With Massachusetts rescinding the mask mandate for all industries – except for health care facilities and public transit – businesses no longer have to enforce face coverings. However, COVID-19 remains a very real threat, and masks are still an effective preventative against transmission. As a business owner, you have the right to continue to enforce […]
Recently, I was networking with a colleague and was on an initial phone call with him. When I explained that we were women-owned and -run, he responded with, “Oh, you’re only trying to work with women.” To him, stating your business is women-owned, minority-run, etc., means that you are only selling to those groups. Calmly, […]
This article originally appeared in the Worcester Business Journal on February 22nd, 2021. Once you have employees, your business changes. Leadership isn’t defined by what you lead, but how you lead. Who do you put first at your business? Yourself? Your team? Your customers? There are no right or wrong answers, but they all form […]
This article originally appeared in the Worcester Business Journal on January 25th, 2021. When hearing the term “small business,” you probably envision a decades-old hardware store or that North End restaurant you order takeout from once a week. However, other small business owners and I are finding out the hard way there is an exploitive […]
Holiday parties are a great way for staff members to enjoy one another’s company without the underlying pressures of the workplace. They’re a much-appreciated reprieve from the year-ending deadlines and a celebration of achieving goals. Most importantly, they’re a morale boost. With COVID taking an ax to this year’s calendar, business owners need to find […]
Regardless of where you, your company, and your staff fall on the political spectrum, we can all agree voting this year is vital. It’s the elephant – or donkey – in the room that we simply can’t ignore. As the old saying goes, “the personal is political,” and since your team is made up of […]
The pandemic has challenged the conventional definition of company culture. Since quarantine began, business owners have struggled to determine the new role of the office and bypass the hurdles of remote collaboration. Discovering this new work culture requires breaking down the changes that have occurred in the times of COVID-19. Companies have been reimagining the […]
By the end of July, more than a thousand companies reduced or completely suspended their advertising on Facebook. Major corporations, including Mars, HP, and Coca Cola, continue to remain steadfast in their boycott of the social media platform. However, despite their efforts to foster change regarding Facebook’s free speech and misinformation policies, their actions have […]
For business owners, there are unfortunate mental and societal pressures that accompany asking questions in the workplace. There’s a deep-seated fear that your team will label you a fraud if you question your own business’s internal affairs. This reluctance to ask questions can put unnecessary strain on you and your business. It’s important to overcome […]
It’s challenging to find ways to market yourself in times of crisis. A look-at-me approach can leave a bad taste in the mouths of consumers during a global pandemic or times of unrest. But you need to make your company heard and get your services to your customers, who are finding solace in hearing from […]