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While 2020 was a very challenging year for obvious reasons, there were some bright spots as well. And one of the most encouraging and uplifting stories was North Carolina being named “2020 State of the Year” by Business Facilities Magazine. This is the first time — but certainly will not be the last time — that North Carolina has earned Business Facilities’ top honor. A title that has been bestowed annually since 2007. North Carolina earned top 10 rankings in several key categories for the "2020 State of the Year": Best Business ClimateWorkforce DevelopmentManufacturing EmploymentForeign Direct InvestmentBiotechnologyInstalled Solar PowerUnmanned Aerial SystemsFastest-Growing States...

We’ve all heard that we are living in “The New Normal.” It’s a term tossed about by the news media and anyone else trying to wrap their heads around how much the world has changed seemingly overnight thanks to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic and, not too long ago, the recession of 2007-2009 - often referred to as “The Great Recession.”The dictionary defines the word normal as “conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; average.” As a business owner, do you want the label of average? Being average doesn’t make much of an impact nor does it drive innovation...

As businesses worldwide begin coming out of their coronavirus induced hibernation, the world is a very different place. Having a plan for reopening your business is imperative. Also critical is having a plan to communicate with your customers what to expect. Even before they walk in your door, your customers are faced with a laundry list of do's and don’ts. They must be made aware of any services you may have (temporarily) modified or discontinued as well as precautions you are taking and procedures they must adhere to.It’s not enough to make sure your business has taken the necessary steps...

Cloud migrations have been increasing rapidly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, companies have been moving more data, services, and applications to the cloud as a means to become more streamlined and productive. Businesses migrating information to the cloud is not a new trend. The move toward cloud adoption, however, has been picking up steam during the worldwide lockdown with some interesting results:A major shift to remote workingReduction in capital investmentInnovative business models adapting to a major shift in consumer habitsWelcome to the CloudWorldwide demand for cloud services is swelling as more people have shifted to telework and...

The global demand for cloud-based communication has been increasing at a rapid pace recently. It is estimated that the global cloud PBX market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 13%, reaching a value of 6.36 billion dollars by 2027.If you don’t switch to cloud communications, your competition will have an advantage. Many organizations have either already switched or are beginning the move to cloud technology. The benefits of switching your business to cloud include increased flexibility, improved performance, and lower cost. Nevertheless, there are still businesses that have not taken the final step to convert to...

With signs that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic may finally be receding into our rearview mirror, it’s time to focus our attention on restarting North Carolina’s economy. But where do we start on the roadmap to recovery? Certainly, we don’t want to do anything to fuel the second wave of potentially more severe infections or mortality. However, we need to recognize the catastrophic economic hardship inflicted on businesses and workers. A slow road into a recession is one thing. It’s different to go from a record low unemployment rate to slamming on the brakes and losing 36 million jobs...

When the going gets tough, local businesses get going As a longtime business owner in the Triad, I have always been a big supporter of backing local companies and following the principle of “give where you live.” But as we all know, relationships are a two-way street. And right now, as we grapple with this unprecedented crisis caused by COVID-19, I am seeing local businesses step up and give back to their customers in ways that are both practical, and inspirational. As the saying goes: In bad times, you find out who your real friends are. Since the beginning of this crisis,...

Most of us have more time on our hands than ever before. We’re locked down in our homes, with nothing to do. We’re probably reading the news more than we ever have been, actively searching for updates on the coronavirus and information on how many people have died and when we will be able to resume to normal life again. It can be easy to become wrapped up in all of the doom and gloom that is on the television and the internet. However, there are plenty of great news stories out there at the moment; you simply need to...

Right now, we are living in uncertain times resulting from a global pandemic. There is fear and even panic resulting from this virus and the resulting aftermath. Many are sick, some have died, many more are at risk, food and savings are scarce for some people, some have lost their jobs or at least their income, and schools are shut down. No one is unaffected by the turmoil. While we are struggling through the changes and adjustments needed to fight this virus, we may have difficulty seeing an end. We may be longing to go back to a time before the...

A well-established tenet is that it’s unwise to mix business and politics. However, there are exceptions to most rules, and this is one such instance because this article is about both business and politics. To start with, when it comes to politics, we are living in a very confusing and contradictory age. Despite the proliferation of political news and commentary that takes place around us 24/7, as a nation we are drifting further and further away from anything resembling thoughtful, political discourse. Personally, I don’t think this is because we spend too much time talking (and arguing) about politics. Rather, I...