Want to be the low price leader?
By Jerry Bellune No, you don’t. Leave that to Walmart. Our friend Ruth King tells the story about Chuck the auto mechanic and Charles the Master Jaguar Craftsman. Chuck’s…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Holidays not the time for less vigilance
By Sheriff Leon Lott We are in the midst of the holiday season when most of us more-deeply embrace that which we all want: “Peace on earth; good will toward…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, life, on-the-move
How to earn your prospects’ trust
By Katie Ritchie Occasionally you may have to cold call. It’s no fun, but there are ways to get in the door. Here are 2 suggested by so-called experts…
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Beware dangerous phone chargers
By Katie Ritchie It has happened to all of us. You’re out and about and realize your phone is running low. It’s especially common when you’re traveling. Airport waiting…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
How to create effective marketing? It’s simple use your magic!
By Ken Gasque Magic is the most powerful tool you have. Use it! And the most powerful tool for creating magic is a pencil. It is a magic wand…
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Business Communications in an Era of Fake News
By Alfred Leach NP Strategy No one knows what to believe anymore. Misinformation, disinformation and propaganda are being shared from an ever-increasing breadth of “fake news” sources (from social media…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Have you planned your exit strategy?
By Jerry Bellune This time of year many of us have much to be thankful for. And those of us who have been at it many years are starting…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, business-services, marketing-and-communications
Do Not Call Registry data book released
By Katie Ritchie Over the last year, robocalls have been a popular Tech Talk topic. One of the resources I mentioned for stopping telemarketers was the Do Not Call…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
4 magic words to deal with fear
By Jerry Bellune Physicist Albert Einstein said that to solve problems we’ve never dealt with before we must develop a new way of thinking about the problems and our…
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State Treasurer’s Office Works to ‘Serve Those Who Serve’
By South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis Our nation’s military members know what it means to serve. They are selfless individuals who have committed themselves to safeguarding our country, its…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, government, on-the-move
Simplify cooking and grocery shopping
By Katie Ritchie Have you planned your Thanksgiving menu? How about your holiday meal grocery shopping list? If you still need to work on it, there are free apps…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Making Your Event Stand Out Through Sponsorships
By Emily Eckert NP Strategy Think back to an event that stuck out in your mind. The one you attended where your mouth dropped open when you walked in,…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
The 20% rule of costs and returns
By Jerry Bellune A friend called the other day to pick our brains. He wants to start a small weekly newspaper in his community and wanted to know what…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Just hang up on a robot
By Katie Ritchie If you’ve been bombarded by more robocalls than usual in the last 2 months, you aren’t alone. A reader emailed to report he has gotten calls…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
End of the Year Finances…4 Reasons Why They Are So Important
Caffeinated Conversations: Tuesday, November 12th at 7:45 am at the United Way of the Midlands Expect the Unexpected Mike Tyson, former heavyweight champion of the world, once made…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, non-profit
SC vulnerable to ID theft, fraud
By Katie Ritchie Identity theft and fraud are serious issues. From January 1, 2005, to August 31, 2019, there have been 10,818 breaches. That comes out to 1.6 billion…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Your 3 best connecting strategies
By Jerry Bellune MaryEllen Tribby believes “connecting” is a better word than “networking.” Her 3 best connecting strategies are: 1. Cultivate relationships. Project an image of warmth, approachability, understanding,…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Bipartisanship: in Business and in Politics
By Sam Johnson NP Strategy Senator John McCain notably stated that “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity to act despite our fears.” He understood that…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, non-profit
Never forget the Scouts’ motto
By Jerry Bellune Were you a Scout as a kid? If so, you will remember that famous motto – “Be prepared.” It’s not just for when you were young.…
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Five things your graphic designer wants to tell you
By Stephanie Heikkila Holman NP Strategy Working with a designer to bring your business or organization’s vision to life should be an exciting and creatively fulfilling experience. Based…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
Can your business pass this financial test?
By Jerry Bellune Our friend Ruth King says financial statements are our scorecard. We need them on time to properly price our offers, make good decisions to earn a…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Secure your accounts
By Katie Ritchie This week’s Cybersecurity Month topic is multi-factor authentication (MFA). It’s a mouthful to say, but a simple idea. Think of it as another level of security.…
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Avoid your biggest business nightmare
By Jerry Bellune Running out of cash can give you hyper-stress and sleepless nights. This happens when you don’t have enough revenue in slow times, haven’t saved enough to…
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Keep devices safe while traveling
By Katie Ritchie October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, so I’m sharing tips for traveling safely with your devices. Keep this list on hand when traveling during the holidays.…
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Improve decisions & your bottom line
By Jerry Bellune Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie’s top advisers are women – an exception in a male-dominated sport. Lurie says he didn’t set out to hire women but…
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Whistleblower Protections and Retaliation Risks
By David Dubberly Whistleblower issues are in the news, mainly because a U.S. intelligence officer recently filed a complaint against President Trump under the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act (ICWPA). …
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, on-the-move
New phishing scams are here
By Katie Ritchie October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. For the rest of October I’ll be sharing information on cyberthreats and how you can avoid them. This week is…
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How to Pitch a Reporter and Be Heard
By Angela Rogers NP Strategy Today’s reporters – both print and broadcast – are always on the move. Pivoting from one story to another, preparing a “package” for the…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications, on-the-move
3 steps to own your digital marketing power
By Jerry Bellune We see many large and small businesses make these 3 digital marketing mistakes: 1. They have a family member set up a clunky web site that…
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Make your iPhone battery last
By Katie Ritchie The last in this series of battery boosting tips is for the iPhone. I saved the iPhone for last because iOS 13 released an update September 24.…
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ABLE 529s: A Special Account for Special Needs
By Aaron E. Graham Abacus You may be familiar with 529 accounts. 529 Plans are so named from the originating IRS Code section and serve as tax-advantaged college savings…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, banking-and-finance
Tiny ads can pack a powerful punch
By Jerry Bellune Imagine you are desperate for steady work to get your spouse off your back about feeding your family. Your kids are under-fed and always hungry. Then…
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You can boost battery life of Pixel 3
By Katie Ritchie Last week I shared ways to extend Note10 battery life. This week features tips to boost Pixel 3 battery life. Many of these tips also apply…
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Unconventional Excellence
By Heather Matthews NP Strategy A standing ovation, mixed with enthusiastic cheers and a chorus of “good mornings” welcomed me as I walked in to get my car oil…
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
5 questions all business owners must ask
By Jerry Bellune How do you build a business that rocks? Our friend Ruth King told us that Jim Howard who published her book, The Courage to be Profitable,…
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Tips to boost Note10 battery
By Katie Ritchie Last week I shared ways to extend your Windows 10 laptop battery life. This week I’m sharing tips to boost your Samsung Galaxy Note10. Have a…
Read MorePosted in: midlandsbiz Category: advice, technology
Extend your laptop battery life
By Katie Ritchie Does your laptop battery last long enough? Most folks answer that with an enthusiastic “no,” regardless of what device they mean. In this series, I’ll share…
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Are starvation diets a dumb idea?
By Jerry Bellune Fellow Maverick Entrepreneur Suzanne Riley Whyte asks if you have ever been really hungry. Maybe you’ve gone on one of those diets where you eat almost…
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Foreign Manufacturer + Union Campaign = Netflix Documentary (and Lessons for Employers)
This week’s article provides insight from Nexsen Pruet attorney William Floyd. NP Strategy is part of the Nexsen Pruet family, working collaboratively alongside lawyers for the benefit of clients. …
Read MorePosted in: lowcountrybizsc, midlandsbiz, upstatebizsc Category: advice, marketing-and-communications
Please, make a profit!
By Ken Gasque Have you heard the news media reporting that Warren Buffett wants to pay more taxes? “Please, raise my taxes.” Legendary investor Warren Buffett said on Monday…
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You should live large – like your dog
By Jerry Bellune Ace ad copywriter John Carlton reminds us of an essential truth. To be successful, rich and happy, “we gotta be healthy.” That means taking time every…
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Be wary of stalkerware
By Katie Ritchie Jesse’s ex-boyfriend had always been difficult. He called it “over-protective because he cared.” Her family called him controlling. He wanted to know where she was and…
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You’d better make a profit – or else
By Jerry Bellune Our old boss Don Carter liked to ask job applicants what they thought was the 1st duty of a business. A few got the right answer…
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AirDrop settings may put phone at risk
By Katie Ritchie Is your iPhone open to files from strangers? If you’re an Apple products user, you may have used a feature called AirDrop. It’s a handy filesharing…
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Do you need a videographer?
By Taylor Kearns Finding the best videography services for your business Ask a barber, and he’ll tell you yes, you need a haircut. Ask a videographer if you need…
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How to super-charge your motivation
By Jerry Bellune An executive recruiter friend keeps on his desk a photo of a fire truck-red Lamborghini he wants. This is no toy. The car costs $200,000. The photo…
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New tech may prevent hot car deaths
By Katie Ritchie Each year infants, children, and pets are in danger during the summer months. The National Safety Council reports that 32 children have died so far in…
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How Engaging with Stakeholders Supports a Company’s Bottom Line
By Peter LaMotte Senior Vice President, Chernoff Newman Far too often companies forget that a strong reputation is more than just keeping your nose clean in the media. The truth…
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Don’t underestimate the power of a sticker
By Ken Gasque “The human race built most nobly when limitations were greatest.” – Frank Lloyd Wright. I think this applies equally to marketing and advertising. Any fool can…
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How to get free business publicity
By Jerry Bellune Savvy business owners seek relations with local newspaper, magazine and broadcast reporters, editors and news directors. When they have something about their business the community should…
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