Podcasts about kimberli lewis

Understanding the power of team habits and how they can drive Team success is essential in today's fast-paced business landscape. Optimizing team performance is crucial for seasoned leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs alike. That's why we delve into the latest trends, strategies, and real-world examples to help you create a thriving and collaborative team culture. From fostering open communication to cultivating a growth mindset, we uncover practical insights that empower you to unlock the full potential of your team. By focusing on common goals and developing effective habits, you can lead your team towards success and achieve remarkable results. Listen to this episode that speaks with an expert about Team Habits and how to create a Team Habit roadmap for your team.

Understanding the power of team habits and how they can drive Team success is essential in today's fast-paced business landscape. Optimizing team performance is crucial for seasoned leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs alike. That's why we delve into the latest trends, strategies, and real-world examples to help you create a thriving and collaborative team culture. From fostering open communication to cultivating a growth mindset, we uncover practical insights that empower you to unlock the full potential of your team. By focusing on common goals and developing effective habits, you can lead your team towards success and achieve remarkable results. Listen to this episode that speaks with an expert about Team Habits and how to create a Team Habit roadmap for your team.

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, we must rethink strategy development. Traditional methods no longer suffice in a dynamic world fueled by technological advancements and shifting consumer demands. We unlock innovation, growth, and success opportunities by embracing a fresh perspective. Rethinking strategy development fosters adaptability and resilience, enabling us to navigate uncertainties and seize emerging trends. Our guest in this episode has redesigned how organizations traditionally approach strategy. He encourages organizations to find new ways to understand their evolving needs, preferences, and markets.

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, we must rethink strategy development. Traditional methods no longer suffice in a dynamic world fueled by technological advancements and shifting consumer demands. We unlock innovation, growth, and success opportunities by embracing a fresh perspective. Rethinking strategy development fosters adaptability and resilience, enabling us to navigate uncertainties and seize emerging trends. Our guest in this episode has redesigned how organizations traditionally approach strategy. He encourages organizations to find new ways to understand their evolving needs, preferences, and markets.

Leadership books are abundant online, in bookstores, and in libraries, numbering in the hundreds or even thousands. As leaders, we may seek out a few to broaden our perspectives, but there is another way to improve our leadership skills—looking to history. The best leaders learn from others by studying the successes and failures of past and present leaders and reflecting on what they can learn from them. By combining personal experience with this knowledge, one can develop exceptional leadership qualities. In this episode, we will examine great military and political leaders throughout history, focusing on understanding what we can learn from them and how we can apply their lessons to our leadership skills today.

Leadership books are abundant online, in bookstores, and in libraries, numbering in the hundreds or even thousands. As leaders, we may seek out a few to broaden our perspectives, but there is another way to improve our leadership skills—looking to history. The best leaders learn from others by studying the successes and failures of past and present leaders and reflecting on what they can learn from them. By combining personal experience with this knowledge, one can develop exceptional leadership qualities. In this episode, we will examine great military and political leaders throughout history, focusing on understanding what we can learn from them and how we can apply their lessons to our leadership skills today.

In this episode, we explore the impact of the global pandemic on the workplace, with a particular focus on remote workforces. While only 6% of people worked from home before the pandemic, this number rose to 35% in May 2020 and is now at around 38%. Despite this increase, 44% of companies still do not allow remote work. We examine the benefits and challenges of remote workforces and discuss strategies for managing them effectively. Our goal is to provide insights into the future of work, shaped by various changes affecting the workplace and the dimensions of organizations.

In this episode, we explore the impact of the global pandemic on the workplace, with a particular focus on remote workforces. While only 6% of people worked from home before the pandemic, this number rose to 35% in May 2020 and is now at around 38%. Despite this increase, 44% of companies still do not allow remote work. We examine the benefits and challenges of remote workforces and discuss strategies for managing them effectively. Our goal is to provide insights into the future of work, shaped by various changes affecting the workplace and the dimensions of organizations.

The famous management Guru Peter Drucker said, Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Intuitively we know this; we know a strong culture is needed for a company's overall health, competitiveness, and profitability, but sometimes culture takes a back seat to profits and strategy. And today, in 2023, culture is even more critical than before companies try to find talent; Today's employees seek out companies that they feel are worthy of their talent and pay much attention to culture when doing this. In this episode, we speak with an expert in corporate culture and discuss the kind of culture companies must develop to be competitive and attract and retain talent in 2023.

The famous management Guru Peter Drucker said, Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Intuitively we know this; we know a strong culture is needed for a company's overall health, competitiveness, and profitability, but sometimes culture takes a back seat to profits and strategy. And today, in 2023, culture is even more critical than before companies try to find talent; Today's employees seek out companies that they feel are worthy of their talent and pay much attention to culture when doing this. In this episode, we speak with an expert in corporate culture and discuss the kind of culture companies must develop to be competitive and attract and retain talent in 2023.

Leadership expert Chris Pearse used an analogy in his Forbes article in 2018 on “Leadership in Crisis” This analogy made us think about leadership. It brought to light the mistake we often make in leadership today. Although not in exact words, he said if you want to grow a pumpkin, you need four elements, earth, water, sun, and a seed. While growing that pumpkin, your focus is on those elements, not the pumpkin. With the right focus, result will be a great pumpkin. In leadership, most of the time, the focus is on the results like share prices and profit, not on the elements that create them. Unfortunately, this end focus distracts us from the aspects of good leadership, resulting in a challenge. How do we promote good leadership in this profit-oriented world? How do we encourage good leadership practices, and how do we recognize talent when we see it? Our guest in this show has taken a good look at leadership dynamics and how to recognize the attributes of exemplary leadership

Leadership expert Chris Pearse used an analogy in his Forbes article in 2018 on “Leadership in Crisis” This analogy made us think about leadership. It brought to light the mistake we often make in leadership today. Although not in exact words, he said if you want to grow a pumpkin, you need four elements, earth, water, sun, and a seed. While growing that pumpkin, your focus is on those elements, not the pumpkin. With the right focus, result will be a great pumpkin. In leadership, most of the time, the focus is on the results like share prices and profit, not on the elements that create them. Unfortunately, this end focus distracts us from the aspects of good leadership, resulting in a challenge. How do we promote good leadership in this profit-oriented world? How do we encourage good leadership practices, and how do we recognize talent when we see it? Our guest in this show has taken a good look at leadership dynamics and how to recognize the attributes of exemplary leadership

Broadcasting is challenging and competitive, but it can be gratifying and fulfilling. It has also changed drastically over the last 25 years. Technology has made media more accessible and widened coverage, regardless if it is sports or news. The people have also changed. Today broadcasting is accessible to almost everyone. From podcasters to influencers to reality TV, media is not what it was years ago. In this episode, we speak with a 25-year broadcasting veteran and award-winning camera operator. He talks about what has changed and will change in the future.

Broadcasting is challenging and competitive, but it can be gratifying and fulfilling. It has also changed drastically over the last 25 years. Technology has made media more accessible and widened coverage, regardless if it is sports or news. The people have also changed. Today broadcasting is accessible to almost everyone. From podcasters to influencers to reality TV, media is not what it was years ago. In this episode, we speak with a 25-year broadcasting veteran and award-winning camera operator. He talks about what has changed and will change in the future.

In this episode, we bring back a distinguished guest, not for a reportage of what is happening in Ukraine; we see the horrendous destruction every evening when we turn on the television. Instead, our interview talks about the motives behind the Russian attack and how history plays a role in today's conflict. We talked with an expert who is a retired Colonel from the US Army and an author, leadership expert, and a historian. This interview brings to light some things the average person may not have thought of or maybe has forgotten. This episode is insightful and informative.

In this episode, we bring back a distinguished guest, not for a reportage of what is happening in Ukraine; we see the horrendous destruction every evening when we turn on the television. Instead, our interview talks about the motives behind the Russian attack and how history plays a role in today's conflict. We talked with an expert who is a retired Colonel from the US Army and an author, leadership expert, and a historian. This interview brings to light some things the average person may not have thought of or maybe has forgotten. This episode is insightful and informative.

In the wake of significant social and political incidents, the emergence of a world economy, a changing workforce, and the focuses on “inclusivity: many companies are taking steps to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through corporate programs. Yet, progress in most sectors remains slow because many of them do not change systems. Many times, HR staff often leads programs that do not really understand what DEI is or measure it by numbers thinking that numbers alone will change systems. Other times, leaders initiate programs they believe are fashionable or legally correct, but they delegate them downward and remain unengaged. Leaders and organizations find it challenging to focus on DEI solutions, and there is no silver bullet, no single solution. Yet, pushing ourselves to think outside the box and draw on the best empirical evidence that exists helps. We also must focus on systems. Our guest in this episode talks about what we have to do to get DEI right.

Many people do not like the term “Feminism”, but Feminism was the backbone of the women's suffrage movement. In August 1920, because of Feminism, women won the right to political equality. But what has happened since 1920? Sure we have made some progress, but we have not moved the needle very far. Social, economic, employment and other types of equality have only made baby steps since 1920, and the question is why? We have equal employment laws that try to protect us once we are in a position, but doors are still closed on many opportunities. This is why we need to focus on changing systems and opening more opportunities to everyone. It is about opening markets, industries and companies to women and allowing women the opportunity to move ahead. Our guest in this episode has given a lot of thought to how we can change systems. She has looked at where we are today, why we are here and what we can do to move the needle in the right direction.

A lot has happened in leadership since 2020. The workplace has changed, the general public has become more anxious and frustrated as lockdowns, and border restrictions continue. The roller coaster of heading back to the office only to be sent home to a virtual office two months later makes leadership challenging. Workers are frustrated in many jobs, such as in the travel and gastronomy industry because many customers are just plain old grumpy. So, what kind of leadership do we need to get through this all? In this episode, Kimberli Lewis has a conversation with Audrey Cavenecia, co-producer of Amplify Voices, about how leadership is transitioning and what leaders need to do in 2022, as the new normal in the workplace continues to form.

In the wake of significant social and political incidents, the emergence of a world economy, a changing workforce, and the focuses on “inclusivity: many companies are taking steps to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through corporate programs. Yet, progress in most sectors remains slow because many of them do not change systems. Many times, HR staff often leads programs that do not really understand what DEI is or measure it by numbers thinking that numbers alone will change systems. Other times, leaders initiate programs they believe are fashionable or legally correct, but they delegate them downward and remain unengaged. Leaders and organizations find it challenging to focus on DEI solutions, and there is no silver bullet, no single solution. Yet, pushing ourselves to think outside the box and draw on the best empirical evidence that exists helps. We also must focus on systems. Our guest in this episode talks about what we have to do to get DEI right.

Many people do not like the term “Feminism”, but Feminism was the backbone of the women's suffrage movement. In August 1920, because of Feminism, women won the right to political equality. But what has happened since 1920? Sure we have made some progress, but we have not moved the needle very far. Social, economic, employment and other types of equality have only made baby steps since 1920, and the question is why? We have equal employment laws that try to protect us once we are in a position, but doors are still closed on many opportunities. This is why we need to focus on changing systems and opening more opportunities to everyone. It is about opening markets, industries and companies to women and allowing women the opportunity to move ahead. Our guest in this episode has given a lot of thought to how we can change systems. She has looked at where we are today, why we are here and what we can do to move the needle in the right direction.

There are a lot of leadership lessons you can learn from military actions. However, in 2021, one military action proved things could go completely wrong and were highly unlikely to end positively. This was the withdraw of troops from Afghanistan. In World War II, they used the slang a total “Goat-Fuck” to describe a situation similar to this. But instead blame and criticism, let's look at what we can learn from the mistakes made. What leadership lessons we can learn from the situation so we do not make the same mistakes again. Let's also look at how those leadership lessons transition into the business world. In this episode, we use Afghanistan as an example for examining the critical leadership steps that need to be taken to forge success instead of failure.

We all have a roadmap that guides us through our work life and our personal lives, and as David Nour says, it's not about balance it's about blending But our maps are not linear, as life is not linear and there are many forces that influence us. Last week ( July 13 episode Leadership Beyond Borders ), with spoke with leadership advisor and author David Nour about his new book Curve Benders. We talked a lot about personal and professional growth, transitions rather than transactions, work-life bending and relationship blending. In this episode, Part ll, we will dig a little deeper and talk about the 15 forces that impact our life's journey and the seven steps in Curve Benders.

Truly successful individuals and leaders recognize that they cannot always have the answer themselves and that it is unrealistic for any one person to be the expert on everything. Truly great leaders, though, understand that they may not have to be the answer themselves. They merely need to be the catalyst for others to generate the answers, as well as to create a safe culture and environment for such energies to come forth. This quote from Dr Jeffrey Magee, author of The Managerial Leadership Bible: Learning the Strategic, Organizational, and Tactical Skills Everyone Needs Today, gives an insight into this episode. In this episode, we explore key leadership issues that can make or break a company from ensuring the company's mission statement cascades through the organization to how to foster change. Dr Magee gives us significant bits of advice about managing a company, an organization, and even managing ourselves.

Change is inevitable, it is sometimes in our control and is deliberate and predicted and sometimes it is out of our control. Sometimes there are slight changes and sometimes we face changes of magnitude like we all faced over the last 18 months. But as leaders how we deal with change will be reflected in how our employees will deal with it. Our approaches, reactions and attitudes and either lead people to change or have them resisting it. In this episode we talk about some of the levers we can use to best implement change while getting everyone on board the train. Our guest on this show is an expert in the area of change.

There used to be two forms of marketing; online marketing and offline marketing and then the explosion in digital happened and now there are now more than 41 different types of marketing happening on numerous platforms. Because of all these options, it becomes confusing for companies when they begin to build a marketing strategy. Developing an effective marketing strategy takes time and expertise and sometimes businesses just do not know how. But there are essential elements that need to be in a marketing strategy and this episode talks about the options available and how to make the best marketing channel choices for your business.

Today's business leaders face several challenges, and they all did not just start with the pandemic, but they are not alone. For hundreds of years, our military leaders have been facing challenges even more significant than those we face today. So the question we pose in this episode, what can we learn from our military leaders. In Part 3 of this three-part series, we look at history and one of the US's most important Civil War battles, Gettysburg. We use this battle to teach us some essential leadership lessons that can benefit you as a leader today.

For the last two decades, there has been a shift in how we hire and retain employees. This shift primarily began with the entrance of the millenniums into the workforce and then there was another shift as Gen Z made their appearance. At the same time, technology in the workplace has allowed organizations to reimagine the way they work and manage talent. One of the most impactful changes has been how technology allows companies to screen and hire employees no matter where they are located. It also allows employees to collaborate from different locations and time zones. And although this all started a few years ago, we were pushed into fast-forward when COVID hit the world. Companies had to hire and manage virtually. They had to use the technology available, and processes had to be adjusted. In this episode we explore the best practices for hiring, retaining and engaging employees in during the pandemic and not only in middle size companies but also in SMBs

In ancient times the ability to memorize was a considered a magical skill --sometimes even thought of as mystical and it was essential to the passing down of stories, legends, history, and taboos and laws. It was used as a basis for social and economic development. Today, the Internet seems to be making memorization irrelevant. What we don't remember, we look up. Many schools have also generally abandoned requiring students to memorize poems, famous speeches, math tables, and all sorts of academic material that used to be ingrained in the curriculum. The question is -Is technology making us mentally lazy and if so how does that affect us in our business and private lives?' Memorization is a discipline of the mind and our guest on this episode believes we should exercise our memory more than we do. After 8 months of virtual working we are repeating this interview to exercise our brains.

COVID will be remembered as a time of tremendous upheaval and change. One that extends across industries and economies, as well as social and political structures and the impact, will be felt for at least a decade if not a generation or more. COVID has changed how we communicate, how we behave and also how we consume. If you have to point to one phenomenon that characterizes the COVID-consumer experience, it's e-commerce. Online shopping grew in the US and Europe by triple digits during the lockdown periods, as people were compelled to shop online. But what kind of impact is this having on the local economy? Will these current trends be the foundation for consumer behavior in the future? In this episode we look at this new consumer behaviour, what kind of impact it is having on local businesses, retail and brands, as well as how they are and should be preparing themselves for the future.

Over the last months we have sometimes witnessed the clashes of values and beliefs and many of them have revolved around our views concerning gender and roles. I heard an interview from a US voter, who clearly said that women do not belong in the White House, while at the same time political discussions concerning wage equality, the validity Roe vs Wade and many other gender issues are always in the media. But it seems that most of the discussions revolve around women, leaving the question, what is happening to men in today's world? Gender roles have shifted both at work and in the home, and expectations of both genders is shifting as our values and understanding catch up with the times. In this episode, we explore what is happening with men. What are they facing in this shifting world, and will masculinity be newly defined?

Business has certainly changed, today we are facing new challenge and new opportunities but even in the midst of this crisis business and negotiations must go on. We are operating in highly unusual and disrupted commercial environment today, therefore even the location of negotiations has changed, they may not be happening in the board room today but on virtual platforms. But no matter where discussions and negotiations are taking place and under what conditions and what altered business practices we have ; the principle of the negotiation process has not changed. Our circumstances may mean we are facing different kinds of discussions, negotiations, conflicts, disputes and difficult conversations today, with everyone from family members to clients and customers, but differences are still there, maybe even more prevalent than before. This is why the skill of negotiating has never been as important as it is today, and this episode helps you make the art of negotiation easier.

More now than ever we require a future perspective, which can take our discussions beyond current issues such as lockdown policies, social distancing, increasing and decreasing COVID-19 numbers, getting children back to school and everything else that occupies our minds daily. Individuals, leaders, and organizations must have a vision of what kind of world we will be facing - a month from now and or even in the next decade. In this episode, we explore the visions of some great minds. We ask if their visions are generally optimistic, seeing the pandemic as a once in a generation opportunity for positive change. Or do they believe we still have a long bumpy road ahead of us? With the co-author and one contributor, of the book: Aftershocks and Opportunities – Scenarios for a Post-Pandemic Future, we discuss some of the opinions of the noted leaders that contributed to the book. While we try to imagine what our lives will look like ten months or even ten years from now.

Business has certainly changed, today we are facing new challenge and new opportunities but even in the midst of this crisis business and negotiations must go on. We are operating in highly unusual and disrupted commercial environment today, therefore even the location of negotiations has changed, they may not be happening in the board room today but on virtual platforms. But no matter where discussions and negotiations are taking place and under what conditions and what altered business practices we have ; the principle of the negotiation process has not changed. Our circumstances may mean we are facing different kinds of discussions, negotiations, conflicts, disputes and difficult conversations today, with everyone from family members to clients and customers, but differences are still there, maybe even more prevalent than before. This is why the skill of negotiating has never been as important as it is today, and this episode helps you make the art of negotiation easier.

Everyone knows the famous expression in English: When the going gets tough, the tough get going. But many people do not like challenges, they like predictability, and when we cannot inject predictability into our lives, we sometimes get frustrated and do not know how to cope. Today live in a time where there is very little predictability. In the last 3 months many people lost jobs, we have seen borders opened and closed, we live with new rules and we do not know what is around the corner. We cannot predict anything. These are the most adverse times we have seen this century and how an individual copes really shows what that individual is made of. As humans we all know that adverse situations can make us stronger. In this episode we are going to explore why adversity can actually help us grow and how to make the best out of tough times.

More now than ever we require a future perspective, which can take our discussions beyond current issues such as lockdown policies, social distancing, increasing and decreasing COVID-19 numbers, getting children back to school and everything else that occupies our minds daily. Individuals, leaders, and organizations must have a vision of what kind of world we will be facing - a month from now and or even in the next decade. In this episode, we explore the visions of some great minds. We ask if their visions are generally optimistic, seeing the pandemic as a once in a generation opportunity for positive change. Or do they believe we still have a long bumpy road ahead of us? With the co-author and one contributor, of the book: Aftershocks and Opportunities – Scenarios for a Post-Pandemic Future, we discuss some of the opinions of the noted leaders that contributed to the book. While we try to imagine what our lives will look like ten months or even ten years from now.

Most people do not question rules because they are designed to protect the status quo and create a level playing field, but sometimes we need to bend them a little if in order to get a desired result. In the right context, this can be ok because rules are not static, they evolve and are based on the information we have at a certain time. Not to be confused with laws, which are in place to protect us, rules are very often open to interpretation, rules can be changed. Sometimes we need flexibility and we need to “think out of the box”. Our guest has studied the subject of rules and processes and has concluded that most successful people engage in what he calls “intelligent disobedience” when it comes navigating the journey to an end goal. This episode explores what intelligent disobedience is and how it can contribute to being a strong leader.

The value of a high-performing team has long been recognized. 90 percent of investors think the quality of the management team is the single most important non-financial factor when evaluating an IPO and this is why the value of high performing teams has long been recognized. Its importance is not about to diminish as digital technology reshapes the workplace. Teams look different than they did 10 years ago. They may be virtual and diverse as we focus on a global economy. The traditional type of employee contract has changed from permanent to temporary or freelance and partnerships have become more important in business. These all impact teams. These changes do not be obstacles to putting together high performing teams. Building a team is not only about finding energetic, ambitious and capable people. We are going to discuss what makes a high-performing team “click”.

Internet retailing is riding on an upward trend is due to the technologically-savvy population and growing consumerism of the middle class. The rise of omnichannel is sure to continue in 2020, especially in retail therefor retailers need to offer consistent buying regardless of channel, and one channel is internet retail. The convenience provided by online platforms, product variety, and discounts offered to act as magnets to consumers, but it is a competitive business. Building a successful start-up in this area takes real entrepreneurship and a lot of patience. When we know that 8 out of 10 start-ups fail, we have to ask ourselves what are the 2 start-ups that succeed doing right? In this episode, we speak with an entrepreneur that has not only been successful but also in the competitive market of online retail.

Now there is no debate that your professional image is important. Normally, when we think of professional image, we think about meeting or seeing someone in person, although in today's global marketplace we live in a world where contacts take place online. Images are built on social media and on professional online networks. There are many professional online networks where you can develop your professional image, but there is only one professional network that has 467 million members and that is Linkedin. With 87% of recruiters using Linkedin to find qualified candidates, this is the one place you need to portray your image and build your brand. A good Linkedin profile can propel your career forward, and if you have a profile that is not optimal you will just get lost in the crowd. This episode will give you tips on how to build a powerful Linkedin profile, what to pay attention to in your profile and how to use Linkedin to increase your future opportunities.

Women make up approximately 50% of the today's workforce in many countries and 40% worldwide, although most of these positions are in not in management. When they are in management, they are normally below the middle management level and not at the executive level. The number of women in executive positions worldwide is less than 10%. If you look at the Fortune 500 companies, the numbers are even worse, accounting for approximately only 4.2%. So, what is happening? Are women not preparing themselves correctly for executive positions? Do women not have enough opportunities? Have women not learned to play the game according to the male rules that have existed forever? With over 60% of today's university graduates being women, how can women help shift the system and change these statistics? What has to happen to the system to get more women in executive positions? This episode looks at the challenges women face today, as well the opportunities that are available.

As part of the Women in Tech Series, in this episode, we explore the impact innovation and technology is having on our businesses, our personal lives, and society in general. Today we are overwhelmed by data and new technologies, and we pose the question: Are emerging technologies positively or negatively disrupting the existing order of things? Our personal and business lives are touched by technologies such as voice-detection, suggestive searches, facial recognition and more, but where is this all going? We know autonomous cars are here, but what is next? And is all this disruptive or advancement? In this episode we talk to an expert in the area of technology and innovation and its social impact. We discuss data and the vast amounts of it we are confronted with everyday. We explore new technologies and the impact they will have on our lives, and we do this all with one of the leading Women in Tech.

People very often compare success in sports to success in business and management. This is because we can learn a lot from how athletes train and focus. When you look at high performers across all fields, whether it is a CEO or a Super Bowl quarterback these people do tend to have some common professional characteristics, personality traits, habits, lifestyles, and verbiage. But what we do not see is the mental and physical struggle that goes on and teaches high performers the disciplines that make them succeed. This is the work that goes on behind the scenes and is often a little more transparent in high performing athletes when they're tired, injured, underperform and then recover, improve, and win. Because it is more transparent in sports, than in the Board room, you can really see the traits that make successful athletes perform and learn from them. This episode looks at what managers can learn from sports in an interview with a top athlete

In this episode, we have turned the table on Kimberli J. Lewis as she is interviewed by professional writer and editor, Thornton Sully, Editor-in-Chief at A Word with You Press. Thorn talks to Kimberli about her thoughts on diversity, gender roles, life's importance and many other subjects that are both about business and some that are very personal in nature. It is a fun episode that helps you get to know the host of Leadership Beyond Borders, at a very different level while making the listener reflect on their own thoughts and opinions.

The numerous articles and blogs we read about data and technological inductions show that we are still in a transition and adjustment phase when it comes to the tools we use to search, and one of those tools that is rapidly emerging is voice search. So, are we ready for this? As users we are slowly migrating to voice search while most small and medium businesses are still struggling to optimize their online presence and not even thinking about voice search. Studies show that enterprise companies and brands are also not optimized for voice search. The biggest question is what kind of impact will these new user search preferences have on businesses. Will businesses be able to ride the wave, or will they always be playing catch-up? This episode explores online user presences and how consumer behaviour is changing and the impact on how business are being found today in our new emerging economy of choice.

Fashion has always been an important part of how people define themselves and others. It's a powerful tool of influence. First impressions are very often formed because of fashion and we are more likely to trust and even obey orders from people dressed in styles which dictate control, such as uniforms or the power suit. It has to be one of the most influential industries with secure business practices that make us follow trends, follow people, and drive us to confident choices that then define who we are. It is an industry that has taken a functional product, and made into a reflection of style, wealth, desire, and expression. It is an industry that we can learn from. Regardless if it is market segmentation, branding or logistics the fashion industry gives us lessons that we can apply to almost every other industry. This episode explores not only what business lessons we can learn from the fashion industry but we also take a look at the up and coming trends.

A Supplier Gender Diversity program is a proactive business program which encourages the use of gender neutral supply chain selection and promotes women owned businesses. This is important because women-owned business enterprises are among the fastest-growing segments in the world-wide economy. But one of the most interesting observations about the status and progress of women business ownership is that it is not always correlated to the wealth and level of development of an economy, there is a lot more to it than that and many Africa Countries are leading the way, according to the MasterCard Index of Women Entrepreneurship. But even with the growth in WOB, these businesses are having difficulty competing for corporate and government contracts and earning less than 1% of the money spent by these organizations worldwide. This episode takes a look at what women owned businesses in Africa are doing to get their piece of the pie and give some tips to women owned businesses

In ancient times the ability to memorize was a considered a magical skill --sometimes even thought of as mystical and it was essential to the passing down of stories, legends, history, and taboos and laws. It was used as a basis for social and economic development. Today, the Internet seems to be making memorization irrelevant. What we don't remember, we look up. Many schools have also generally abandoned requiring students to memorize poems, famous speeches, math tables, and all sorts of academic material that used to be ingrained in the curriculum. The question is -Is technology making us mentally lazy and if so how does that affect us in our business and private lives?' Memorization is a discipline of the mind and our guest on this episode believes we should exercise our memory more than we do. Our guest also believes that not only should we exercise our memory but he helps people learn how to do this.

Years ago, if someone had told us that a social media site would be limited to 140 characters and still be successful, none of us would have believed them. But Twitter has accomplished this. With only 140 characters, they have made social media a contextual and personal experience. But why does work so well? Experts say it is because people can get a sense of who you are on Twitter or what your business is about. It reveals what type of things you are interested in; it will suggest things you are interested in. It essentially lies at the heart of this new sharing economy and it is a global. But it does not come without controversy, and Tweets become worldwide discussions. But it can also be great for your image or your business. In this episode, we talk about the advantages of Twitter, the pitfalls that you need to avoid and the advantages that come with Tweeting.

The tech industry takes pride in changing the world of work, but it is further away from achieving gender equality than other industries. Looking at top companies, the leadership positions that women hold waver around 25 %. In school, girls get better grades than boys. So why do women not pursue technology at the university level, where technology has one of the highest gender disparities in course subjects? Is it because there is a lack of role models for women in the technology sector? As part of our Women in Technology series, we like to look at women who are role models in technology. In this episode, we not only speak to two women in technology but two women who are setting the strategy and vision for their company. Tech Strategy is one of the most demanding fields in technology, and the vision and creativity women are contributing is changing the future. Listen to these two women who tell us their story and how they think women can add to technological advance.