Business to Business News, Articles, Resources - Corp! Magazine: National Edition

How to Launch Products the Right Way

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:00:04 GMT

April 18, 2013 – James Mastan’s book, “Product Launch the Microsoft Way,” details the processes and techniques crucial to getting products to the market and keeping them there. Mastan should know – he spent 14 years as director of marketing at the global software giant.

Assembling Citywide Change

Eric Maes — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:00:04 GMT

April 2013 – Not many offices keep a shiny Ford Mustang on site for employees to drive and show off to their families. But that red convertible is one of the perks at Detroit Manufacturing Systems, where the vehicle’s instrument panel is assembled – and where Andra Rush is president and CEO. Empowering her employees – to drive, to make something, to have a job that will become a career – is among the reasons Rush considers Detroit Manufacturing Systems a game changer. And that’s just one of companies she heads up in the Rush Group.

Good Design Means Good Business

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:00:05 GMT

March 21, 2013 – Good design is more than window dressing for modern products – it is an integral part of what makes a product greater than the sum of its parts, and therefore, a key enabler that is a solid business proposition. In other words, good design means good business.

Corp! Readers Keep a Wait-and-See Approach for Economic Outlook

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 23:00:04 GMT

March 7, 2013 – "Moderate Expectations" could be the title of the results of a recent business survey conducted by Corp! in cooperation with the Business Research Group and The Business Improvement Team. Readers are cautious about 2013 and less optimistic than they were last year about improvements in their economic standing.

Welcome to the New World of 'We' as Society's 'Pendulum' Continues to Swing

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:00:03 GMT

Feb. 14, 2013 – According to authors Roy H. Williams and Michael R. Drew, 2003 was the beginning of a shift (back) to what they call a "We" cycle—an emphasis on ideals like "conformity for the common good" and strengthening a society's sense of purpose as it considers all its problems.

Betting 'Big Time' on Detroit

Eric Maes — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 15:46:10 GMT

February 2013 – Josh Linkner, CEO and managing partner of Detroit Venture Partners, an investment firm focused on turning Detroit into a high-tech hub, believes the city is in the midst of an historic urban turnaround. But Linkner and partners don’t want a Chicago. They don’t want New York. They don’t even want Silicon Valley. They want Detroit. They want the city to evolve into the best version of itself.

Cartoonist Cuts the Clutter for the Business World

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 23:00:03 GMT

Jan. 31, 2013 – Hugh MacLeod, creator of gapingvoid.com, is busy helping to craft business environments where workers can be exposed to inspired messages, instead of the bland landscape of office walls.

Gala Urban Wheel Awards Shine Spotlight on Women

Richard Blanchard — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:00:00 GMT

Jan. 16, 2013 — The gala 17th Annual Urban Wheels Award, the official multicultural event of the North American International Auto Show, was clear and successful in its objective: to celebrate and honor the people who have valiantly succeeded in breaking through barriers of color and gender. But this year, the focus was on women.

Detroit Auto Show Dazzles with New Look

Eric Maes — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 23:00:05 GMT

Jan. 10, 2013 — Those organizing Detroit’s crowning automotive event, the North American International Auto Show, say 2012 was great – and they promise 2013 will be even greater.

2012’s National Best and Brightest Winners Praise Their Most Valuable Asset – Employees

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 23:00:04 GMT

Dec. 13, 2012 – Nationwide, hundreds of companies competed for the 101 Best and Brightest honors, but only companies with the highest quality human resources initiatives were named 2012 National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For.

Brewing A Family Legacy - Coffee Beanery flavors its franchise business with lifelong devotion

Eric Maes — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:00:04 GMT

Nov./Dec. 2012 - To say the coffee-roasting process is exacting is a bit of an understatement. To bring out a coffee bean’s rich flavors, it must be handled carefully, watched constantly and never taken for granted.

54.50 and No Fight: An End to Uncertainty Puts Everyone on Same Page for Fuel Economy Standards

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 23:00:04 GMT

Nov. 8, 2012 – A positive step toward improved fuel efficiency for automobiles and light trucks takes effect next month as the miles-per-gallon standards for a variety of new vehicles built for the 2025 model year moves to 54.5 mpg. While there are a lot of wonky elements that come into play, the important takeaway for business is that as fuel prices continue their projected rise the new mileage standards may help ease that “pain at the pump.”

Creative, Tenacious Entrepreneurs Fuel Economic Growth

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:00:04 GMT

Oct. 25, 2012 – Few people today would argue the fact that it’s the entrepreneurs of this world who are truly responsible for most of the jobs created. Indeed, whether the companies make it to the list of the biggest companies or not, they—and the entrepreneurs who created those ventures in the first place—are the heart and soul of the engine that drives our economy. These creative and tenacious individuals are Corp!'s Entrepreneurs of Distinction.

A 'Grand' Tradition: Iconic Mackinac Island Hotel Celebrates 125 Years

Eric Maes — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 22:00:06 GMT

Sept./Oct. 2012 - Dan Musser III gained several indelible memories while preparing to celebrate the 125th anniversary of his life’s work, the Grand Hotel. Three generations of the family have kept the majestic destination moving forward.

Metro Detroit's 101 Best and Brightest Shine With Talent

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 22:00:04 GMT

Oct. 4, 2012 – When it comes to attracting and retaining top employees, some companies just rise above the rest. Metro Detroit's 101 Best and Brightest Companies To Work For winners show how they are exceptional in creating company cultures that engage employees and move their businesses and communities forward. They are truly the Best and Brightest.

The Real Car Talk – When Your Car Talks to its Neighbors

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 22:00:05 GMT

Sept. 13, 2012 – What if your car knew where all the cars around it were, how fast they were going, if they were suddenly using their brakes for some reason – and it knew all that several times a second? Add to that knowledge what if the next traffic light told all the cars in its vicinity exactly when it was going to change and how much time they needed to come to a safe stop? You’d think you were watching a ‘60s futuristic cartoon. But that’s just what will be happening during a 3,000 vehicle real-world test that’s beginning now.

Michigan’s ‘Arsenal of Innovation’ Drives Economic Growth

Eric Maes — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 19:53:40 GMT

July/August 2012 - During two World Wars, Michigan flexed its industrial might as the “Arsenal of Democracy.” Its automotive factories churned out tanks, aircraft engines, ammunition and the like.

There’s a War to Replace Your Wallet… and You May Not Even Know it

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:00:04 GMT

Aug. 2, 2012 – Ever leave your wallet at home – and not discover it until you’ve already ordered your morning coffee? Now there’s an app for that. In fact, there are several apps from companies large and small that want to encourage you to at least leave your credit cards at home and shop instead with your smartphone. One seems to be ahead of the game when it comes to smaller businesses.

100 Years & Building:Steelcase CEO Guides Vision for Future

Eric Maes — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:00:04 GMT

July/August 2012 - For Steelcase President and CEO James Hackett, there is nothing more nerve-racking than watching someone struggle to set up equipment for a business meeting.

Global Comedian Stars In Tech Incubator

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:00:04 GMT

July 19, 2012 – Usually you think of business incubators as being the home to startups in technology, bio-medicine, alternative energy or some other mostly male-geek-based field. TechTown started out that way as well but has radically changed direction. Today, more than 60 percent of its startups are women-owned, 66 percent are minorities and collectively they average around 47 years old. Maria Costa fits just two of those categories – and is about as far from technology as you can get. Her company is focused on her one-woman show that has drawn rave reviews in six countries.

Stormy Kromer Grows Clothing Line with Celebs, Social Media and Authenticity

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 22:00:04 GMT

October, 2012 — Stormy Kromer has worked hard to develop a kind of lore around the Kromer name, establishing a brand that honors tradition, wholesomeness and a passion for the Great Outdoors. And it has built a devoted following among outdoor enthusiasts as well as some stars from Hollywood, including Bill Murray and Jeff Daniels.

Trust and Vision are Keys to Success for Freshman FordDirect CEO

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:00:05 GMT

June 28, 2012 – In her first year of being the CEO of a division of Ford Motor Co., Stacey Coopes has learned a lot of things – including how to place dealer orders for new cars over the Internet. It’s been a part of learning how her customers spend part of their days – and how her company can make those days more profitable.

Fred Keller Leads and Lives Sustainability

Eric Maes — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 22:00:04 GMT

May/June 2012 – Philanthropy is difficult even in the best of times, let alone in an economy recovering from a recession. So it takes a special kind of genius to figure out how to make goodness pay its own way. By many accounts, Fred P. Keller is that man.

Stay ‘Top of Mind’ With Professional Help for Email Marketing

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 22:00:04 GMT

June 7, 2012 – We all get email – some of it is from people or companies we want to hear from, a lot of it not. The challenge for senders is to send the right email message to the right recipients with just the right frequency so that their email will be opened and acted upon. Most small businesses don’t have the expertise to do that so they turn to email management services such as Constant Contact.

Winds of Change: Promising Research into Offshore Wind Energy Now Faces Strong Headwinds

Richard Blanchard — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:00:06 GMT

May 24, 2012 – People who venture out into large bodies of water know that there’s a lot of wind out there. How much wind and how to harness it commercially to generate electricity is the focus of a project that features a small yellow buoy armed with a sophisticated Doppler radar system that’s currently anchored 35 miles offshore one of the Great Lakes. How much longer it’s able to keep working is one of the project’s biggest challenges.