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Professional Development

A Secret Key to Success

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BY KEISHA JOHNSON

Recently I was a part of a forum with several thought leaders in Toronto to discuss an upcoming business expo at which we are all rostered to speak. As we brainstormed ideas to fill the venue and bring the best value to the community, a simple suggestion instantaneously unlocked everyone’s creative juices.

Someone suggested that instead of each speaker promoting their personal session to their network, “let’s start sharing about each other’s value and strengths to our respective constituents in our various spheres of influence”. It was simple. It was unexpected. It is the genius of edification.

To edify is the act of uplifting or building up someone else.  Edifying is an art. And in today’s self-gratifying culture it appears to be a lost art where people are more likely to find fault, criticize and defame someone than freely and genuinely promote others.

Reflect for a second on when was the last time, someone spoke of you in such a wonderful way and said things about you, that if they came from your own mouth you would have looked arrogant or self-promoting?

When was the last time, you took the time to use your words to elevate someone to a place above you?

If these things are not present or a part of your life, you are missing out on the art of edification. When you don’t elevate others, people are less likely to elevate you. And you stunt your growth.

Edification is a testament of your credibility and the value or contribution you make to others. The more value you add to others, the more likely they are to edify you. This is akin to word of mouth being the best form of marketing or advertising.

Edifying the other speakers to our respective networks leading up to the business forum for example, is invaluable credibility and promotion not just of the event and the organizer but of every single speaker involved. It shows our community that as speakers, we too have a bond and are sincerely interested in and committed to each other’s success and that we are not fearful or begrudging of each other excelling.

Edification therefore says volumes about the one who can edify. It portrays them in a very positive light as someone who has the capacity to celebrate others’ success. This inspires trust and makes you attractive. Have you heard it said, people do business with people they know, like and trust?

Collectively, edification builds community and is the strength of community, just as the opposite is true: a house divided against itself cannot stand.

Zig Ziglar refined the concept by saying, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”  Sometimes that help comes in the form of simple edification. It costs you nothing, but it could redound priceless benefits.

Inevitably when you build up others, goodwill boomerangs back to you and builds you up.

Let’s look at how we can practically apply this key.  Say you have been tenured at your company, are very productive, but have often been overlooked for on-the-job perks and promotion. Time and again, others even less senior than you are selected for training and travel that you’ve voiced an interest in. The repeated disappointment has festered into dormant resentment that makes you a little nonchalant towards the company, cold to the boss and withdraw from your colleagues. If you are asked about work, it’s hard to find something positive to say. Yet you remain hopeful at the next promotion season.

That hope to you may not seem far-fetched, but how likely is promotion and favour on the job if your attitude is sour and you are always criticizing your peers, work or the boss? Would you want to promote someone like that on your team?

To reverse the tide, show yourself a team player and learn to edify those around.  It’s not enough to be productive in a silo; your ability to gel well with a team, inspire and motivate others are premium skills in today’s workforce whether you are the employer or employee. There are very few jobs that don’t involve the contribution of others, so learn the art of edification.

A good place to start is to find two positive things that you can say of someone parallel to you, above you and below you. It may be what they bring to the team, contribute to your personal work life or the organization in general. Think about it. You may just surprise yourself.

Be mindful that real edification is genuine, not pretentious hyperbole. Edification is the result of contribution. Everyone in their own right brings value. So there is something to edify in everyone. Finally, the results of edification are reciprocal! It is a guaranteed win-win. When you begin to learn and understand about edification, you will soon discover that edification holds a key to unlock your success.

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Professional Development

As a community we lack unity. How are we supposed to rebuild the Black Wall Street?

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Photo Credit: Christina @ wocintechchat.com

BY DAVID ANDERSON

Do you know what the problem is? We can never stand up as one and unite for change. I am getting really sick and tired of this crab in a bucket mentality. As a community, we have not done enough. We have not built enough. Instead of correcting history, we have chosen the path of repeating it. I mean it is true we cannot hide from who we are but grow and learn from who we were. We cannot be afraid to let our brothers and sisters continue to separate.

As a community, we lack unity. How are we supposed to rebuild the Black Wall Street? How come it has never been remade since the tragic Tulsa race massacre that took place May 31st and June 1st 1921? City officials, to attack Black business owners, and residents gave the people weapons. They destroyed homes in Tulsa Oklahoma. What was once a flourishing community in Tulsa Oklahoma was reduced to nothing but campfire stories. This left a negative impact on the Black community.

Have you ever heard the phrase crabs in a bucket? This is a metaphor for people who either live in the same environment or are after specific goals. What we all get confused about is that there is enough for everyone.

I used to hate the saying “Let’s get this bag,” because it puts one trophy at the top of the pedestal. Humans are so competitive that they would rather sabotage their future as long as they beat you or finish first. This is how you burn bridges that you will have to cross again in life.

Working towards one goal usually is beneficial to each individual or as a collective (team). Every sports team makes it clear what their goals are in the pre-season. This allows coaches and players to develop a relationship that is based on trust and personal development. Each time they step out on the field or court they have their teammates’ best interest at hand. This will create chemistry, which only strengthens relationships and performance. We have to be able to depend on and trust one another. We need to learn from our mistakes and be proactive in correcting them.

As an entrepreneur, you need to be able to build strong relationships and communities. This might not be easy, but it is beneficial for you, family, business and community. As a leader you must have the ability to rally people in your community towards a cause. You have the ability to start a community organization. You possess the skills to make a change in your life, for your family and community. Don’t let opportunities pass you by. We need to learn more about our history, or it will repeat itself. We need to learn from other great cities, villages, and kingdoms.

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Professional Development

How to Boost Your Marketing Agency’s Growth in 2022

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Want to boost your marketing agency’s growth over the course of the next calendar year? If so, you’ve found the right article. Below, you will find insightful information regarding the current scalability of the advertising sector, as well as comprehensive advice on what you can do to play an active role in this ongoing development.

Here are three things you can do to boost your marketing agency’s growth in 2022:

Home in your niche market
You aren’t going to grow your marketing agency until you showcase your skill, credibility, and reliability. In order to cultivate this type of reputation for yourself, you need to offer a specific service incredibly well. Distracting yourself with unnecessary service ranges will detract from your ability to build this authority, which is why you are advised to home in on a niche market segment. This will entail you providing a narrow yet effecting promotional service until you are capable of taking your agency to the next level.

There are plenty of niche marketing markets for you to tap into, eight of which include:

  1. Digital marketing
  2. Outbound or inbound marketing
  3. Content marketing
  4. Social media marketing
  5. Voice marketing
  6. Email marketing
  7. Influencer marketing
  8. Word-of-mouth marketing

Embrace white label SEO
If you choose to go down the digital marketing route in your expansion endeavor, you should seriously consider embracing white label SEO. This will allow you to expand your web-based advertising initiative without draining your time, effort, money, or resources.

To ensure that you receive a substantial ROI from white label SEO, it’s recommended that you partner up with a reputable reseller such as Click Intelligence Canada. This industry authority will help you to generate a new source of revenue, they will offer SEO solutions tailored around your specific expertise, and they will provide a cost-effective platform for your agency’s growth. Ultimately, this level of assistance will allow you to focus on what truly matters — your company’s ongoing scalability.

Simplify your project management
The way in which you manage your projects will have a profound effect on your marketing agency’s success going forward. In this instance, it’s important that you avoid overcomplicating things at all costs. This will only make life ten times harder for yourself, s it will eat away at both your time and effort. Ultimately, this will decrease the likelihood of you meeting your crucial advertising campaign deadlines.

When attempting to simplify your project management process, your first port of call should be to prioritize your daily tasks by level of importance. This will help you to screen out unimportant tasks and subsequently aid you in your attempt to focus on critical marketing matters.

Are you determined to take your marketing agency to the next level in 2022? If so, be sure to heed the growth and development advice laid out above. Home in on a niche market, embrace white label SEO, and simplify your project management — do all of that, and you’ll be scaling the lofty heights of your niche industry sooner rather than later.

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Professional Development

Ergonomic Home Office- Choosing The Best Furniture Pieces

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BY ELLA BRAUN

The COVID crisis has brought a sudden transition for the world, particularly in the form of the work from the home switch. The biggest challenge, however, is that most of us are not equipped with a proper working area at home. Like everyone else, you would also want to have a dedicated office space that makes you feel productive. When it comes to creating such a home office, comfort is important. After all, you cannot expect to do your best in the workspace if you are not comfortable enough. If you are planning to create an ergonomic home office, choosing the right furniture pieces matters the most. Here are some tips to pick the best ones.

Assess the available space
Even before you start preparing a wishlist of furniture pieces, assess the available area. Not everyone has a spare room for creating a dedicated office, so space struggles are more real than you think. Measure the area and consider the essential pieces you would want to fit in. You may have to differentiate between needs and wants and skip some things if there isn’t enough room.

Consider the work hours
From the ergonomic perspective, it is important to consider the number of hours you would be working every day. For example, you can give precedence to style if you plan to use the home office for only a few hours in a day. However, comfort is absolutely essential if you have long working hours. You may even consider having a standing work desk apart from the sitting arrangement to prevent the ill-effects of prolonged sitting.

Have a budget to start with
Right now, you may be pressed for cash but a proper workspace is something that you can’t do without. Having a budget before you start shopping is a good idea. You may even look for deals like an IKEA flyer or coupon online to fit the best-branded furniture in your budget. Quality is vital when it comes to ergonomics because good brands go the extra mile to create designs that are easy on the body.

Choose pieces that fit you
If comfort is your top priority while picking furniture for your work area, you need to go the extra mile to find pieces that actually fit your body. Consider proportioned height for your chair and table if you are too tall or too short. Exploring and trying before buying is a great idea. Of course, your office furniture should look great but ease is something that you cannot ignore.

Don’t forget your personal style
Even as you look for pieces that are comfortable, don’t forget your personal style. Also, make sure that it blends with your home decor, particularly when you are creating a workspace in your living room or bedroom. Consider the aesthetic elements such as colour and design. At the same time, invest in durability and quality as well.

Although creating a home office can be easy, you need to be extra sure about ergonomics. After all, an easy space makes you feel more productive and keeps you healthy as well.

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