Seen in the Press

March 2018 was a lousy time to be a Facebook executive. As the Cambridge Anaytica data fiasco unfolded, the world held the social media giant under a microscope.

You might run an online company, but don’t assume that means you can skirt your customer service duties. Offline word-of-mouth can be more powerful — and profitable — than all the Google ads in the world. Just ask Expedia.

Gifting isn’t a new concept, but a recent Bloomberg article highlighted just how effective the strategy remains. According to Bloomberg, businesses in Japan spend hundreds of dollars per arrangement on exotic orchids. They present these beautiful plants to one another not only because gifting is a cultural custom, but because it makes a strong connection between the giver and receiver.

Richard Branson represents the best-case scenario for most entrepreneurs dreaming of becoming society’s next billionaire CEO at a thriving company.

Those at the top didn’t get there overnight, however. They faced the same struggles as you have, the same as the rest of the entrepreneurial crowd.

Do you think of philanthropy as a worthy obligation or an opportunity for investment? For many business leaders, it’s the latter. They’re happy to write checks, but that’s where their philanthropy ends. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is different: He may be poised to take his philanthropic deeds to the next level.

As the world becomes increasingly connected, many executives are considering moves into the global marketplace. That can be a daunting thought, as many moving parts are involved in such a change.

Picture someone in your life who shares your sense of humor. What adjectives other than “funny” would you use to describe him or her? Undoubtedly, you’d choose words with positive associations, at least to you: quirky, sarcastic, subtle, witty.

Lies. Cheating. Stealing. All are heralded as the way to millions in the Netflix series Girlboss. Although the network peddles the story of Sophia Amoruso’s climb to the top as a comedy, it should be touted as a modern morality play about being a selfish jerk.

Creating strong relationships in business is vital to keeping projects alive, and it can sometimes be tough. But growing a network can also be as easy as a gesture of goodwill.

Money no longer rules where talent will end up, a fact evidenced by news anchor Megyn Kelly’s highly publicized exodus this past January from Fox News to NBC.

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and you might want to consider that day of flowers and chocolates as a gift-giving opportunity — not just for your sweetheart but for your business clients.

Entrepreneurs attempting to make good impressions often falsely assume what networking contacts would like. To find out, they sometimes use the “catering” strategy — steering conversations or opportunities toward the other person’s interests — at meetings and in gift-giving situations.

When Xiaomi launched its Mi Max phone in India over the summer, it warmed up the crowd with a little gift. Event organizers handed out free T-shirts, and the swag was a hit — until the supply ran out. Those who hadn’t received shirts were irate and refused to calm down until the New Delhi police intervened.

Everyone likes to feel appreciated. Many companies try to harness that feeling — especially now, during the run-up to the end of the year and the holiday season. That’s why so many companies use gifts to incentivize their teams.

When building partnerships with other businesses, most entrepreneurs naturally target the C-suite leaders first. That’s understandable: CEOs, after all, are the decision-makers, so naturally you and every other entrepreneur is going to clamor for a meeting with the top brass.

Referrals and gifts are huge in business, but they’re often handled in all the wrong ways. Attempts to elicit referrals sometimes seem forced or in poor taste and can do more harm than good.

When you pull up to the headquarters of a Fortune 500 company to make a pitch, you may feel a twinge of panic. That’s completely normal; after all, landing this sale could be a big win for your company. The budget for just one of its side projects could cover your payroll for the year.

When I was first getting started in business, I regularly struck out. I sold knives to companies as gifts, and while I closed my first corporate sale within two weeks, it was to my girlfriend’s father — the sale didn’t feel like it really counted.

You’ve handpicked the perfect gift. You’ve written a thoughtful note. You’ve presented it to the client — only to see your generosity rejected.

While growing your startup, metrics serve as your markers for success. When you can command a sizable market share, you know you’ve made it. Right?

In the business world, gift-giving provides incredible intrinsic and financial rewards. But finding the perfect gift takes a considerable amount of thought — even for those of us who develop gifting plans for a living.

For all the innovation most companies preach about in board meetings, they sure do find a way to fit in during trade shows. You’ve seen the standard approach: a company buys the biggest booth it can afford, gets its logo printed on some trinket and sets up dinner with a key client at a local steak house.