Can you really justify the added costs and headaches?
Organizations face the buy vs. build decision for software frequently. The breadth and depth of software packages available to license or use via a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) are astonishing. Software is readily available for every sector of our economy and every business function. The number of websites that list software packages is so large that I’m…
What new businesses and business models will emerge in a 6G world?
Sixth-generation (6G) wireless communications technology, expected by 2030, could offer the potential for truly transformative applications and functionality because of the higher capacity and lower delay time between sending and receiving voice or data over the network (latency). The anticipated microsecond latency of 6G communications will make it 1,000 times faster than the millisecond latency…
Fun doesn't mean goofing off. It means enjoying what you’re doing and laughing when things go wrong
‘Fun’ isn’t a word often spoken in the same sentence as ‘work.’ But Norm and I were driving down a backroad last week in the middle of nowhere when we used those words together. We had just come from a meeting where we were representing our clients in some negotiations and we had really enjoyed…
Priorities are never as clear as we think
Under-communicating strategic direction and priorities is one of the most common mistakes I have seen founders make. Startup founders typically have a set of top priorities or organizational goals they have defined and communicated. Usually, this communication takes the form of a PowerPoint presentation which is shared in executive staff meetings, and then again in…
In addition to hardware, network and a building, cloud service providers offer a rich range of software functionality
How does a cloud computing environment compare to an on-premises computing environment? Are the benefits of cloud computing overhyped? Isn’t the cloud just someone else’s data centre? What topics should chief information officers (CIOs) consider when deciding whether to adopt more cloud computing services for their organization? Functionality In addition to hardware, network and a…
The success of any organization or team hinges on the strength of the relationships of its employees
Xerox Corporation, in the 1980s, was looking for a way to boost the productivity of its field service staff. An anthropologist from the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) travelled with a group of tech reps to observe how they did their jobs – not how they described what they did, or what their managers…
Emails, newsletters, blogs and articles all have a place in your marketing mix. But when you talk to people, your success rate skyrockets
Recently I trained a new sales professional. His job was to find leads for his company, but he had never worked in sales before. After a couple of weeks of learning about his company and coming up with a plan, the time for action was upon him. In our coaching session, he realized that he…
Software is everything. It’s the glue that makes every application work
Do you love those interactive maps that report United States election results on television? I loved the GIS map interface, the effortless drill-downs and rollups, the comparison of this election to previous ones, the simultaneous display of multiple measures and the rich touch-screen navigation. There are no blue screens of death. Never does a pesky…
Learning from the pros
For this episode of Amplify Your Business, we’re joined by Matt Hill – Program Manager of Business Link. Today, he speaks with us about the Digital Economy Program and how his team empowers even the smallest local businesses to move over to and thrive in an online marketplace. Amplify your Business is produced by Amplomedia…
With the right systems and people in place, we can step back as owners and do what really needs to be done
In 2014, one of the professors in my MBA program asked: “Why are you here?” As he went around the class, people responded: “To further my career.” “To earn more money.” “To get a better job.” When he came to me, I said: “I’m here to learn how to work less and make more money.”…