Evan Nison

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Misleading language impacts not only the cannabis industry but consumers and lawmakers—making it even more crucial to use accurate language.

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How will this generation change the way we work?While every generation draws on their experiences to bring something new to the table, a truly digital-native generation such as Gen Z may have a major impact on the workforce moving forward. Growing up in the internet age has helped to shape both the skills and interests of this young generation, drawing them into disruptive technologies like AI as well as key social and environmental issues such as climate change. But these interests aren’t all they have to offer. Here, nine business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council each list one trait they think Gen Z is bringing to the workforce that perhaps other generations didn't have and discuss the potential impact this may have on the current work world at large.

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When it comes to promoting your business, a well-crafted pitch can make all the difference. In the competitive landscape of public relations, understanding how to develop a good pitch for your business is essential. From telling a compelling story to leveraging effective data and statistics, the content and delivery of your pitch could help your company stand out from the countless other pitches members of the media receive every day. Below, 12 Rolling Stone Culture Council members delve into the crucial points you should keep in mind when working on public relations for your business. Here's why these elements are fundamental in capturing the interest and attention of both journalists and your target audience.

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This generation is looking to support businesses that value ethics and authenticity. Gen Z, the generation born between 1997 and 2012, has become a highly sought-after demographic for marketers due to their significant purchasing power and influence. However, effectively targeting this generation requires a different approach than previous generations, and there are some common mistakes that companies are making. Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share what companies should avoid when marketing to Gen Z and why these practices can come across as inauthentic. By understanding these mistakes, companies can create more effective marketing strategies that resonate with this influential demographic.

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From prioritizing necessary but high-cost items to leveraging technology, learn more about how to manage costs wisely while scaling your business. When it comes to scaling a business, managing finances effectively is crucial for success. As a business grows, so do its expenses, and without careful management, costs can quickly spiral out of control. But how can you keep costs under control while expanding your business? Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share expert tips and insights for managing costs wisely when scaling your business. From tracking expenses to optimizing processes and negotiating with suppliers, these strategies can help you build a sustainable business while keeping your finances in check.

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Industries are feeling the pressure to adapt to consumer demand for sustainable practices — and failing to keep up could mean losing market share. As consumer demand for eco-friendly and sustainable products and practices continues to rise, industries across the board are being forced to adapt and innovate. Companies that fail to keep up with this shift risk losing market share and falling behind the competition. As leaders in the culture space, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council see how consumer demand for sustainability is affecting cultural industries and, here, discuss some of the innovations and changes that are on the horizon. By understanding the impact of sustainability on their industry, companies can position themselves for success in a rapidly evolving market.

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From building key relationships to traditional marketing strategies, there are many low-cost ways to attract new customers. In today's highly competitive market, acquiring and retaining new customers is a top priority for any business. However, many businesses struggle with the costs associated with marketing and advertising efforts to attract new customers. Fortunately, there are low-cost strategies businesses can implement to acquire and retain new customers without breaking the bank. These strategies not only help businesses save money, but they are also highly effective in building brand awareness, increasing customer engagement and driving sales. Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share 11 low-cost strategies any business can implement to acquire and retain new customers.

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With a business strategy centered around sustainability, brands can attract consumers and increase their bottom lines. As sustainability becomes a prominent topic of discussion, environmentally conscious consumers are actively seeking out companies that align with their values. Because of this increasing concern for environmental issues among consumers, businesses are now recognizing the need to show their dedication to eco-friendly practices. Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share practical steps businesses can take to demonstrate their commitment to the environment and eco-friendly policies. From incorporating sustainable materials in their products to implementing energy-efficient measures in their operations, these efforts not only benefit the planet but also have a positive impact on their bottom line.

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With Q1 behind them, business leaders can use Q2 as an opportunity to look ahead at what they want to achieve by mid-year. The second quarter of the year is a great time for business leaders to take stock of their progress and set goals for the months ahead. Whether you're looking to boost sales, improve operations or expand your team, it's important to have a plan in place to make the most of Q2. But where do you start? Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share their tips and strategies for starting Q2 off on the right foot. From assessing company performance to refining your business objectives, these insights can help you drive growth and achieve your goals.

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Meeting your customers’ needs should be the focus of any business — online or otherwise. As more consumers and business clients turn to e-commerce companies to meet their product needs, both opportunity and competition are growing. While starting up a business online is a great way to meet customers where they are with fewer overhead costs, the sheer amount of competition can make it difficult to get noticed in the first place. One way to draw attention to your business is to focus on your customers’ needs and how you can better serve them. Here, eight members of Rolling Stone Culture Council draw on their expertise as they recommend some of the most effective ways to serve your customers well and to stand out among the competition.

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Silos can often hamper collaboration, but with the right strategies, you can start working together more effectively. In today's fast-paced and competitive work environment, collaboration has become an essential skill for teams to succeed. While individual focus time is crucial, many projects require a diverse range of perspectives and skill sets to come to fruition. However, breaking down the silos that exist between team members and departments and often hinder this success can be challenging. Leaders must create an environment that fosters collaboration by encouraging open communication, promoting cross-functional teams and implementing collaborative tools and practices. To help you do this, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members explain how leaders and their teams can break down silos and become better collaborators.

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At a time when most businesses are in "survival mode," it can pay to be the one that's taking risks and innovating. Running a business in the middle of a lingering pandemic, rising costs and the threat of a recession can be a daunting task for any leader. With survival as the top priority, the idea of experimenting and breaking the mold can seem like a luxury that cannot be afforded. However, businesses that want to stay relevant and competitive must continue to innovate and explore new ideas. Below, 10 Rolling Stone Culture Council members discuss some practical ways that leaders can continue to experiment and break the mold while still keeping their businesses afloat during uncertain times. By implementing these strategies, businesses can not only survive but also thrive in the face of adversity.

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Until successfully enacting legislative change, we are all responsible for embracing a mentality of harm reduction rather than abstinence or blame. 

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It's not enough to simply define your brand mission — you have to live it every day. For any business, having a clear and meaningful mission is critical for success. To truly live up to that mission, however, you must ensure that it is consistently and clearly woven throughout all aspects of the business. Your brand's mission should be evident in the company's values, culture and day-to-day operations. To help you achieve this, 15 Rolling Stone Culture Council members each outline one specific step or action businesses can take to ensure their mission is fully integrated into their operations and why this is so important for the success and sustainability of the business.

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A true commitment to DEI requires more than hiring a diverse group of workers.  In recent years, many companies have made public commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. They've taken stock of their workforce, revamped their recruiting and hiring practices and worked to ensure their employees represent a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences. While making diverse hires is a good first step, that alone is not enough to show your workforce and the public that diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded in your company's values. Follow the advice of these Rolling Stone Culture Council members to ensure you are putting DEI into practice in every facet of your company culture and operations.

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You can't necessarily buy brand loyalty, but you can earn it with the right customer experience and engagement tactics. Loyal customers are the cornerstone of any successful brand. They stick by a business through thick and thin and support its products or services above all others in the industry. Having this dedicated, repeat customer can be a stepping stone toward increased brand recognition and an increase in profits. However, it takes dedication and effort to convert a casual buyer into someone who sticks by your company for life. To help, a panel of experts from Rolling Stone Culture Council recommend some effective ways any business can turn everyday customers into brand loyalists.

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When applied to business, storytelling can serve as an incredible tool for marketing, pitching, developing thought leadership and more. Storytelling is an incredibly important art form for business leaders to master. After all, a compelling story is often what convinces many consumers to purchase a business's products or services. By crafting and presenting a relatable story, businesses are able to connect in a more personal way with consumers, employees and investors, thereby increasing sales and investment opportunities, improving their thought leadership status and creating brand loyalty. Below, 12 Rolling Stone Culture Council members discuss how to hone your business storytelling skills and why these methods are so effective.

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There's a lot of commercial "noise" during the busy holiday season, but these strategies can help your business stand out. One of the most effective ways to draw customers to your online or brick-and-mortar retail store is to create promotions they will engage with. Tying those promotions into the holiday season can help you bring in even more customers and finish out the year on a high note. But with so many competing ad campaigns and discounts throughout the last few months of the year, you'll need to find a holiday initiative that will set your business apart from its competitors. Below, nine Rolling Stone Culture Council members share some holiday promotions that have worked for their teams and why your business might want to replicate them this season.

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In a world of abundant information, it's imperative to learn how to "filter" media and distill it down to what's necessary for your job. Keeping up with the 24-hour news cycle can be exhausting. It's harder than ever to stay apprised of new social media trends, international news and local stories — especially because trends come and go faster than ever before. For those who work in the culture space, it's essential to have the information necessary to do your job well, which means learning how to tune out some of the noise. To help you do this, 10 Rolling Stone Culture Council members offer their tips for keeping up with relevant news in a productive, efficient way.

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Customer education must be approached with the right tone and content to be effective. Sometimes, customers may be interested in your product or service, but if it seems too complicated or difficult to understand, they may not follow through with a purchase. Conveying information in a simple, concise and fun way can help educate the customer without the need for a long, complicated or boring explanation. Whether you publish an FAQ page or create a short explainer video, it's important to keep your customer interested while making sure they understand the nuances of your product or service. Below, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members share 12 effective approaches to customer education any business leader can leverage.

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Despite rising costs, there are some simple, clever strategies that can save your business money in the long run. With the cost of goods on the rise, many business owners worry they’ll lose profit by maintaining their current prices or lose customers by raising prices to match the inflated purchasing costs. Though inflation continues to interfere in this way with the day-to-day operations of many businesses, business owners have several options for saving money at their disposal. Below, 10 Rolling Stone Culture Council members share their best tips for managing your budget and keeping costs low in the face of inflation.

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As the amount of e-commerce channels and online competitors increase, businesses must choose the right tactics to stand out. The e-commerce landscape has evolved rapidly in recent years as more and more "shoppable" digital platforms emerge. Instead of only being able to make online purchases on a company's website or Amazon page, consumers can also buy products directly through popular social media apps like Instagram or Facebook. Though there are more avenues than ever to get discovered by potential buyers, there may also be a smaller chance of getting noticed among a growing sea of competitors. To help businesses stand out, 10 Rolling Stone Culture Council members share their top tactics for getting the most online sales possible.

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The key to modern employee retention really isn’t a secret at all. At a time when employees are leaving their jobs en masse, it can be challenging to maintain your top workers. Employees today are more comfortable quitting a job in search of something better, so if your business doesn't meet their expectations, you might be struggling to fill several suddenly open positions. Having committed, long-term employees helps with overall production speeds and cultivates a positive work environment. So with advice like listening to employee feedback and creating individualized success plans, 11 Rolling Stone Culture Council members share their "secrets" to employee retention and why these strategies work so well.

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A diverse workforce doesn't happen accidentally — you need the right recruiting strategies to bring different types of candidates in the door. Over the years, the movement for increased diversity in the workplace has picked up significant momentum. Having a diverse team offers businesses a variety of perspectives, allowing for increased innovation and problem solving, while also increasing employee engagement and brand reputation. In most cases, building a pipeline of diverse job candidates requires intentional efforts at the recruitment level. To help you achieve this goal, eight members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share their best strategies to promote a broader range of candidates in your applicant pool.

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Many entrepreneurs are afraid of failing when they first start out, but it's possible to push past that fear and find success. Today, more people than ever are driven to create their own businesses. While the thought of being your own boss and creating something you love can be exhilarating, many entrepreneurs also experience that prickly feeling of fear when they actually launch. After all, the potential for failure is high in the early stages of a startup, and new businesses don't always make it past their first few years. Some people will fold under the pressure while others will rise to the challenge despite their fear. To help you ensure you're in the latter camp, 14 members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share how entrepreneurs can overcome the fear of failure and push forward.

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If you're looking into affiliate marketing programs, make sure you understand these essential steps to success. By now, it’s likely that every social media user has seen YouTube stars, Instagram influencers and other popular content creators asking their followers to use their affiliate links when purchasing from a business. That's because an affiliate marketing program is an optimal way for businesses to usher in leads and make additional profit. With websites and a bountiful number of social media platforms, businesses can partner with influencers, celebrities and even other businesses to create a program that benefits all parties. However, this marketing strategy has to be approached the right way. Below, 11 members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share the tips they believe are key to a successful affiliate marketing program.

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Despite a high volume of competing events, there are ways to ensure your gathering leaves a lasting impression on attendees. In the early months of the pandemic, businesses attempted to make their newly virtual events memorable experiences. As in-person events have made their way back onto people’s calendars, these same businesses are now searching for ways to make their next in-person event immersive while exceeding industry standards.  Luckily, businesses have plenty of ways they can plan a memorable event, regardless of the audience size or location. To help, 10 members of Rolling Stone Culture Council offer tips to make your next event the talk of the online (and offline) sphere.

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Content creators have high earning potential in today's market, but they'll need to keep up with new trends as the industry evolves. The creator economy is constantly in flux and changes based on many external factors, including relevant social, political or world events occurring at that time. This has been very clear over the last few years with the Covid-19 pandemic, a party-dividing election cycle and an increase in social justice campaigns. All of this has had a massive effect on digital platforms, and creators stand to gain a lot from the constant and growing demand for relevant content. Below, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members look ahead to share their predictions for the future of the creator economy in the years to come.

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Increasing customer happiness means you’ll gain increased loyalty and sales as a result. It’s true that customers who feel satisfied after an interaction with your brand are more likely to become repeat customers and recommend your product or service to others with positive reviews and word-of-mouth referrals. However, the opposite is true as well. Unhappy customers also leave reviews — though they’re often less than complimentary — and then share these negative opinions with others. It's important, then, for any company to keep their customers returning happy and satisfied. To help, eight Rolling Stone Culture Council members share some key lessons all business leaders should learn when it comes to customer satisfaction.

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The definition of what a leader should be has evolved over the years. With so much shifting in terms of “how,” “when” and “where” we work post-pandemic, special attention must also be given to the way in which we lead. New environments and new expectations make way for new challenges, and in order to overcome them, managers, business leaders and entrepreneurs alike must reconsider what it means to be a “modern leader” in today’s ever-evolving professional climate. Below, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members share their insights on what it means to be a “modern leader” today and the kinds of traits they expect to see if leaders want to succeed in today’s business world.

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Even if you're short on cash, these 12 things will significantly boost your marketing efforts. When it comes to marketing your business, money isn’t everything. While having a large budget can certainly have a big impact on your efforts, there are many marketing activities that cost very little to implement, and even more that don’t cost anything at all. So for new or small businesses that have to operate on a shoestring budget, prioritizing the right marketing efforts can make all the difference. Below, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council experts share the areas of marketing they think are the most important to prioritize if you’re working with a tight budget and why those areas can give you the biggest bang for your buck.

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Sometimes just one question can let you know you’re on the right track. Business is full of tough decisions. During the course of a day, an entrepreneur could find themselves making anywhere from one to hundreds of tough decisions, big or small. While experience and time help make the decision-making process easier for many business owners, they can still often benefit from asking themselves a few clarifying questions. Below, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members each share a question an entrepreneur can ask themselves before making a tough decision to ensure they’re on the right track.

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To rediscover your passion, you might first need to rediscover yourself. When asked why they started their businesses, many entrepreneurs would answer that they were passionate about the product, service or cause their business represented. But along the way, between the day-to-day grind and the stress of leadership, that passion can tend to fade, and those same entrepreneurs may find themselves questioning why they continue to do what they do. While this loss of passion isn’t uncommon, it can feel demotivating to those driven by entrepreneurial purpose. Thankfully, reigniting a passion can be as simple as taking one of the following nine steps. Consider this list of steps recommended by the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council to take back your passion and set yourself on a new path toward happiness and fulfillment.

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If customers don’t think you’re genuine, they’ll take their business elsewhere. In the pursuit of sales, it can be tempting to try any technique you can think of to market to potential customers and get them interested in purchasing your product. However, this — among other actions — can come off as inauthentic and may actually be a turnoff for potential customers, rendering your marketing efforts wholly ineffective. To avoid this issue, you’ll need to watch out for signs of inauthenticity. Below, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council business leaders weigh in on some of the signs you should be looking out for and what you can do to fix the problem once you find it.

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Tech's impact now will likely change how businesses move forward in the future. As technology constantly evolves, so too do the industries on which it has a major impact. This is certainly true of the culture space, where the way customers interact with — and the way businesses sell — food, music, fashion, film and more have changed dramatically over the years as new technologies and needs emerge. Below, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council describe some of the ways in which technology has recently impacted their businesses in the culture space and how these changes may alter the way they do business in the future.

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Starting off in these locations can give businesses a better chance at success. While many businesses are moving online, there are many others that thrive by being location-based. Those in the culture space especially — businesses centered around media, food, music, fashion, art and more — can benefit from planting roots in a particular environment or local hot spot, whether it’s to plug in to the existing culture or to gain a certain customer base.   Below, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council discuss where they would get their start if they were opening new culture-based businesses today and why they recommend others consider these ideal locations too.

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Speed is key in today’s job market. Finding the right talent can be an exhausting process. Writing the job description, finding the best places to post it, screening resumes, conducting multiple rounds of interviews and more can eat up a lot of a company’s resources and potentially waste a lot of time.  In today’s job market, speed is key when it comes to finding top talent, which means streamlining your hiring process is essential. To help, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council offer their best recommendations for streamlining your hiring process and making it easier on everyone involved.

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Ensuring your employees are fulfilled in their work pays off in more ways than one. In their efforts to retain their employees, many companies are becoming more and more open to “talent mobility” — or letting employees completely change positions or departments in their company. This can have many benefits, such as increased fulfillment and job satisfaction for employees and higher rates of productivity and lower turnover for companies. But moving employees around the company can quickly turn into a complex mess if you don’t have the right plan in place first. To help, 10 members of Rolling Stone Culture Council offer their tips for ensuring this process goes smoothly and is a successful endeavor for all parties involved.

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Local cannabis businesses can seek out ethical tech partnerships and work in tandem to create regional, self-sustaining economic models.

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These entrepreneurs predict we’ll see big changes in this virtual-first world. As the need for virtual solutions to everyday problems grows, so too does the interest in the metaverse — or a shared virtual world in which users can interact, play, experience and socialize much like they do in the real world. Businesses too are betting on the metaverse, with giants like Facebook rebranding to Meta in late 2021. But how exactly the metaverse will affect business as a whole is still up for debate and speculation. As leaders in their respective niches, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have reflected on their thoughts about the metaverse and, below, share their predictions for the ways they see this virtual world affecting business in the coming future.

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Take the time to evaluate the situation before you jump ahead. Being an entrepreneur is all about taking risks and reaping rewards. But it’s how you go about taking those risks that defines how successful you are in business. And whether calculated or impulsive, any risk has the potential for a negative outcome. However, with time and experience, it is possible to get better at taking risks and determining whether or not they’ll work out for you. Below, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share some signs you can look for that will indicate if you’re about to make a big mistake rather than a risk that’s going to pay off.

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All it takes is the right idea to build positive connections. At a time when so many of us have been forced apart, industries of all sorts — from gaming to food to music as well as cannabis — have sought out ways to bring people back together and build back the connections we felt were lost.  Below, a group of Rolling Stone Culture Council members explain the ways that they and their companies have worked to bring people together during the past two years of illness, shutdowns and quarantines and how they’re continuing to focus on those relationships now.

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Cannabis exceptionalism is incorrect and inherently contradictory.

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A little gratitude can go a long way in business. Happy customers are the fuel necessary to run any successful business.To help them is the main reason why many entrepreneurs continue doing what they’re doing. And when you build a loyal community of customers, you set yourself up with long-term support. One way to build that loyal following is to show your appreciation for your customers on a regular basis. When customers can feel your gratitude, it helps them feel like their voices are being heard and like they aren’t just a number on a profit report. Gratitude can come in many forms, however, so to help you find the method that suits you best, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council list their top strategies below.

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The new year has the potential to spark major innovation across various industries. Regardless of a business’s particular niche or industry, there are always exciting developments, innovations or trends on the horizon. As the new year brings a fresh new start, it also brings with it the anticipation many entrepreneurs feel as they look forward to the ideas they hope will become reality in the coming months ahead. The business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council are no exception to the excitement, and below they each share one development or innovation they’re hoping to see come to fruition in their respective industries in 2022.

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Sometimes scaling quickly isn't the best path forward. While it's every company's hope to grow, what many companies may not realize is that quick, explosive growth might not actually be the best way to scale. Though some companies may not have a choice if they experience sudden “overnight” success, those actively looking to skyrocket in popularity and sales need to consider a few important points first. Below, 11 business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council list some of the points an entrepreneur should be concerned about if they’re looking to grow their company quickly, and offer their best tips for scaling successfully in the long term.

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Investing time into SEO strategies — no matter how basic or advanced — gives a web presence to your brand that is within your control.

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When dealing with cause marketing, it’s important to promote honesty and legitimacy. As concerns over social, environmental and political issues rise, many companies are being founded with a particular cause in mind, with their founders looking to use their businesses and platforms to raise awareness and do some good. For other businesses, getting involved in particular causes or building product lines around certain issues came later as their brands evolved. But the challenge for all of these businesses lies in earning consumer trust. Now attuned to insincerity and false concern, customers can tell when a company isn’t being honest in their claims. To help prove to your customers that your efforts to help your cause are legitimate, consider these tips from the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council and learn what steps you can take to build your credibility and reputation as an honest, trustworthy business.