Baylor University Business Review

Is it possible to make a living and follow our passions at the same time? In this episode of the Business Review, Christine McAlister explains how to be a successful entrepreneur by doing what we love.

Modern technology has changed the way we live — but there can be a downside. In this episode of the Business Review, Amy Blankson shows us how to not just survive, but thrive, in the digital age.

Some of the greatest adventures can be found in the most unexpected places. In this episode of the Business Review, the CEO of restaurant chain Shake Shack, Randy Garutti, shares his recipe for success.

The Information Age has connected people like never before. In this episode of the Business Review, networking expert Kelly Hoey shows how we can use our social connections to create more meaningful relationships — and in the process find greater opportunities for success.

Every business needs a dream team, and according to executive recruiter David Perry, the secret to hiring the best talent is just knowing where to look.

After decades of discriminatory and patronizing marketing toward women from the largest firms and the biggest brands, Kristi Faulkner, president of the New York ad agency WomenKind, was determined to shake up the status quo.

Finding the right person to fill a position at one of the of the world’s top ten most innovative companies can be difficult. According to Shabnam Mogharabi, CEO of Soul Pancake, it’s more than just skills on a resume.

As a young medical student, Zoi Maroudas noticed the critical relationship between nutrition and health. Nutrition soon became her passion and gave her an idea for a unique niche – creating healthy, tasty meals... for babies.

Product research and development can take years. But what if the timeline could be accelerated? According to Dr. Greg Leman, accelerated commercialization can save small businesses a lot of time and money.

Patrick Finnegan is one of the most sought-after experts on Gen Z. The young entrepreneur advises big brands on how to effectively reach his peers – those born after 1995, who are fast-paced, tech savvy and heavily influenced by social media.

Older workers often find it difficult to re-enter the workforce. Despite their experience, maturity and prior career training, many feel cast aside in favor of younger workers. Inspired by the movie “The Intern,” New-York-based publicists Gwen Wunderlich and Dara Kaplan saw a burgeoning need and were determined to help.

Senior staff author of Lynda.com at LinkedIn, John McWade, says there are two approaches to design – left or right brain.

As director of LAUNCH, an innovative business accelerator, Greg Leman says a great idea needs to be concise enough to fit on a cocktail napkin.

Social media is now the number one way consumers reach out for customer service. Social media strategist Nicolle Soto specializes in helping small businesses engage with consumers online.

New research shows taking short breaks during the work day boosts energy, productivity and job satisfaction.

Sleek, high tech and affordable micro housing in downtown metro areas is poised to disrupt the urban housing market, which hasn't seen change in over 150 years.

Asking "why" can uncover new industries right under your nose, and also be the key to innovation and success.

From the warehouse to the C-suite, seeing all employees as valuable and deserving of respect builds trust, and positively impacts customer service too. For one startup's CEO, investing in the company's employees has lead to ingenious benefits.

Patrick Gage, co-chair of the Nexus Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Working Group, says businesses have a moral imperative to see employees as more than a commodity sourced at cheap cost. He knows firsthand the rewards of due diligence in supply chain transparency.

Patrick Gage, co-chair of the Nexus Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Working Group, encourages consumers to use their buying power to prompt good habits in the corporate community.

Luke Sherwin, co-founder and chief creative officer of online mattress startup, Caspar, knows genuine stories build a strong bond of trust with customers.

"Word of mouth with a modern twist." That’s how Luke Sherwin, co-founder and chief creative officer of the mattress startup, Caspar, describes the company's foundation for marketing.

Kyle Ballarta, founder and CEO of Falkon Ventrues, sees many similarities in art and entrepreneurship. Ballarta graduated from some of the most prestigious performing arts institutes to pursue a career as a professional trumpet player. When a serious injury to his lungs ended his dream, he transposed his focus to business.

Founder and CEO of Falkon Ventures Kyle Ballarta, uses biology as a model to help design an improved, sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem. Ballarta says you can have both purpose and profits, resulting in a win-win for everyone involved – the entrepreneur, the investor and the community.

Diana Mao, president of Nomi Network, is part of an elite group of Presidential Leadership Scholars. Established and taught by U.S. presidents Clinton and Bush, the program is designed to develop the skills of leaders from varied background. The scholars’ common thread is a commitment to helping solve society’s greatest challenges.

Wall Street Journal investment management expert Bill Reichenstein says, somewhere around the age of 50, it gets more difficult for Americans to find full-time employment. It often comes down to being over qualified.

One of the most common misquotes attributed to Benjamin Franklin is “A penny saved is a penny earned.” It’s close, but it’s not Franklin. Franklin is best known as one of the foremost founders of a new nation. He helped define the American spirit through his wit and wisdom. Nationally recognized scholar on his business practices, Dr. Blaine McCormick, says Franklin is often misquoted.

Jim Ryan of Merrill Lynch explains that you don’t have to sacrifice performance by bringing your values into your portfolio. Social impact bonds are being offered in the marketplace, often referred to as “pay for success” securities.

Jim Ryan, managing director at Merrill Lynch at the the private banking and investment group in New York City, says investors today are demanding more from their portfolio. He says institutional investors have a greater responsibility to ensure that their own investments reflect their underlying ministry or mission.

Companies today compete as a supply chain. All it takes is a failure of just one supplier in the chain to cause the whole company to come under scrutiny. Diana Mao, president of Nomi Network, says a company has an obligation to ensure responsible practice in supply chains beyond the first tier.

Using a company’s profits to do good in the world has increasingly become the key to winning over consumers. From the very beginning, fashion pioneer Kenneth Cole has leveraged his platform to help catalyze social change. Amanda Cole, social impact strategist at Kenneth Cole, talks about “look good, for good.”

Ruben Cantu, founder and CEO of Core Media Strategies, pairs investors with start-ups that have high potential. He knows what separates an A-team from a B-team, and the type of prime players investors are looking for.

Pitchfest competitions have become quite popular with entrepreneurs seeking financing. Ruben Cantu, founder and CEO of Core Media Strategies, shares his top five tips when presenting ideas to investors, in order to nail a pitch.

Leadership expert Dan Rockwell says culture building helps to attract and retain the kind of people who will fulfill a company’s mission. He says some industries, such as banking, government and education, can be slower to change culture. He advises to start small, with a division, a team, or an office. And remember, a “great place to work” is often determined by what is tolerated on the job. For example, management allowing rudeness in a meeting, or allowing a great performer to break the rules.

Research indicates that an employee’s repeated exposure to violations of moral principle can have a large impact on their personal life. Witnessing customers returning clothing they’ve worn, or abusing assistance programs, for example, leave employees depleted of energy to perform well at work, as well as causing friction with co-workers and their family at home.

Research indicates that if you want to eat healthy, but have a low degree of self-control, don’t avoid all of those unhealthy items you love. Instead, approach them as treats and consume them in moderation.

From sending pictures of food on Snapchat, to “checking in” on Facebook, phone snubbing – or “phubbing” – can weaken a relationship, according to one professor’s research. Her advice? Establish mobile phone boundaries with your partner.

Ted Waldron offers a three-part formula for a successful start-up: Don’t try to go head-to-head with the major player in a market segment, provide a complimentary offering that extends or supplements a major competitor’s position, and wait for fragmentation in the supply chain.

There are some potential dangers to corporate social responsibility. Blaine McCormick provides perspectives from the consumer, the target of the philanthropy, and the shareholders.

Jason MacGregor took a closer look at the effect filing times have on the quality of audits. What he found is a bit counter intuitive.

It was an early fascination with the Enron scandal that sparked Amy Miller’s research on how likely someone will blow the whistle on someone else’s wrongdoing.

How do activist organizations get companies to do what they want? What factors should a company take into consideration before responding to activists? Ted Waldron provides insights from his research on the topic.

New business ideas are being pitched in an unconventional setting that may come as a surprise to some. MBA students are going to jail to help inmates develop business plans.

More than most disciplines, the world of finance operates using a core of playful language. The industry’s terminology conveys the imagination required to address the financial challenges of daily life.

There’s been a disconnect between job performance evaluations and what firms want employees to achieve. An organization’s evaluation system impacts their workers’ behavior.

Angel investors “fill the gap” in funding young companies, with family and friends on one end and traditional venture capital on the other.

There are hundreds of “angel groups” across the U.S. and around the world. What are they looking for when considering where to invest?”

Entrepreneur Kevin Rustagi says the people who survive, even thrive, in the start-up world, all tend to be “hard-wired” the same. He says gritty people have deeply thought out, long-term goals and a “stick-to-it-ive-ness.”

How do certain people achieve such great things? What really separates people who really seem to have an almost other-worldly level of commitment to their ideas? Entrepreneur Kevin Rustagi says some people have a kind of “energy about them” to create new things… and a lot of staying power has to do with grit.

According to Cindy Riemenschneider, professor of information systems, there are a number of challenges for women in IT today. Barriers stem from the fact that so few women are in the higher levels of organizations to begin with. In addition, the way work-family balance is viewed is still gender biased.

Professor of information systems, Cindy Riemenschneider, says studying overseas gives students a leg up on their resume and opens the door for internships abroad. “It offers opportunities for students that there is no way to replicate that in a classroom. It opens their eyes to see that there are many different ways that people do things that are not like the United States. Their philosophy with regard to work is very different."