Harrison Wise

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Setting relevant and meaningful goals for your company will motivate employees and help boost business overall. The first few weeks of the new year is the perfect opportunity for businesses to reflect on the previous year and set new goals accordingly. By looking at what worked and what didn't, you can understand what changes to make to reach meaningful, realistic and relevant objectives by the end of 2023. Moreover, having goals can help you rally your team for a common cause and inspire greater collaboration and productivity. To that end, 14 Rolling Stone Culture Council members each share one goal companies should set for themselves this year, and why they believe this goal is so worthwhile. If you're looking for inspiration on where to focus your efforts, consider starting here.

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It’s not just a matter of if you should or shouldn’t react — it’s how. When controversial events occur in society, some customers want brands to speak out and others want brands to "stay in their place." When you’re a business leader, this can put you in a difficult position, as you may want to voice your opinion, as well as your company’s, but you also don’t want to alienate or lose customers as a result. As business leaders themselves, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have their own thoughts on the matter. Below, 12 of them each share their tips for how businesses should respond to controversial current events and why they take this stance.

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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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A mentor’s advice can change the way you view yourself and your business. For those lucky enough to find one, a mentor can be an invaluable ally when starting a business. Their expert guidance and leadership can help provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to push past obstacles and build something truly sustainable. The members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have each had their own role models and mentors throughout their business journeys. Below, they each share the top lesson they learned from their mentor and how that lesson impacts the way they lead their businesses now.

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The key is to address the overwhelm early and to find manageable solutions. No entrepreneur is immune to burnout, and when the stressors of work and leading a business get to be too much, it’s important to find healthy ways of coping. Without these methods, it’s all too easy for your business to become overwhelming, which can lead to a loss of passion for your work or even poor mental health. As busy business leaders themselves, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have dealt with their fair share of overwhelming situations. Below, they offer up some of the methods they use to cope and explain why they recommend these methods for any burned out business leader.

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When your task list becomes overwhelming, try one of these methods for prioritization. Company leaders are no strangers to competing priorities. At the helm of the business, they must have their focus split between multiple areas or departments at any given moment. But when they’re only able to tackle one task at a time, how should they determine what to prioritize first? As successful business leaders themselves, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council shared a few of their best tips for effectively organizing and prioritizing a task list and why these methods have worked so well for them.

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Cannabis brand leaders should understand that cyberattacks pose a serious threat to their companies. 

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As people slowly gather together again, customers will expect new experiences from venues. Entertainment venues were hit particularly hard by the pandemic, and as restrictions lift and venues start opening up again, business owners and patrons alike are understandably excited to get back to a more “normal” routine. But after everything that’s happened, will customers want more of the same or will they expect a few changes? As each business owner makes this determination for themselves, there are a few ways they can adapt or innovate to freshen up their old model and give customers something even more exciting to look forward to. Below, 12 leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council share some of these strategies and explain why they’re good ways to find new success in the coming years.

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The pandemic required a quick pivot to online events and new ways of thinking about revenue. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many businesses, organizations and artists shifted their in-person events to the online realm. Because these live events were often a big source of revenue, hosts had to figure out how to monetize their new virtual content. However, they quickly learned that making money from online events wasn't always as simple as it seemed. Below, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members shared challenges they've faced monetizing online or virtual content. Here are some lessons they’ve learned about successfully bringing in revenue from digital events like webinars, conferences and concerts.

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To build a positive business network, you need to quickly identify the right people to connect with. It's often said that you are the sum total of the people around you. Your network matters, so when you're trying to build up your entrepreneurial connections, you’ll want to choose individuals who align with your business values and morals.  However, this can be easier said than done. That's why a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members shared specific qualities you should look for in a person that will help you determine if they're the "right" person to connect with. Here are 13 characteristics they recommend and why each is so important.

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When your usual outlets aren't available to you, it's important to find alternate coping mechanisms. It’s no question that the last year has been challenging for everyone. Even with the hope of "normalcy" on the horizon, people are finding it difficult to cope with the ongoing pandemic on top of the challenging social and political climate. With many outlets and resources inaccessible at this time, it’s even harder to find ways to de-stress. To help, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members shared activities and methods that can aid in coping with burnout during multiple crises. Follow their advice to find healthy ways to deal with the stress of the modern world.

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Even if you're feeling video call burnout, there are ways to motivate yourself to connect in the digital world. With the pandemic still ongoing, it’s difficult to know when the world will return to “normal" and in-person networking can resume. Until then, many professionals will remain working — and connecting — fully remotely, which can lead to the dreaded burnout known as "Zoom fatigue." In this distant environment, finding the motivation to forge connections day after day can be a monumental task. To help, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members shared a few networking strategies that have worked well for them when they’re not in the mood to connect.

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Despite the slow crawl toward acceptance, the legalities of cannabis sponsorship remain a hindrance.

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Set a better example for sustainability in business by starting with your own. With a big social push for environmental awareness, many organizations are looking for more eco-friendly and sustainable ways to run their businesses and produce their products. It’s a win-win situation for the planet and the companies, as conscious customers are likely to go out of their way to buy sustainable products and even spend more if they know a business is environmentally friendly. No matter the industry, every business leader can find ways to make a positive environmental impact. This is especially true of the highly visible culture space, which may influence a broader audience than the average business. For guidance on how to get started, eight members of Rolling Stone Culture Council shared their tips for business leaders who want to set better examples of sustainability.

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For modern consumers, it’s no longer enough to simply sell a product. With the rise of social activism, customers are more interested now than ever in what the companies they support stand for. When you support a cause your customers believe in, you can create a loyal following of fans and do good at the same time. But not every business has a natural lean toward social causes, so how can they find a way to make their brand truly stand for something bigger? Below, members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share their tips for brands that want to be part of a movement and create real change for their customers.

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A content marketing strategy is one way to set out dispelling myths and establishing a brand as an industry leader.