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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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'Grinding' can only get you so far if you don't also make time for yourself. Productivity, “hustle culture,” “rise and grind” — all popular topics when it comes to entrepreneurship, making money and leading a “successful” life. While touted as all positive and necessary things if you want to progress in your career, when taken too far, these positives can become toxic and actually hurt your ability to find real success.  But how can ambitious professionals and business owners move away from this mentality when entrepreneurs are expected to “grind”? Below, 10 Rolling Stone Culture Council business leaders offer their tips and insights for professionals interested in leaving toxic productivity and “hustle culture” behind.

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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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A podcast can be an excellent opportunity to gain recognition for your brand if you do it right. It seems that there's a podcast for every subject or interest nowadays, from true crime to financial advice to entrepreneurship. This medium has become a go-to source of entertainment and education for many, which is why business owners are clamoring to launch their own podcast ventures. While many podcasts have had unprecedented success and reach, many more have been made that have flown under the radar, so entrepreneurs considering starting a podcast for their company should do so cautiously and with a few considerations in mind. Below, 10 Rolling Stone Culture Council experts share what entrepreneurs should understand before they invest time, energy and resources into launching a podcast.

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To get noticed, you’ll need to provide something worth noticing. With so much advice and content out in the world already, audiences are having their attention pulled in all sorts of directions, not only making it difficult for them to find true value in what they consume, but also making it challenging for thought leaders to get noticed.  But if you run a business or want to make a name for yourself in the world of thought leadership, rising above the noise is key for success. To do so, consider the following advice from the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council. Their insights may give you that boost you need to stand out from the competition.

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With the right strategy, your business can reach a whole new audience. While TikTok has been around for a few years now, many businesses are just now waking up to its massive potential for marketing to customers. Professionals from seemingly every industry — from home repairs to dermatology — are finding fun and unique ways to leverage the popular platform for both educating their audiences and marketing their businesses. But if you’re a business leader who is unfamiliar with TikTok or isn’t sure how to get started, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have some expert tips. Below, they share their best advice for getting started on TikTok and how it will help make your business more successful.

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Your response will say a lot about your company. When your business operates in a niche that can sometimes experience controversy or deals with controversial subjects, such as cannabis or art, you’re bound to come across a few naysayers along the way. While you can’t prevent this situation from happening, you can control the way you respond. In a public space like social media, the way you conduct yourself in reaction to any “hate comments” or “trolls” can have a major impact on the way your business is perceived by current and potential customers. So before you hit “reply,” consider the following 10 strategies recommended by a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council experts for responding to any controversy that may arise.

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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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Your employees can have valuable insights, so it’s important they have an opportunity to share them. As the ones who are deeply involved in the day-to-day running of a business, employees often have the best insights about what does and doesn't work in a company. When you’re a leader, figuring out what employees think about how operations could be improved can be a vital part of ensuring your business’s success. Ingraining employee feedback as part of your company’s culture, therefore, can ensure you hear your team’s opinions on a regular basis. To help you accomplish that, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members offered their own opinions on how you can make feedback a part of your company culture and make sure everyone is heard.

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In order to appease their customers, company leaders will need to shift their mindsets. The demand is clear: The next generation of consumers wants more eco-friendly businesses. And yet, not every business is on board, continuing to roll out products made with nonbiodegradable materials destined for landfill or approving unsustainable supply chain practices that hurt more than just the environment. So what’s keeping current businesses from implementing more sustainable, eco-friendly practices and products? To shed some light on the issue, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council members each share one factor they believe is holding many company leaders back from developing a more earth-conscious approach to business.

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Sometimes, the line between PR executives and publicists becomes blurred.

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To find the right match, you’ll need to look beyond their technical skills. When it comes to finding the right business partner, not just anyone will do. However, they also may not be the type of person you think you need at first. While many entrepreneurs will assume they need to find someone with superior technical skills like marketing or sales to help drive their business forward, it may be the nontechnical skills that make all the difference. Below, a panel of Rolling Stone Culture Council leaders share 15 nontechnical skills you may not realize you should be looking for in a business partner, and why having these qualities at your side could make for the perfect match.

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The most valuable information at your disposal is what your customers think of you. No matter what type of business you run, your customers always have an opinion. From being completely happy with your service to thinking your product needs a total overhaul (and every opinion in between), your customers’ opinions can be as diverse as they are. It’s the companies that know how to harness this feedback to inform their decisions that are able to please their customers the most. The first step, however, is to collect that customer feedback. Below, 11 members of Rolling Stone Culture Council suggest a few ways of doing that and what you should be doing with the feedback once you have it.