Collaborations are one of the most effective ways to boost your marketing activities. Most companies and startups know this and invest significant resources into collaboration activities. When they first hear about collaborations, many people immediately think about influencer marketing campaigns. They think about celebrities sharing products on Instagram and athletes endorsing sports brands.

A successful organization understands its strengths and weaknesses, sets clear goals and objectives and achieves them through action. A strategic plan helps leaders get their teams to focus on the right initiatives to yield the greatest results for their company.

Back in June, Fed chair Jerome Powell announced plans to "reset" the housing market, increasing the likelihood of falling home prices. In the months that ensued, economists questioned Powell's use of the term "reset."

Hiring and retaining quality teams is one of a company's most pressing issues today. According to a study tracking 17,000 workers, Millennials are the largest group facing layoffs due to the market downturn, while Gen Z leads the movement in the Great Resignation. For companies that retain their staff, employee engagement remains a longstanding issue that demands a solution, with only 34% of employees feeling engaged at work.

TikTok has taken over traditional forms of social media and has created a new wave of creativity among people of all ages looking to have fun, entertain, get more likes and connect with others.

So, you've tried it all, from pay-per-click advertising to inbound marketing and everything in between. You get some leads here and there, but not in droves like you were hoping. What are you missing?

The housing market varies from state to state, and between prioritizing location, calculating taxes, and paying utilities, it can be difficult to discern which cities truly have the most affordable homes.

Mortgage lender site Homebuyer.com recently published a new report on the 10 cheapest states to buy a home by tallying median home prices, household income, and estimated monthly mortgage payments.

You'll be surprised how many entrepreneurs haven't even considered or attempted to answer some of the most fundamental questions that are key to their business' success. Ironically, most of the issues they struggle with in their business are due to their ignorance of these unanswered questions.

It's no secret that social media marketing can help your business build brand awareness, connect directly with your target audience, drive more traffic to your products and services and increase revenue.

The downside is that managing it all can be incredibly time-consuming.

Due How many of you acknowledge that it is legal for you to negotiate compensation and benefits after you leave an employer? Some job seekers may understand how to negotiate compensation and benefits when they are employed, but they may be unaware that they may do so after they leave an employer. Most firms provide a severance agreement outlining the financial terms of the employee's departure from the organization.

There's an unfortunate reason why happiness is often elusive -- our brains simply aren't wired that way. Instead, our brains have evolved to survive, to protect ourselves, to keep us safe. Sure, we have moments of elation and periods of contentment and bliss. But many of us are plagued with persistent negative emotions -- we are just plain stuck in the "blahs."

When I talk to small and midsize business owners about their recruit-retain challenges, I often think of an adage you've probably heard.

If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?

How does that apply to benefits? Well, if you're offering benefits that don't resonate with employees, will those benefits help you attract and retain employees?

The answer, of course, is no.

host and 's Small Business Expert, Emily Washcovick, shares a look at this week's episode of the podcast.

Expensive purchases—like an engagement ring—can sometimes seem like a one-and-done transaction. But Robbins Brothers, a jeweler specializing in engagement and wedding rings, sees it differently. They are coming along for the ride with you and your future spouse, making sure you get exactly the rings you both want.

Do you have what it takes to negotiate?

March into the boardroom, look the other party in the eye, table your demands and see who scores a point after each rally. Game, set, match — right?

That's the question professionals, senior leaders and C-suite executives take to the negotiation table. We are told to ask the five "W's" (who, what, when, where, why) and "how" questions to avoid "yes" or "no" responses.

The pandemic twisted day-to-day life inside out, shifting our habits, routines, social norms, and, of course, spending. This, coupled with historically high inflation, has prompted many Americans to dip into their nest eggs and savings to get by. But one demographic has put off saving the future entirely.

A survey by Fidelity found that 45% of workers between the ages of 18 and 35 "don't see a point in saving for their future until things return to normal," according to USA Today.

Microsoft Founder has long been a proponent of philanthropy. But the billionaire's latest pledge is so high that it will remove him from the list of the world's richest people.

On Wednesday, Gates took to Twitter to announce that by 2026, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation would up its spending from $6 billion to $9 billion annually. Gates also made a donation of $20 billion to the fund's endowment.

The path for any startup to successfully move up to the next level invariably means securing VC funding. That's a given, but what does it really mean in practice for your business, and what can you gain — aside from cold, hard investment dollars — from talking to VCs as you strive to grow?

host and 's Small Business Expert, Emily Washcovick, shares a look at this week's episode of the podcast.

There's no question that it's difficult to run a business and a full calendar, especially as the rules of social media engagement are constantly evolving. Even with the best intentions and plans in mind, sometimes social media posting and tracking falls by the wayside.

For some entrepreneurs, building a business is a lifelong dream that they'll do anything to push to the highest levels of success. For others, it's something to pay the bills in hard times. For still others, it's a chance to try something new, make some money, and serve as a stepping stone into higher-level roles back in the traditional workforce.

Home prices rose by 20.6% year-over-year in March of 2022, marking the largest increase in the 30 years of record-keeping, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies tabulations of CoStar and CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Indices data.

Rent prices have also skyrocketed, further widening the wealth gap between owners and renters in America, and making homeownership out of reach for nearly four million Americans in the past year.

The echo of the recent pandemic is still rumbling through the franchise industry. Two years have passed since brick-and-mortar had to close its doors and master technology almost overnight. New business practices implemented at that time may reshape the industry forever.

Most people thought that "The Great Resignation" and the would be a temporary issue. But not only has the situation not recovered, it is getting worse.

Although 428,000 jobs were added in May 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, participation in the labor force declined to 62.2% in April and 363,000 left the workforce, worsening the worker shortage crisis.

Since 's bid to acquire for nearly $44 billion in April, the billionaire has yet to directly speak to the company's employees — until now.

Musk, who is the majority shareholder of Twitter, owning roughly 10% of Twitter's total shares, spoke in a moderated, virtual town hall meeting with Twitter's employees on Thursday. The meeting lasted one hour.

During a market contraction, investors tighten their belts. Promising startups and VC firms felt like allies during a season of economic prosperity, but during market volatility, however, the two groups' reliance on each other can feel threatened.