Businesses need to be able to adapt to the ever-changing world and satisfy the needs of their clients. In other words, they need to be agile.
Agile, the word, means the ability to think quickly and adjust with your environment. Agile software is an umbrella term that is used to define a methodology for an improved workflow among team members and across multiple teams.
With Agile, the end goal is always the same: creating a product that satisfies the needs of customers and demonstrates its value. Agile method software recognizes that it’s extraordinarily important to examine the processes teams use to create that product. As an iterative approach to project management and software development that helps teams deliver value faster and more effectively, Agile delivers work in small, but consumable, increments known as sprints.
The concept for Agile software started after a 2001 meeting of leading software developers in Utah. They loved what they did but felt that not everyone was aligned on how to work together for the betterment of all. From that meeting, a united group created a list of 12 principles with a common theme of steady, honest communication among team members as the key to a successful completion of a project.
Businesses need to recognize that their first and most important goal is to satisfy their client. They must be willing to change their product—even late in the game. They must turn in their work promptly and emphasize face-to-face communications among team members.
Your business team can apply these strategies at every level.
Popular examples of Agile Methodology include Scrum, eXtreme Programming (XP), Feature Driven Development (FDD), Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM), Adaptive Software Development (ASD), Crystal, and Lean Software Development (LSD). Teams generally pick one or two methods.
One of the most important things to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your team members. You want your developers to be good at what they do, or see the project as a way to enhance their skills.
The beauty of an Agile software approach is that there is not one set answer that fits every situation. Agile is about evolving to create the best environment for your team members and subsequently the right product. What works today may not be the best approach for tomorrow. Being Agile means recognizing that fact and striving to improve.
J. Arthur & Co. wants to help you use the Agile mindset so you can optimize team efficiency during complex projects. Contact us today to learn how we can help your business find the software it needs to become more agile.
A Websites Role For The Digitally Native EnterpriseDigital native is a term coined by Marc Prensky in 2001 to describe a generation that grew up immersed in technology, that have been comfortable with it from an early age, and believe it to be a necessary part of their lives. Digital natives mainly communicate and learn via computers, social networking and texting. They speak a “digital language,” compared to an old “accented” language that smacks of reluctance to adapt to new technology. Digital natives have encouraged a marketing shift to social media platforms, “gamified” promotions, exploring data for advertising insights, and more.
A digital-native enterprise [DNE], on the other hand, manifests these marketing shifts, but also has incredible ability to scale operations and innovation. They are more than just a digitized company. DNEs employ an outside-in approach that allows them to evolve both its offerings and business models in ways traditional “analog” companies do not. The line between customer, vendor, and service provider as organizations become blurred in this approach, creating more of a partnership than a supplier relationship.
In the white paper, “What is a Digital Native Enterprise,” the International Data Corporation [IDC] identifies four characteristics of a digital native enterprise:
As commerce evolves, organizations will have no choice but to apply new technologies to advance their connection between individuals, organizations, and things.
“DNEs exemplify three core principles: Information and how it is used are key to success,” says Mike Rosen, research vice president at IDC. “Consumer engagement and scale is mandatory. And, ecosystems and platforms are as important as core IP,”
With innovation-driven digital technology, people can connect globally, get instant access to almost anything, and travel, shop or watch television from anywhere. This accessibility has created the potential for unlimited opportunities, upscaling an organization’s innovation processes, and making digital transformation both a critical and necessary element for turning a digitally empowered business into a reliable source.
A truly digital enterprise stands for more than just using new technologies. Rather, its competitive advantage is its culture, strategy and way of operating. They continuously enable new and leaner operating models underpinned by agile business processes, connected platforms, analytics and collaboration capabilities. They relentlessly search out, identify and develop new digital business models, keeping customers and employees as the center focus.
The democratization and increased affordability of technology, improved access to funds and a rising entrepreneurial culture means that there are now hundreds of startups that are able to tackle traditional markets. Companies such as Uber, Twitch, Tesla, Hired, Clinkle, Beyond Verbal, Vayable, GitHub, WhatsApp, Airbnb, Matternet, Snapchat, Homejoy and Waze are achieving scale far quicker than analog companies. Whereas the average traditional Fortune 500 company took 20 years to reach a market capitalization of $1 billion, Google managed it in eight years, and Uber, Snapchat and Xiaomi did it in three years or less.
Amazon has become a leader in commerce due to its digital strategy, the creation of a vast database of consumer information, and by continually reinventing itself in order to meet and exceed a user’s expectations. In 2015, they upped their game with “Amazon Business,” which transitioned them into the B2B world.
Looking to find your business’s home in Web1, Web2 and Web3? Keep reading Creating a Digital Enterprise, or contact us today to discover the next steps in building or refining your native enterprise website for scalability and longevity in today’s changing world.
Source: McKinsey & Company
One of the reasons I love working with mid- market companies is I believe they’re the sweet spot for digital transformation – meaning they stand to gain the most by investing in digital products and systems. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
By definition a mid market co. does anywhere between $20Million – $1Billion in sales and account for the middle third of the economy’s revenue. They’re large enough to have an established market presence and brand recognition but They’re usually competing UP against major players of industry to try and gain big chunks of market share. ⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This is what I love. The underdog mentality and process this takes.
Challenges
Mid Markets face a number of challenges as does any organization at scale. From operations to leadership to tech – going from mid market to large cap or even hitting growth objectives amongst a changing economic climate are something that these companies are accustomed to but also must constantly battle. Rhythm Systems recently outlined 4 top challenges mid-markets face:
Let’s add another…
Defined: Digital Transformation can be a massive equalizer while competing against both peers and giants of industry. But, what exactly is digital transformation? It can be defined in many ways and covers a breadth of digital + tech landscape to revamp image, culture, operations, sales using the plethora of IT, creative, web + software applications available today.
CIO.com‘s much more concise take is that “Digital transformation marks a radical rethinking of how an organization uses technology, people and processes to fundamentally change business performance” says George Westerman, MIT principal research scientist and author of Leading Digital: Turning Technology Into Business Transformation.
The truth is DT will mean something different for every organization, whether in manufacturing, logistics, legal, etc etc etc because every industry is bound to different systems, strategy and opportunities unique to them.
So why is DT challenging and very often not being achieved in the way these amazing companies deserve and NEED? Here are a few key reasons.
But wherein lies a challenge are also the greatest opportunities.
Opportunities Abound ⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Digital transformation can be the equalizer (And that’s what we search for, what we do and deliver by the way). The mid-market company is a wonder of the American capitalistic economy and as a whole, employer of millions of Americans. These organizations often started with nothing and built up impressive enterprise. They’ve sometimes lives through generations of family leadership or otherwise and through the ails of history.
They have always been opportunists. It’s just that the biggest opportunity for them now is in a place that might be a bit new to them, a little uncomfortable.
The economy is doing well now, but won’t always [this article was originally posted 1/29/20 pre-corona]. New tools, strategies and ways of thinking need to be adopted to achieve a new standard of excellence in enterprise during the 2020’s.
God speed in delivering Digital Transformation so these excellent organizations can continue to thrive and prosper. ⠀
Written By Jeff St.Onge
Founder, J. Arthur & Co. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Failure is a stepping stone to success. Without failure most individuals would never get out of their comfort zone and would never find a place that needs improvement. When an individual faces and survives failure they come out with more knowledge to use for the future. The more failures an individual has can lead to more knowledge, which then eventually can be turned into more successes.
Stoicism is a philosophy that was designed to make individuals happier, more resilient and more wise. The four virtues of stoicism include courage, temperance, justice and wisdom. Using stoicism in business can help tremendously. When it comes to business professionals, stoicism promotes rationality, authenticity, self-mastery, purposeful action, and logical reasoning.
Most individuals are intimidated by failure, however, only some know how to use their failures to their advantage. When facing failure it is important to:
Walt Disney: Before creating Walt Disney World he worked for a newspaper and that he was supposedly fired from for not having any good ideas and lacking imagination.
Thomas Edison: Took him about 10,000 tries to invent the lightbulb.
Steve Jobs: Used being fired from Apple Computers as a way to motivate himself; resulting in him joining the company again to bring it to where it is today.
Steven Spielberg: Was rejected from film school three times.
Colonel Sanders: Had his fried chicken recipe rejected over a thousand times before a company picked it up.
Henry Ford: Founded two automotive companies that failed before finding Ford Motor Company.
Mark Cuban: “I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter how many times you failed. You only have to be right once. I tried to sell powdered milk. I was an idiot lots of times, and I learned from them all.”
1. “Failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change might be” – John Wooden
2. “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” – Jack Canfield
3. “Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” – Coco Chanel
4. “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy
5. “The phoenix must burn to emerge.” – Janet Fitch
6. “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” – Ken Robinson
7. “Giving up is the only sure way to fail.” – Gena Showalter
8. “If you don’t try at anything, you can’t fail… it takes back bone to lead the life you want” – Richard Yates
9. “Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” – Denis Waitley
10. “There is no failure except in no longer trying.” – Chris Bradford
11. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas A. Edison
12. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
13. “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” – Paulo Coelho
14. “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” – Lance Armstrong
15. “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
16. “I’d rather be partly great than entirely useless.” – Neal Shusterman
17. “We are all failures – at least the best of us are.” – J.M. Barrie
18. “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” – Henry Ford
19. “Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.” – C.S. Lewis
20. “Winners are not afraid of losing. But losers are. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success.” – Robert T. Kiyosaki
Balance Your Hustle – Effects Of Less Sleep & Exercise
The signs of sleep deprivation consist of irritability, constant yawning, sleepiness, and daytime fatigue. Some may cope with these signs using caffeine, however, caffeine is not enough to override your body’s need for sleep.
Lack of sleep can cause psychological issues such as anxiety, depression, and impulsive behaviors. These issues can greatly affect the way an individual goes about their daily life. In the end, lack of sleep takes a great toll on an individual’s mental wellbeing by causing concentration issues and causing mental instability.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 mins of exercise at least 5 days a week. When you are exercising on a regular basis to improve productivity, it is so important to remember to be consistent.
Exercise is an excellent way to refresh your brain. In order to get the best results to improve your mental health, it is essential that you perform an exercise that you like. If you are looking to increase your mood through exercise, it is more likely that exercise will naturally fit into your busy schedule. Another plus is that exercise will feel less like a chore and become overall more enjoyable.
Over the past several months our team has been looking at acquisition opportunities in different markets and I couldn’t be more pleased to announce the acquisition of 24HourSite in the first quarter of 2022. 24HourSite is a web based provider offering a subscription model for fully managed websites and has a strong foothold with small business clients in Cheltenham, England, including customers throughout the UK.
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Overall, our entire team is looking forward to serving our new clients with focus, value add services and utmost professionalism.
24HourSite has a strong customer base in a demographic that works for us. J. Arthur & Co’s focus will continue to be United States businesses, but we couldn’t pass up this opportunity to enter the European market in today’s very global economy.
We believe that as time goes on this will offer us significant opportunities for expansion and stronger brand equity as a whole.
Since the early days of J. Arthur & Co. we have always worked with international workforce in dozens of countries and it has been a fantastic way to make sure our clients get top notch talent and service. We will look to maintain 24HourSite’s customer base, and extend our marketing and sales efforts into England primarily for the time being.
We are still a small business, and acquiring other small enterprises gives us the ability to expand, serve more businesses, create a greater positive impact and continue to pursue our goals and mission as a team.
Today’s world faces many challenges and hardships, but the more we can help businesses get their products & services in the hands of customers, employ more hard working professionals and do quality work, we feel obligated to try and make a difference in a positive way.
Thanks very much for reading and thank you to Charlie Kelly, the founder of 24HourSite for a fantastic relationship that has been built over the past several months, and more to come.
-Jeff St. Onge,
CEO, J. Arthur & Co
Brand Impact: Leaning on NostalgiaCustomers have always found ways to bring themselves back to happier and more light-hearted times through nostalgic memories. There have been different ways individuals have feeling nostalgia. Some individuals rewatched tv shows that they loved back in their childhood, while others broke out old board games and went back to making home cooked meals everyday.
This is the experience of feeling strong emotions that are triggered from memories in the past. These memories usually involve a positive association with a time period, a specific place or even a specific object.
Consumers choose nostalgia because it is what’s at heart; it makes them feel better and feel more like themselves. Nostalgia frees us from our everyday stresses and feelings of uncertainty. Moments of nostalgia reminds us of the importance of living in the moment and of appreciating what we have. Now with social media being such a huge part of our lives, platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat have been doing a great job with bringing back those memories and bringing us that feeling of nostalgia. Everyday, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat share with its users their memories from each year on the exact date.
Individuals nostalgize when they are coping with a negative feelings, such as feeling lonely or anxious. There are three different ways clients nostalgize: letting the past inform their future, making nostalgia a group activity, and creating new memories and keeping traditions alive. As a business, you have the opportunity to invoke nostalgia from your client base by:
When invoking nostalgia from your client base, it is essential to remember three conditions.
While traveling recently, I had two completely different user interfaces and user experience(UI and UX) interactions.
My car rental company emailed while I was still on the plane asking me to upgrade and get picked up from the airport directly, instead of waiting for the rental car shuttle. But the user interface on the web site was so confusing, I couldn’t understand exactly the service provided and didn’t use it—even though I wanted to.
Later, I was eager to try a burger joint my sister had recommended, but I had never heard of. I found the website on my phone, which was bright and easy to understand. I had no problem customizing my order (salt on the fries, baby) and my pick-up time. It was ready, hot and delicious when I arrived: an ideal user experience.
Both experiences illustrate examples of UI and UX in today’s world.
UI stands for User Interface, which generally translates to a human being’s interaction with a computer system. UX stands for User Experience and deals more with a user’s overall experience with a brand or product.
UI and UX are also constantly evolving to fit business and consumer needs. Here are some of the trends to watch out for in the UI and UX world in 2022.
You’ve seen it on your phone, expect to see it creep in on other devices. Dark mode saves your devices’ battery, is better for your eyes and makes things easier to read.
Our social media interactions have been based on micro-interactions. This is the swipe left for like, or the heart on Instagram or retweet on Twitter. Expect to see more social media options, like a down vote or up vote, in 2022.
Think Google Doodle, but on your company’s website. You can use a quick video or image to create an enticing, informative branding illustrations that draw customers in.
Forget about the blinking line or the old block cursor. Expect to see customizable cursor images showing your spot on the screen or page.
These headsets are growing increasingly popular. Stop thinking of just a screen and start seeing the real world through a virtual lens. Before you shop at a grocery store, make sure they have the Ben and Jerry’s flavor you want by plugging in and walking through the store.
Virtual Store Shopping Demonstration
Newspapers with fonts that look like classic type on their web sites. Pet groomers that use paw prints in place of some letters. Subtly matching the look of your computer presence with your business only reinforces your authority and expertise.
ui ux trends topography
Expect new options for different color palettes on your phone, plus an increased ability of designers to adapt to foldable devices.
We are all familiar with Siri and Alexa, and now we are seeing it with our televisions, too: press a button on the remote control and say, “turn on closed captioning,” and boom there they are. Expect more user interfaces to be voice driven, rather than typed or texted.
You hit the dreaded 404 message, file not found, but instead of a stark screen and harsh message, you are greeted with a smile and encouraging words redirecting you to continue your search.
UI and UX designs are changing fast, seeking to give the user what they want with as little hassle as possible. The car rental place failed me. The hamburgers were awesome.
Creating A Digital Enterprise
Digitalization provides unparalleled opportunities for value creation and capture, while also representing a major source of risk. In order to effectively create your native enterprise, organizations should identify, develop and launch new digital business models while re-examining every aspect of operations. They should understand and leverage data, increase investments in security, build a high-quotient digital workforce and a digitally literate leadership team that can integrate automation and on-demand workers.
According to predictions made by digital consulting firms, the factors that will drive digital transformation for the balance of this decade are: creating value for the business, strong leadership and culture of constant change.
In order to reassess as a digital enterprise, companies must evaluate what they need to do (create a digital business model), determine how to do it (digital operating model), and who they need to work with to make these models succeed.
“It is essential to remain tangible, identify the new and innovative business model in this emerging marketplace. Therefore to start a digital native journey, you must know where your business stands and where it aims to be,” according to LA-based digital transformation experts, [x]cube LABS.
Business Transformation Drivers Ppt PowerPoint Presentation File Inspiration Slide 1
[x]cube identifies these essential points for organizing a digital native enterprise;
Frank Gens, Senior Vice President and Chief Analyst at IDC, said, “we are at an inflection point as digital transformation efforts shift from ‘project’ or ‘initiative’ status to strategic business imperative. Every (growing) enterprise, regardless of age or industry, must become ‘digital native’ in the way its executives and employees think, what they produce, and how they operate. At the same time, 3rd Platform technology adoption and digital transformation are happening much faster than most expected and early competitive advantages will go to those enterprises that can keep pace with the emerging DX economy.”
Digital Transformation Business Model Ppt PowerPoint Presentation Infographics Slide Portrait Slide 1
[x]cub identifies these four essential elements to surviving the digital transformation journey:
Ready to take the plunge? We’ve got you covered. J Arthur & Co. have what it takes to bring your native enterprise website to the next level, and help you find your place in today’s changing metaverse.
J. Arthur & Co named as top marketing company in Rhode IslandJ. Arthur & Co was currently listed among the top marketing firms in the Ocean State. Even though we think we should be much higher on the list 🙂 thanks to Business In New England for the recognition.
In this article, we’ve featured 10 top marketing firms in Rhode Island. Read on to learn about them!
Vizion SEO has several locations across the US, and has helped companies all over the world with all their marketing needs. With an office in Providence, Rhode Island, Vizion’s team has been working hard to help businesses in the area.
Vizion’s services are listed on their homepage. They include local search SEO, SEO web design, white label SEO, pay per click advertisement, and mobile website design and SEO. With so many of their services based around SEO, Vizion will make sure search engines know about your business.
Ready to start working with Vizion? Check out their contact page and give them a shout today!
Just a quick look at RDW Group’s website will show you how creative these folks are. With offices in both Providence and Boston, this team of marketers loves to collaborate, find creative ways to market, and provide long lasting solutions to their clients.
RDW Group offers a variety of marketing services. Their expertise lies in strategy, media planning, web design, public relations, SEO, content marketing, and research. Take a look at their past work to see their successful projects and happy client.
Give RDW Group a call today to get started with marketing your business!
Established in 2012, McGuiness Media & Marketing has almost a decade of experience working with business’s marketing needs in the Warwick area. They have won multiple awards for their services, so you can trust you’re getting the best when you hire their services.
McGuiness Media & Marketing will work with you on media design, digital marketing, social media management, public relations, media planning and event marketing. Their vast array of services ensures that no matter what your business need, McGuiness can help.
Sounds like the marketing team for you? Give them a shout now!
This marketing firm was founded by Katie Schibler Conn after years of working with many large brands around the world. She and the rest of the team at KSA work hard to provide innovating and creative marketing strategies to their clients.
KSA has made a name for itself working with several big-name brands. Whether these brands have required search engine optimization, web design, or integrated marketing partnerships, KSA has consistently been able to provide. Take a look at their about page to see the qualifications of all of their staff.
When you’re ready, give KSA Marketing a shout to start working with them today.
Located in Lincoln, Rhode Island, Breeze Digital media is a small team with a big vision. As a small business, they are able to provide the personalized touches to your marketing needs that larger firm may not be able to give you.
Breeze’s services include social media, SEO, web design, and pay per click. No matter where you are in your business’s life, Breeze can help you grow. Check out some of their past work and client testimonials to get an idea of what working with this team will be like.
Give Breeze Digital Media a shout today to start marketing!
Since its establishment in the 80s, Middlebridge Marketing has provided large companies like CVS with its marketing services. The team, based in Lincoln, Rhode Island, has a commitment to high quality work, building and maintaining their reputation, and having long lasting relationships with their clients.
Middlebridge’s services include sales and marketing, customer service, and retail analytics. If you’re on the fence about working with these folks to grow your busines, just take a peek at their client testimonials.
If you’re ready to start working with Middlebridge, then go ahead and give them a call.
Based in Newport, J. Arthur & Co. has built a reputation of being client-focused, staying up to date on the latest technologies and trends, and staying creative and innovative in their marketing approaches. All of this means you’re sure to be impressed when you hire this team.
J. Arthur & Co.’s services begin with marketing strategies, and build from there. Whether you need help with your analytics, web interface, or creative services like copywriting and user interface design, this team has what you need.
Give J. Arthur & Co. a shout today!
This marketing firm was established in 1996, and since then has built up a longstanding history of working successfully with government, nonprofit, and foundation clients. Their team, based in Newport, is made up of professional strategists and creatives. They are excited to start working with you on your new project.
Worldways offers both social media marketing and communication, as well as strategic planning and workshops. They have won over 100 awards for their work, so you’ll know you’re getting the best when you work with Worldways.
Ready to give them a shout? Visit their contact page now!
If you’re been searching for a marketing firm in the Pawtucket area, Figmints could be the place for you. They are dedicated to providing all their clients the personalized services they need to ensure success. They care about their team, which in turn means that their team cares about their work.
Figmints has helped many clients with web design, digital marketing, branding and design, and web development. Take a look at their portfolio to see example of what they can do for your business.
If Figmints sounds like the marketing company of your dreams, then go ahead and visit their contact page to give them a shout.
Another marketing firm based in Pawtucket, Linchpin is ready to excited to help your business with all its marketing needs. Since its founding in 2006, their team has grown to include creatives and strategists with a variety of skills. No matter what you need, their diverse team will be able to help.
If you’re thinking about hiring Linchpin for their services, take a look at their approach. You’ll find they have a commitment to growth and excellence, and will strive to help your company grow. If you’re still on the fence, take a look at their portfolio to see their past projects.
When you’re ready, give them a shout!
Evelyn is a freelance writer. When not writing, you can find her reading a good book, listening to a true crime podcast, or taking a long walk around the neighborhood.”
