Evan Nison

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Artificial intelligence can change the way people lead teams and organizations, but it's important to maintain a uniquely human approach to leadership. The impact of AI in business extends beyond automation and efficiency — it’s also influencing leadership and mentorship. As AI tools become more integrated into decision-making, workflow management and strategic planning, leaders must consider how to balance technology with human connection. Below, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share their perspectives on technology's evolving role in leadership, as well as key considerations leaders should be mindful of in the age of AI. Their insights highlight the opportunities AI presents, the risks of overreliance on it and the human qualities that will always be essential for guiding teams.

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Growing your business shouldn’t come at the expense of your current customers. In business, increasing sales — and, thereby, your customer base — is a natural goal for any entrepreneur. However, scaling too quickly or expanding into the wrong areas can risk alienating the niche market that helped establish your business in the first place. Losing these key customers could mean losing the stability, trust and feedback that acts as the backbone of your current success. For this reason, it's essential to find a balance between reaching new audiences and preserving the unique value proposition that attracted your target market to begin with. To help, experienced business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council share their insights on scaling the right way — a way that allows for healthy growth and expansion without losing sight of the niche market that made your business success possible.

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Honoring "where you came from" can be the key to your business expansion success. As businesses expand beyond their hometown markets, maintaining an authentic connection to their local roots can become a challenge. Growth — especially on a national or global scale — often brings pressure to standardize messaging, streamline operations and appeal to a broader audience.  Staying true to the community that shaped your brand’s identity can be the key to deeper customer loyalty and differentiating your business from competitors. Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share strategies for businesses looking to scale while preserving their hometown authenticity.

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Take your team to the next level with these expert-approved motivation strategies. Great managers know that bringing out the best in their teams requires more than just setting expectations. Your employees have to feel motivated, supported and empowered to excel — and that all starts with the work environment. Whether through fostering open communication or aligning employee strengths with responsibilities, the right strategies can unlock your team’s full potential. Read on for advice from Rolling Stone Culture Council business leaders about effective management approaches that drive performance and boost morale.

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If you want to retain more customers, take the time to listen to their opinions. When you’re trying to build a brand, it’s all about getting your messaging right. What type of reputation do you want to build for your business? What do customers need to know about your brand and the services or product you provide? How do you stand up to your competition? These are all important questions business leaders can ask themselves to help ensure the messages they are communicating to current and potential customers align with their mission and goals.  And while it’s vital to spend time generating ideas for and actually crafting these messages, it’s equally important to measure the impact of these messages. What do customers think of the messages you’re putting out? What actions (if any) do they feel persuaded to take? Without answers to these questions, business leaders likely won’t be as effective in their communications, meaning they could be missing the mark without even realizing it. In the culture space, connecting with your audience in the right way is key. Here, seven leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council discuss some of the ways in which businesses can measure the impact of their messaging, and how doing so not only helps them improve customer retention but sales as well.

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Without a focused approach, it can be all too easy to get lost in a sea of useless information. With new platforms, a multitude of media options and endless content being produced each day, those hoping to keep up with the latest trends or news may have a difficult time finding a single source they can rely on. This is especially true of business leaders in the culture space, who must not only keep up with the trends but stay ahead of them to better target and influence their customers. While simply hopping on social media or your chosen news outlet is one way to stay in the know, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have a more focused approach. Here, they each offer up one specific resource they turn to to help them keep up with industry trends, news and updates and why it’s so useful to their business.

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When business passion fades, these strategies can provide some much-needed inspiration. When you’re a leader in the culture space, it's easy to get burned out when trends change as quickly as they emerge. The constant pressure to innovate and adapt can make it challenging to stay connected to the passion that drives your work. To help you keep that spark alive, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council offer their tried-and-true strategies for reigniting your enthusiasm. From focusing on your mission to seeking out new challenges, these approaches can help you maintain your passion and avoid burnout in this fast-paced industry.

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Sometimes, breaking the rules leads to the biggest breakthroughs. For many entrepreneurs, taking an unconventional approach — whether in strategy, hiring or growth tactics — has led to invaluable lessons and unique successes in their businesses. But choosing to go against the grain isn’t without risk, as each choice shapes the path forward in surprising ways. Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share moments when they challenged traditional advice. Through the lessons they learned along the way, they offer practical insights to inspire bold steps on your own entrepreneurial path.

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Watch out for these telltale signs that your brand may need some fine-tuning. Brand alignment is crucial to any business's success, both on an initial and ongoing basis. If your brand doesn't deliver on its mission and value proposition — or communicate this information in a way that resonates with your target audience — you might find yourself with decreased engagement, fewer sales and a lack of clarity on how to move forward. But how do you know if your brand is misaligned, and what can you do to fix the problem? Here, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share some red flags that your brand needs realignment, along with actionable steps to get things back on track.

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If you want to convince someone to buy from you, first you have to understand the value you’re offering. When you run a business in a creative industry, it might not always be clear how to monetize your work. Whether you’re an independent artist, a freelance creator or any other form of solopreneur, one of the first steps on your road to success is managing to land your first sale — and that can be a tricky endeavor on your own. Having each worked in the culture space for some time, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council know what it takes to run successful businesses in creative industries. Here, they weigh in with words of wisdom for aspiring or current entrepreneurs on how to land that elusive first sale, and what it takes to keep your business going even after you’ve earned your first customer.

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Letting customers get to know your brand on a deeper level can drive long-term loyalty. Customers are more informed than they ever have been before — and they’d like to keep it that way. In fact, a recent study by Sprout Social found that 86 percent of Americans believe transparency in business to be more important now than ever. They want to know who they’re buying from, what they stand for and what it truly is they’re purchasing with their hard-earned dollars. This knowledge can help drive loyalty and trust among consumers, earning businesses repeat sales and a stable customer base. But what are some of the ways companies can give customers more behind-the-scenes insights? As business leaders in the culture space, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have a few tried-and-true tips to share. Consider their advice to incorporate more opportunities for transparency with customers and have a positive impact on your company's overall reputation.

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When you're managing a distributed team, a little intention goes a long way. Both remote and hybrid work environments have proven to be smart solutions for those companies looking to give their employees greater freedom and control over their work-life balance. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t come with their own set of cons. Relationship-building and peer-to-peer connections, while certainly possible, can be more challenging for remote and hybrid teams who aren’t physically in the same place at once. This can leave some employees feeling isolated if there is no plan to address it. Thankfully, managers can utilize plenty of strategies, tips and tricks to keep their teams connected and communicating well. With the recent surge in popularity for remote and hybrid workspaces, the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council have become well-acquainted with these strategies. Below, they discuss their top tips for those struggling to manage their teams in a hybrid or remote workplace and share how to connect with and manage employees well in these types of environments.

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Learn what it takes to turn your workplace into an environment where employees want to grow their careers. As new generations enter the workforce, a shift in employee expectations has challenged traditional approaches to retention. Offering competitive salaries is no longer enough — today’s employees want more from their workplace experience. This changing environment has made long-term employee retention feel increasingly difficult for many businesses.  To help, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share what it takes to build a workplace where people want to stay and grow. Follow their recommendations to make your workplace a destination employees won’t want to leave.

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Navigate around these common branding pitfalls to strengthen your reputation and boost audience engagement. For today's businesses, managing a strong online presence is just as important as delivering quality products or services. However, boosting your company’s brand can be difficult in a saturated online space, and there's no shortage of potential pitfalls that can undermine your reputation. Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members explore common mistakes businesses make when promoting themselves online. Their insights can help you avoid these missteps, increase audience engagement and strengthen your brand’s overall marketability.

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If your employees feel uncertain about how AI will impact their roles, here's how to frame communications to alleviate their concerns. In the last few years, AI has taken off in unexpected ways that have changed the way today's workforce operates. As a result, the fear of automation replacing tasks or entire jobs has become common among employees.  However, automation doesn't remove the need for the human touch — and, in fact, can be used to support employees in their day-to-day workflows. Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share reassuring messages that can help calm employees navigating these changes. With the right communications, employees can view AI not as a threat but as a tool to advance their careers and embrace new possibilities.

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Just because you've fallen out of contact doesn't mean you can't reach out and pick up where you left off. Reconnecting with someone in your professional network after time apart can feel a bit awkward, but it’s also a valuable opportunity. Rekindling these relationships can open doors to new opportunities, collaborations and insights while strengthening your professional connection for the future. According to members of Rolling Stone Culture Council, reaching out in a thoughtful, genuine way can help you meaningfully rebuild those connections. If you’re looking to reestablish relationships within your network, these expert strategies can guide you toward doing so with authenticity and impact.

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Become a recognized expert in your field with these effective thought leadership strategies. As an entrepreneur or business leader, building influence in your chosen niche can cement your status as a credible industry thought leader. Being influential requires strategic actions that establish your expertise and encourage relationships with key players in your field. To help you do this, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share their top recommended strategies for elevating your influence within your industry. These strategies can make all the difference when you are trying to establish your reputation as a sought-after and respected expert.

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When it comes to human-to-human connection, AI can be a valuable tool. As AI becomes more and more commonplace in business, there are some leaders who worry about it replacing the human element of customer service and engagement. Will customers really be happy talking to AI over another human being? Will business lose its personal touch? While AI is certainly poised to change the way business is currently conducted, many leaders believe that technology can be used as a key tool for bettering relationships between customers and companies — not replacing them. Below, 10 business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council weigh in with their thoughts on technology in business, each discussing one way a business can leverage technology to build better relationships with its customers and what's worked well for them.

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To keep DEI top of mind, you’ll need to make it more than just a goal. Diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, has become a major topic of discussion in the corporate world over the last few years, with companies looking to better represent their customer base and offer a more inviting environment and equitable opportunities to their employees. However, while some companies continue to lead the charge in implementing new DEI initiatives, others have slowed, or even completely stalled, their efforts. Whether it’s due to a lack of resources for these departments, unsustainable practices or a loss of motivation, some companies are finding it harder and harder to continue to build upon their DEI efforts with the same vigor they once had.  However, there are still ways to ensure DEI remains an important part of your company culture and processes, even if you run into red tape. Here, seven business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council discuss some of the best practices any business can follow to keep diversity, equity and inclusion top of mind for teams at all levels of an organization.

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These steps can help create the kind of culture that employees will love to brag about. For a business leader, to empower your employees is to give them the tools, resources, support and courage they need to do their jobs well. While constant monitoring and micro-managing may have been a popular management style in years past, today’s leaders are looking for ways to weave empowerment into the very core of their company’s culture, ensuring every employee is able to contribute their best work. However, creating such a culture may require a significant shift from what currently exists in your organization. To build more collaboration, encouragement and positivity into your work culture, consider the following advice from the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council.

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Expressing gratitude is just one way a leader can show they care. One of the many jobs of an effective leader is to inspire and motivate their teams to put forth their best effort and do good work. However, inspiring and motivating are made much more difficult when you aren’t sure exactly what to say. What words will lead your team to solve problems? Find their creativity? Nurture relationships with clients?  According to the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council, it’s not necessarily about the exact words you say so much as their meaning and your genuine feelings behind them. From acknowledging employee contributions to offering more autonomy, your words and their intent can have a powerful impact on your employees and the way they work. Try out the following nine suggestions and see what you can inspire your team to do.

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To get customers excited about your event, you’ll have to think like them first. With the weather warming up and summer just getting started, people are eager to spend more time outdoors and attend various summer events and activities. But concerts and festivals aren’t the only events on the agenda — plenty of businesses host events in the summer, or year-round, to help promote their goods or services and to connect with their customers in fun, unique ways.  However, with so many other events taking place, it can be difficult for businesses to ensure theirs will be guaranteed a spot on customers’ calendars. Thankfully, the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council have a few suggestions for how to resolve this dilemma. Below, they discuss seven actions businesses can take to ensure their event is not only well-attended but thoroughly enjoyed by all.

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Your willingness to learn and grow has a major impact on your ability to win in business. The business world is full of ups and downs. One day you’re succeeding, and the next day you’re not. This can be especially true of the culture space, where trends can change daily and consumers’ opinions evolve equally as fast. Entrepreneurs who develop a growth mindset — or the belief that persistence and effort lead to success — are more likely to thrive in this type of environment, making it an essential trait to cultivate for culture space leaders. As leaders in the culture space themselves, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council know what it takes to succeed in today’s marketplace. Here, they discuss the top reasons why business leaders need a growth mindset and the impact that mindset has on their ability to lead well.

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Cut through the noise by amplifying your unique story. Today, it seems that nearly everyone is on social media — and that includes businesses. With the majority of small businesses using social media to reach their audience, there’s a lot of competition when it comes to earning the attention of potential customers. This is why it’s so vital to find a way to stand out and cut through the digital noise. However, beyond creating viral videos or following the latest social media trend, there are a number of other, more meaningful ways to set your business apart. Here, nine business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council weigh in on some of the steps a business can take to ensure their social media presence stands out from the competition and engages their followers in a meaningful way.

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Building the brand image you want starts with smart PR moves. In business — and especially the culture space — what the public thinks of your brand is everything. Do they find you trustworthy and reliable? Do they think of you as innovative, cool or luxurious? Controlling the narrative around your brand is key to ensuring you create the image you’re after — and to ensuring you’re reaching your desired target audience.  However, public relations is an art as much as it is a science, and many businesses that don’t have experience in this particular area can end up making mistakes that could damage their reputation in the short and long term. To avoid these same blunders, consider this list of common mistakes as outlined by the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council. Below, they detail why these mistakes can be detrimental to your brand goals and advise what actions you should take instead.

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A little support from leadership can go a long way. Filled with worry about the rising cost of living, the possible negative implications of AI in the workplace and increasingly unsustainable workloads, employees are feeling burned out. And with high levels of employee stress, both productivity and overall employee morale are negatively affected, meaning leaders are likely to have a growing problem from both a profit and personnel perspective if they don’t get a handle on it — and fast. However, the solution may be a simple one: support. According to the business experts of Rolling Stone Culture Council, showing your employees you care about them and their mental health and well-being is an essential first step to improving employee happiness and decreasing the cases of burnout. Here are the 11 ways they recommend you do so.

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The first step to reengaging a customer is to remember that they’re human. Whether it’s due to a lack of perceived value or just a lack of time and money, customers can often fall off the wagon when it comes to interacting with and purchasing from brands. And while some customers disengaging can be normal, companies may begin to worry once a pattern starts to emerge.  So what can they do to reengage those customers they seem to have lost? What’s the most effective method? Below, 10 business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council share their insights on the marketing “hacks” or strategies companies can use to boost engagement among disengaged customers and pique their interest once again.

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To find success, cannabis leaders have to be creative and agile. The cannabis industry has experienced rapid growth over the past decade alone, and it’s only predicted to increase over time, with global sales predicted to hit $149 billion by 2031. This means there is abundant opportunity for those interested in dipping their toes in the cannabis space and the vast number of potential business ideas that can spawn from it.  However, perhaps the biggest challenge cannabis businesses face is the ongoing legal and regulatory obstacles that prevent these businesses from operating like any other business in the market. This means cannabis leaders must be cautious when planning and executing any strategy, whether that be advertising, sales or distribution and logistics.  As leaders in the culture space, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council are well-versed in the struggles of the cannabis industry, and here, they discuss some of the steps business leaders can take to overcome these hurdles and find success in a challenging business landscape.

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Building a successful brand means understanding who you are and staying true to it. In so many areas of culture, building a successful personal brand is key to getting ahead. Who you are, what you’re known for and what value you provide to others all play a role in creating your brand, and those who create positive ones are likely to find more opportunities coming their way. But creating a personal brand isn’t as simple as some may think. It requires intentionality and a deep understanding of self to get started. Here, 14 leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council share some of the other steps you’ll need to take if you want to build a successful personal brand, in life and in business.

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Prioritizing your website is prioritizing the happiness of your customers. A website is, more or less, the “face” of any business. It’s where your customers can learn more about your brand and products, where they can peruse your offerings and, if you’re an online-only brand, it’s the only opportunity they have to make a purchase. Because of this, business leaders who don’t put a high priority on both the beauty and functionality of their websites are at a distinct disadvantage among their competition, and potential customers may not stick around long with a poor user experience. To ensure your business website meets and exceeds customer expectations, you’ll need to consider the following nine factors, as suggested by the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council. Here, they go in depth on the reasoning behind these considerations and why prioritizing them will have a positive impact on your visitors.

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You can tackle more than you think — as long as you plan properly. After finding success in one business, entrepreneurs will often dip their toes in one or more other businesses, either as the founder, a board member or in another leadership capacity. While this can be very rewarding to do, it can also be the cause of a lot of stress if not managed properly. Overlapping schedules, a bursting to-do list and not nearly enough time for everything that needs to get done can quickly turn a rewarding endeavor into an overwhelming one. So how do serial entrepreneurs do it? According to the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council, the secret lies in the following 12 tips. Here, they expand on each one, offering up their best advice for any aspiring entrepreneur on how to juggle multiple businesses and responsibilities at the same time.

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Start with developing confidence in your business and what you have to offer. To be “the best in the business,” a business leader must first get intentional about owning their niche. This means finding ways to stand out from the competition, nailing down a distinct point of view and committing to learning and growing as a leader and as a business. While ignoring these steps, and others, may not mean a business will fail, it is likely that, as a result, the business will never rise to the top. Here, 13 members of Rolling Stone Culture Council elaborate further on the key steps business leaders will need to take if they really want to own their niche and why these particular strategies will ensure business success for a long time to come.

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To appeal to your customers, you have to speak their language. Nothing is more powerful in communicating your brand’s purpose, mission and vision than your brand’s voice. What you say and how you say it is paramount to how people view your brand and choose whether or not they would like to become a customer. This means if your brand’s voice and messaging aren’t resonating with your audience, you may not be bringing in the amount of sales you need to sustainably grow your business. To ensure you’re not missing the mark, consider the following advice from the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council. Here, they offer their top tips for sharpening your brand’s voice and communicating with customers in a way that they will identify with and appreciate.

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Help your team beat their winter blues by taking these important steps. Once the celebrations of the holiday season are over, it can be easy to fall into a slump upon your return to work. The merrymaking is over, and the cold, gloomy feel of winter sets in — not the best recipe for a motivated staff. And while the winter blues can hit anyone — even leaders — getting their teams reenergized and ready to tackle the year ahead is essential for leaders looking to hit their business goals and encourage a happy, healthy culture. However, boosting employee morale is about more than just throwing pizza parties. According to the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council, taking the following eight steps can ensure you not only help employees find their motivation in the short term, but help cultivate positivity and an overall better work environment that will last throughout the year.

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Leveraging contractors can be a great move for your business if you set them up for success. Whether they're writing content for your website or editing your social media videos, freelancers and contractors can be a major help to growing businesses. However, like any part- or full-time employee, they need to be set up for success in order to help your business achieve its goals. Whether through detailed communication or resources and support, treating freelancers like you would any permanent staff member ensures they’re able to do their best work. For further guidance, consider the following advice from the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council. Below, they share useful tips for building positive working relationships with your freelancers and explain why doing so is so key to the success of your company.

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If you want your business to go viral, then apply these tips to go the extra mile. Whether it’s “going viral” or becoming “the talk of the town,” generating buzz around your business is essential if you want to grow your audience and, consequently, your bottom line. General marketing efforts are a good start; however, you'll need to do more to make a big name for your business. According to the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council, the following 10 strategies can give your brand the boost it needs to really take off. Consider adopting one or more of these tactics to build buzz around your business, get your product in front of more consumers and increase your sales as well as your odds of success.

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Without any reviews, you’ll need to pique customers’ interest in other ways. Positive reviews are essential to driving new customers to your business, as customers are more likely to buy something if they know plenty of others have tried and liked it before them. But when you're just starting out, you don't yet have any reviews to give you credibility, and this can be a major roadblock when it comes to getting your sales numbers off the ground.  So what can a new business owner do to elevate brand awareness? Below, eight business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council offer their best advice to new entrepreneurs on how to encourage sales with few or no reviews and get their businesses started on the right track.

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If you’re planning a return-to-office mandate, it may not be easy to get everyone on board. Companies are continuing to mandate a return to the office — including, controversially, Zoom itself — and many employees are not happy about this push. For many employees, the work-from-home policy they enjoyed during the pandemic gave them the much-needed ability to balance their work and personal lives, and many found they were more productive at home than in the office. These benefits they hoped would continue into the future, so companies calling employees back to the office are naturally receiving some pushback.  To help get employees on board, company leaders will need to reconsider old policies and procedures and update their offices to suit the needs of employees today. Here, the leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council outline these steps and discuss the importance of turning unhappy employees into happy ones.

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Bettering your employees is the first step to bettering your company. Culture is ever-changing. Customer preferences and values surrounding hospitality, fashion, food, art, cannabis or any other sector of the culture space can seemingly shift at the drop of a hat — meaning those who work within those areas need to be ready to adapt just as quickly. One way business leaders can prepare their employees for such a need is to encourage them to learn and grow as professionals. With the right growth mindset, employees will be ready to tackle whatever challenge customers throw at them. But how should leaders go about it? Here, the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council offer seven ways employers can encourage their employees to learn and grow in their careers, and discuss why it’s so important to do so for the betterment of themselves and the company.

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Generative AI might be just the tool you need to improve your business operations. Thanks to recent advancements in technology, businesses can access a myriad of tools and strategies to reach new realms of growth and efficiency. Among these transformative technologies, generative AI tools like ChatGPT are becoming increasingly commonplace, helping users quickly gather information and generate content. However, as with any emerging technology, users may not always understand the best way to leverage generative AI. Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share how they've used generative AI to assist in their business endeavors and how they recommend other leaders follow suit.

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Mastering the art of storytelling can increase your odds of overall success. The story a company tells to its audience has a direct impact on the way its potential customers think and feel about its brand. Whether you want to inspire trust, encourage a feeling of camaraderie or build subject matter authority, the way you communicate your message will often determine how successful you are as a business. In this way, your ability to weave a narrative into your brand messaging should be a skill you are always looking to improve upon. As business leaders themselves, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have experience sharing the stories of their own brands. Here, they offer their help by recommending their top tips for how to improve your storytelling to better communicate your brand’s message to your intended audience.

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AI in the workplace could have some definite benefits — as well as some downfalls. In an era marked by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), businesses are increasingly presented with both unprecedented opportunities and ethical dilemmas. As organizations consider integrating AI technologies into their operations, the intricate web of challenges surrounding their creation and implementation continues to spark controversy. Before taking the plunge into the realm of AI, prudent business leaders find themselves standing at a crossroads, grappling not only with the promise of innovation but also with the potential pitfalls that lie ahead. To offer their insights, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share the critical questions business leaders should ask before making AI a part of their business in any meaningful way.

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Getting your team to work together often starts with you. In creative industries, an agile work culture helps create an environment which encourages the teamwork and collaboration necessary to come up with new and innovative ideas or thoughtfully expand on existing ones. Part of creating an agile work culture, however, is ensuring your team has what they need to collaborate effectively. To do so, you’ll need to take stock of your current work environment to find areas for improvement.  Whether it’s leading by example, offering full autonomy on projects or defining clear roles and expectations, there are a number of approaches you can take to nurture a collaborative environment — with some approaches less obvious than others. Here, the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council offer their best tips for building an agile, collaborative work environment for your employees and why it’s so key to do so.

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Nailing down your niche may require looking inward first. In order for a brand to succeed, it has to be more than a clever idea. A successful brand must meet customer needs, separate itself from the competition and last beyond a passing trend. All of these characteristics combined contribute to a brand’s niche — or a comfortable place in the market. Without this well-defined niche, a brand can struggle to maintain its customers’ interest and, as a result, its rising sales. Whether you’re just thinking about starting a business or you’re trying to get your current endeavor off the ground, consider the following advice for those struggling to find their brand’s place in the market. Here, seven business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council offer their best tips for what uncertain entrepreneurs can do to really nail down their niche.

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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.