Strictly Business

“Bringing Your Business to Life,” a new book co-authored by our very own Dr. Jeff Cornwall (director for Belmont’s Center for Entrepreneurship), is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com. The book has already received excellent reviews and is sure to be a great read.

Also of note, Dr. Cornwall’s weekly column for The Tennessean was recently referenced in an online U.S. News and World Report article about choosing a business partner. You can find Dr. Cornwall’s full column, which includes a list of issues you should discuss with potential business partners, here.

Be sure to check out Dr. Cornwall’s blog, The Entrepreneurial Mind, if you haven’t already!

Posted by Jocelyn Gutekunst at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The top winner at this year’s Cannes International Advertising Festival was an interactive campaign for Uniqlo, a Japanese clothing retailer. The Titanium Grand Prix award went to Projector Tokyo, a 4-year-old production boutique, for its creative work.

According to the story from Portfolio.com, “The Projector’s creative director, Koichiro Tanaka, said the challenge was to create a relevant, portable experience. The result combines user-generated media and the Uniqlo website with a nonstop fusion of dance, sound, and viral video. It's available via product catalogs, screensavers, ringtone downloads, and customizable T-shirts. There isn't a single 30-second TV spot to be found.” The clean, quirky site is fun to explore and, more importantly, helped increase sales for the retailer.

Accolades for this and other viral campaigns highlight the transition from traditional mass advertising to more interactive efforts to engage consumers. The ability to inform and entertain in messaging is essential.

Posted by Jocelyn Gutekunst at 04:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new business chamber is forming in Tennessee — the TN Christian Chamber of Commerce. Its mission: to support the economic and spiritual growth of its members by providing networking, professional and spiritual development and community-building opportunities to affect change and make an impact for Jesus Christ in the marketplace.

Last month, I attended the “Faith in the Boardroom” kick-off event, featuring Apprentice Finalist Roxanne Wilson, and was encouraged by the presence of several local business leaders determined to live out their faith in their professions. Roxanne and Celeste LaReau, Executive Director for the TN Christian Chamber of Commerce, shared powerful testimonies that both challenged and inspired.

The TN Christian Chamber of Commerce has a few upcoming events scheduled, including a full-day seminar developed by “The One Minute Manager” and “Lead Like Jesus” author Ken Blanchard that will take place on August 1st at Belmont University. You may e-mail Celeste (celeste@tennesseechristianchamber.org) for more information.

Posted by Jocelyn Gutekunst at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I want to take a few moments to give credit to who many perceive to be the brand powerhouse for today —Apple. Apple has done an impressive job of anticipating trends and staying ahead of the curve. The brand consistently delivers on performance and design and has successfully positioned itself as the “cool” brand to have. Through their gateway product, the iPod, they’ve given many of us byte-size chunks of what they have to offer — form and functionality. If you don’t have an iPhone, chances are you want one.

“The Mac in the Gray Flannel Suit” article in one of last month’s BusinessWeek magazines highlighted the new demand for Macs in the corporate setting. While there are some disadvantages to consider in such a transition (mainly “Apple’s secretive culture,” price-points and lack of corporate sales and support staff), five factors were recognized for fueling this transition: consumer clout, snazzy software, web computing, the Vista debacle and recruitment. While I am still staring into a PC, there may soon come a day when an Apple might be looking back at me.

I can only wonder what Apple has in store for us next.

Posted by Jocelyn Gutekunst at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The latest buzz in resource conservation involves the switch to a four-day work week. While schedule flexibility is not a new concept, it is gaining more attention as managers look for alternative rewards to give in place of bonuses. With gas prices around $4/gallon, a shorter work week could certainly be beneficial.

But will it work? Concerns about employee productivity at the end of a 10-hour day are worth weighing, as is the need to respond quickly to client requests and market demands. For example, it probably won’t work for an ad agency already pushing its employees to contribute long days to meet tight deadlines. On the other hand, an extra day away from the office could enhance the level of commitment and creativity expressed inside.

If successful operations won’t accommodate occasional telecommuting, flex hours or switching to a four-day work week, it is important to continue looking for other creative ways to offer positive reinforcement and ongoing appreciation. The perception of whether management “cares” or not can make a huge impact on employee morale.

Posted by Jocelyn Gutekunst at 02:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)