Weekly Blog

You Might Be Leaving Money on The Table If you’ve ever thought, “I’ve got Facebook, so I’m covered,” you’re not alone-but you might be leaving money on the table. 👉97% of consumers search online to find local businesses. 👉Over half (56%) say they won’t trust a business without a website. (Source: BrightLocal & Verisign) Social media is…

One Tiny Shift That Could Change Everything Here’s something we believe at the KANSO creative: The businesses that grow the best don’t hustle harder… they systemize smarter. If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like your growth has plateaued-it might not be your ideas, your effort, or even your marketing. It might just be your systems. One Simple…

Raises are a great way to show your employees you value their contributions, but they increase your payroll costs. Here’s what to consider when giving raises. By: Emily Heaslip , Contributor There’s a simple way to boost your employee retention rate: Pay your team more. Bonuses, raises, and above-average salaries are the most compelling reasons why people stay…

Lead effective employee reviews that foster growth, strengthen communication, and drive better performance across your team. By: Nicole Fallon , Contributor Regular feedback is crucial to keeping employees engaged in their work and aligned with your business’s goals. A key part of this feedback process is employee performance reviews, which give leaders and their direct…

This quality doesn’t always come naturally, but it’s a skill that any small business owner can develop. By: Erica Sweeney , Contributor Owning and running a business is not for the fainthearted. It comes with stress, uncertainty, risk, and numerous ups and downs. Success often depends on being courageous. “Entrepreneurs, business owners, they learn to…

By practicing mindful leadership, managers may find that their team’s productivity increases and their employees feel more confident in their work. By: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary , Contributor Mindfulness, the practice of being fully present and aware of your surroundings, has gained increasing mainstream popularity in recent years. Now, more and more business leaders are incorporating this mindset into management, practicing…

You’ve heard the old saying “You never get a second chance at a first impression.” For businesses, that isn’t just a cliché, it’s reality. Customers size up a business long before they make a purchase and often before anyone on your team even says hello. Those first 10 seconds set expectations, shape decisions, and influence…

You may have heard brands described as “sticky,” but what does that really mean? Here’s what customer stickiness is and how it impacts retention. By: Julianna Lopez , Contributor Every business owner wants to ensure customers return to their store or website to retain loyal buyers and increase sales. One way to determine what might…

Disasters can’t always be prevented, but a recovery plan can help your business bounce back faster. By: Jamie Johnson , Contributor It’s not always possible to avoid the business fallout of a disaster like a pandemic, earthquake, or cybersecurity breach. But with a clear plan in place, you can minimize the downtime and get back to serving your customers…

Journaling has so many benefits-reducing stress, improving self-awareness and  emotional intelligence, enhancing creativity, setting and achieving goals, etc. The Big Life Journal is packed with short, practical reflection exercises that will help you transform your mindset and achieve your goals. My “Two Cents”: I am more of a verbal person versus a written person, so when I…

Why your content isn’t connecting-and how to fix it. What Small Businesses Can Do to Look (and Feel) More Legit And no-it doesn’t mean spending a fortune. Let’s be honest: Most small businesses don’t have huge budgets. But you do have something powerful-visibility. The question is: Are you using design to maximize that visibility, or are you unintentionally shrinking…

NC three-tier system for counties designed to boost job growth. But many communities face chronic unemployment and other problems persist. by Jane Winik Sartwell  October 27, 2025 Jimmie Furr, a volunteer with Anson Crisis Ministry, brings boxes of food to a client on June 9, 2020. North Carolina’s tiers of economic distress system has consistently ranked Anson…