Indra Nooyi, Chairwoman and CEO of PepsiCo, addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, confirmed, “It becomes increasingly clear that women have become a bigger force in the world, a force to reckon with.”

     Few things are harder to put up with than a good example. So consider this: “Companies with more women in senior management roles make more money.”

    It's not just one study, but also at least half a dozen, from a broad spectrum of organizations such as Columbia University, McKinsey & Co., Goldman Sachs and Pepperdine University. They document a clear relationship between women in senior management and corporate financial ...

   "If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some.”  Ben Franklin wrote this in his 'Poor Richard's Almanac.'  He also noted, “Creditors are a superstitious sect, great observers of set days and times.” Sound familiar?

    This most versatile Founding Father was a writer, an inventor, a statesman, a fundraiser, a marketer and a military leader. And he made enough money to retire from active business by age 42. Perhaps that’s why Franklin’s portrait is found on the $100 bill, the largest denomination in circulation.

     How did he do it? Franklin’s book, “The Way to Wealth,” is still in print .........

     Years ago, while living and working in Caracas, Venezuela, I received an engraved invitation to join in a late afternoon “Tertulia.” I’d never come across the word before.

     I learned a “Tertulia” is an informal gathering of people interested in learning by sharing ideas with each other. The concept has its roots in Spain during the late 1700’s. Although informal, the character was intellectual. Participants brought their opinions, their presumptions and their prior knowledge in order to talk about and occasionally debate the selected topic. Thus, a new step forward was enabled: share and learn.

     Peer group sharing and ............

     I was puzzled when I heard the word “Millennials! Google brought me up to speed quickly. I learned they are well educated, skilled in technology and very self-confident. Many bring to the table high accomplishments and even higher expectations. Best known for flip-flops and ripped jeans, iPods and incessant text messaging. They’re the next generation. They want to work, but they don't want work to be their life.

     I remembered Mark Twain’s words, “All generalizations are false, including this one.” I usually pay little attention to social generalizations with catchphrase monikers: Veterans or Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X and GenY now ...

     Whom can I trust? This one simple question underlies all our relationships be they personal or business. Trust in this sense means confidence in and reliance on another person’s good qualities: fairness, truth, honor, or ability.

     Sort of “old fashioned” – perhaps.  But within this burgeoning impersonal interactive digital business world, developing trust is a challenge for both management and marketing. Without trust there is no engagement, no loyalty from either customers or employees.

     The heart of activating a new level of engagement — regardless of generations — lies within these two facts. Employees are engaged when they .........

      “What’s the best way to build a website?”was at the heart of questions I fielded at a recent marketing workshop. My response involved several important steps. First, define your website objective and strategy. Some are built to provide information. Others are storefronts created to sell goods or services.

     Think about a mall storefront:It tries to spark your interest, encourage you to come inside. Once inside, aisles and counters are arranged to make it easier for you to shop. A jewelry store’s ambiance is much different than a clothing store. But the principles are the same. A website shares these same principles.

Think Design

     How do you......

     Growing a business requires creativity, ingenuity and tenacity. When you focus these three talents upon your marketing, you’ll bring in new sales and customers even in tough times. I’ve been fortunate to work with some of advertising’s greatest creative people. Those few, blessed with an exceptional talent, understand selling to others through media. I call them “wordsmiths.”

     Similar to our own Internet rulebook, print advertisements during the ‘60’s tended to be more graphic and involved less copywriting. However, Y&R’s George Gribbin created his own writing style as a storyteller. His favorite ad was written for Travelers Insurance............