While we’ve grown substantially over the years and now work with a wide range of businesses nationwide, we’re still passionate about the Denver area and embrace the opportunity to help local businesses implement a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that will allow them to grow and thrive. This desire to stay connected with our local community has allowed us to keep our finger on the pulse of the Denver business scene.

When we became one of the first Denver web design companies back in the mid-90s, the business landscape here was very different. Denver was still a small city, and it wasn’t a hub for tech and startups. However, the last decade has seen an influx of entrepreneurs and investors to the area, and Denver has now become one of the most thriving environments for startups and tech companies in the country.

Below is a rundown of some of the top Denver businesses to watch this year.

Healthcare Industry Businesses to Watch

Strive Health

Strive Health is a technology company offering care delivery models that improve patient outcomes and lower the cost of care for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. They work with both healthcare providers and payors, providing the advanced technology and predictive analytics necessary to raise the bar for patient care.

Kinspire

Kinspire provides occupational therapy services to children using a monthly membership model. They provide round-the-clock therapist support, a video library and access to a mobile app that helps you monitor and measure your progress.

DispatchHealth

DispatchHealth provides a platform that delivers mobile and virtual healthcare to patients. Their platform addresses the needs of patients of all ages and provides a wide range of healthcare services, ensuring patients can receive important treatment for serious injuries or illnesses right away.

Energy Companies to Watch

Peak Energy

Peak energy utilizes a process that industrializes sodium ions to facilitate a shift to renewable energy sources.

Karman+

Karman+ mines resources from asteroids near the Earth to use as sustainable energy sources.

RenewWest

RenewWest is a Denver startup company working to expedite the conservation and repair of global ecosystems. They work closely with governments, land stewards, frontline communities and investors to generate predictable, high-quality outcomes.

AI Tech Companies to Watch

MagicSchool AI

MagicSchool AI is a new Denver startup company providing a wide range of AI services to elevate the performance of teachers. Their technology improves the efficiency and effectiveness of a wide range of tasks, including creating lesson plans, writing assessments, giving feedback on assignments, and communicating with students and parents.

Murmur

Murmur provides AI-powered collaboration software that improves the efficiency of companies by streamlining the number of meetings needed to make important decisions. Their software summarizes a set of Slack channels of your choosing into real-time snapshots that can be viewed by any employee at any time.

Education Companies to Watch

Guild Education

Guild Education helps businesses improve their continuing education capabilities in order to attract and retain employees more effectively. Their platform makes it possible for companies to offer rewarding educational programs that provide employees with valuable opportunities for career growth.

Revnt

Revnt allows creators of educational videos to monetize their content. They provide a platform that will host your educational content, and subscribers are then charged a fee to access these materials.

Hospitality Businesses to Watch

Ordermark

Ordermark consolidates a variety of complex online ordering platforms used by restaurants into one dashboard to lower costs, improve efficiencies and eliminate errors. The company was recently acquired by UrbanPiper.

Hotel Engine

Hotel Engine is a membership-based platform geared towards connecting business travelers with hotels and other partner companies who provide discounted lodging and other valuable travel programs.

Other Innovative Companies to Watch

Gameboard

Gameboard is truly elevating the capabilities of the gaming industry. Their tabletop gaming system combines in-person and digital/online gaming experiences to give gamers the tactile and interpersonal capabilities of physical games while allowing you to connect with online gaming communities. Gamers can play with anyone, anytime, anywhere, using any game pieces. Their technology also mimics real-life hand movements on the surface of a screen. The gaming experience will never be the same.

Hound

Hound provides a recruiting and retention platform for veterinary professionals. Their software makes recruiting veterinary staff easier, improves employee engagement, and increases employee retention.

Vantage Data Centers

Vantage Data Centers offers state-of-the-art, hyperscale cloud solutions for large businesses. They provide customized data center solutions that can address just about any business need.

Leafwire

Leafwire is a cannabis tech company providing a platform that businesses and employees in the industry can use for networking, collaboration and finding deals. Their platform also provides cannabis businesses with the ability to connect with prospective candidates looking for employment.

Webolutions Can Help You Grow Your Business

Whether you’re an up-and-coming Denver-area business or an established company located anywhere in the United States, Webolutions is uniquely suited to help you grow and thrive. Over the last 30 years, we’ve worked with thousands of local and national businesses in a wide range of industries. This extensive experience, along with our comprehensive digital marketing services, will set your business up for ongoing success.

As part of our marketing services, we’ll build a high performing website that will help convey your brand story, rank well on search engines, and connect with your target audience. Our unique Websites Right Methodology™ has been developed and refined over three decades, building on the experience, knowledge and lessons we’ve learned from designing thousands of websites. This fully integrated, strategic approach to website design ensures a superior website that will deliver the results your business needs to grow.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Webolutions is a Denver web design company serving clients nationwide.

The post Top Denver Businesses to Watch in 2024 appeared first on Webolutions Digital Marketing Agency.

In the spirit of showing our passion for the local area, we’d like to highlight some of the best reasons to choose Denver as your next weekend getaway. With close proximity to the Rocky Mountains and robust cultural offerings, Denver is the ideal place to visit year round. In fact, many of our out-of-town clients regularly choose to meet with us in-person at our Denver digital marketing agency offices for planning and strategy sessions on a Thursday or Friday in order to take advantage of a long weekend where they can soak in many of the amazing activities our great town has to offer.

Whether you’re an existing client looking to combine an in-person meeting with a fun weekend vacation or simply someone interested in checking out the Denver area, here is a rundown of some of the top ways to spend your time in our great city.

Access to World-Class Mountain Adventures

Denver has a thriving tourism industry, and our close proximity to the Rocky Mountains is one of the primary reasons why. Outdoor enthusiasts have access to a mountain playground offering breathtaking views, mountain activities that are perfect for people of all ages and ability levels, and the ability to get away from crowds to enjoy nature in your own way. While late spring in the mountains can be a bit muddy, the rest of the year offers ample opportunities to participate in your favorite outdoor activities.

Legendary Skiing

Colorado is home to some of the most legendary ski resorts in the country. Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, and Winter Park are all less than a two-hour drive from Denver (depending on traffic and weather conditions). If you’re willing to drive a little bit farther, you also have access to other top-tier resorts such as Aspen, Steamboat and Telluride.

This makes Denver an essential destination for avid skiers. You can spend a night or two in the city to experience Denver and then depart for the mountains to enjoy some of the best skiing of your life.

Summer Mountain Activities

What’s your favorite outdoor summer activity? Chances are, you can do it near Denver. Colorado has 11 national forests containing thousands of acres of trails, providing a virtually limitless playground for outdoor enthusiasts.

Nearby towns such as Boulder, Golden, Evergreen and Nederland give you access to incredible mountain biking and hiking trails, as well as world-class climbing spots. If you’re willing to travel a little farther into the mountains, the terrain is even better, and there are ample camping spots that offer spectacular mountain views.

Water sport afficionados will be in heaven as well. Denver and the nearby mountain towns have lots of beautiful lakes where you can enjoy standup paddleboarding and water skiing. There are also many rivers nearby that provide access to excellent rafting, tubing and kayaking.

If you’re a fan of visiting national parks, you’ll find that Rocky Mountain National Park is just a short drive from Denver. Experience world-class hikes and breathtaking scenic drives. You can either camp inside the park, get a hotel nearby in Estes Park, or simply visit Rocky Mountain National Park as a day trip from Denver.

Fall Leaf Peeping

If you prefer visiting in the fall, you can experience the best weather of the year in Denver while also embarking on a scenic afternoon drive through the mountains for a bit of leaf peeping. The Rocky Mountains have large aspen groves which turn vibrant shades of yellow and orange during the fall foliage season. This experience is a must-see for anyone visiting in late September or early October.

See a Show at Legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater

For music fans, Red Rocks Amphitheater is a must-see destination. Located just a few minutes outside of Denver, Red Rocks is widely regarded as one of the most incredible outdoor music venues in the country. Giant, ancient rock formations form a natural amphitheater with amazing views and incredible acoustics. You also have a great view of the Denver downtown area from the venue.

You can catch a show at Red Rocks almost every night of the week from May through October. The lineup always includes a diverse array of artists from just about every genre, ensuring there will be a show for everyone. In addition, Red Rocks is known for attracting world-class artists. The Beatles famously played a show there in 1964, and U2 recorded their iconic live album Under a Blood Red Sky there in 1983. Legends such as Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, and many others regularly play shows at Red Rocks on their summer tours.

A Vibrant Museum District

Museum afficionados will love Denver and its diverse museum scene. Art fans have a lot of options to choose from, including the Denver Art Museum, the Clyfford Still Museum, the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, and the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art.

History buffs need to visit the History Colorado Center, a Smithsonian Affiliate famous for its immersive exhibits telling stories of Colorado and the American West. In addition, the Molly Brown House Museum provides a window into the life of one of Denver’s most famous philanthropists, activists and socialites, Molly Brown, who survived the sinking of the Titanic. If you’re more interested in science, then the Denver Museum of Nature and Science will be a must-stop during your trip.

Unique Neighborhoods

No visit to Denver would be complete without exploring many of the unique and vibrant local neighborhoods. The River North Art District (RiNo) has become a hotspot for designers, artists and foodies in recent years. Take a stroll through this neighborhood and experience colorful street art murals, art galleries, and great restaurants.

The Art District on Santa Fe contains over 100 galleries and artist studios, making it a must-see for art fans. If you’re visiting at the beginning of the month, make sure to go by the First Friday Art Walk, where the galleries in the Santa Fe district remain open late and feature work from hundreds of talented local artists.

Make sure to check out the Highlands neighborhood as well. This area is home to some of Denver’s most unique eateries, bookstores and boutique shops, providing a great way to spend an afternoon.

World-Class Craft Beer

Denver is home to one of the most vibrant craft beer scenes in the country, with over 50 breweries in the city limits alone. This number doubles if you include the breweries in the surrounding towns. With such a large selection of craft beers, there is something for everyone. You can enjoy themed bars, old-timey taverns oozing with character, and newer breweries offering outdoor patios or great views of the skyline from a rooftop deck.

If you find navigating such a large craft brewery scene on your own to be a bit overwhelming, you can explore the Denver Beer Trail which features a variety of famous breweries along a walkable stretch of downtown Denver.

Vibrant Music Scene

Red Rocks isn’t the only place to see music in the Denver area. The city has developed a vibrant music scene consisting of hundreds of venues of varying sizes. You can find live music virtually everywhere in Denver, and there are options for fans of every genre.

Jazz fans should visit Dazzle, the city’s most famous jazz bar, as well as the historic Five Points District where legendary jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday performed years ago.

Webolutions Can Help You Grow Your Business

The marketing landscape has changed dramatically over the last 10 years. In order to generate the quality leads necessary to grow your business, it’s critical to focus your efforts on the channels where your audience seeks information. Today, those channels are online. At Webolutions, we provide comprehensive digital marketing services that will set your business up for ongoing success.

In a digital age, your website provides the foundation for your marketing efforts. A high performing website needs to look professional, effectively convey your brand story, provide an excellent user experience and rank well on search engines. This requires the assistance of an experienced web design company to ensure every aspect of your website is created properly.

As the leading Denver web design company for nearly 30 years, Webolutions has helped thousands of local and national clients generate the web presence necessary to grow their business. Our unique Websites Right Methodology™ has been developed over three decades, incorporating the experience, knowledge and lessons learned from building thousands of websites. This fully integrated, strategic approach to website design and development results in superior websites that outperform the marketplace, delivering the results your business needs to thrive.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Webolutions is a Denver web design company serving clients nationwide.

The post Top Reasons to Choose Denver as Your Next Weekend Getaway appeared first on Webolutions Digital Marketing Agency.

Havana Business Improvement District

In the early 2000s, Havana Street — from 6th Avenue to Dartmouth Avenue — was a small stretch of road with a bad reputation. As evening commuters passed through this area from their jobs in Denver to their homes in Aurora, they encountered urban blight, condemned buildings and abandoned retail outlets with few prospects, none of them attractive. Activities outside a largely empty shopping mall required frequent attention from Aurora’s police force. Residents suffered from malaise.

This is a common story in metro areas all over America. A popular solution is for the merchants to leave or close from necessity, allow the residents who can afford to exodus to do so, neglect the infrastructure and let the property values bottom out. As we’ve seen in Denver, this creates an attractive environment for developers. The problem gets “solved” by gentrification. The economic woes are replaced by opportunity, at the cost of the type of misplacement inherent to market economies.

Havana Street thought differently. A coalition of public officials, merchants and resident leaders sought to maintain the integrity of the community they envisioned, and which they felt they had earned. They banded together to create the Havana Business Improvement District. Among the group’s top initial priorities was to brand the district and the 4.3-mile artery bearing its name. District leadership worked with Webolutions to moniker and market the district as On Havana Street.

The first two signs bearing the On Havana Street name and logo had to be removed within 48 hours, and replaced, due to the fact that the script and imagery were significantly and irreparably marred by bullets.

Today, the district is an annual leader in sales tax revenue. A parking lot where gang violence was once the norm, families attend free concerts and help maintain a community rose garden. 2018 retail vacancy rates in the district are below 2%. 2018 average family income in a 1-mile radius from the district’s center is up nearly 5% over 2017, which was in turn a 27% increase over 2015. Home values are also rising. Replacement is under way of one of the most iconic eyesores in the Denver metro area by a modern mixed-use development. The district holds an internationally recognized public arts program and annual events drawing tens of thousands of people.

The beauty of this story is in the fact that, at an inflection point, this community took the road less traveled by. Given the choice of turning away or doing the hard work, these people bet on themselves. Today, when stakeholders gather — as they did for their annual meeting in November — pride and confidence fill the room. This group of people needed help and strength and found it in themselves and each other. On Havana Street is proof a community can improve the lives of its residents and merchants while reinforcing, rather than compromising, its soul.

Mytech Make a Difference Community Partner Grant

Webolutions proudly partnered with Mytech Partners and Apoorva to provide awards for the Make a Difference Community Partner Grant, introduced to the Denver community in 2018. (Mytech’s home office in Minneapolis has conducted this grant in that market for years.) Selection committee members included representatives from the Colorado Nonprofit Association and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

On Wednesday, December 5, the day after 2018 Colorado Gives Day, Mytech’s Denver-area office provided a holiday atmosphere for networking and a brief awards ceremony. Approximately 10 Denver nonprofits received approximately $300,000 of value in grants. These came in the form of:

• A Full Day Effective Leadership and Visioning Session
• 3 Years of IT Managed Services
• Strategic IT Roadmaps
• Security Risk Assessments
• CRM implementation packages

Planning for enhancements to the program for 2019 are under way. If you would like to apply or participate as a sponsor, please contact Webolutions.

Webolutions congratulates Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning
for earning their selection as the recipient for the Leadership and
Visioning Session provided by Webolutions.

A Mindset to Honor our Kinship

Webolutions is privileged to operate at the center of a community of leaders, and to gain their perspectives on leadership topics at events including annual meetings to which we are invited and Executive Roundtables we host. We get to see and learn about how cause-related organizations such as Firefly Autism and City Year are fostering community development, and how organizations such as Garden Centers of Colorado and Colorado Food Works are working to support their members and cause-focused organizations.

Market economies require activity and velocity. Denver is home to leaders across the public, for-profit and nonprofit spectrum who understand our interdependence and the importance of the roles each of us play, often invisibly, in each other’s successes.

This is a season of abundance for many, and of displacement for others. In a media-driven environment increasingly focused on our differences, perhaps we can each take a moment to celebrate the nobleness inherent in our daily pursuits and the remarkable results that are achievable when we draw upon each other’s strengths.

The post Denver Businesses and Nonprofits Succeed Together appeared first on Webolutions Digital Marketing Agency.

Several themes emerged:

• Unique experiences in dining, shopping and living
• Working together to build a stronger community
• Making your life more interesting

Through our interviews with residents and business owners, research and hours of conversations with community stakeholders, we came up with On Havana Street.

At the time, the area offered:

• 4.3 mile very fast street, not very concentrated
• No specific destination business in this area
• 29 car dealers on the street
• 65 restaurants (40 to 45 of them are privately-owned restaurants)
• Average age within 3 miles of the mall is 32

From there, we embarked on a marketing journey by creating a logo, website, a calendar of events, and an e-newsletter.

Over the years, the success of On Havana Street has been impressive.

Aurora City Sales Tax Revenues from the Havana BID businesses have increased from around $12 million in 2008 to more than $20 million in 2016.

We even spawned two more brands:

• Havana Motor Mile – Highlighting all the dealerships and automotive services in the area
• Art 2C On Havana – Annual Public Art Program

Some annual events include:

• Cruzin’ Havana – this classic car show draws massive crowds
• Grocery Cart Race – this great event raises funds for the Comitis Crisis Center in Aurora (the 2017 event raised $50,000)
• Summer Concert Series – brings the community together through music
• Frozen Treats Day – great way for residents to patronize local businesses and get delicious samples of frozen treats
• Halloween Costume Contest – fun for parents, kids and pets

Quick Facts

• Vacancy rate decreased from 8.2% in 2008 to 2.5% in 2017.
• In 2009, there were 583 businesses and 388 new jobs created.
• The district added 75 new businesses and 430 jobs in 2014.
• In 2015, Gayle Jetchick was inducted into the Aurora Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame.
• Gayle Jetchick was honored with title of Woman of the Year by the Aurora Chamber in 2018.

On Havana Street in 2018

This year, we congratulate On Havana for celebrating their 10 year anniversary! We thank them for their dedication to the community.

Gayle is planning on retiring one day and has hired Chance Horiuchi as the executive director in training to take over the role. Chance brings enthusiasm and new ideas to the district. She will gracefully carry on the torch for Gayle.

We are looking forward to seeing how the area continues to improve because of the work of Gayle, Chance, the Board, residents and business owners.

The post Community Spotlight: On Havana – A Leader in Community Transformation appeared first on Webolutions Digital Marketing Agency.

At Webolutions, we seek to provide that support by keeping it simple and fun in a group called Webolutions Revolutions. In this group, we are facilitating a weight loss group – currently there’s a group of 49 who are working to shed over 500 pounds by December 31^st.

So how is our group staying fit during the holidays?

Here are 7 thoughts for good health and fitness from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day.

1. Do some physical activity EVERY day.

Even if it’s just a quick walk around your block, a few seconds of a plank or a few pushups. Make it a habit every day – soon it will be one of the best parts of your day.

2. Get outside every day.

REI has even made that a thing with Opt Outside. The program encourages going outside each day. With the right clothing and gear some of the worst days are the best. Want to kick off your opt outside? Join us on Black Friday – we’re hosting Colorado’s event in coordination with 52 Hike Challenge! Sign up here.

3. Enjoy real food, including all the vegetables that you’d like and most fresh fruits.

Everything else you should learn to love, only in significantly smaller portions. You can do that – it’s just a habit!

4. Practice the thought of learning to love your body.

It’s not perfect, nor will it ever be, nor does anyone else expect or want perfection. But it is terrific right now the way it is. And now you get to choose to begin sculpting it into something else wonderful. First though you’ve got to get comfortable in your own skin.

5. Set a goal several months out.

This goal could be walking or running a 5K, a weight loss goal, climbing a few sets of stairs without being out of breath, or comfortably fitting in to your old favorite dress or suit. Write your goal down and create a plan to accomplish it. Every day, write down a very short summary of what you did that day. To take care of your mental health and to stay stress free you can avail some CBD products from OrganicCBDNugs.com

6. Tell your family and friends.

Tell them your goal, ask them to join you if they’re interested. Ask for the support and encouragement. Post on Facebook. Search for a couple of training partners.

7. Celebrate EVERY small success.

Walked around the block – Yea! 1 Pushup – it’s a great start. Really. Enjoy sunrises and laugh with others and yourself. We’ve only got one chance at this. Every failure and mistake is in reality a victory. Enjoy!

John Brackney is the Director of Public Policy and Community Engagement at Webolutions. John is a former elected official, founder of a city and CEO of a major Chamber of Commerce. He’s also has run over 100 races in his lifetime including several marathons. On Thanksgiving Day 2017 he will have run his 850^th consecutive day without missing a day of running. 

The post 7 Tips for Staying Healthy During the Holidays appeared first on Webolutions Digital Marketing Agency.

• Less than half of the US workforce is engaged.
• Disengaged employees cost organizations about $500 Billion each year.
• 76% of employees who do not feel valued are actively seeking to leave their job.
• 95% of HR leaders admit employee burnout is sabotaging workforce retention.
• Replacing an employee can cost up to one-third of that employee’s salary.

Small wonder almost 9 of 10 US employers plan to implement formal programs to develop a more engaged workforce in 2018.

Setting the Executive Roundtable

Webolutions gathered a group of company founders and C-level executives to discuss this topic. Industries represented included fashion retail, restaurant franchising, health care, cloud computing, municipal government, and nonprofit.

Webolutions’ interest in stimulating this conversation is borne of the fact that our services include helping companies do exactly this. Through 23 years of designing and implementing complete marketing solutions, we’ve learned that the best laid plans are rendered significantly less effective when the entire team is not engaged in the experience. We can say, for example, that we’re the friendliest people in town, but if the person answering the phone is feeling under-appreciated and excluded from the process, the experience breaks at the point of first engagement.

For this reason, Webolutions follows foundational Brand Strategy development with ongoing Cultural Development. Why is it ongoing? Because as the rank and file put rubber to road, they find ways to adapt and improve the strategy. Engaged employees are those who can see and understand that their input is welcomed and valued.

The Role of Technology in Employee Engagement in 2017

Many executives feel under siege. Recruiters have one-click access to their workforce through tools like LinkedIn. Online job boards offer ubiquitous and constantly fertile fields of inventory for job seekers and head hunters. Personal experiences shared on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat provide a “grass is greener” perspective for any employees carrying doubts about their roles and the security and appreciation thereof.

“These days,” offered a veteran of for-profit and nonprofit enterprise, “most everyone understands they need to monitor their reputation on social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp. But are you monitoring GlassDoor? If you really want to understand your opportunities to keep your best people, help them be a model for the rest of your workforce, and attract more people like them, you must place a high priority on what your current and past employees say about you.”

One means to simultaneously address technology and employee engagement, it was noted, is to replace the top-down approach with directly involvement of line-level employees in solution development. Contact Relationship Management (CRM) was an example of a technology disappointingly underused within companies and organizations. Part of the lack of adoption was blamed on the sales force being given the tool without participation in the solution identification process, and without training and access to resources. As a global manager of cloud solutions noted, “The process of changing systems must include supporting the employees on whom the system is dependent. Otherwise, they feel thrown to the wolves.”

How to Develop a More Engaged Workforce

An attending Chief Operating Officer encouraged examining the complete breadth of solutions available. She provided creative compensation approaches her startup had successfully used to retain a top employee. You might also want to find out the advantages of a proactive employee.

Additional solutions suggested included:

• Ensuring the company and its executives provide a “personal touch” for the employee experience.
• Understand that employees are an audience, and market to them. Keep them informed of company and organizational initiatives, including those outside of their immediate area of responsibility, with regular communications. Include restatement of the company’s in these communications, and provide context as to how current and planned initiatives support them.
• Use regular touch points to ensure employees are finding meaning in the work they do.
• Encourage positive, professional relationships among co-workers.
• Formalize and enforce regular recognition and employee feedback programs.
• Employ SMART Goals for each position and initiative, and provide context for how these support the company or organization’s Mission, Vision, and Values.

“Much of this comes back to us,” concluded one company founder. “If we are to engender and enforce engagement, we have to let everyone on our team see us living it.”

The post Developing a More Engaged Workforce appeared first on Webolutions Digital Marketing Agency.

Thus opened the July, 2017, installment of Webolutions’ Executive Roundtable luncheon series, which promised an engaging discussion on Staying Ahead of the Curve.

Several examples of “curves” were given.

In a meeting room with a backdrop spotlighting innovators in communication including Johannes Gutenberg, Alexander Graham Bell, and Steve Jobs; in the afterglow of Amazon.com’s acquisition of Whole Foods and on the day that company publicly identified Blue Apron as a competitive target, Webolutions Founder and CEO John Vachalek displayed the curve representing the accelerated growth in technology and asked the group, “Is it possible to stay ahead of this?”

One attending CEO shared his struggle of going to market with a technology product that was “of its time, and on the technology curve, but ahead of our target customers’ ability to easily comprehend.” (Vachalek, who started a website development company in 1994, offered empathy.) Another attendee plainly admitted he was knowingly operating well behind the curve: “I recall reading a Webolutions article several years ago,” he noted, “about the importance of making your website mobile-friendly. We still haven’t gotten around to that.”

These comments and others framed a discussion around Dr. Everett Rogers Technology Adoption Curve, whereby the former executive would identify as an Innovator, and the latter a Laggard. It should be noted the gentleman smiled and responded politely when asked if he still owned a rotary phone. This curve, all agreed, applied not just to technology but to the adoption of any new idea.

The executives concluded one problem with such diagrams is they are one-dimensional. Today’s executive confronts technology curves, adoption curves, innovation curves, culture development curves, employee satisfaction and retention curves, workflow tool and process curves. Within the curve for a technology product, noted the group, progress along multiple curves must be managed. Personal computer external and internal hardware curves, user expectation curves, operating system curves, social media curves, web and mobile application curves, integration curves…

Additional discussion threads included:

• The challenges of managing disparate technology adoption levels among multigenerational workforces.
• Driverless cars. The emerging development is distrusted by some attendees, and welcomed as inevitable social change and market disruption by others. Attending Homeland Security experts (both of them) changed all perspectives by offering a scenario in which malicious hackers anonymously and remotely weaponized the technology.
• Means by which people are pulled along the adoption curve. “Glamping”—glamorous camping—provided an example of how as products change, experiences and expectations change, bringing changes in decision-making roles with them.

The number of curves identifiable in any of these discussion points is staggering. For these reasons, attendees rather remarkably agreed, businesses and organizations increasingly are shedding “Five Year Plans,” choosing instead to look forward 24 months or less, constantly monitoring internal and external developments impacting progress thereto, and adjusting accordingly.

Summary
Executives are continuously managing against multiple multi-dimensional curves. We seek to align them and influence progress along them. “Staying ahead” of these curves is not always optimal. It is frequently impossible. Lessons are available, noted one attendee, from curves that, “have truly changed human behavior.”

July, 2017 Attendees

• Roger Hays, President and CEO, Premier Employer Services
• Karen Middleton, Executive Director, NARAL Pro Choice Colorado
• Jay Bojan, CEO, Buzzigo
• Lisa Buckley, Managing Partner, American Automation Building Solutions
• Gayle Jetchick, Executive Director, Havana Business Improvement District
• Glenn Jones, Owner, Desks Incorporated
• Gregg Bergan, Co-Owner, Pure Brand Communications
• Bryan Desmarteau, Founder and Managing Member, Apex Valuation Services
• Mike Lombardo, President, Pinnacle Structural Services
• Chief Ira Rhodes, Cunningham Fire Protection District (Arapahoe County, Colorado)
• Laurie Womer, Vice President and Owner, Denver Tent Company

About Webolutions Executive Roundtable Series
Webolutions Executive Roundtable series fosters community among executives confronting similar challenges. Each discussion includes a catered lunch and a professionally-moderated discussion with 10-15 selected private- and public-sector executives.

Peer networking is encouraged. Sales presentations are prohibited. There is no cost to attend. Attendance is by invitation only.

Do you know executives for whom a Webolutions Executive Roundtable would be a positive experience, whose perspectives would be valuable for our attendees? Please refer them by completing this brief form or sign up for our next event.

The post Denver Executives Seek to Stay Ahead of the Curve appeared first on Webolutions Digital Marketing Agency.

Building a brand community may take slow, consistent effort, but, it creates long term wealth. Just ask Apple or Harley or Starbucks. Each has actively built a community that goes far beyond their product.

The most successful people and companies understand the importance of a vast and deep network of relationships that transcend the product, or sale. They know that mistakes will be made, competition will get fiercer, customers are fickle, communications channels and techniques will change. Yet, they know that loyalty is a human characteristic and that a sense of community is essential for all of us – even businesses.

And that, is the core for any brand community.

What is Brand Community?

Wikepedia provides the following definition for Brand Community:

A brand community is a community formed on the basis of attachment to a product or marque. Recent developments in marketing and in research in consumer behavior result in stressing the connection between brand, individual identity and culture. Among the concepts developed to explain the behavior of consumers, the concept of a brand community focuses on the connections between consumers. A brand community can be defined as an enduring self-selected group of actors sharing a system of values, standards and representations (a culture) and recognizing bonds of membership with each other and with the whole.

Brand Community & Wealth Creation

When you are alone, your ideas, products and services leave with you. When you’ve created a community around your brand, wealth has been created. It continues to benefit everyone in the community, long after you are gone.

Whether a sale, transfer or retirement is in plans, wealth is created by having many understand what you stand for and to be willing to stand with you. Referrals, endorsements, investments, partnerships all are created because others have bought into your community.

Creating that loyalty to build a brand community generally entails three things. Authenticity, Passion, & Consistency

Authenticity

Creating a community around your brand is not something that you can simply hire out, or delegate. People know when something is authentic – and whether the company really cares. When creating a community do it authentically or don’t do it at all.

Passion

An engaged community will only be sustainable if the key leaders, support staff, and team consultants care about what they are creating. Trying to create a sense of community around a brand that folks aren’t passionate about makes no sense. Find your passion and share it!

Consistency

When trouble surrounds you, it is not the time to find out if you have support. Building a community is intentional and relationships form over years. Consistent outreach and engagement builds the strongest bonds that will create real wealth and brand community in the future.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.”  Same applies for you and your company. Tell the world that you want to have a community around your brand and the world will respond in kind.

Important note: Wealth comes in more shapes than financial. One of the very best things about creating a community around your brand is the friendships, camaraderie, story-telling, fun and love that comes with people that care about you and what you do in the world. Things you cannot buy, you must nurture. When a community supports you, every other form of wealth and success comes naturally.

Need assistance creating a brand community? Contact Director of Community Engagement, John Brackney at johnbrackney@webolutions.com or 303-300-2640.

The post How to Create a Brand Community appeared first on Webolutions Digital Marketing Agency.

Some of the strongest shared experiences come under unfortunate, harsh and even tragic circumstances. These, although we wish no one to join us, often create the strongest connections and bonds once things settle down and with the healing power of time. “War stories”, overcoming accident or illness, start-up failures, job terminations, all, after the pain has subsided, forge the strongest lifelong ties when “cemented” properly.

When we connect emotionally to a person or a group of people at a positive or negative “event,” we’re much more likely to stay involved and care about the individuals for a much longer time. These make life valuable.

How a Shared Experience Is Important to Your Business

Now, how is a shared experience important to your business? Do your employees care about you and your business? Are they with you through good and bad for the long term? Do your customers or clients like your product or service or are they willing to fight for your product or service? If your business thrives, do you have a team of contractors, suppliers, neighbors, customers, clients, past employees and community leaders cheering you on to greater success?

This shared experience can be gained in common ways such as how your team handles complaints, responds to social media posts, welcomes and follow up before and after events. Deeper shared experiences are gained by when and how you reach out to clients and prospects. Are you there for them when they need you, not only when you need them?

Are you willing to take the time to significantly deepen a relationship with your time and a shared experience? You know when others do this for you and how much it means. Now’s the time to do this for others.

How to Use this Information

Webolutions will work with you and your team to create and execute an individualized plan for senior team members to build positive shared experiences for all key clients and prospects. This non-traditional marketing is best suited for a long-term professional and personal success for those that wish to make a powerful impact in their business and in their community. We’re ready to help you succeed! Just give us a call at 303-300-2640.

The post Build Positive Shared Experiences = Priceless appeared first on Webolutions Digital Marketing Agency.