read. Before a fundraise, every line of the term sheet earns an argument. And yet the same founder will connect an AI trading tool to a funded account on the strength of a landing page and a Trustpilot score – because it was marketed as a productivity decision rather than a financial one.

AI tools that touch money deserve the vendor-selection process, not the app-download process. The good news: you already know how to run it.

Run it like procurement, because it is procurement

Ask the questions you would ask any vendor. Who is the company – real names, real jurisdiction, real regulatory position? In the UK, most AI trading tools are unregulated software vendors sitting on top of a regulated broker; that split matters, because the software carries none of the protections and all of the access. Where is the SLA equivalent – published live results, not backtests? What is the pricing model really – a subscription is clean, while per-trade or commission-based revenue means the vendor is paid for your activity, which is a misaligned incentive you would never accept in a commercial contract.

The security review founders skip

Automated tools connect via API keys, and the permissions on those keys are the whole game. Trading access only, never withdrawal rights – a tool that requests withdrawal-enabled keys has failed the review, full stop. Check whether keys can be IP-restricted, how they are stored, and how fast access revokes. You would not give a new SaaS vendor write access to the company bank account; the same instinct applies verbatim.

Pilot small, measure honestly

No founder rolls out a vendor company-wide without a pilot. Fund the smallest account the tool accepts, run it for weeks, and track everything against two benchmarks: what the tool claimed, and what doing nothing (or an index fund) would have returned. Paper trading does not count – simulated fills are cleaner than real ones, and the differences are precisely what you are testing for.

Independent test data shortens this loop considerably. The Investors Centre runs funded-account testing of AI tools for trading available to UK users – real deposits, real orders, delivered-versus-claimed performance measured including costs – and their consistent finding is the one a seasoned buyer would predict: the gap between marketing and production is the rule. Reading tested results before piloting is the same move as checking a vendor’s references before the call.

The one rule that protects the company

Whatever the tool, ring-fence it. Separate account, capped float, money whose total loss changes nothing about payroll or runway. Founders bet on themselves for a living – the discipline is remembering that an AI tool with account access is not that bet, it is a vendor on probation. Treat it like one and the downside is a cancelled pilot; treat it like magic and the downside is a story you tell at dinner parties for years.

How Complete Vehicle Checks Help You Avoid Costly Mistakes

admin

August 3, 2026

Buying a car is an exciting step, but it can also be a major financial risk if you aren’t careful. Many buyers focus mainly on the look and feel of a vehicle, forgetting that hidden problems can quickly turn a dream purchase into a costly nightmare.

Performing a complete vehicle check, like a total carcheck, is essential for anyone looking to make a well-informed decision and avoid expensive surprises.

The hidden risks of skipping a vehicle check

Most used cars come with a story. Sometimes it’s as simple as previous ownership details, but sometimes there are more significant issues lurking beneath the surface. Without a comprehensive vehicle check, buyers may unknowingly purchase cars with outstanding finance, accident damage, or even a stolen history. Resolving these problems after the sale can lead to escalating costs, legal headaches, or being left without a car at all.

Often, used car sellers will present vehicles in their best possible condition: cleaned, polished, and perhaps with minor faults hidden. A thorough vehicle report can reveal discrepancies in mileage, undisclosed previous accidents, or insurance write-offs. This information equips buyers to either walk away or negotiate based on facts, not just appearances.

What does a complete vehicle check include?

A robust vehicle check assesses far more than just the basics. It looks at critical factors like outstanding finance, MOT history, previous owners, and whether the car has ever been recorded as stolen or scrapped. Such checks also confirm if the registration details match official records, providing peace of mind that the vehicle’s identity is legitimate. Reports frequently go back years, giving buyers a clearer picture of long-term maintenance and care.

Many services make it easy to access this information quickly online. Within minutes, buyers can know if a potential car is burdened with debt or has a history of significant repairs. Armed with this knowledge, it becomes much easier to avoid vehicles that might seem like good deals on the surface but could prove costly in the long run.

Protecting your finances and safety

Financial protection is at the heart of a complete car check. Cars with outstanding finance technically belong to the lender, not the seller. By purchasing such a vehicle unknowingly, buyers risk losing both the car and their money. Similarly, vehicles with undisclosed damage or a problematic MOT history often come with hidden repair costs that can be substantial over time.

Additionally, safety cannot be underestimated. Serious previous damage or recurring faults are not always visible during a test drive. A detailed report helps identify safety red flags, which could be life-saving. Whether you are an experienced buyer or at the start of your car ownership journey, these checks can protect you from making a decision that you may regret.

Making smarter buying decisions

Young professionals and entrepreneurs are increasingly seeking smarter, data-driven decisions in every aspect of life, including large purchases. Complete vehicle checks embody this approach. They provide tangible, verifiable facts, removing much of the guesswork and emotion from the car buying process. This empowers buyers to negotiate confidently and only commit to vehicles that truly fit their needs and expectations.

By integrating a vehicle check into your purchasing process, you not only protect your investment but also ensure your vehicle will serve its purpose reliably. Avoiding costly mistakes ultimately saves money, preserves peace of mind, and supports a more sustainable approach to personal transport. Relying on detailed checks is a small step that can make a significant difference for any buyer aiming for long-term satisfaction.

Five Money Leaks In Nearly Every Young Company’s Ad Account

Contributor

August 2, 2026

by Joshua Uebergang, founder of Digital Darts and author of “Google Shopping for Shopify: The Definitive Guide“

I have audited over 1,300 Shopify stores’ ad accounts since 2015, and young companies leak money in the same five places almost every time. None of them takes more than ten minutes to find.

Together they routinely explain 20 to 50 percent of wasted spend, which for an early-stage company is the difference between a channel that funds growth and one that quietly eats the runway.

Leak one. Paying for customers you already own.

When someone searches your brand name, they were already coming to you. Google will happily sell you that click anyway, and because it converts so well, it makes the whole account look healthier than it is.

Pull your search terms for the last 30 days, filter for your brand name and its misspellings, then total the spend. Anything beyond a small defensive slice is money spent on traffic you had already earned.

Then split brand from non-brand in your reporting, permanently. Blended numbers hide expensive acquisition behind cheap brand clicks, and you cannot fix what an average is covering up.

Leak two. Broad match running without negative keywords.

Google’s match types have drifted broader every year, and its automated bidding is very good at spending your budget on loosely related searches. A founder selling premium dog harnesses ends up paying for “free dog stuff” and “harness racing results.”

Open the search terms report and read the first 100 terms sorted by cost. It is the first place I look in an audit, and the one I keep coming back to in my own running list of Google Ads optimisations. If a quarter of them make you wince, add them as negative keywords and put the same review in your calendar every month. It is the cheapest optimisation in the entire platform.

Leak three. Showing ads to people who will never buy.

The default location setting targets people in your market and people who have merely shown “interest” in it. Ship only within the United States and you can still be paying for clicks from someone overseas who once read about the place.

Open each campaign, go to settings, then locations, then expand the location options. If it says presence or interest, switch it to presence only. I have seen young accounts where a tenth of the budget was landing on people the store could never ship to.

Leak four. Letting Performance Max grade its own homework.

Performance Max is Google’s automated everything campaign. Left alone, it gravitates to the easiest conversions available, which usually means your brand searches and your existing customers, repackaged and handed back to you as new revenue.

Two settings decide this. Whether brand exclusions are applied, and whether the customer acquisition setting is switched on so the campaign optimises for new customers rather than repeat buyers.

Expect the reported return to fall once you do it. That fall is not lost performance. It is the honest number showing up for the first time.

Leak five. Conversion counting that flatters the platform.

Duplicate conversion actions, add-to-carts counted alongside purchases, and imported goals firing twice all inflate the results the bidding system optimises toward. Your dashboard then reports a return your bank account never sees.

So reconcile it. Compare the conversions recorded in Google Ads against actual orders in your store backend over the same 30 days. A gap of 10 to 15 percent is normal, because attribution windows differ. A gap of 40 percent means the machine is being trained on fiction, and every bid it makes is wrong. If you sell leads rather than products, the same reconciliation applies to how you measure lead generation.

The number that ties it together.

Plug the leaks, then judge the channel on one figure. Take total revenue divided by total ad spend and compare it against the break-even your contribution margin dictates. If your margin after product costs, shipping and fees is 30 percent, you need $3.33 of revenue per ad dollar just to stand still. Advertising is one of the costs founders routinely underestimate, and it is the easiest of them to measure honestly.

Most founders I meet have never worked that line out. The five leaks waste money, but not knowing your break-even wastes the whole exercise, because you cannot tell a winning account from a losing one. Ten minutes per leak, one line of arithmetic, and you will understand your ad account better than most of the people paid to manage them.

Joshua Uebergang is the founder of Digital Darts, a Google Ads agency for Shopify stores. He has 20 years in ecommerce marketing, has audited over 1,300 Shopify stores, and wrote “Google Shopping for Shopify: The Definitive Guide“.

Expressing Purpose Without Keeping Promises Is Just Aspiration

Contributor

July 31, 2026

by Warren Kornblum, author of “Notes from the Brand Stand: Thoughts on Emotional Branding from Someone Who Has Fought for Consumer Attention and Won“

For years, business leaders have been encouraged to define their organization’s purpose. Why do we exist? What do we believe? What difference are we trying to make?

These are important questions. A clear sense of purpose can align an organization, inspire employees, guide decisions, and give people a reason to care about their work. But purpose alone isn’t enough.

I believe organizations also need to answer a second, equally important question: what can people consistently expect from us? That’s the organization’s promise.

Purpose and promise are closely related, but they’re not the same. While purpose explains why an organization exists, promise defines what customers, employees, partners, and other stakeholders can expect from it. Purpose is what you believe. Promise is what you commit to delivering.

The strongest organizations understand they need both. Purpose without promise is aspiration, and promise without delivery is just messaging.

Trust is earned in the gap between what an organization says it believes and what people actually experience. That distinction matters more than ever.

Purpose has become part of the language of modern business. Organizations invest significant time and resources in defining mission statements, purpose statements, values, and beliefs. Leadership teams gather to debate wording. Consultants are engaged.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with any of that. The problem begins when organizations mistake articulating a purpose for actually living it.

They experience whether a promise is kept when keeping it becomes inconvenient. They also experience it when the organization’s actions are consistent with what it claims to believe.

That’s where purpose becomes real or where it’s exposed as rhetoric.

Throughout my career, I’ve watched organizations expend enormous energy to find the right words to describe themselves. I understand why. Words matter. Clarity matters. A compelling purpose can be an extraordinarily powerful unifying force.

But I’ve also come to believe that the words are the easy part. The hard part is building an organization capable of consistently delivering on them.

When purpose evolves into a promise, it’s essential that those promises be kept. Some promises are explicit. Others are formed gradually through advertising, reputation, prior experiences, and repeated behavior. But once an expectation exists, people notice whether it’s fulfilled.

That’s why leaders should spend as much time discussing their promise as they do their purpose. Purpose can be broad and aspirational, but promise must be tangible.

If your purpose is to improve people’s lives, what does that mean for a customer facing a problem? If you say people are your greatest asset, do you act that way? If trust is one of your core values, how transparent are you? If you promise exceptional service, what authority have you given employees to resolve a customer’s problem?

The true measure of purpose isn’t what an organization says when everything is going well. It’s what the organization does when keeping its promise is difficult. That’s where trust is earned.

I’ve long believed that customers, employees, and partners pay far more attention to actions than organizations often realize. People notice inconsistencies. They notice when a company claims to be customer-obsessed yet makes it nearly impossible to reach a human being. They notice when leaders talk about empowerment yet second-guess every decision. They notice when an organization publicly celebrates its values yet compromises them privately. And they remember.

The gap between purpose and promise can be especially damaging because purpose raises expectations. The stronger an organization’s declaration of its beliefs, the more closely people will judge whether its actions are consistent with those beliefs.

In other words, purpose increases the obligation to deliver. That shouldn’t make leaders less ambitious about defining why their organizations exist. Instead, it should make them more disciplined in connecting purpose to behavior.

The strongest purpose should guide choices. What do we invest in? What do we refuse to compromise? How do we treat people? What kind of growth do we pursue? Which opportunities do we decline? What happens when short-term pressure conflicts with a long-term commitment?

Purpose should help answer those questions. Promise makes the answers visible to everyone.

This is also why I believe brand building is far more broad than marketing. A company’s marketing can communicate a promise, but it can’t deliver it alone. Operations delivers part of it. Customer service delivers part of it. Product development delivers part of it. Human resources delivers part of it. Leadership delivers part of it.

Every employee who interacts with a customer, colleague, supplier, or community can strengthen or weaken the promise.

A brand promise isn’t a marketing campaign. It’s an organizational commitment. Consistency matters, not perfection.

No organization gets everything right. People understand that companies make mistakes because people do. The more important question is what happens next. Does the organization take responsibility? Does it listen? Does it respond with empathy? Does it solve the problem? Does its behavior reinforce the promise or contradict it?

Sometimes the most powerful demonstration of purpose comes after something has gone wrong. A mistake can strain a relationship, but the response can strengthen it. That’s because trust isn’t built on perfection. It’s built on consistency, honesty, and the confidence that an organization will behave in ways people have come to believe they can count on.

Over time, those experiences accumulate. A promise kept once brings satisfaction. A promise kept consistently builds confidence. Confidence builds trust. And trust creates the emotional connection I call SHARE OF HEART™.

That connection is earned through an organization’s accumulated experience acting in ways consistent with what it says it believes — one decision, one interaction, one difficult choice, one promise kept at a time.

The organizations that succeed and will endure understand the relationship between purpose and promise. Purpose gives the organization direction. Promise sets people’s expectations. Delivery turns those expectations into experience. Consistency turns experience into trust. And trust turns transactions into relationships.

The challenge for leaders isn’t simply to ask whether their organizations have a compelling purpose. It’s to ask whether that purpose is evident in the experience they create every day.

Purpose without promise is aspiration. Promise without delivery is advertising. But when purpose, promise, and behavior consistently align, something far more valuable happens. People believe you.

Warren Kornblum, former Global Chief Marketing Officer of Toys “R” Us and former Chief Marketing Officer of Serta Simmons Bedding, has spent his career helping brands build emotional loyalty and connect with people on a human level. Today, as the founder of Shadow Branding, he advises leadership teams across industries through keynote speaking, executive seminars, and long-term advisory relationships focused on trust, customer loyalty, leadership, and emotional connection. His new book is, “Notes from the Brand Stand: Thoughts on Emotional Branding from Someone Who Has Fought for Consumer Attention and Won“ (Shadow Group Publishing, Jan. 1, 2026). Learn more at shareofheart.com.

Why I Built A Women’s Health Company Around A Problem Millions Of Women Were Told To Ignore

Contributor

July 25, 2026

by Dr. Meghan Blake, co-founder of Good Kitty

I never planned to start a company. I’m a physician. I spent the first decade of my career working as a radiologist, analyzing imaging for athletes at Cal Berkeley Sports and the Oakland A’s, and I was content. Co-founding a women’s wellness brand was nowhere on my list.

But that was before I got eleven urinary tract infections within the span of a single year.

That number alone was shocking, but even more baffling was that I had no idea why. I had done everything women are told to do to prevent UTIs from happening. I drank plenty of water. I went to the bathroom after sex. I took antibiotics, then more antibiotics, then antibiotics prescribed simply to head off the next round.

While this was happening, I also watched my gut health unravel, developed infections that stopped responding to the usual drugs, and slowly found myself dreading intimacy, which is something that I have always believed should be an ordinary and healthy part of life.

But these problems, as serious as they were, weren’t actually the worst part. The worst part was how completely normal everyone but me seemed to think my situation was.

A Problem Hiding In Plain Sight

Even as a doctor, I got the same shrug so many women get when they seek out advice on what’s happening to them. The prevailing attitude seemed to be that what I was experiencing was just an occupational hazard of womanhood.

To be fair, UTIs among women are common. More than half of all women will have a UTI in their lifetime, and one in every eight women experience three or more UTIs every year. These are not rare events.

But in spite of how common UTIs are, much of the guidance for women who get them amounts to little more than telling us we need to learn to live with the discomfort.

Sadly, that’s what many of us do. Some of us stop dating, or avoid intimacy altogether. We learn to live with constant low-level anxiety or cycle constantly through prescriptions instead of asking the one question that could help us: why is this happening in the first place?

But my medical background and the situation I was in put me in a unique position: I had the means to investigate what I was being told and see if there was more to the story.

As it turned out, there was.

A Blind Spot with a Price Tag in the Billions

The more I looked at available research, the clearer it became to me that recurrent UTIs are rarely just a bladder problem. They often point towards an imbalance elsewhere in the body, such as the microbiome, hormones, or the immune system. What’s more, I learned that taking round after round of antibiotics can actually make these imbalances worse.

What I kept coming up against was the sheer scale of the problem. The fact that UTIs affect millions of women every year means they cost our healthcare system billions of dollars annually. And yet, the medical community doesn’t seem to consider this a priority. Instead of funding further research and innovation, our culture tends to treat UTIs among women as too intimate to discuss and not severe enough to prioritize.

There is no way to explain this except as part of a cultural blind spot that has persisted throughout our medical history. Until the 1990’s, most drug trials were based solely on male subjects. That means we built the bulk of our medical knowledge on male bodies.

In that context, it’s no wonder that so many women’s conditions remain so poorly understood. Recurrent UTIs are merely one of countless problems living in the gap this prejudice has created.

The Rewards of Fulfilling a Need Everyone Else Has Ignored Go Well Beyond Business

It would have been easy to get angry about this disparity, but I’ve always believed that determination is a more productive emotion. So my co-founder and I decided we were going to do something about it.

The idea was to build a company that approached women’s intimate health without shame, embarrassment, or apology. We wanted a way to publicly acknowledge that sex, pleasure, and quality of life matter to women, and show that it was possible to prevent recurrent infections without relying on endless antibiotics and their downstream consequences.

That’s how Good Kitty was born. Instead of focusing on the antibiotics that UTI-causing bacteria were clearly evolving to ignore, we developed a supplement aimed at blocking this bacteria while supporting the bladder lining and rebalancing the microbiome.

Ironically, however, the process of founding and growing Good Kitty has taught me something much bigger than how to prevent UTIs. My experience as an out-of-left-field founder has connected me to other women in ways I never could have imagined.

I’ve seen firsthand how many women have been carrying symptoms, frustrations, and health concerns that someone told them were “normal.” And I am encouraged to see another cultural shift slowly beginning to take place, as more and more women refuse to accept that answer.

In this way, my experience in women’s wellness perfectly illustrates a lesson that applies to business ventures in practically every industry: progress doesn’t automatically happen whenever a problem is identified. It only occurs when people decide they are no longer willing to ignore one.

Dr. Meghan Blake is a physician and a co-founder of Good Kitty, a women’s wellness company focused on intimate and urinary wellness. Board certified in diagnostic radiology and fellowship-trained in sports medicine imaging, she spent the first decade of her career in clinical practice before turning her attention to the overlooked science of women’s health. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

How Hybrid Work Is Reshaping IT Priorities

admin

July 21, 2026

Hybrid work has evolved from a temporary solution into a long-term business strategy. Employees now expect the flexibility to split their time between the office, home, and other remote locations without sacrificing productivity. While this shift has improved work-life balance and expanded hiring opportunities, it has also transformed the responsibilities of IT teams.

Instead of simply maintaining office networks and hardware, IT departments are now responsible for delivering secure, reliable, and seamless experiences regardless of where employees work. This new reality is forcing organizations to rethink technology investments and prioritize flexibility, security, and user experience.

Security Has Become the Top Priority

The traditional network perimeter has largely disappeared. Employees access company resources from home networks, public Wi-Fi, mobile devices, and cloud applications, making security more challenging than ever.

Rather than relying solely on office-based firewalls, businesses are embracing security models that protect users wherever they connect. Identity verification, multi-factor authentication, endpoint protection, and continuous monitoring have become essential components of modern IT strategies.

As cyber threats continue to evolve, organizations need security solutions that protect data without creating unnecessary complexity for employees. A smarter, cloud-first security approach allows businesses to reduce risk while supporting a distributed workforce.

Cloud Services Are Driving Productivity

Hybrid work has accelerated the adoption of cloud-based platforms. Employees expect instant access to files, applications, and collaboration tools whether they are working from home, the office, or traveling.

Cloud infrastructure eliminates many of the limitations associated with traditional on-premises systems. Teams can collaborate in real time, access critical data securely, and maintain productivity even when working across different locations.

For IT departments, cloud services also simplify software updates, improve scalability, and reduce maintenance requirements. This allows technical teams to spend less time managing infrastructure and more time supporting business growth.

Employee Experience Matters More Than Ever

Technology should help employees work efficiently instead of creating obstacles. Slow VPN connections, complicated login procedures, and unreliable access to applications can quickly reduce productivity and frustrate users.

Modern IT priorities now focus heavily on delivering a consistent digital experience across every device and location. Employees expect fast access to applications, minimal downtime, and responsive support regardless of where they are working.

When technology works seamlessly, staff can focus on their responsibilities instead of troubleshooting technical issues, ultimately improving engagement and overall performance.

Networking Is Becoming More Intelligent

As organizations move away from centralized offices, network architecture must evolve to support distributed workforces. Traditional networking models often struggle to provide the flexibility and security required for hybrid environments.

Businesses are increasingly exploring integrated networking and security solutions that simplify remote connectivity while maintaining strong protection against cyber threats. SASE explained helps decision-makers evaluate how modern networking frameworks combine secure connectivity, cloud networking, and security services into a unified approach.

This shift enables organizations to improve performance while reducing the complexity of managing multiple disconnected security tools.

IT Teams Are Becoming Strategic Partners

The role of IT has expanded well beyond technical support. Today’s IT leaders play a central role in business planning, digital transformation, and operational resilience.

They are involved in selecting collaboration platforms, improving cybersecurity, supporting compliance requirements, and identifying technologies that enhance productivity. Rather than reacting to problems, modern IT departments proactively design systems that help businesses adapt to changing work environments.

This strategic approach allows organizations to remain competitive while meeting employee expectations for flexibility and reliable technology.

Preparing for the Future of Work

Hybrid work is no longer viewed as a temporary trend. It has fundamentally changed how organizations operate, communicate, and secure their digital environments.

Businesses that invest in flexible infrastructure, cloud services, intelligent networking, and modern cybersecurity are better positioned to support long-term growth. At the same time, prioritizing employee experience ensures that teams remain productive regardless of where work happens.

As workplace expectations continue to evolve, successful organizations will be those that view IT not simply as a support function, but as a critical driver of innovation, resilience, and business success.

Outworking Everyone Else Beats Being Smarter Than Everyone Else Every Time

Contributor

July 21, 2026

by Don Kurz, author of “Do the Hustle – Life Lessons from Studio 54, the Championship Lacrosse Field, and the Boardroom“

There’s an old saying about how life changes once you finish school: the B students hire the A students, and the C students donate libraries.

Obviously that’s a bit simplistic, but there’s a nugget of truth at the core of it: intelligence is somewhat overrated as a predictor of success because hard work trumps it every time. People think that being smart is a ticket to instant wealth. It’s not.

At the risk of boasting, I’m willing to say that I’m a reasonably smart guy — but I am definitely not smarter than everyone else around me. However, I don’t have to be smarter than everyone else because there’s a more reliable way to make up for smarts, and that’s honest, hard work.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying that natural gifts like intelligence and athleticism don’t matter or that they don’t provide a strong advantage. In the athletic field, for example, when you get to the top, you can’t just rely on outworking everyone. If it takes you five seconds or longer to run the 40-yard dash and you want to be a wide receiver, you’re not going to play pro football no matter how hard you work. And there’s an equivalent barrier in business: If your IQ is under 100, then no matter how hard you work, you’re probably never going to be CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Therefore, it’s not just about who works hardest. It’s about who works the hardest and gets results. You could work hard and not get results, either because you’re not smart enough or you don’t listen to the marketplace and keep pursuing dead ends. Working hard is no ticket to anything — it’s necessary, but not sufficient.

So yes, natural advantages do matter. But an advantage can be squandered if you don’t have the grit to do the hard work of maximizing it.

A correlation with athletes’ physical disadvantage

I played lacrosse in high school. I’m not a big guy, and being on the smaller side and trying to compete in contact sports was, well, let’s just say it was sometimes humbling. If you’re a big man they take one look at you and say, “Oh, this guy is six-feet-two, 220 pounds, and reasonably fast, so we’re going to find every way to get him on the field.”

I think that was a driver for me. When you don’t have an advantage like that you have to show that you’re tougher and don’t make mistakes. You do whatever you must do, because five-foot-eight guys don’t have to be put on the field. So I did what I seemed to have to do.

I loved the game, but loving the game isn’t enough, especially if you don’t have the physical gifts of height and weight that would give you an advantage. So I had to work harder to compensate. I didn’t love having to relentlessly train with weights, wind sprints, stick drills, et cetera, but I loved the end result.

Luck plays a role in success, but only marginally

Many people believe that most or all of their problems stem from something beyond their control — who your parents were, whether you had money growing up, what school you went to, et cetera. They think “it doesn’t matter how hard I work or what I do, I won’t be able to make it because the other guy has had every advantage and isn’t fair.”

That classic victim-type mentality is the antithesis of “I’m going to outwork everyone.” Underlying it is the idea that the other guy doesn’t deserve his success and so his happiness constitutes some sort of injustice. He didn’t earn it; he’s just lucky.

To be sure, luck does play a role in success. Some people are born into wealth and, although many such people work hard to retroactively “earn” their good luck, many others don’t. For the majority of us who weren’t born into wealth and have had to work hard for our success, we too depend on at least getting a small lucky break now and then. There are also poor people who are fortunate enough to have a fantastic teacher who mentors them and shepherds them through their youth. That’s lucky for them, even if the circumstances of their birth were not.

But you can’t just be a resentful, willful victim. It’s unhealthy and unhelpful. The truth is that life isn’t fair. There may well be reasons to say, “I didn’t have as good a shot as somebody else.” But so what? I’m not six-foot-three, so I could never play pro football. That’s not fair, I guess.

Some people take the resentment train even further and develop a feeling that anyone who is more successful than they are must have come by their success dishonestly — or at least unfairly in some way. Many subscribe to the notion that “behind every great fortune is a crime.” If you’re doing well and I’m not, then you must have cheated.

Are certain people more ruthless and cutthroat? Absolutely. Are some of them underhanded? Absolutely. But I don’t see that cheating is a way to get ahead. The world is largely a meritocracy, and although some people are born smarter and some people have better connections or otherwise have a leg up, I really believe that if you work hard enough and get a little luck, you can achieve virtually anything within the range of your abilities.

You have no say in what kinds of advantages you’re born with. You can’t control how wealthy your parents are or how tall or well-coordinated you are. You can’t control certain inherited predispositions toward weight gain or depression.

Your destiny lies in your own hands

But you can control how hard you work, and that counts for a lot. Do other people have natural advantages like smarts or money or nepotistic connections? Sure. Again, life isn’t fair. You have to accept that and move on, because the one thing you can control is your effort.

As famed author and marketing guru Seth Godin said, “While luck may be more appealing than effort, you don’t get to choose luck. Effort, on the other hand, is totally available, all the time.”

You can control whether you exercise. You can control what you eat. You can control your work ethic through discipline and passion and by focusing on your end goal.

If your end goal is to be a starter on the team, if your end goal is to be reasonably successful, if your end goal is to graduate in the top 10 percent of your class, you can control a fair amount of what causes that to happen or not happen. Irrespective of the barriers you may face, you control your effort, your work ethic, how you treat other people.

My message to you is this: never forget that you control your own destiny.

Don Kurz is an entrepreneur, former championship lacrosse player, and dance instructor who learned to dance the Hustle at Studio 54. He has been a senior partner in a major international consulting firm, successfully taken a company public on Nasdaq, started a hedge fund, and currently is the executive board chair and principal shareholder of leading creative agency Omelet LLC. His new book, “Do the Hustle – Life Lessons from Studio 54, the Championship Lacrosse Field, and the Boardroom“, is a both an amusing and serious collection of lessons learned, taught to readers through his dynamic life story. Learn more at don.kurz.author.com.

Customer Experience Is The New Bottom Line: Why Revenue Growth Now Starts With CX

Contributor

July 18, 2026

by Craig Bradley — President, Experience Practice at Ipsos

The push to digital-first is leaving customer experience (CX) behind. In the modern, digitally-driven market, competitors are often only a click away. Brands that win loyalty are those that make interactions pleasant, easy, and memorable.

According to the 2025 Ipsos + Medallia report on The Shifting Dynamics of Customer Loyalty, 80% of customers agreed that their feelings are stronger toward brands that provide better experiences. Today, revenue growth often starts with CX, with 97% of professionals agreeing that customer loyalty plays a major role in driving business outcomes.

To maximize revenue, each customer experience must be connected and consistent across customer touchpoints. Everywhere a customer interacts with your brand — whether in-store, online, or even through sites you directly control (like Amazon, Instacart, or DoorDash) — shapes the customer experience and overall perception of your brand.

The keys to building long-term value are seamlessly integrating those touchpoints to deliver a consistent experience for the customer every time.

How customer experience drives brand growth and influences revenue

Many brands offer quality products or services that people need, but in most industries, that alone isn’t enough to earn brand loyalty. Especially in a market where social media is king, customers can compare brands in an instant, switch brands with little worry or friction, and rely on peer reviews and feedback more than brand marketing promises to make their purchase decisions.

CX is personal. Brands can see data that directly links their investment in customer experience to increased revenue driven by customer loyalty. As the 2025 Customer Loyalty report shows, high-growth companies lead with greater loyalty investments. Of the companies surveyed, 92% that report more than 10% annual growth plan to increase their investment in initiatives to boost customer loyalty.

This change in the bottom line shifts the revenue equation. When the customer experience is a smooth and strategic process, it’s easier to convert quality prospects, retain current customers, and expand brand value through repeat purchases.

CX directly influences revenue growth

CX not only directly influences revenue growth but also improves margins by reducing service friction. When the employees, automations, and systems that create an experience can focus more on delivering consistently exemplary service, customers receive better resolutions and may not feel pulled to look elsewhere for the services or products they desire.

For businesses, this means that they also have to take care of their employees, as the employee experience can strongly influence the ultimate customer experience. Employees who are recognized, well-trained, and fairly compensated will pass that job satisfaction and fair treatment on to the customer.

Knowing how important CX data can be for revenue, brands must prioritize their approach to collecting and analyzing these metrics. For CX metrics to have maximum impact, brands should approach the customer experience from a business performance perspective.

Where many organizations fail is in CX measurement. They track the wrong metrics, have too narrow a scope, or are reactive rather than proactive.

But metrics aren’t interchangeable with insights. For CX metrics to be truly meaningful, the entire customer experience journey must be measured, data must be connected across functions, and any issues must be addressed before the customer decides to look elsewhere.

Revenue through retention

One of the primary ways that customer experience contributes to revenue is through retention. In the 2025 Customer Loyalty report, 80% of practitioners agreed that it is typically less expensive to keep an existing customer than to try to acquire a new one. Great experiences make customers more apt to return to a brand again and again.

When customers develop a sense of brand loyalty, the risk of choosing another brand begins to fade. Customers who feel understood and know that their concerns will be addressed will be more tolerant of occasional mistakes (because no brand is perfect) and more likely to remain loyal to the brand that gave them such a stellar experience.

CX data can help companies anticipate customer needs, track the trajectory of the customer journey, and remove friction before it impedes customer retention.

The CX message matters today

The CX message for brands matters more today than ever before. Customers have more choices and less patience for brands that aren’t committed to the customer experience. One bad experience can drive a customer away for good, and you may not get a second chance.

Brands must approach CX as a growth strategy.

Many businesses still struggle to turn customer data into actionable strategies. For leaders who still view CX as a soft metric instead of a financial one, their inability to adapt to the current climate may end up costing them more than it does their customers, dramatically impacting their revenue.

In today’s market, the customer experience is no longer just about what happens after a sale. It’s a series of significant touchpoints that work to enable the sale, preserve the customer connection, and expand the lifetime value of the customer relationship.

Companies can’t afford to overlook the immense importance of the customer experience in a market where prices can be matched, products can be copied, and everyone is clamoring for customer attention online. Durable, compounding revenue comes from acknowledging CX, thoroughly measuring CX data, and then meeting customer expectations with every interaction.

Craig Bradley is President of Ipsos’ Experience Practice, where he leads the integration of employee, channel, and customer experience to drive enterprise sales growth and performance improvement. A seasoned global business leader, he brings decades of experience across retail, finance, research, and sales, with a proven track record of driving significant business growth through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions. At Ipsos, he oversees global client programs spanning 40+ countries and more than 1,000 clients across industries, including technology, telecommunications, retail, healthcare, automotive, and financial services, helping organizations connect experience insights directly to revenue and operational performance.

3 Best Sites To Buy Instagram Likes (Genuine & Guaranteed)

admin

July 16, 2026

You post great content, but your likes barely move, and the numbers make your account look inactive. That stalled engagement hurts more than your ego. Low likes push you down in the algorithm, scare off potential followers, and make brands skip right past your profile.

Buy Instagram likes from a #1 site that delivers real-looking engagement without risking your account, and the three sites below do exactly that.

1. Followerzoid.com — The Best Site to Buy Instagram Likes.

We rank Followerzoid first because it covers all concerns buyers have: safety, speed, price, and support. It is built for people who want results without handing over sensitive account details.

Here is what makes Followerzoid stand out from the rest:

No password required. You only enter your username and pick a post. Your login stays private, which removes the biggest security risk of buying likes.
Fast delivery. Orders start processing within minutes, and most packages arrive gradually so the growth looks natural.
Real-looking engagement. Likes come from active-looking profiles, not empty bot shells, so your posts keep a believable ratio.
Affordable pricing. Small starter packages cost only a few dollars, which makes it easy to test the service before scaling up.
24/7 customer support. A support team answers questions any time, so you are never left guessing about an order.

Key Features:

Simple three-step checkout: choose a package, enter your username, and complete payment.
Gradual drip delivery to protect your account from sudden spikes.
Packages for every budget, from a few hundred likes to several thousand.
Secure payment options with no hidden fees at the checkout.

Pros:

Beginner-friendly, with a clean website that anyone can use.
No account access needed, which keeps your credentials safe.
Consistent, on-time delivery backed by responsive support.

Why It Stands Out?

Most providers ask for your password or dump thousands of fake likes at once. Followerzoid does neither. It focuses on steady, natural-looking growth and keeps the process transparent from start to finish. That combination of safety and simplicity is why we put it at the top of this list.

2. BuyFollowersMalaysia.com — A Solid Regional Choice.

BuyFollowersMalaysia is a strong second option, especially if you want engagement that leans toward Southeast Asian audiences. The service targets creators and small businesses who care about reaching a specific regional market rather than just raising a number.

Here is what you get with BuyFollowersMalaysia:

Region-focused likes. The service can supply engagement weighted toward Malaysian and nearby audiences, which helps local creators look relevant to their community.
Multiple package sizes. You can start small or order in bulk, depending on how many posts you want to boost.
Local payment support. The checkout supports payment methods common in the region, which makes buying easier for local users.

Pros:

Useful for businesses that sell to a Malaysian or regional customer base.
Clear package tiers that spell out how many likes you receive.
Responsive to questions during standard business hours.

What to Keep in Mind?

Delivery speed can vary during busy periods, so plan if you have a launch or campaign coming up. The regional focus is a real strength for local accounts, but creators chasing a global audience may find the targeting less useful. For anyone building a presence in Malaysia and nearby markets, though, it does the job well.

3. ItsMediaWorld.us — A Full-Service Social Media Option.

ItsMediaWorld takes third place because it offers more than likes. It works as a wider social media marketing shop, which suits people who want to manage several services in one place.

Here is what ItsMediaWorld brings to the table:

Bundled services. Beyond likes, you can order followers, views, and engagement for other platforms, all from a single dashboard.
Package flexibility. You choose the size and mix that fits your goals, whether that is one viral post or a steady monthly boost.
Customer support. A support channel handles order questions and helps you pick the right package.

Pros:

One-stop shop for creators who want more than likes alone.
Options across multiple platforms, not just Instagram.
Straightforward ordering with clear pricing per package.

What to Keep in Mind?

Because ItsMediaWorld spreads across many services, its Instagram likes are not always as specialized as a dedicated provider’s. Delivery is reliable, but you may want to start with a small order to check quality before committing to a larger package. For users who value convenience and want several services under one roof, it remains a dependable pick.

How We Ranked These Sites?

We judged each provider on the factors that matter most to buyers:

Safety: Does the site avoid asking for your password?
Delivery speed: How quickly do likes arrive after payment?
Quality: Do the likes look real and hold up over time?
Price: Is the cost fair for what you receive?
Support: Can you reach someone when a problem comes up?

Followerzoid scored highest across all five, which is why it leads the list. The other two earned their spots by meeting most of these standards with a few trade-offs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to buy Instagram likes?

Yes, buying likes is safe when you pick a provider that does not need your password. Followerzoid, for example, only asks for your username and the post you want to boost. That keeps your login private and removes the main security risk tied to third-party services.

Will Instagram likes drop over time?

Some likes can drop, but quality providers reduce this with gradual delivery and better-quality profiles. If a package does dip, reputable sites often include a refill window to top your order back up. Always check whether a refill guarantee is offered before you buy.

Can Instagram ban you for buying likes?

Buying likes on its own rarely leads to a ban. Instagram targets spammy behaviour and obvious bot activity, so the safest approach is steady, natural-looking growth rather than a sudden flood of engagement. Providers that drip likes gradually help you stay under the radar.

How fast will I receive my likes?

Delivery times vary by provider and package size. Followerzoid usually starts processing within minutes, with likes arriving gradually over a short window. Larger orders take longer, since spreading them out keeps the growth looking natural.

Do I need to give my password to buy likes?

No, and you should never share it. The best providers only require your username and the link to your post. If a site asks for your password, treat that as a warning sign and choose a safer option instead.

Are cheap Instagram likes worth it?

Cheap likes are worth it when they come from a trusted provider that delivers real-looking engagement. Very low prices from unknown sites often mean empty bot accounts that drop fast. Stick with providers that balance fair pricing with quality, like the three we reviewed above.

Final Thoughts

Buying Instagram likes gives your posts the social proof they need to attract real attention. Of the three sites we reviewed, Followerzoid is the clear winner for safety, speed, and value. BuyFollowersMalaysia works well for regional targeting, and ItsMediaWorld suits anyone who wants several services in one place. Start small, check the quality, and scale up once you are confident in the results.

UxoTrade Review 2026: A Modern Platform Without The Old-School Noise

admin

July 16, 2026

The trading industry has a complexity problem.

Too many platforms still believe that more buttons, more technical language and more crowded screens automatically create a better trading experience. In reality, many users are not searching for another oversized terminal. They are looking for a platform that makes global markets easier to access, understand and manage.

That is the space UxoTrade is trying to occupy in 2026.

UxoTrade presents itself as a modern multi-market trading platform built around accessibility, mobile use and a more structured client experience. Its public positioning focuses less on legacy software names and more on what users can actually do: access different markets, manage an account and follow trading activity from one connected environment.

The result is a platform with a noticeably modern identity.

However, design alone does not determine whether a trading service is worth considering. Market coverage, margin conditions, account security, support quality, education and transparency all matter considerably more once real money enters the picture.

This UxoTrade review takes a closer look at each of those areas and scores the platform based on its publicly available 2026 offering.

UxoTrade Review Score

Overall editorial score: 8.7/10

Review category	Score
Range of markets	9.0/10
Margin-trading experience	8.7/10
Security and account protection	8.6/10
Customer support	8.8/10
Account opening	9.1/10
Mobile experience	9.2/10
Education Centre	8.5/10
Platform transparency	7.9/10
Overall UxoTrade score	8.7/10

UxoTrade performs most strongly in market variety, onboarding and mobile usability. Its main opportunity for improvement is not necessarily adding more features, but publishing more detailed information about fees, execution conditions, account protections and platform specifications.

What Is UxoTrade?

UxoTrade is an online trading platform offering access to several financial-market categories through one account environment.

Its public materials highlight access to:

Foreign exchange markets
Cryptocurrencies
Global stocks
Major indices
Commodities
Precious metals

This gives UxoTrade a multi-market structure rather than limiting users to one asset class. Its broader message is based on global market access, clear account management and the ability to follow trading activity across desktop and mobile devices.

The platform appears to be aimed primarily at retail users who value a clean experience over an excessively technical interface.

That includes newer traders who need a more understandable starting point, as well as intermediate users who want access to several markets without maintaining accounts across multiple disconnected services.

UxoTrade does not try to look like a platform built only for institutional desks or highly technical professionals.

Its visual identity and website structure suggest something different: trading infrastructure designed for people who expect financial platforms to operate more like modern digital products.

What Makes UxoTrade Different?

The central UxoTrade proposition can be reduced to three ideas:

One account. Multiple markets. Less unnecessary friction.

That sounds simple, but simplicity is difficult to execute well.

A platform must provide enough information for users to make decisions without burying essential functions inside layers of technical clutter. UxoTrade’s public-facing experience attempts to maintain that balance through short explanations, clearly separated market categories and a direct onboarding path.

It is a more contemporary approach than the traditional formula of displaying hundreds of unexplained features and expecting the user to work everything out alone.

What Is UxoTrade score: 8.8/10

The positioning is clear and easy to understand. More public technical documentation would make the proposition stronger for advanced traders.

Range of Markets: One Login, Six Different Market Stories

Range of markets score: 9.0/10

Market variety is one of UxoTrade’s strongest areas.

The platform promotes six broad categories, giving users the ability to move between company-specific, economic and macroeconomic market themes from one account.

Foreign Exchange Markets

Currency markets allow traders to follow interest-rate expectations, inflation figures, employment reports and broader changes in global economic sentiment.

Major currency pairs may attract users looking for high-liquidity markets, while other pairs can provide exposure to more regional economic developments.

Currency trading is fast-moving and often leveraged, meaning even relatively small price changes can create meaningful account movements.

Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrency markets provide exposure to assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and other digital currencies.

Crypto is known for sharp price movements and extended trading hours. That flexibility may appeal to active traders, but the volatility can also produce rapid losses.

Users should avoid treating constant market access as a reason to trade constantly.

Global Stocks

Stock-market access allows users to follow the price movements of internationally recognised companies.

Stocks can react to earnings announcements, leadership changes, economic conditions, product releases and broader movements within their industries.

Rather than buying a collection of shares through separate regional services, a multi-market platform can make it easier to follow different companies from one interface.

Indices

Indices provide exposure to the broader performance of a market or group of companies.

Instead of focusing on the prospects of one business, an index position reflects movement across a larger section of the market.

Indices are frequently followed during major central-bank announcements, elections, inflation releases and changes in economic expectations.

Commodities

Commodity markets include assets influenced by global production, supply chains, weather, transportation and geopolitical events.

Oil and natural gas can respond to changes in production and international demand, while agricultural markets may react to seasonal and environmental factors.

UxoTrade publicly presents commodities as part of its broader multi-asset range.

Precious Metals

Gold and silver occupy a distinct place in global markets.

They may respond to inflation expectations, interest rates, currency movements and periods of uncertainty. However, their historical reputation as defensive assets does not mean their prices cannot decline.

The Main Strength

The real advantage is not simply that UxoTrade lists several market categories.

It is that users can monitor different market narratives without continually moving between unrelated platforms.

A trader following an interest-rate announcement might watch a currency pair, a major index, gold and a group of financial stocks from the same environment.

That consolidated structure earns UxoTrade one of its strongest scores.

The main missing detail is a complete public instrument list showing the precise number of products available inside each category.

Trading With Margin: More Exposure, More Responsibility

Margin-trading score: 8.7/10

Margin trading allows a user to control a position larger than the amount committed as margin.

It is one of the reasons online trading attracts active users—and one of the main reasons inexperienced traders can lose money quickly.

For example, margin may allow a trader to open a position with only a portion of its total market value. This creates greater exposure to price movement without requiring the full position value upfront.

That can make capital use more flexible.

It can also make losses arrive much faster than expected.

How Margin Changes the Trade

Without margin, a 1% movement in an asset generally produces a 1% movement relative to the full position value.

With leverage, the same market movement can represent a much larger percentage change relative to the money committed to the position.

Leverage does not improve the quality of a trading decision.

It only increases the financial effect of that decision.

This is why margin should be viewed as a risk-management responsibility rather than a shortcut to larger outcomes.

What Traders Should Check

Before opening a leveraged UxoTrade position, users should understand:

The margin required for the specific instrument
The effective leverage being used
The position’s total market exposure
The potential overnight financing cost
The platform’s margin-call process
The level at which positions may be closed automatically
The effect of price gaps and fast-moving markets
Whether losses can exceed the initially intended amount

The UxoTrade website includes risk language explaining that leveraged products involve substantial uncertainty and that results are not guaranteed. This is an essential distinction in an industry where overly aggressive marketing can encourage users to focus on potential returns while ignoring potential losses.

UxoTrade’s Margin Experience

UxoTrade’s clean interface and structured account environment may make position management easier to follow than on older, fragmented platforms.

However, a modern interface should never create the impression that leveraged trading itself has become simple.

The software may be easier to navigate.

The market remains unpredictable.

UxoTrade earns a strong score here for presenting margin within a broader, structured trading environment. A more visible public explanation of leverage limits, margin requirements and liquidation policies would improve the score further.

Security: Clean Design Means Nothing Without Account Protection

Security score: 8.6/10

The best-looking trading platform becomes irrelevant the moment account security fails.

UxoTrade promotes a protected client environment and presents encrypted account access as part of its platform experience. Its public messaging also emphasises secure access and the protection of user data.

These are important baseline measures, but platform security should be examined in layers.

Connection and Data Security

Encrypted connections help protect information transmitted between a user and the platform.

This is now a standard expectation rather than a premium feature, but it remains essential for preventing account information from being exposed during transmission.

Login Security

Users should confirm which login-protection options are available within the client area, including whether additional verification can be enabled.

A strong password is not enough when the same password has been reused elsewhere.

Each trading account should use a unique password that is not connected to social media, email or other financial services.

User Responsibility

Many account-security failures begin outside the platform.

Fake login pages, imitation domains, fraudulent advertisements and phishing messages can all be designed to appear legitimate.

Users should manually verify the domain before entering credentials and avoid logging in through links received from unknown senders.

They should also protect the email account connected to UxoTrade, because access to that inbox may allow an attacker to request password resets.

The Transparency Question

Technical security and institutional protection are not the same thing.

Encrypted access can protect data, but prospective users should separately investigate:

The legal entity providing the service
The applicable jurisdiction
Any regulatory registrations
How client money is handled
Whether client funds are segregated
The platform’s balance-protection policies
The procedure for handling complaints

UxoTrade scores well for security-focused messaging and a connected client environment.

The score stops below nine because these institutional details should be extremely visible, easy to verify and presented without forcing users to search through multiple pages.

Support: The Feature That Matters When the Screen Stops Cooperating

Customer-support score: 8.8/10

Nobody chooses a trading platform because they expect something to go wrong.

Support becomes important precisely when the user is already under pressure.

An unsuccessful verification attempt, delayed transaction, login issue or unfamiliar account message can become significantly more stressful when open positions are involved.

UxoTrade places support prominently within its platform proposition.

Its public materials refer to responsive assistance, a Help Centre, account guidance and answers covering platform and trading-related questions.

Why Support Matters More in Trading

In ordinary software, a slow response might be frustrating.

In trading, a slow response can feel considerably more serious because prices continue moving while the user is trying to resolve the issue.

A strong support operation should be able to separate different types of enquiries:

Technical platform problems
Login and access issues
Identity-verification questions
Deposit and withdrawal enquiries
General account guidance
Trading-condition explanations

Support should explain the platform without making trading decisions on behalf of the client.

That boundary matters.

A representative can explain how to place a stop-loss order. They should not promise that a particular trade will succeed.

What UxoTrade Could Publish

UxoTrade’s support proposition would be stronger with more visible information about:

Available contact methods
Operating hours
Expected response times
Language availability
Weekend coverage
Escalation procedures
Withdrawal-enquiry handling

The existing support structure appears accessible and central to the platform.

More measurable service information would make it easier for prospective users to compare UxoTrade with established competitors.

Account Opening: Fast Is Good, but Clear Is Better

Account-opening score: 9.1/10

UxoTrade presents account opening through a simple three-stage process:

Create an account.
Fund the account.
Begin accessing the available markets.

This deliberately uncomplicated path reduces one of the most common causes of registration abandonment: too much information presented without enough direction.

Registration

The first stage generally involves submitting basic personal and contact information.

Users should enter accurate details that match their identification documents. Differences in names, dates or addresses can create verification delays later.

Identity Verification

Trading platforms may require identity and residency documentation as part of account verification.

This process can feel inconvenient, but it is a normal part of establishing the identity of the account holder.

The exact documents and eligibility requirements should be reviewed directly within the current UxoTrade onboarding process.

Funding

After approval, users can proceed to the funding stage using the available payment methods.

Before depositing, traders should check:

The minimum funding requirement
Supported currencies
Currency-conversion charges
Deposit processing times
Withdrawal rules
Whether the funding method must match the account holder’s name
Whether withdrawals must return to the original payment source

Why UxoTrade Scores Highly

The strength here is not that the process has been reduced to three marketing steps.

It is that the journey appears coherent.

The user moves from registration into verification and account access without being pushed through several visually disconnected services.

UxoTrade could improve this section by publishing more detailed information about expected verification times, required documents, payment methods and minimum account levels before registration begins.

Even so, its onboarding experience is one of the platform’s clearest strengths.

Mobile Experience: Trading Has Left the Desk

Mobile-experience score: 9.2/10

The strongest UxoTrade category is its mobile-first approach.

A trading platform can no longer treat mobile access as a smaller version of its desktop website.

Users expect to be able to monitor markets, examine account information and manage positions without returning to a dedicated computer.

UxoTrade’s public positioning treats trading on the go as a core part of the experience. It highlights real-time information, account management and the ability to remain connected from mobile devices.

What a Modern Mobile Experience Must Deliver

A serious mobile environment should allow users to:

Review available markets
Monitor current prices
Examine open positions
Place and modify orders
Review account balances
Access transaction information
Reach support
Log out securely

The interface also needs to remain understandable on a smaller screen.

This is where many legacy platforms struggle. A desktop terminal filled with panels and small controls does not automatically become usable when compressed onto a phone.

UxoTrade’s cleaner design philosophy appears particularly well suited to mobile use.

The Risk of Constant Access

Mobile convenience has a downside.

When a trading platform is always within reach, users may begin checking prices too frequently or opening trades without a complete plan.

Mobile access should help users manage established decisions, not replace disciplined analysis with constant reaction.

A useful mobile platform gives traders control.

It should not encourage them to confuse activity with progress.

Why It Earns the Highest Score

UxoTrade’s mobile message feels integrated into the platform rather than added as a final marketing feature.

The brand’s emphasis on simplicity, short navigation paths and connected account management naturally supports a phone-based experience.

More public information about mobile charting, alerts, order types and device requirements would make the assessment more complete, but the current positioning is strong.

Education Centre: Tools Before Trades

Education Centre score: 8.5/10

Many trading platforms describe education as important and then hide it behind three generic blog posts.

UxoTrade has built a broader learning and support structure around its trading service.

Publicly highlighted resources include:

A trading glossary
An economic calendar
Educational articles
Market-related content
A Help Centre
Platform guidance
Calculation tools

These resources provide a foundation for users who need to understand both market terminology and the practical mechanics of using the platform.

Glossary

A glossary can help newer users understand common terms without leaving the platform every time they encounter unfamiliar language.

However, definitions are only the beginning.

Knowing what leverage means does not necessarily mean someone understands how leverage affects an actual account during volatility.

Economic Calendar

An economic calendar can help traders identify scheduled events such as:

Interest-rate decisions
Inflation reports
Employment figures
Economic-growth data
Central-bank statements

The calendar does not predict the direction of the market.

It shows when conditions may become more volatile.

That allows users to make more informed decisions about whether they want exposure during a major announcement.

Market Articles

Educational articles can provide deeper context around asset classes, trading mechanics and risk management.

The strongest articles should focus on practical understanding rather than attempting to turn every market event into a trading opportunity.

Where UxoTrade Can Go Further

To raise its education score, UxoTrade could develop clearly structured learning paths such as:

Beginner

Understanding market prices
Placing a first order
Reading account balances
Introduction to margin
Basic risk management

Intermediate

Technical and fundamental analysis
Position sizing
Trading around economic events
Managing several open positions
Reviewing past decisions

Advanced

Portfolio exposure
Correlation between markets
Volatility-based risk
Advanced order management
Strategy testing and performance review

The current Education Centre gives UxoTrade a useful base.

The next stage should be turning separate resources into a connected learning journey.

The UxoTrade Roadmap: What Should Come Next?

A roadmap is not just a list of new features.

For UxoTrade, the strongest 2026 direction would involve expanding transparency and platform depth without destroying the simplicity that makes the brand interesting.

1. Publish a Complete Pricing Centre

UxoTrade should provide one central page explaining:

Typical spreads
Commissions
Overnight charges
Currency-conversion costs
Deposit fees
Withdrawal fees
Inactivity conditions
Instrument-specific examples

Clear pricing would strengthen trust and reduce the distance between the marketing experience and the actual trading environment.

2. Make Platform Specifications Public

Advanced users need more than broad statements about accessibility and execution.

A detailed platform page could include:

Available order types
Charting capabilities
Technical indicators
Alert options
Historical-data access
Supported browsers
Mobile requirements
Execution policies

This would allow experienced traders to evaluate the platform before registration.

3. Expand the Education Centre

The current tools could be developed into courses, video lessons, practical platform walkthroughs and structured risk-management modules.

Education should help users become more independent, not more dependent on support representatives.

4. Add Greater Account Transparency

Prospective users should be able to see the account structure, funding requirements and differences between service levels before entering personal information.

Comparison tables can make these differences easier to understand.

5. Publish Support Standards

Stating support hours, communication channels and typical response targets would make the service proposition more measurable.

“Responsive support” is useful marketing.

Published standards are more convincing.

6. Strengthen Institutional Information

Legal-entity, jurisdictional, regulatory and client-money information should be placed where users can find it immediately.

This is particularly important when targeting cautious Australian traders who are accustomed to examining regulatory details before funding an account.

7. Preserve the Clean Interface

This may be the most important part of the roadmap.

UxoTrade should avoid turning every new feature into another menu, pop-up or crowded dashboard.

The platform’s competitive identity depends on adding depth without adding disorder.

UxoTrade Pros and Limitations

What UxoTrade Does Well

Provides access to six broad market categories
Uses a clean, modern visual structure
Treats mobile access as a central feature
Presents a simple onboarding path
Includes educational and market-support resources
Brings account access into one connected environment
Communicates leveraged-trading risk
Gives customer support a visible role

What Needs More Detail

Full fee and spread information
Exact leverage and margin conditions
Instrument-level product lists
Order and charting specifications
Withdrawal conditions

Conclusion: UxoTrade Looks Forward—Now the Details Need to Catch Up

Final UxoTrade score: 8.7/10

UxoTrade is not trying to win users by recreating the trading platforms of the past.

That is its biggest strength.

The platform presents a cleaner, more mobile and more structured way to access foreign exchange, crypto, stocks, indices, commodities and precious metals from one account environment.

Its strongest areas are market range, mobile access and onboarding.

These are not minor advantages. They influence how easily users can understand the platform, reach the markets they follow and manage their activity across different devices.

UxoTrade also avoids some of the industry’s worst habits.

Its public positioning includes risk language rather than pretending that trading produces automatic results. Its education resources provide users with somewhere to begin, and its support proposition acknowledges that account guidance matters alongside market access.

However, the next stage of UxoTrade’s development should be less about appearance and more about evidence.

A serious 2026 trading platform should publish detailed costs, margin conditions, execution policies, withdrawal information and institutional protections in a format that users can understand before depositing.

UxoTrade has already created the clean front door.

Now it needs to make every room behind that door equally transparent.

For users who value modern design, multi-market access and mobile flexibility, UxoTrade is an interesting platform to examine in 2026.

For users who need complete technical and institutional detail before committing funds, further verification remains essential.

That is the balanced verdict.

UxoTrade is modern enough to attract attention, structured enough to feel accessible and broad enough to serve different market interests.

Its long-term reputation will depend on how clearly it answers the difficult questions – not just how smoothly it introduces the platform.

Creating Resilience To Weather Economic Disruptions

Contributor

July 14, 2026

by Ron Robinson, “Practices of Resilient Companies: Overcome Disruption with Compassion, Collaboration and Knowledge“

Business leaders’ ability to design strategies that anticipate and manage disruption determines whether their businesses fail, survive, or thrive. Creating resilience around disruptions — including those related to political actions — ensures they’re able to prevail during adversity.

One could argue that most of the disruption in the 21st century has originated from government actions regarding taxation, free markets, interest rate policy, and regulation. In other words, politics.

A case in point: all three recessions of this century were caused by similar legislation and policies in all three collapses:

Dot Com Recession, March–December 2001 – In 2000 the Taxpayer Relief Act and FED actions reducing interest rates made debt financing easily available. The infusion of capital into World Wide Web startups created a frenzy of startups by entrepreneurs with no business plans or management ability. The FED increased interest rates in March 2000 and the music stopped with 40,000 business failures in 2001.

The Great Recession, December 2007–June 2009 – The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act overturned regulation of banks combining commercial and investment functions. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) opened mortgages to low-income borrowers, and unregulated commercial banks packaged risky mortgages into mortgage-backed securities. A downturn in the housing market caused securities to lose value, banks to lose value, and business to experience a staggering 60,837 bankruptcies in 2009.

The Pandemic Recession, February–April 2020 – The Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 reduced the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent. The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act reduced the number of banks subject to stronger federal oversight and reduced regulation of small- and medium-sized bank holding companies. The stage was set for federal and state governments to shut down the economy to stop the COVID-19 pandemic and experience the deepest recession of this century.

In their study, William G. Gale and Claire Haldeman of the Brookings Institution concluded that the effect of the TCJA was to reduce revenue to the Treasury. “Growth in business formation, employment, and median wages slowed after the TCJA was enacted. International profit shifting fell only slightly, and the boost in repatriated profits primarily led to increased share repurchases rather than new investment. Much of the investment increase was concentrated in oil and related industries and appeared to be a response to increases in oil prices, not lower tax rates. Indeed, other investment did not grow very much, and even overall investment growth petered out by the end of 2019.”

The common thread going through three recessions connects political actions to cut taxes, services, and regulation with business failures. The government remedy has been to tighten regulation and increase taxes and services to revive the economy. When the next bubble bursts, the impulse to cut taxes, services, and impose regulation should be challenged.

Meanwhile, weathering the changes political actions can wreck on one’s business necessitates implementing tactical internal strategies. Tools and talents used to strengthen financials include scorecards, engagement, problem-solving, and positive reinforcement — as exemplified within the following business:

My neighbor Roy invited me to tour his veterinary clinic. The first thing I noticed were two graphs on the wall next to the reception desk. One graph was labeled “Sales” and the other “Expenses.” In both the grooming area and the operating room two graphs were posted titled “Customer Count” and “Customer Satisfaction.”

I examined the two graphs behind the front desk. Each graph reported weekly data for a year and tracked seven years of comparative data. The sales graph illustrated that for every year revenue was higher than the year before. The Expenses graph told a different story. The lines increased steadily for the first several years before flattening out and remaining relatively stable over the last four years.

“Weren’t you concerned your staff would know how much money you make?” I asked.

“No, they thought I was rich,” he chuckled.

Roy experienced seven years of steady income growth while containing his costs. He’d beaten the odds of many entrepreneurs. He shared the importance of keeping everyone focused with graphs and using positive reinforcement. His reinforcement — 10 cents on every dollar the clinic earned over the same period the previous year became a monthly bonus. Employees chose how to spend their bonus.

“We really began moving forward when we initiated annual planning sessions,” he shared. “We meet outside of work each year to update our plans and make changes.” I could see the pride written all over his face.

The combination of scorecards coupled with positive reinforcement (bonuses), decision-making, and problem-solving by staff, along with total inclusion in annual plans and weekly business huddles, resulted in everyone becoming part of the business and seven years of steady income growth.

To increase sales, reduce waste and costs, and ensure customer satisfaction, verbal and visual feedback are a way to strengthen the financial component of a business and create resilience to fend off disruption. At the same time, business leaders and managers must do their part to elect responsible representatives who institute greater economic stability and growth through responsible tax and regulatory policies.

Ron Robinson has consulted with and helped turn around enterprises ranging from Fortune 500 companies to mid-size organizations to startups. He has presented to audiences as large as 3,000 and facilitated groups as large as 300 participants. His new book, “Practices of Resilient Companies: Overcome Disruption with Compassion, Collaboration and Knowledge” (Business Expert Press, March 2, 2026) provides a business model for companies and nonprofits to become resilient and succeed while navigating today’s disruptive forces. Learn more at ronspeaking.com.

Are Employment Contracts Actually Appropriate For Today’s Workplace?

admin

July 3, 2026

It may seem like a formality to have employment contracts in place when hiring new staff but in fact they are one of the strongest protections a business can have. A solid contract sets out the relationship between employer and employee, with the key terms on job duties, pay, working hours, holidays, notice periods and confidentiality obligations.

When expectations are clearly set out at the beginning, it is much easier to manage performance, avoid misunderstandings and deal with workplace issues fairly and consistently.

Why Outdated Contracts Pose Hidden Risks

Employment law is not set in stone. Contracts can quickly become outdated if not reviewed regularly. Statutory rights, flexible working rules, holiday entitlement calculations and even common workplace practices can change.

The fact is, many companies are still working off of templates or contracts that are outdated and were never really tailored for the specific roles. This can lead to gaps in the contract or vague wording that is only found out in the event of a dispute. In some cases it can make it more difficult for employers to enforce certain terms or defend decisions about disciplinary action, redundancy or restrictions on post-employment activity.

Updating contracts is more than legal compliance; it is about aligning expectations with how the business actually works today.

When Employers Want Reliable Back-Up

Contract questions are rarely encountered in practice at convenient times. There may be a sudden change in working arrangements, an urgent hire or an unexpected HR situation that may require immediate clarification of contractual terms. Many employers, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, lack an in-house legal department to offer prompt advice.

This is where external HR and employment law support can be especially valuable. Specialist access means employers can respond quickly and confidently, without the risk of non-compliance or inconsistent decision making.

When immediate guidance is required on how to draft or review employment documentation or how to update employment documentation, 24 Hour Employment Contract Advice Services for Employers can provide timely, practical assistance to help employers make the right decisions whilst remaining compliant with current employment law requirements.

Strong Contracts Build Strong Working Relationships

Good employment contracts protect the business, and encourage a healthier workplace culture. When the terms are clear to employees, there is less likelihood of confusion or conflict, and the expectations are clearer from the outset.

It can instil confidence where needed, during a change in business ways such as a shift to a more hybrid way of working, promotions and change in roles etc. It can also assist Managers apply policies in a consistent manner across the organisation.

It is, however, an HR “living document” which requires review and amendment where business changes are effected. They need to remain up-to-date and fit for purpose to reflect day to day practices and remain legally binding.

Ultimately an employment contract forms a dynamic, living document in an organisation and, properly supported by appropriately trained people, will greatly assist in managing risk, achieving consistency and ensure stability long term.

Why Does Every Small Business Need A Strong HR Strategy?

admin

July 3, 2026

Running a small business is a balancing act of endless responsibilities from landing new customers to managing day to day operations. With these demands, human resources can very easily become the second thought. But good HR practices are critical to building an effective workforce, to compliance with UK employment law and to sustainable growth.

Human Resources Is More Than Administration

Many employers see HR as: contracts, payroll or annual leave. But these are also important functions, modern HR also includes recruitment, employee wellbeing, performance management, workplace culture and legal compliance. A proactive HR strategy helps companies to reduce risk and create an environment where employees can perform at their best.

Informal processes often don’t work well as a business grows. Clear policies, documented procedures and consistent management practices all add structure and ensure all staff are treated fairly.

Employment Law: What You Need to Know

Employment law in the UK is constantly changing and it is important for business owners to keep their policies and procedures up to date. There are sensitive issues around flexible working requests, discrimination, redundancy, disciplinary procedures and family leave.

Failure to follow the correct process can result in costly disputes, employment tribunal claims and damage to a company’s reputation. Regularly reviewing contracts, staff handbooks and internal policies can help to ensure the business remains compliant and protects both employers and employees.

The Need for Expert HR Help

Many small businesses don’t have enough work for a full-time HR manager, but they can’t afford to pay one either. When you outsource your HR support you have the benefit of a team of professionals when you need them, without the expense of a dedicated HR department.

External HR specialists can help business owners confidently make informed decisions on everything from employee relations to documentation to advice on complex workplace situations.

For many growing organisations, relying on a dedicated small business HR provider means access to experienced professionals who can help guide them through the everyday challenges of HR and help ensure that their employment practices remain compliant and consistent.

Build a Positive Workplace

Good HR practices do more than reduce the risk of legal liability; they also have a direct correlation to employee satisfaction and business performance. A positive working environment is one where employees feel valued and this can be built by good communication, clear onboarding, frequent feedback and development opportunities.

A positive workplace culture also retains employees. Employees who know what is expected of them, receive the right kind of support and have trust in management are more likely to stay engaged and committed to the business.

Positioning for future growth

But as you grow you also have more responsibilities as an employer. Good HR processes put in place early on can help avoid problems later and lay a strong foundation for growth.

However, by viewing HR as a strategic function rather than an administrative necessity, small businesses can increase productivity, improve employee relationships and confidently navigate the changing world of employment legislation. With the right support in place, business owners can focus on growing their business knowing that their people management responsibilities are being professionally taken care of.

Rank Bytes – Build A Strong Backlink Profile Through Professional Outreach Campaigns

admin

July 3, 2026

In today’s competitive digital landscape, search engine optimization is about much more than targeting keywords or optimizing on-page content. Search engines evaluate the overall authority and credibility of a website before determining where it should rank. One of the strongest indicators of authority is a healthy backlink profile built through genuine relationships and editorially earned links. Businesses that invest in professional outreach campaigns create a stronger online presence, attract qualified traffic, and achieve sustainable organic growth.

Rank Bytes specializes in professional outreach campaigns that help businesses build high-quality backlink profiles using ethical SEO strategies. Our services combine manual outreach, premium guest posting, editorial content creation, and long-term publisher relationships to secure backlinks that provide lasting value. Whether you are a startup, an established company, an online store, or a digital marketing agency, our customized campaigns are designed to strengthen your website’s authority while supporting long-term search engine performance.

Why a Strong Backlink Profile Matters

Backlinks remain one of the most influential ranking factors in modern SEO. Every quality backlink acts as a signal that another trusted website considers your content valuable. As search engines discover these endorsements, they gain greater confidence in your website, increasing the likelihood of higher rankings.

A strong backlink profile offers several important benefits:

Higher organic search visibility
Improved keyword rankings
Increased domain authority
Better website credibility
Consistent referral traffic
Greater brand recognition
Long-term SEO stability

Rather than focusing on large volumes of low-quality links, Rank Bytes prioritizes relevance, authority, and editorial quality to build backlink profiles that stand the test of time.

Professional Outreach Creates Better Opportunities

Successful link building begins with effective outreach. At Rank Bytes, every campaign starts with identifying high-authority websites that are relevant to your business and target audience. Our outreach specialists contact publishers directly, building genuine relationships that result in quality guest posting opportunities.

Unlike automated outreach systems, our manual approach ensures every publisher is carefully evaluated before collaboration. We focus on websites with strong editorial standards, active audiences, and trustworthy reputations.

This personalized process improves acceptance rates while creating valuable partnerships that support future SEO campaigns.

Editorial Guest Posting That Builds Trust

Guest posting is one of the safest and most effective white-hat SEO strategies because it combines valuable content with natural backlink placement. Every article published through Rank Bytes is written specifically for the target website and designed to provide meaningful information for readers.

Instead of inserting promotional content, we create educational articles that naturally include contextual backlinks. This editorial approach benefits publishers, readers, and search engines while helping your business establish authority within its niche.

Every published guest post contributes to a stronger backlink profile and supports long-term organic growth.

Comprehensive Link Building Services

Rank Bytes provides a complete range of link-building services designed to meet the needs of businesses operating in competitive industries.

Our services include:

Premium Guest Posting
Manual Outreach Campaigns
Editorial Link Building
Permanent Dofollow Backlinks
Contextual Link Placements
Niche Edit Services
Sponsored Content
White Label Link Building
Authority Website Placements
Footer Banner Ads
Sidebar Banner Advertising
Scroll Ads
Display Banner Campaigns

Each campaign is customized according to your business goals, competition level, and target audience.

Original Content That Supports SEO

Outstanding content is the foundation of every successful outreach campaign. Our professional writers create original, informative, and SEO-friendly articles that meet publisher guidelines while delivering genuine value to readers.

Every article is:

Completely original
Human-written
SEO optimized
Plagiarism-free
Well researched
Easy to read
Structured with clear headings
Optimized for user experience

By focusing on quality rather than keyword stuffing, we produce articles that perform well for both readers and search engines.

Extensive Publisher Network

Rank Bytes has established long-term relationships with publishers across a broad range of industries. This allows us to create highly targeted outreach campaigns that deliver relevant backlinks for businesses in almost every niche.

Our publisher network includes:

Business
Technology
SaaS
Artificial Intelligence
Finance
Cryptocurrency
Blockchain
Casino
Sports
Health
Medical
Travel
Lifestyle
Education
Digital Marketing
Automotive
Real Estate
Gaming
Fashion
Food
Home Improvement
E-commerce
Insurance
News

This extensive coverage enables us to match businesses with publishers that share similar audiences and industry interests.

Transparent Campaign Management

Transparency is an important part of every project we manage. Clients receive regular updates throughout the campaign, ensuring complete visibility into every stage of the outreach process.

Our workflow includes:

Strategy Consultation.

We evaluate your website, target keywords, competitors, and SEO objectives before creating a customized outreach plan.

Website Research.

Our specialists identify trusted publishers that meet our quality standards and match your industry.

Content Development.

Professional writers prepare editorial-quality articles that satisfy publisher requirements while naturally incorporating contextual backlinks.

Outreach and Publication.

Manual outreach secures publication opportunities on reputable websites with permanent backlink placements.

Reporting.

After publication, clients receive detailed reports containing live URLs, backlink information, anchor text details, and campaign summaries.

Why Businesses Choose Rank Bytes

Businesses and digital marketing agencies trust Rank Bytes because we consistently deliver reliable SEO solutions built on quality and transparency.

Our clients benefit from:

Genuine manual outreach
High-authority publisher partnerships
Permanent contextual backlinks
Ethical white-hat SEO strategies
Original editorial content
Fast turnaround times
Transparent campaign reporting
Competitive pricing
Dedicated account support
Scalable outreach solutions

Every campaign is designed to build lasting authority rather than generate temporary ranking improvements.

Sustainable SEO Through Ethical Practices

Search engine algorithms continue to reward websites that earn backlinks naturally through valuable content and authentic publisher relationships. Rank Bytes follows ethical SEO principles and avoids risky practices such as automated backlinks, spam directories, link farms, and private blog networks.

Our focus on manual outreach, editorial guest posting, and trusted website placements creates backlink profiles that remain valuable through future algorithm updates while protecting your website’s long-term reputation.

Conclusion

Building a strong backlink profile requires expertise, consistency, and a commitment to quality. Professional outreach campaigns provide businesses with access to trusted publishers, high-authority backlinks, and valuable editorial placements that improve both search visibility and online credibility.

Rank Bytes combines manual outreach, premium guest posting, original content creation, and ethical link-building strategies to help businesses build stronger backlink profiles and achieve sustainable SEO success. Whether your goal is to increase organic traffic, improve keyword rankings, or establish long-term authority, our experienced team delivers customized outreach campaigns that create measurable results and lasting digital growth.

The Circular Economy’s Biggest Blind Spot: Why Your Sustainability Goals Live Or Die In Reverse Logistics

Contributor

July 3, 2026

by Disney Petit, CEO & Founder of LiquiDonate

“Closing the loop” is the retail industry’s favorite promise. Whether it’s designing biodegradable packaging, launching a resale site, or committing to zero-waste manufacturing, brands are racing to prove their circular credentials. But there is a massive, unglamorous bottleneck that most executives are hesitant to discuss: Reverse Logistics.

In the rush to go green, we’ve mastered the art of getting products to the consumer. We are still failing, however, at the science of bringing them back. If you haven’t solved for the backward flow of goods, your circular supply chain isn’t a circle. It’s a dead end.

Returned items are the “elephant in the room” of modern retail. Without a cost-effective, dedicated system to reintegrate these goods into the economy, even the most “sustainable” product is just future landfill fodder. Consumers assume that perfectly usable, new items they return will be resold, but the truth is that up to 80% of those returns end up in a heaping pile of trash.

Why “Backward” is the New “Forward”

Ignoring reverse logistics isn’t just an operational oversight; it’s a massive reputational and financial liability. We’ve all seen the headlines: luxury houses incinerating unsold stock or mountains of fast fashion accumulating in the Atacama Desert.

Consumers are paying attention. When a brand’s “circular” promise is met with photos of their products in a dump, brand loyalty evaporates. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), roughly 85% of used textiles in the U.S. end up in landfills or incinerators. Many of these items are perfectly functional.

Fixing the return pipeline isn’t only about “doing good” for the environment. It’s about protecting your brand credibility and your bottom line.

4 Practical Ways to Actually “Close the Loop”

Here’s the good news: transforming your reverse logistics doesn’t require a total technological overhaul. Often, it requires a shift in perspective and a little creativity. Here are four ways we’ve seen brands successfully close the loop:

1. Harness the Power of Proximity.

Early in my career, we discovered that retail warehouses and event organizers could bypass massive disposal fees simply by sending usable goods to local nonprofits. That led us to apply the same concept on a per-item level to returns.

The Lesson: Stop looking for a global solution for a local problem. Every inhabited area of the country has community organizations and schools in need of food, clothing, beauty products, and everything else. By keeping the “reverse” movement local, you slash high, per-item transit costs and carbon footprints while building community goodwill.

2. Prioritize Low-Tech Scalability.

In a tech-obsessed world, we often assume we need a complex app to solve logistics. Sometimes, the best solution is a cardboard box.

The Lesson: We found success by sending physical, prepaid donation boxes to retailers. Instead of a pile of returns that ultimately meets the landfill, they simply fill them; we handle the transit to nonprofits that have asked for that specific category of items. It removes the friction of “warehouse purgatory” by making the right choice the easiest choice for the staff on the floor.

3. Give Customers the “Donation Option”.

Why wait for a return to reach the warehouse to decide its fate? By integrating donation options directly into your digital return management system, you empower the customer, not tarnish your brand.

The Lesson: When it comes to donation, so many brands are worried about their reputation, “giving away” their high quality goods. The irony is, most consumers would increase their loyalty knowing a brand donates and decrease it knowing they landfill perfectly usable, but unsellable items. A pair of cleats can go straight to a youth league; a returned blender can go to a community kitchen. This bypasses the traditional “return-to-warehouse” route entirely, saving time, money, and emissions.

4. Find Value in the “Broken”.

Electronics and appliances are often discarded because of minor defects. But “broken” is a relative term. Ask yourself if there is another use for a dented laptop or a defective radio.

The Lesson: If refurbishment isn’t cost-effective for your brand, consider donating those items to trade schools or after-school programs. A box of non-functional laptops is a goldmine for a student learning hardware repair. It’s an investment in the next generation of the workforce rather than a contribution to the local landfill.

The circular economy will never scale on marketing slogans alone. It requires the messy, difficult work of managing returns, overstocks, and unsold inventory. The human side of everything matters just as much as the technology side.

Brands that invest in the “unglamorous” practice of reverse logistics aren’t just checking a CSR box. They are building a resilient, credible business model that actually delivers on the promises they’ve made to their customers.

Disney Petit is a social impact entrepreneur and CEO of LiquiDonate, a software that integrates with any WMS or RMS to match unsellable returns and overstock inventory with nonprofits and schools. She was employee 15 at Postmates, where she built the Civic Labs team and won Time Magazine Invention of the Year for the food security product, Bento.

Reasons Global Opportunities Often Go To The Best-Prepared Businesses

admin

July 1, 2026

Success in today’s business world is often determined by more than great products or competitive pricing. Companies that consistently capitalize on international opportunities tend to share one important characteristic: they are prepared to act quickly. Whether expanding into new markets, attending overseas trade shows, meeting potential investors, or resolving supply chain issues, readiness can make the difference between winning an opportunity and watching it pass by.

Global business moves at a fast pace, and organizations that invest in preparation are better positioned to respond when unexpected opportunities arise. From maintaining travel documentation to building flexible teams and efficient processes, here’s why preparation has become a valuable competitive advantage.

Timing Can Determine Success

International opportunities often come with tight deadlines. A prospective client may request an in-person meeting within days, or a supplier may require immediate discussions to resolve production challenges. Waiting too long to organize travel or essential paperwork can result in missed meetings and delayed decisions.

Businesses that establish procedures for international travel, document management, and employee readiness are far more likely to respond quickly. This ability to move without unnecessary delays creates confidence among clients and partners.

Prepared Teams Inspire Confidence

Professionalism extends beyond presentations and proposals. Clients and business partners appreciate working with organizations that are organized, dependable, and ready to deliver. Prepared businesses often have employees who understand travel requirements, cultural expectations, and logistical planning. These details contribute to smoother business interactions and demonstrate that the company takes international relationships seriously. A well-prepared organization sends a clear message that it values efficiency and reliability.

Travel Readiness Supports Business Growth

International travel remains an important part of building long-term business relationships. Although virtual meetings offer convenience, face-to-face conversations often strengthen trust and improve collaboration.

Maintaining valid travel documents should be considered part of a company’s operational planning. Businesses with employees who travel internationally should encourage regular passport reviews so expired documents never become an obstacle.

For travelers who need a fast passport in Florida, expedited passport services can help reduce delays when urgent international travel becomes necessary. Understanding the available options before an emergency arises allows businesses to respond more effectively when opportunities appear.

Preparation Extends Beyond Travel

Being prepared involves much more than keeping passports current. Successful companies also invest in planning across multiple areas of their operations.

This includes:

Maintaining updated client information
Keeping travel budgets available for unexpected trips
Training employees for international business practices
Developing contingency plans for supply chain disruptions
Monitoring emerging global markets

Each of these steps contributes to greater organizational flexibility and faster decision-making.

Strong Relationships Are Built Through Action

Many international partnerships begin with a conversation but grow through personal interaction. Visiting clients, suppliers, or distributors demonstrates commitment that cannot always be communicated through video calls alone.

Prepared businesses can schedule visits with minimal disruption because they have already addressed the practical details involved in international travel. This responsiveness often strengthens trust and encourages long-term collaboration. Over time, these relationships may generate referrals, repeat business, and opportunities that would otherwise remain unavailable.

Conclusion

Global opportunities rarely wait for businesses to become ready. Companies that consistently succeed on the international stage understand the value of preparation, organization, and flexibility. From maintaining valid travel documents to developing responsive teams and efficient processes, readiness allows organizations to act with confidence when new possibilities emerge.

As international commerce continues to expand, businesses that prioritize preparation will be better equipped to strengthen partnerships, seize emerging opportunities, and compete successfully in an increasingly connected world.

Why Bad Data Is The Silent Killer Of Your Marketing Budget

Contributor

June 26, 2026

by Jared Knapp, Founder – Jared’s Leads, Inc.

Your marketing efforts are only as good as the list that supports them. If the data is bad, the campaign is bad, regardless of how creative the content is or how strong the offer is. Building on bad data means paying for postage, phone time, and ad spend in an attempt to connect with consumers who moved two years ago, are using a new number, or never matched your target market to begin with.

Knowing the dangers of bad data is critical because the damage it causes is invisible until it’s too late. Bad data is a silent killer that rarely gets the blame, even after campaigns come crashing down. When doing a post-mortem, everyone points to the creative, the channel, or the offer. The list is rarely questioned.

To make matters worse, ignoring bad data can dilute the value of good data. Bad records drag down the whole campaign, causing connection rates to drop and deliverability to suffer. Cost per acquisition quietly climbs as companies throw more money at campaigns with a bad foundation, and nobody can figure out why.

I’ve watched companies spend $50,000 on a direct mail drop and get a 0.2% response rate. They blamed the copy and the timing, but nobody looked at the list. In the end, the list was the culprit. It almost always is.

Startups should be very choosy about the leads they use

As an insider, I can tell you that the data industry has a transparency problem. To avoid getting stuck with bad data, ask the company providing your lists a lot of questions on the front end. Have a conversation about how the list you’ll be getting was sourced and when it was verified. Don’t let a list provider give you a file and disappear.

Knowing the decay rate, which shows how quickly data becomes outdated, is also critical. Statistics show that as much as 30% of a consumer list goes bad within 12 months. People move. They change numbers. Life happens.

If you or the company you rely on for leads is not actively maintaining the data used in your campaigns, you’re not marketing to your audience. You’re marketing to whoever they used to be.

AI makes it easier to practice good data hygiene

The good news for today’s startups is that getting good data is easier than it has ever been, thanks to artificial intelligence. Old-school data hygiene was batch work that involved running a verification pass every few months and hoping nothing got too stale in between. Now, AI can flag bad records in real time, cross-reference against multiple sources, and score how likely it is that a contact is still accurate and still in-market.

The best lead management platforms have AI built in, providing automated follow-up, lead reactivation, and engagement scoring. They make data hygiene an active process and not a one-time cleanup.

Extensive behavioral layering is an even bigger shift AI is empowering in the world of marketing. AI’s analytical abilities allow you to assess, identify, and leverage search intent, engagement history, and life-event triggers stacked on top of static demographic data. Instead of just asking “Is this record clean?” you can now ask “Is this person ready to buy right now?” That’s a completely different question, and one that wasn’t answerable at any real scale just a few years ago.

Good data leads to better prospects and better ROI

The value you gain when you shift from quantity to quality can’t be overstated. Bad data robs you of margin and predictability, leaving your sales team frustrated and ready to quit. Good data increases conversion rates, reduces cost per acquisition, and creates an environment where your reps talk to real prospects instead of chasing dead ends.

When you value good data and are willing to invest in it, you take the noise out of your marketing campaigns and can do more with less. I’ve seen clients triple their response rate while cutting their list size by 40%.

Startups that demand good data also reduce their liabilities. State data privacy laws are tightening, and lawsuits stemming from violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act are on the rise. Using bad data puts you at a higher risk of fines.

Startups need to keep in mind that marketing is the start of what you hope will be a long relationship with a prospective customer. Good data makes it easier to make a good first impression.

If your data is right, you’re reaching the right person at the right moment with something that actually matters to them. That’s relevant. And relevance is what separates a campaign that converts from one that just creates noise.

Jared Knapp is the founder of Jared’s Leads, Inc., a 3x Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company and a leading source for mailing lists, email lists, telemarketing lists, and sales leads. Since founding the company in 2008, he has grown it from a home office into a nationally recognized marketing data and lead generation firm, earning an A+ BBB rating and developing the AI Quantum Leads program that helps businesses double their leads using AI.

7 Best Operations Coordinator Recruiting Firms For Growing Companies In 2026

admin

June 23, 2026

The operations coordinator role is a critical function in any organisatio.

An empty ops seat can stall growth. In the United States, filling any role now averages 44 days, according to an HR Dive analysis. Specialist recruiters trim that wait by about 30 percent and keep more than 80 percent of hires in seat after the first year, according to executive recruiter Jake Jorgovan.

We reviewed dozens of agencies and narrowed the field to seven that repeatedly place high-impact coordinators for startups and scale-ups. Use this guide to match the right partner to your urgency, budget, and growth goals — then get back to building.

Our methodology

We promised you a no-fluff list, so here’s how we built it.

First, we cast a wide net. We reviewed more than twenty “top recruiter” round-ups, industry reports, and award lists, then cross-checked every name against real chatter in founder forums and recruiter sub-reddits. If a firm looked great on paper but founders complained about ghosting or weak matches, it landed on the watch list instead of the short list.

Next, we scored each contender on four factors that matter to growing companies:

Specialization. Recruiting operations and administrative roles had to be a core line of business, not a side project. Generalist shops without a dedicated ops practice were cut.
Proof of performance. We hunted for hard numbers—placement counts, fill-rate percentages, or verified client ratings. When public metrics were thin, we double-checked claims against third-party awards like Best of Staffing or consistent five-star Google reviews.
Founder-friendly approach. Startups move fast and dislike red tape, so we favored firms that offer transparent fees, flexible guarantees, and regular communication. Agencies known for rigid retainers or slow replies didn’t make the cut.
Modern sourcing. AI tools, curated passive-talent databases, and skills-based assessments show that a recruiter stays ahead of the market. We looked for partners who blend technology with human judgment, not résumé blasts.

A contender had to excel in all four areas and show at least twenty coordinator-level placements per year. Pay-to-play mentions, shaky statistics, or a lack of startup references were instant disqualifiers.

We then matched the seven survivors to common hiring scenarios: boutique guidance, deep technical vetting, rapid volume, global reach, and fast interim help. You’ll see segments, not a 1-through-7 scoreboard, because the aim is to steer you to the partner that solves your exact problem.

That’s the framework. Let’s find your recruiting firepower.

How to use this list

Every growing company faces the same hiring question: What do we need most right now: expert guidance, raw speed, or something in between?

We sorted the seven firms into clear segments so you can jump straight to the partner that fits your need. Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure, not a popularity contest. If you want boutique hand-holding, start with Segment A. If you need an interim ops pro in the next 72 hours, head to Segment E.

Scan the quick-look table, spot the column that mirrors your pain point, then read the matching segment below. Two minutes here could save you two months of searching.

Recruiting Firm	Best-for scenario	Coverage	Fee model	Time-to-fill / guarantee*	Stand-out proof
C-Suite Assistants	First-time ops hire that must nail exec support and culture fit	U.S. nationwide	Contingency	Shortlists in <3 weeks; 6-month guarantee	5.0-star Google rating (90+ reviews)
Beacon Hill	Multiple coordinator hires with white-glove service	30+ U.S. metros	Temp, temp-to-perm, direct	Often same-week temps; Diamond Best of Staffing	Repeated Client & Talent awards
SCM Talent Group	Ops roles tied to supply-chain performance	U.S. nationwide	Retained / contingency hybrid	Averages < half the 44-day norm	1,500+ successful placements
SCOPE Recruiting	Technical vetting for manufacturing or logistics	U.S. nationwide	Contingency	2–3-week slate; 90-day replacement	Recruiters are former ABB supply-chain managers
Robert Half	High-volume or urgent back-office coverage	Global, 300+ offices	Contract, contract-to-hire, direct	Interim talent in days; standard replacement	World’s largest specialized staffing firm
Robert Walters	Cross-border or bilingual coordinator needs	30+ countries	Retained / contingency	Varies by market; 12-month average guarantee	Publishes annual salary guides for ops
Toptal	Interim or project-based ops expertise on demand	Global remote	Hourly / project	Talent active in <1 week; 2-week no-risk trial	“Top 3 %” network claim and case studies

Numbers come from public metrics and client interviews; confirm current terms during discovery calls.

Use this snapshot as your north star. The next sections unpack each segment, profile the firms, and show how they shorten the road to a standout operations coordinator.

Segment A: boutique, high-touch specialists

Some hires feel too personal to hand to a volume shop. When you want a coordinator who sits ten feet from the founder, guards the calendar, and protects culture, you need a recruiter who works the same way: close, deliberate, and focused on fit.

For two decades the team has matched chiefs of everything with operators who reclaim hours for leadership each week, a payoff underscored by its operations coordinator recruiting guide.

C-Suite Assistants

C-Suite Assistants lives and breathes executive support. For two decades the team has matched chiefs of everything with the people who keep their days on track and their inboxes sane.

C-Suite Assistants operations coordinator recruiting page screenshot.

Focus is the edge. The firm places only administrative and operations roles, so every recruiter speaks the language of task triage, travel logistics, and discreet problem-solving. Searches start with a 360-degree intake call that digs into working style, communication rhythms, and soft deal-breakers many agencies ignore.

Then comes curation. Instead of showering you with résumés, they send a tight slate, often three candidates who have already cleared skills tests, reference checks, and culture screens. Clients say “the one” shows up in that first batch, saving weeks of back-and-forth.

Pricing is contingency based with a six-month replacement guarantee, so your cash stays put until the hire proves themselves. If you are a first-time founder nervous about handing over the operational keys, C-Suite Assistants is the steady co-pilot you want beside you.

Beacon Hill Staffing Group

Beacon Hill gives you boutique attention without capping ambition. The Associates division focuses on administrative and operations talent but sits inside a 1,200-person organization that spans more than thirty U.S. metros. That scale matters when you need two coordinators in Austin and a temp in Boston next week.

Founders notice communication first. Recruiters schedule weekly check-ins, share real-time funnels, and flag résumés that miss the mark. That clarity has earned Best of Staffing Client and Talent honors five years running, a distinction fewer than two percent of agencies achieve.

Speed is the other draw. Deep local benches let Beacon Hill dispatch an interim coordinator within days while a separate team searches for the permanent hire. Many startups run this temp-to-perm path to test talent before making a full-time offer, trimming risk and downtime in one move.

Segment B: practitioner-led supply-chain and technical specialists

SCM Talent Group

Complex operations need operators at the helm, not slick interview talkers. SCM Talent Group lives that principle by filling its own ranks with people who once ran warehouses, tuned distribution networks, and lived inside ERP dashboards.

Founder Rodney Apple, former head of supply-chain recruiting for Coca-Cola and Kimberly-Clark, has guided the firm to more than 1,500 operations placements, from coordinators to COOs. That real-world experience shapes every screen. Recruiters quiz candidates on cycle-count accuracy, Lean events, and the savings tied to their last process improvement. Fluff does not survive.

Speed also stands out. Two decades of curated talent pipelines let SCM cut the 44-day norm in half, often delivering a short list in under three weeks. Because each recruiter covers a narrow specialty, the matching feels like peer-to-peer vetting, not keyword bingo.

Engagements follow a retained-plus-success model: a small upfront commitment that converts to a final percentage when you hire. A one-year replacement guarantee shows confidence that the new hire will stick.

If your revenue relies on inventory turns, on-time shipping, or precise build schedules, SCM Talent Group speaks your language and screens for the metrics that move the P&L.

SCOPE Recruiting

Precision matters when your coordinator owns Kanban boards, CAPA logs, and Lean audits. SCOPE Recruiting was built for that level of detail. Founded by former ABB supply-chain managers, the team thinks in process maps and Gantt charts, not generic staffing jargon.

Their vetting digs past buzzwords. Recruiters ask when a candidate last shaved minutes off a changeover or cut vendor lead time. They seek metrics, review documents, and role-play day-one scenarios to test problem solving. The result is a shortlist of operators who can walk into a plant and earn credibility fast.

Turnaround stays brisk. A national bench of pre-qualified talent lets SCOPE present candidates in about two weeks, yet the firm still offers a 90-day replacement guarantee. That safety net gives founders breathing room if the first pick falters.

Cost is pay-on-success. You pay nothing until an offer is signed, and fees sit slightly below big-box competitors because the firm runs lean and remote. For product-focused startups that cannot risk a paper expert, SCOPE Recruiting delivers practitioner rigor without extra overhead.

Segment C: scale and speed with a mega database

Robert Half

When the clock is ticking and your headcount plan just doubled, Robert Half brings blunt force capacity. The firm pioneered specialized staffing in 1948 and now runs more than 300 offices worldwide. That reach feeds a candidate database in the millions, a clear edge when urgency beats niche precision.

A typical play looks like this: you call on Monday about an operations-coordinator need in two cities. By Wednesday the local OfficeTeam group has surfaced temp candidates who are background checked and skills tested. If one clicks, they start Friday on an hourly rate. At the same time, a direct-hire crew taps the same vetted pool so you can convert a standout temp without restarting the search.

Scale rarely feels impersonal. Each local recruiter covers a tight geography, tracks who just wrapped a contract, and shares market pay data pulled from the firm’s quarterly employer surveys. Founders value the clarity: published mark-ups, standard replacement guarantees, and free swaps if a contractor misses the mark.

Fees sit at the high end of contingency ranges, but the premium buys speed and coverage. If you just raised capital, need three coordinators across time zones, or cannot spend eleven weeks on a hire, Robert Half puts people in seats fast. It is not boutique matchmaking; it is industrial strength recruiting logistics, and sometimes that is exactly what growth needs.

Segment D: crossing borders with confidence

Robert Walters

Your product is taking off overseas and “operations” now means late-night supplier calls and compliance paperwork in multiple languages. Robert Walters is built for that moment.

Think of the firm as one global office spread across more than thirty countries. Need a bilingual coordinator in New York who understands EU customs forms? Your U.S. consultant can tap colleagues in Amsterdam and Hong Kong before day’s end. The result is a shortlist fluent in both the language and the process that links your new supply chain.

Sector focus keeps quality high. Recruiters cover narrow verticals such as manufacturing, logistics tech, and consumer goods, so intake calls feel like peer conversations. They share salary benchmarks pulled from the firm’s annual compensation surveys, giving you an instant read on whether your offer will land or stall.

Engagements stay flexible. Many startups start on contingency for coordinator roles and shift to retained search as complexity grows. Either way, Robert Walters backs placements with a twelve-month guarantee in most markets, signaling that cross-border hires are expected to stay.

If you are expanding into new territories and cannot risk cultural misfires or regulatory slip-ups, Robert Walters supplies the reach and insight to keep operations running smoothly on every shore.

Segment E: talent on tap for projects and gaps

Toptal

Sometimes you do not need a permanent hire. You need a proven operator to step in, fix a bottleneck, and roll off once the dust settles. That is where Toptal shines.

Toptal curates a network of independent professionals and admits only about three percent after layered skills tests and live problem-solving sessions. Instead of skimming résumés, you describe the process issue clogging your fulfillment line or the metrics dashboard you have postponed. Within days you are interviewing one or two pre-vetted experts who have solved that exact problem before.

Engagements are flexible. Spin up a coordinator for twenty hours a week to map SOPs, or lock in a full-time interim for a three-month systems rollout. Billing can be hourly or project based, and a two-week risk-free trial lets you test fit without sunk cost. If the first match misses, Toptal resets the clock and sends a new specialist.

Founders appreciate the lean overhead. No relocation costs, no equipment orders, no long onboarding ramp. A laptop, a login, and Slack access often get the work moving. If the relationship flourishes, you can convert the contractor to full time; Toptal structures buyout fees to keep that pivot simple.

In short, Toptal is your emergency line for operations challenges. Call when a key hire resigns, when Black Friday looms, or when funding is tied to hitting process KPIs fast. You gain elite execution without adding permanent headcount, keeping burn light and momentum high.

Key trends shaping operations recruiting through 2026

Artificial intelligence is now daily practice, but teams are not ready. Only 37 percent of U.S. hiring leaders feel prepared for AI-driven workflows, according to a recent TechRadar report.

Time-to-hire is still rising. The national average has reached forty-four days and continues to climb, HR Dive notes. Every extra week means more late shipments and unanswered support tickets.

COOs now link ops talent to revenue. Kearney reports that 69 percent of COOs expect double-digit revenue growth this year, up ten points from last year, a sign that boards view operations as a growth lever rather than overhead.

Keep these trends in mind when you vet agencies. The best partners pair AI tools with human judgment, publish speed, retention, and quality metrics, and talk about revenue impact, not just headcount.

What Is The Difference Between Image Enhancement And Upscaling?

admin

June 23, 2026

Often, we mix image enhancement with image upscaling. But they differ in many ways.

The differences between the two processes are often revealed once you look under the hood.

This piece looks at image enhancement and image upscaling, how these processes are executed, and why they’re actually different.

What is Image Enhancement?

Image enhancement is the process of improving the overall appearance of a photo.

It has no effect on the resolution or size of the image.

In image enhancement, certain physical attributes of the photo are adjusted, leading to a better-looking image.

No new pixels are introduced.

What is Image Upscaling?

This process adds new pixels to the image, changing its size and resolution.

Image Upscaling lets you change the photo’s resolution and size as you deem fit.

Reasons to Upscale an Image

People upscale photos for different reasons. To upscale, one must increase the image’s resolution and size. The purpose behind such a move usually includes:

Revamping Old Photos

As an image gets older, it gradually loses its visual appeal. This affects how people see the photo.

To restore the quality of such old photos, you can upscale them.

This often involves adding new pixels into the image, and the size and resolution are altered depending on its use.

Upscaling helps such old photos attain the desired quality the user needs.

For instance, an old family photo can be restored to its glory days by upscaling.

For making high-resolution images

People upscale images to boost the resolution of the pictures.

Specific situations require high-resolution images, so brands have no choice but to comply.

E-commerce giants like Shopify require product photos in different categories, including the 4K formats.

Businesses lacking high-resolution product photos have to upscale an existing image.

Professional Images

Businesses and brands require images of specific sizes in certain areas.

A website banner might require a larger, high-resolution image, but the original photo isn’t big enough.

A photo upscaling tool can enlarge the image so it fits in well.

Professional photos are needed in different aspects of a business.

How Does Image Upscaling and Image Enhancement Work?

The difference between image enhancement and upscaling is often in their modus operandi.

Photo upscaling involves adding new pixels to an image to increase its size and resolution. The quality of that resolution boost depends on the nature of the pixels added.

The tool used determines the photo upscaling technique applied.

Many photo editing software rely on creating pixels based on the context of the image. They use the distance and size of the image pixels to create new ones in the upscaled photo.

With AI tools, machine learning technology digests millions of images, relying on pattern recognition achieved by heavily data-trained models.

This leads to the creation of truly relevant pixels for the image.

These AI tools do this by analyzing the image.

Only a thorough evaluation of the photo can help them decide what type of pixel is needed for the image.

With the analysis results confirmed, they predict the correct pixels for the photo.

Once these new, relevant pixels are introduced, you often get a high-resolution photo that’s bigger than the original image.

Besides, photo enhancement aims for a visually appealing image. No attempt to expand the photo or its resolution.

New pixels aren’t introduced in a photo enhancement. It’s why the image’s resolution doesn’t change.

Instead, photo enhancement tries to make the original photo look better.

Photo enhancement tools use photo editing techniques to reduce noise, erase blur, improve color accuracy, and others.

They denoise the image, removing grain where visible. The depth of the grain smoothing depends on the tool used.

Also, the image’s color is corrected during photo enhancement. If the photo has its colors all over the place, the enhancement tool helps manage color confusion, resulting in a more vivid image.

You also see the by-products of a photo enhancement in the image’s contrast.

The Difference Between Photo Enhancement and Upscaling

Photo enhancement makes an image look better without tampering with its pixel count.

Photo upscaling increases the image’s resolution and size while subtly affecting its visual appearance.

Also, a photo enhancement doesn’t add new pixels to the image, but an upscaled photo is loaded with newly generated pixels.

Why the Confusion Between Photo Enhancement and Upscaling?

Many believe the processes are the same.

Photo upscaling tools didn’t help. They allow users to upscale and enhance an image in one sitting.

This led many to believe photo enhancement and upscaling are the same. They are not.

This reinforces the need for photo editing tools to properly delineate their services to avoid confusion.

Photo Upscaling Challenges

Photo upscaling has its issues, and they are usually more pronounced with certain tools than with others.

Photo upscaling is all about increasing image resolution and size. If the original photo has blemishes or flaws, some photo upscalers just magnify these faults in the upscaled image.

Pixel quality is not a given. The tool used and the visual quality of the original image determine whether the upscaled photo looks great.

Image Enhancement Issues

The major problem with image enhancement is usually tied to user expectations.

Most users expect to convert their photo to 4K using an enhancer. This shouldn’t be the case.

An image enhancer improves the appearance of the photo, not upscale it.

Converting an image to 4K is the forte of a photo upscale.

How To Avoid Business Disruption During An Exchange To Office 365 Migration

admin

June 22, 2026

A successful Exchange to Office 365 migration advantages such as scalability, collaboration, reduced infrastructure costs, and manageability.

The increasing use of cloud productivity apps in enterprise organizations has made Exchange migration to Office 365 a common IT project. Transitioning from on-premise Exchange Server implementation to Microsoft 365 offers a wide range of advantages including scalability, collaboration, reduced cost of infrastructure, and manageability.

However, despite all the advantages that can be gained during this migration process, there are a lot of risks involved in the process. Some of the risks include the inability to access mailboxes, data inconsistencies, and loss of productivity for users.

A successful migration process requires the implementation of an effective strategy coupled with appropriate tools and processes.

Why Business Disruption Occurs During Exchange Migrations

Email is one of the most important means of communication that businesses rely on today. Disruption of email services will definitely affect employee efficiency and the customer interaction process.

Several factors contribute to business disruption during an Exchange to Office 365 migration:

Large mailbox sizes that increase migration time
Network bandwidth limitations
Incomplete mailbox synchronization
Incorrect user mapping
Data corruption or migration failures
Lack of proper migration testing
Insufficient user communication

Without adequate preparation, these issues can lead to extended downtime and increased support requests from end users.

Best Practices to Ensure a Seamless Migration

1. Perform a Comprehensive Pre-Migration Assessment.

The process of migration starts with evaluating the current state of the Exchange environment. IT specialists need to evaluate the sizes of mailboxes, the existence of public folders, user rights, mail flows settings, and other aspects related to the storage.

It will help to define possible obstacles and create a realistic migration timeline.

2. Choose the Right Migration Method.

The company provides different methods for migration, such as cutover, staged, and hybrid migration. It depends on many factors like organization size, Exchange version, and business needs.

The choice of the right migration method will help to avoid any problems because hybrid migration allows companies to coexist between Exchange Server and Microsoft 365.

3. Conduct a Pilot Migration.

Migration of all the users should be preceded by the migration of some of the mailboxes. They will be used to ensure the configuration is right, find any issues that may arise and also whether the user can access his/her mailbox after migration.

It will help in determining the time required for migration.

4. Schedule Migrations During Low-Activity Periods.

When it is feasible, the migration process can be carried out in the evening, over the weekend, or in any period of lesser business activity. This will minimize disturbance and lower chances of interruption for the business process.

A company that employs workers across the globe might opt for a staged migration process.

5. Prioritize Data Integrity.

The security of mailbox data needs to be preserved. Email messages, contacts, calendar events, tasks, notes, and attachments need to be moved intact to avoid data loss.

Validation needs to be done both pre-migration and post-migration to make sure that all the data from the mailboxes has been transferred successfully.

6. Keep Users Informed.

Perhaps the most important part of migration planning that is often overlooked is communication. The users need to be made aware of the schedule for migrations, what changes to expect, and what actions they will need to take.

This can help avoid confusion and limit help desk tickets resulting from the migration process.

The Importance of Using a Reliable Exchange Migration Tool

Although there are built-in Microsoft migration tools for migration processes, some companies face various challenges due to the size of their environment, configuration, or because of their limited migration time period.

Here the use of Exchange migration tool is really helpful.

Using professional Exchange Migration Tool, a company can automate lots of manual activities during migration, increase migration accuracy, and decrease the amount of administration.

Furthermore, sophisticated Exchange migration tools have such features as mailbox prioritization, automatic user mapping, and migration reports.

Simplifying Exchange to Office 365 Migration with Stellar Migrator for Exchange

Organizations looking to have an easy migration process can turn to specific solutions like Stellar Migrator for Exchange.

Stellar Migrator for Exchange is meant particularly for the migration of Exchange databases. The software allows enterprises to migrate mailboxes from one Exchange server and Microsoft 365 to another in such a way that the process is not disturbed. Using Stellar Migrator for Exchange, users can expect migration of email, contacts, calendar, journal, tasks, notes, and other mailbox items.

In contrast to most native migrations, Stellar Migrator for Exchange provides flexibility for different migration processes. Cutover, staged, and hybrid migration are among the options provided by the tool.

The solution also supports:

Exchange to Microsoft 365 migration and vice-versa
Office 365 to Office 365 tenant migration
Exchange to Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE) upgrade and migration
Automated mailbox mapping
Priority mailbox migration for critical users
Parallel mailbox processing for faster migrations
Detailed migration reports and logs
Secure and reliable mailbox transfer

The combination of these features makes Stellar Migrator for Exchange an all-in-one solution for migrating Microsoft Exchange to the cloud, tenant-to-tenant migrations, or to upgrade Exchange Server.

By eliminating unnecessary efforts on the part of the IT staff and simplifying the process of migration, the program ensures that migration projects are completed quickly and efficiently.

Post-Migration Validation Is Equally Important

Completing the migration is only part of the process. Organizations should conduct thorough post-migration validation to confirm that all data has been transferred successfully and that users can access their mailboxes without issues.

Key validation tasks include:

Verifying mailbox content
Testing mail flow functionality
Confirming calendar and contact synchronization
Reviewing migration reports
Collecting user feedback

Addressing any issues immediately after migration helps ensure a positive user experience and reduces operational risks.

Conclusion

A successful migration to Office 365 may provide numerous advantages for an organization, yet only if the process is done carefully and with proper technologies. Companies which are willing to spend time on the assessment, tests, user communications and validation will be able to complete the migration process successfully without any interruptions in work.

Additionally, using a reliable Exchange migration tool can simplify the migration process, improve accuracy, and reduce downtime. Solutions such as Stellar Migrator for Exchange provide advanced migration capabilities that help organizations transition to Microsoft 365 efficiently while maintaining business continuity.

Migration best practices and technologies allow modernizing your company’s email system while maintaining productivity during migration.

How Local Businesses In Auburn Keep Their Workspaces Safe And Spotless

admin

June 21, 2026

Running a business in Auburn, Washington means juggling deadlines, staff, and client expectations — often with little time left to think about the state of your office or facility. Yet the cleanliness of a workspace directly affects employee health, client impressions, and even regulatory compliance.

For many local companies, the smartest solution is partnering with a professional commercial cleaning company in Auburn that understands the unique needs of Puget Sound businesses.

Why Commercial Cleaning Matters for Auburn Businesses

Auburn sits at the crossroads of King and Pierce counties, hosting everything from warehouse distribution centers to medical offices and retail storefronts. Each industry carries its own cleaning standards. A medical clinic requires disinfection protocols that differ sharply from the needs of a manufacturing floor or a professional office suite. Working with a cleaning provider that offers customizable programs — rather than one-size-fits-all checklists — helps businesses stay compliant without overspending.

Beyond compliance, a consistently clean environment signals professionalism. Clients notice dusty baseboards and stained carpets before they read your mission statement. Employees, too, perform better in spaces that smell fresh and look maintained. In a competitive hiring market like the greater Seattle area, workplace cleanliness can be a subtle but meaningful differentiator.

What to Look for in a Local Commercial Cleaning Partner

Not all cleaning services are structured the same way. Some rely on subcontractors, which can create scheduling inconsistencies and accountability gaps. Others hire employees directly, run background checks, and provide in-house training. For businesses that value security — especially those with sensitive client data, expensive inventory, or after-hours access — employee-based teams typically offer greater peace of mind.

Insurance and bonding are non-negotiable. Any commercial cleaning provider operating in Washington should carry adequate liability coverage and be able to provide certificates upon request. This protects both the client and the cleaning team in the rare event of property damage or workplace accidents.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning in the Pacific Northwest

Environmental consciousness runs deep in Western Washington. Many Auburn businesses now request green cleaning products that minimize chemical residue and improve indoor air quality. Whether your company pursues LEED certification or simply wants to reduce its environmental footprint, a cleaning partner that offers eco-friendly options can help you meet sustainability goals without sacrificing sanitation standards.

Conclusion

Professional cleaning is not a luxury for Auburn businesses — it is a practical investment in health, productivity, and brand perception. By choosing a locally owned provider with trained employees, proper insurance, and flexible service plans, business owners can maintain pristine facilities while focusing on what they do best: serving their customers and growing their companies.

Chloe Sunderland On Why Young Men Are Disengaging From Society

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June 19, 2026

Chloe Sunderland, known online as Roma Army, is a Romanian-born content creator who lives in Calgary, Alberta. She has built a large following by speaking openly about men’s issues. Chloe brings a direct, unfiltered voice to discussions around men’s mental health, dating, and social expectations. Her content challenges mainstream narratives and focuses on what she hears from men behind the scenes.

Chloe’s social media is a judgment-free zone where men feel heard and respected. She regularly shares real messages and experiences from her audience, which shape her perspective and keep her work focused on everyday reality rather than theory.

Q: You talk a lot about young men “checking out.” What does that actually look like?

Chloe Sunderland: There isn’t always drama. A lot of times it’s quiet. Guys stop trying in school, don’t apply for good jobs, avoid dating, and are alone most of the time. On the outside, it can look like they’re being lazy or unmotivated. When you actually talk to these men, a lot of them feel like nothing they do is going to matter anyway. So they pull back.

Q: What do young men say in private that they don’t express publicly?

Chloe Sunderland: A big one is that they feel disposable. That word comes up more than people might think. They feel like they’re only cared about if they’re useful, and if they’re not succeeding, then they’re basically a ghost. Many of them also say they’re tired of being told they’re the problem, especially when they’re already struggling.

Q: Dating is a common topic in your content. How is that linked to this feeling of disengagement?

Chloe Sunderland: Dating is where a lot of this hits the hardest because it’s so personal. Guys tell me they feel like they’re constantly being nitpicked. After enough rejection or bad experiences, they stop putting in effort. Then people turn around and say, “Why aren’t men social anymore?” without asking what made them that way in the first place.

Q: Some argue that this reflects a resistance to evolving gender roles. How do you respond to that?

Chloe Sunderland: I think it’s oversimplified. A lot of guys I hear from aren’t against change. They’re confused about what’s expected of them now. The rules feel different, but no one really explains what the new ones are. So, instead of getting it wrong and being criticized, they choose to stay away completely.

Q: What do you think actually helps men start re-engaging with life again?

Chloe Sunderland: They want to feel like they matter as a person and not just as a provider. That can come from small things. Having a purpose, even a simple one. Having a group of people who respect them. Also, hearing that they’re not alone helps a lot. Once that change happens, you start to see guys slowly take more chances again.

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