A Company Built on Personal Experience

It was Amy’s own painful experience as a hotel customer and the lack of non-smoking rooms that led to the creation of Medallia. As a customer, she wanted to tell someone within the hotel chain at an executive level about her customer experience and what needed to change.

At that higher level, Amy knew that it was unlikely that the hotel executives ever heard about specific customer experiences and feedback. If they could know about these experiences, however, Amy believed they would see customer experience strategy differently and actually be able to do something like add more non-smoking rooms.

Although her original pain point came from the hospitality industry, Amy related that she could see how including C-suite executives in customer experience activity across many industries could help make significant strides in improving all types of customer experiences.

Listen to Others, But Go With Your Gut

One of the best practices Amy shared that not only applies for customer experiences, but that is also good for any founder or company leader is that it is best to own your decisions. It’s easy to defer to someone who you think has more experience, assuming that they have the best perspective on t he decisions you have to make.

Although it is good to talk to as many people as possible and solicit their expert opinion, you still need to make your own call. Go with your gut. Even if you are wrong, it’s a learning experience for you and you owned the decision. If you are wrong because you went with someone else’s decision, then you regret the wrong and that you listened to someone else.

Stay Connected to the Customer No Matter How Big You Get

As Amy noted, and I and many other founders can attest to, it’s easier to stay connected to customers and give them that one-on-one experience when you are small. The customers are the lifeblood of your company so you do everything in your power to keep them.

Then, you grow and and add layers that suddenly you are disconnected from your customers. This is where the customer experience can change for the bad if you don’t continue to do everything you can to stay connected.

Involve Leadership in Customer Relations

Best practices for fighting to keep this connection include wiring the entire company with the information that is relevant for their role so they regularly have the word of the customer in their ear. It’s so much better to hear and see customer comments than look at a report.

For me, I have gotten involved in reading and handling customer tickets that come through our support software. Others, like Amy’s company, offer other ways for C-suite executives to be involved at this level with customer experiences. This may even involve executives calling customers and listening to what they have to say.

While it’s easy to fear that every customer will be angry, you may find that most are grateful that they are being heard. They can feel the difference when someone takes the time to listen this intently.

Move Decisions to the Front Lines

Another best practice is to give those in your organization the room and ability to work on customer problems directly and solve them. Don’t limit that call center person to a narrow script.

You are limiting the ability of the one person that could ideally improve your company’s customer experiences. Those on the front lines often have smart ideas and can help stop bad customer experiences in their tracks.

Stay Focused, Yet Open

Finally, Amy recommenders that you stay true to your company mission while being open to new technologies, channels, and signals where customers want to interact with you.

These new opportunities are also beneficial for engaging with your customers and sharing feedback with those higher up in your company.

Learn More

To learn more about customer experiences best practices, click on the video below.

The post Customer Experience Best Practices appeared first on Meet John Rampton - Entrepreneur, Investor and Connector.

This year, the event will be held March 4-5th at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, California.

The event will include more than 140 company presentations. One of these presentations includes John Rampton who will talk about his company, Calendar on the afternoon of March 5th.

In the presentation, John plans to share information about Calendar, which is an all-in-one tool that allows you to analyze how you and your team spend time to improve productivity. The platform and app leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning that personalizes the productivity and scheduling experience for each user.

As one of the co-founders, John already has established a track record of several successful startups and exits. Calendar is no exception. It has more than 600,000 monthly visitors to the site and close to 10,000 new users each month. This makes Calendar one of the fastest growing productivity apps this year.

The post John Rampton to Speak at the Montgomery Summit appeared first on Meet John Rampton - Entrepreneur, Investor and Connector.

1. Benediction: This hand gesture involves raising your right hand with the ring and little fingers touching the palm while the index and middle fingers remain in the raised position. Although it has some religious connotation, this hand gesture is now viewed more as wishing someone well.
2. Critical whirl: Circle your hand counterclockwise in a small, rapid motion towards your audience. Doing this while you explain a concept adds interest, emphasis, and apparently some credibility to what you are telling others. It’s highly recommended for a speech or as part of a conversation at a cocktail party.
3. Outstretched hand: With your palm in the upwards position, you can choose to do this hand gesture with one or both hands. Using both hands gives the appearance of a bowl. Some may interpret this as begging, but a greater meaning is when this is used to illustrate a bountiful measure that is being extended or shared with others as you move your hands forward and toward others.
4. Shelf sweep: This gesture requires the use of both hands and involves pushing aside the contents of an imaginary row of books in one direction and then starting on another row by sweeping in a different direction. This hand gesture is supposed to assist when noting the removal of one set of ideas for a new set that deserves to be the focal point.
5. Money sign: This hand gesture involves rubbing your thumb over the tip of your index and middle fingers in a repetitive motion. This can be used when talking about sales and is a symbol that everyone in a sales meeting is sure to understand.
6. Backhand slap: Slap the back of your dominant hand into the palm of your non-dominant hand. This hand gesture is used to reinforce your point or argument when it appears that your audience is unresponsive or not in agreement with what you are saying.
7. Pointing finger: While your mom might have told you it was rude to point, it does have merit when you are an indicating a particular item. This often adds clarity and emphasis to what you are verbally communicating about that item as well as gets your audience to focus.
8. Italian waiter: When trying to engage your audience in the point that you are trying to make, point your hand towards your mouth and then move your wrist back and forth. To increase emphasis, add more arm movement. Both arms may need to move to engage with a much larger audience.
9. Respect gesture: This hand gesture involves put out your index, middle, and ring fingers with the middle finger slightly above the other two. This signifies that you are giving respect and approval to the other person that you are gesturing to.
10. Pickup: Reach down and towards an imaginary pile of sand, pinch a small amount, lift it up with closed fingers and return your hand to its original position. You can repeat this movement a few times for emphasis. An optional extra to this hand gesture is to present the idea that you have “picked up” to your audience in the palm of your hand, which is combining this gesture with the outstretched hand gesture. This shows your audience you have something you want to share and gets them to focus on the idea that you are including them in something valuable.
11. Thumbs up/down: This is a universally understood symbol of approval/disapproval now also commonly used in social media. It is done through extending the thumb while the other fingers stay tucked into your hand. This hand gesture can be recognized all over the world for its meaning.
12. Academic muscle flexing: To illustrate to your audience that you are including them on a test of new research, make your hands bounce from side to side as if they are jumping on an imaginary trampoline. Repeat this motion until you have shown that your academic muscle has worn itself out. This is an ideal hand gesture to use when you are taking an idea and putting a different spin on it from the expected context.
13. The wave: Although it was often a common sight, this type of acknowledgement of meeting or parting has been disappearing as communicating virtually has led many to forget their social graces. By raising your hand and moving it left to right, you are letting another person that you know they are there or they know that you are leaving. Either way, it’s providing an important visual cue to the beginning or end of communication.
14. Applause: When you put both hands together in a clapping motion, you are letting someone else know just how much you approve or value what they have done. Your staff can be motivated by this type of praise, so that makes you pretty smart because you are doing something that most likely will improve morale and raise productivity.
15. Victory clasp: With this hand gesture, you need both hands in order to clasp them together and shake them to one side of you and maybe even the other.
16. Handshake: This greeting ritual has been used seemingly since the dawn of mankind. Two people grasp each other’s hand, often moving them up and down vigorously. As another seemingly lost social grace, the handshake is a means of acknowledging and welcoming someone else in both professional and personal situations. While not every culture uses the handshake, most do, and, when ignored, can offend someone or, at the very least, lead them to conclude you are unpolished. When you use a handshake, make sure it is firm and you make eye contact.
17. High-five: While you might be wondering how this may look smart, it is a hand gesture often used with Millennials and other generations, so if you use it, then you may be able to connect with those people on a deeper level to be admired and influence. This celebratory hand gesture ritual is one that involves two people, each raising one hand and slapping these together. It’s hard not to feel the excitement that goes into this hand gesture.
18. Hand movements lager than your body outline: Used to communicate a big idea or concept, these hand movements can incorporate many forms. While this can be effective in creating credibility, it is best to use these conservatively because if it is all you ever do, you might get the opposite effect. In fact, people might think you are out of control rather than smart.
19. The ring: Often attributed to the Italians, this hand gesture is similar to the A-OK hand gesture except that, in this case, the ring is formed by the thumb and forefinger and placed on top with the palm of the hand facing medially. The arm then moves up and down from the elbow to further emphasize this hand gesture, which is used to emphasize a point or illustrate some specific information for the audience.
20. The dialectic: In order to designate a shift in ideas in a conversation, this is a visual cue that helps your audience follow along. Grip an imaginary object between your thumb and forefinger, rotate your wrist ninety degrees in a snapping motion, and then move back to the start position in a smooth rotation. You can repeat this hand gesture to illustrate the level of importance.
21. The tiny dialectic: This is the same movement as above but using a smaller imaginary object that you put closer to your eyes when going through the motions. The difference here is that this hand gesture is more ideal for focusing on a specific detail or in communicating with a more informal audience.
22. Open hands with palms down: This hand gesture shows that you have complete confidence in what you are sharing with your audience.
23. Facing palms with linked fingers: Taking it a step further, this hand gesture elevates your intelligence level to expertise. It is a pose that was often used by intellectuals throughout history when they were called upon to discuss their research or insights.
24. Open hands with palms at 45-degree angle: This hand gesture not only communicates that you know what you are talking about, but it also sends the message that what you are sharing is honest.
25. Hands in prayer: Bringing your hands together as though you look like you are going to pray and then resting them around your chin gives the impression that you are deep in thought, contemplative, or meditative. All of these indicate that you like to spend time in quiet reflection, adding to that smart mystique.

Remember why you use these hand gestures so they are used at the right time, for the right reason, and for the right audience. There are many cultural nuances inherent in body language meaning so that while one country may respond well, others could be confused or offended by your non-verbal communication choices. Do your research first, see how others react, and practice until they are perfect.

The post 25 Hand Gestures That Make You Look Smarter appeared first on Meet John Rampton - Entrepreneur, Investor and Connector.

However, the online marketplace and auction giant isn’t the only site where you can find fantastic deals. Check out the following online shopping alternatives to eBay if you want to become a serious bargain hunter:

1. Amazon

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Amazon pretty much has anything you can think of, even used items that may be more affordable than new items. Best of all, if you become an Amazon Prime member, your purchase will arrive no later than the next day.

2. Craigslist

Besides eBay, Craigslist could make the argument for being one of the most popular destinations for used products. The classifieds websites offer a broad range of goods and services that are available in your neck of the woods. This means you can skip the shipping costs and physically investigate an item before completing the purchase.

3. Bonanza

For the last four years, 2012-2015, Bonanza has been named the top-rated alternative to eBay. In fact, the site was voted “Best Overall Marketplace” over eBay, Amazon, and Etsy. What makes this site so appealing is that the interface is similar to that of eBay, but it offers fixed prices and has some of the lowest fees online.

4. Newegg

This site initially began as a retailer for only computer hardware and software products. Today, Newegg has expanded it’s offering to include everything from Apparel & Accessories, Arts and Crafts, Auto & Hardware, Baby, Beauty, Jewelry, Home and Living, and Toys. It’s a lot like Amazon, but many have found that the prices are lower.

5. Etsy

What separates Etsy from other online shopping sites is that it focuses on handmade and vintage items in categories like clothing, jewelry, home & living, baby, and wedding. You can also purchase your craft supplies and tools on the site.

6. Jet

If you’ve never heard of Jet.com, that’s alright. The company just launched in 2015. While more of a competitor to Amazon, Jet.com promises it’s members that they’ll save 10 to 15 percent from all other available online prices.

7. Rakuten

Originally known as Buy.com, Rakuten.com is known as the Amazon of Japan. However, international customers can use the site to find great deals on essentially anything that you can think of. Because the site has been purchasing eCommerce sites in the Europe and the U.S., you’re bound to find hard-to-beat deals.

8. eBid

Savvy online sellers have become fond of eBid because of its favorable fees and merchant programs when compared to eBay. For shoppers, this auction site has over 13,000 categories, and most sellers accept PayPal.

9. Alibaba

If you need to purchase or sell items in bulk, there’s probably no better option that Alibaba. Alibaba has manufacturers; you can find exporters, importers, wholesale people, a variety of suppliers and even trade leads.

10. iOffer

You can decide between either the auction format or fixed price if you’re a seller or purchaser. You can even trade items if you like on iOffer. There are some too-good-to-be-true prices on iOffer, so make sure that you read the seller’s reviews before making your purchase.

11. Depop

Depop is an app that can be best described as a mixture of eBay and Instagram. Sellers just snap an image of the product that they’re selling and post the item for sale. You can also follow your friends or favorite sellers so that you always know when they have a new item up for grabs.

12. ArtFire

ArtFire is a marketplace that is similar to Etsy in that it is primarily the seller of crafts, craft supplies, fine art, and vintage goods. Among its customers, ArtFire has earned a solid reputation for having outstanding customer service.

13. Storenvy

If you prefer to support Indie Brands, (or the world of the independent brands), then Storenvy should be your go-to shopping destination. The site allows you to buy directly from the small, online shops in an easy-to-navigate interface. And, the prices are hard to beat.

14. Cqout

Pronounced as “seek out,” this online auction has been since 1999. However, shoppers in more than 80 countries can search for the best possible deals online. Because the site requires sellers to offer SecurePay and it’s use of an effective rating system, Cqout has become one of the most trusted online auction sites.

15. Freecycle

Freecycle is more of a movement than just another online shopping website. The more than nine million members are hoping that they can prevent any further landfill waste by finding a new home for items like furniture or clothing. Just browse the groups in your hometown to see what goodies are available.

16. Onlineauction.com

As the name implies, this site is an online auction where the highest bidder wins. You can search through the various categories by pulling down the drop-down menu. While the site highlights collectible items, you can find great deals on items like clothing.

17. Discogs

If you’re an audiophile, then you probably already frequent Discogs. If not, then remember this site the next time you want to purchase or sell an album. Not only can you find hard-to-find records, but the site also keeps a tab of your collection and lets you create a ‘wantlist.’

18. eCRATER

eCrater has brought together both buyers and sellers by providing a free web store builder and an online marketplace. Just like eBay or Amazon, there’s seemingly an endless amount of categories so you shouldn’t have any problems finding any item that you want. The site also accepts PayPal so it should be secure.

19. uBID

This auction site has been around since 1997 and included over 5 million members. Just like eBay, you can find fantastic deals on anything from electronics to jewelry to home goods that are either new, used, or refurbished.

20. Swap

Swap is an online consignment shop that specializes in selling in baby, kids, and maternity products like clothes, toys, books, movies, and decor. Since 2013, shoppers have typically saved between 50-95% off retail prices.

21. Webstore

This free web store for both buyers and sellers offers both auction-style transactions as well as fixed price purchases. If you don’t mind the banner ads, you can find some steals on Webstore.

22. TIAS

TIAS is one of the oldest online marketplaces around. It launched in 1995. Today, it’s one of the largest “fixed price” sources of antiques and collectibles online. In fact, the site claims that has more than 120 million page views per month.

23. Bidstart

This site focuses on collectibles including antiques, comic books, coins, postcards, stamps, and sports memorabilia. Most items allow you to either make an offer or buy now.

24. Ruby Lane

Are you in the market for end collectibles like fine art? Then Ruby Lane is your online marketplace. While this is a great site to find collectibles, don’t expect too many deals. You’re probably going to have to pay what the item is worth.

25. Quibids

I’m not always the biggest advocate of a penny auction site, but you can find some mind-boggling deals on Quibids thanks to the site selling warehouse, overstock, and liquidated products.

Get Shopping!

This list has most likely already started that itch for bargain shopping. These options just make it even easier to browse, bid, and buy while topping up your summer tan or on your lunch break from work. While eBay started the ball rolling with the convenience of online bargain shopping, these other companies provide a way to locate even more great deals.

The post Top 25 Online Shopping Alternatives to eBay appeared first on Meet John Rampton - Entrepreneur, Investor and Connector.

The 2019 FinCon Expo starts today, September 4th, and runs through September 7th in Washington, D.C. Each year, this event draws thousands of attendees, bringing together more than 200 speakers and 100 exhibitors.

As the world’s largest finance convention, digital content creators, influencers, and experts in personal finance and investing are coming together to create a community over the course of a few days that resulted in new insights, collaboration, and partnerships.

I’m honored to be at this event once again and participate as a discussion panelist. As Founder and CEO of Calendar, I get to share the spotlight with other superstars of fintech, investing, personal finance, and consumer finance media. This includes keynote speakers like Kamit Sethi, New York Times best-selling author; Sharon Epperstein, CNBC Senior Personal Financial Correspondent; and Kyle Taylor, Founder and CEO of The Penny Hoarder.

This year’s event features even more ways to learn, grow, and connect with this community. There are workshops, breakout sessions, money talks, meet-ups, and more. With more session categories, including podcasting, blogging, video, freelancing/entrepreneurship, journalism, advisors, and brand/industry, it’s a clear sign that financial content is a driving digital force.

Businesses and consumers seek more thought leadership around money and financial literacy to improve behaviors, decisions, and actions.

The panel discussion and session topics further illustrate the subject matter on our minds: student and consumer debt, freelance and small business financial management, and money behavior by demographic.

On the operations and career side, the topics also hit the most relevant issues impacting today’s digital content creators to help them improve how they start, market, grow, and lead their own businesses.

Come check out my session on the afternoon of Saturday, September 7th. The session is entitled, “Beyond Side Hustles: Expand Your Influence by Reaching a Small Business. Audience.” It starts at 2:30 pm in Georgetown East & West.

There are over 30 million Americans who are small business owners. A significant number of these small business owners face critical financial challenges, including debt, no retirement savings, and credit problems. They need your help and are ideal candidates for your message.

With my panelist colleagues who include Paco Arizmendi of FreshBooks, Nancy Boryczka of Deluxe Corporation, Gerri Detweiler of Nav, and Sandy Smith of I Am Cheap, we will share exclusive research, personal insights, and real-world experiences designed to help you reach this audience with your own expertise.

Join us Saturday!

The post Featured as a Discussion Panelist at FinCon 2019 appeared first on Meet John Rampton - Entrepreneur, Investor and Connector.

The total calendar experience — including time management.

If you answered “yes” to either question, don’t beat yourself up. These are both daily hurdle that most of us have to overcome. Thankfully, there more than enough tools that can help you manage your time more effectively.

The productive schedule.

A calendar will help you create a productive schedule. Here 18 of the best time management and calendar software that will change your life for the better.

1. Calendar

Are you connecting with someone at a networking event? Does a prospective client wish to meet with you? Scheduling appointments and meetings can be a time-consuming process. Think about all the the lengthy email threads you’ve made just to pencil in a 10-minute conversation. How about the phone tags.

Calendar speeds up the scheduling process.

Calendar speeds up the scheduling process by eliminating those back-and-forth communications. Simply share your calendar with other people and they select a time and date. Once selected — your appointment is automatically added to all the calendars connected to yours.

If you have teleconference with someone in a different time zone — Calendar will take the timezone into account. Your meetings will be  scheduled for you — at the right time — in the appropriate time zones.

Calendar Analytics + Machine learning.

Calendar uses machine learning to make smart suggestions on when, where, and what type of meetings to schedule. They are on my top calendar apps for 2019.

2. Time Doctor

Managing a remote team is no easy task. It’s not like you can physically check-in on your team to see how they’re progressing on a project. Thankfully, Time Doctor can resolve this issue.

Made specifically for remote teams.

Made specifically for remote teams. Time Doctor shares customizable screenshots of the employee screens so that you can see who is on a task and who isn’t.

Screenshots aren’t being snapped from your employees screens all day. These screenshot can be set to occur at specific time intervals — and can be turned on or off. Additionally, you can monitor the time time employees spend on chat software, websites, apps, phone calls, or in meetings.

Time Doctor can also automatically process payroll and billing — as well as integrate with Google Apps, Slack, Quickbooks, Basecamp, or Trello.

3. Remember the Milk

We’re all busy people. As such, it’s not uncommon for us to forget everything we need to do in a day. Sometimes this interruption is minor — like grabbing a couple of items at the store.

Other times this is a big deal, such as forgetting to call back a prospective client.

Remember the Milk is a handy that ensures that you’ll never forget anything again. Just download the app and start adding tasks to it. To make life easier, you have the option to create due dates, recurring tasks, and tags.

You can even give each tasks a priority level. You’re then reminded of these tasks by email, text, IM, Twitter, or through the Android or iOS app.

You can also sync Remember the Milk with Gmail, Evernote, and IFTTT.

4. Teamup

Teamup is an online calendar that was designed specifically to be shared with other people. This means it can be used to schedule everything from meetings, employee shifts, or even organize tasks like when delivery trucks arrive.

To keep your various calendars organized you can color-code for specific jobs, projects, or teams. When you need to view a single event, you can view it on its own unique webpage.

Not just for Apple anymore.

Because Teamup offers an Android or iOS app — team calendars can be accessed from anywhere. Additionally, it integrates with Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Apple Calendar, or Yahoo Calendar. That means you can use it with it your existing calendar instead of finding a new calendar to use.

5. RescueTime

If you want to effectively manage your time, one of the first steps you need to take is to determine where your spending your time.

RescueTime is a handy tool that can help you accomplish this. It runs securely in the background of your computer or mobile device and tracks your activity.

Your personal reports.

RescueTime then provides a report on how long you’ve been working on a project or spent working. If you notice that you spend far too much time on Facebook, for example, you can then block yourself. Then those sites will not be distracting you while you’re working.

What’s more, RescueTime can also track how long you’re devoting to email, phone calls, and meetings so that you can optimize them in the future.

You can use RescueTime to set goals and monitor your progress so that you remain focused on what’s important, instead of wasting time on unproductive activities.

6. Trello

In order to keep your team organized and productive you need to use a project management tool.

Trello allows you to assign and track the progress of team members. While there are several excellent project management systems, such as Basecamp and Asana, Trello is in a league of its own.

Trello is a flexible project management system.

This tool will handle the basics. You will be able to assign tasks and monitor them. However, Trello visualizes projects as lists that are pinned to a digital bulletin board. These lists are represented by cards that can represent anything from brainstorming ideas — to task assignments to goals.

You and your team can then add comments and share attachments, thus eliminating the need for email threads and Slack messages.

7. Focus Booster

Based on the principles of the Pomodoro Technique.

Focus Booster is an app directed towards those of us who procrastinate. This tool is for enhancing focus — removing distractions, and keeping you mentally fresh.

The app places a timer on your desktop.

You will have this reminder on your desktop or mobile device so that you can block out distractions while working. This is similar to turning off your phone, and then taking frequent breaks to recharge. Focus Booster also tracks your time so that you can identify when you’re most productive.

By using Focus Booster, you can plan to work on your most important task for the day when you have the most focus.

8. SaneBox

On average, office workers receive 200 emails per day. As a result, they end-up devoting two-and-half hours a day to checking and responding to emails.

Needless to say, email is consuming way too much of your time.The good news is that SaneBox is an app that can help you manage your email better. It achieves email response by analyzing incoming emails –and sorts them into various folders.

This way only the most important emails will go into your inbox — while less urgent messages will be sent into a SaneLater box. The distracting spam messages are automatically trashed fi you wish it.

Have you received an answer?

Another useful feature is SaneNoReplies. That tracks whether or not someone has replied to a message. If someone hasn’t replied, you can set a reminder to follow up with them so that you don’t miss out on any important threads.

9. Jorte Calendar & Organizer

Jorte isn’t just a calendar app. It’s an organization app that can help improve your life.

With Jorte, you can create daily tasks and diary entries that capture everything. You can focus on your daily experiences — to pics — to  thoughts and ideas that may pop-up. You can also follow Event Calendars so that whatever you’re interested in will be automatically added to your calendar. Follow your favorite sports team so that you know when they’re playing.

What makes Jorte unique, however, is that it’s highly customizable.

You can select your own fonts, images, icons and background colors so that you have a calendar that matches your personality. You can select between monthly, weekly, and daily views — as well as set countdown reminders for upcoming events.

Finally, Jorte integrates with Google Calendar, Microsoft Office, iOS Calendar, and Evernote.

10. Tick

Tick is an app that tracks your time against a budget. As Amanda Abella explained in previous Calendar article, “When most people hear the word ‘budget’ they think of their finances.

Tick makes sense as a valuable money-saving resource. Money must always be managed. However, your time is a resource too.” Amanda also argues that “your time is even more valuable because you can’t get it back. That’s why it’s important that you also create a time budget for your life.”

A time budget, according to Amanda, is “a guideline that helps you spend your time the way you want to spend it. That’s exactly what Tick does.

Simply select your project (these can be organized by client), select your task, and enter your time.

When the time has been entered — you can insert notes and time sheet reporting. You will be able to create a budget on how long you want to spend working on this project. Tick also comes with a running timer to ensure that you stay focused on the task at hand. As a result, Tick claims that you can save an hour a month on projects by using their time management software.

11. Focus@Will

This app uses music to help you focus and reduce distractions.

Sounds too good to be true, but science shows that listening to music can drastically improve your productivity. After you download the app — you’ll be asked a series of questions that will determine the best music to listen to while working. You can also set up timed sessions so that you can get into “flow state” and take frequent breaks to stay fresh.

12. TimeTree

With TimeTree you can create a shared calendar for your employees, family, or friends so that everyone is aware of each other’s plans.

Even if they don’t use the app — others can still view your calendar. If you have multiple calendars — you can give one a separate color so that you can easily see which schedule you want to view.

Besides creating and sharing group calendars — TimeTree lets you create memos and then turn them into events by keeping them once you set a date and time. Additionally, you can and your group can post comments in order to discuss and confirm future plans.

13. 1Password

It’s been found that the average business has 191 different passwords. That’s a lot of time spent logging-in and-out of passwords all day.

Count the time lost recovering forgotten login information. With the 1Password app all of your apps are stored in an encrypted database that uses just one password. This means that you can now log into sites with just one click of a button.

1Password can be used for both at home or at work, so that you can focus on working instead of retrieving passwords throughout the day.

14. Informant

Informant keeps your calendar, tasks, notes, and contacts in one convenient location so that you can have a more organized life.

This app comes with features like Triggers that allow you to search for a keyword or attribute. When you have a staff meeting a specific agenda outline will load. Another cool feature is when you tap on an event information like the weather forecast will appear.

The app also lets you create sub tasks or checklists, which is great if you want to break-up larger projects. There’s even a handy TravelAssist feature that will automatically setup your new time zone. Informant is available for both iOS and Android devices.

15. Zapier

If you’re looking to automate most of your workflows — then you need to sign-up for Zapier. It’s a nifty app that connects that you’re already using so that they can be automated.

If you create an event in Google Calendar, Zapier will turn that into a Trello card or create a new Wunderlist task. Completing a task on Wunderlist, Zapier will highlight that you’ve finished. RescueTime will now track your productivity for you.

There are thousands of apps that you can sync with Zapier — so the possibilities are endless. When you connect — you can focus on your most important work.

16. Trevor

Trevor is a smart calendar using AI to help you get your tasks done. Using the popular “Getting Things Done workflow,” this app combines the best to speed you along your tasks.

This is a minimalist schedule that syncs with your existing calendar. Trevor then takes this information and makes suggestions on how you can best use your time.

Trevor can also track your progress motivating you to get things done. This app tells you the “what” and “when” of your tasks. This smart app can schedule tasks are completed at 20 percent higher rate.

17. Google – Apps

Chances are that you’re already Gmail. But, are you really getting the most out of the entire suite of tools that Google – Apps offers?

Besides the aforementioned Gmail, Google Apps also comes with a Calendar. This is powerful online calendar that should be shared — and reminds you of upcoming tasks. With Docs, Sheets, and Slides you can create and collaborate on almost everything.

Content to presentations.

One app has a Jamboard. A digital whiteboard that used to brainstorm ideas. You will be able to keep and capture ideas, pictures, and to-dos. There’s Hangout Meet and Chat so that you can keep in-touch with people from anywhere in the world.

Simply put, Google – Apps is your one stop shop for you basic time management and calendar needs.

18. Clickup

As a software tool who’s mission is to be the “one app to replace them all” , ClickUp is one of the highest rated all-in-one productivity suite tools.

With ClickUp, you can list all of your personal and professional tasks in one location, collaborate with colleagues, get reminders and due dates, and automate your productivity. Because it’s a collaborative app, you can share your to-do lists, edit Docs in real time, annotate directly on images, and share specific workflows and assets with clients. Everyone involved will be notified.

Other useful features with ClickUp is the ability to assign comments (so you don’t lose track of feedback), view your schedule in a Timeline, Calendar or Gantt View, and set certain repeat tasks as recurring.

ClickUp has a Free Forever plan and is available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, Windows, Kindle Fire and the Web. It integrates with most tools including Time Doctor, Zapier, and Google.

The post 18 Calendar Software Tools That Will Change Your Life appeared first on Meet John Rampton - Entrepreneur, Investor and Connector.

Raised in a time where technology is second nature, these business dynamo’s understand better than any other generation how to use tech to their advantage – both personally and professionally. While this is a big advantage, it’s not the only power they have over older age groups – not by a long shot.

Yet in spite of this, somehow Millennials still have a reputation for being lazy, selfish and riddled with debt.

This post will dispel this myth, showing why Gen Y’ers are actually better and smarter at business and marketing than anyone else.

1. They’re heavy users of social media.

Gen Y’ers are among the most avid and knowledgeable users of social media. According to Pew Research, the average millenial has 250 Facebook friends, and 81% use the platform. The older generations have much lower use-rates. Millennial social media users are also more likely to use their online connectedness to create networks of friends and colleagues. These affiliations are undoubtedly priceless when it comes to building a business.

2. They’re the most educated business owners.

According to Pew Research Center, 40% of 25-29 Millennials have at least a bachelor’s degree. Just 32% of Gen X’ers who had a bachelor’s degree when they were in that age group. The percentage is even higher for Millennial women, with nearly half (46%) having at least a BA.

3. Digital comes naturally to them.

According to Pew Social Trends, Millennials are the only generation to whom digital platforms like mobile technology come naturally. “They are “digital natives.” “They are the only generation for which these new technologies are not something they’ve had to adapt to.”

This intuitive use of technology puts them in good stead when it comes to leveraging it for business.

4. Millennials have strong leadership aspirations.

According to Universum’s large-scale Millennials study, 40% of respondents said being in leadership was “very important” to them.  Another 70% said it was either important or very important. This percentage debunks the myth of the commonly-held belief that Millennials are lazy and ambitionless.

5. Even their hobbies tend to be digitally-based.

According to this infographic from Goldman Sachs, Millennials conduct their activities online. They watch TV online, play videos games, use social media, download music, and use IM or chat. Boomers or Gen X’ers don’t.

Because of their frequent use of technology – even in their spare time – they may have a better grasp of digital trends and how to reach a digitally-obsessed audience.

6. They communicate using technology more than other generations.

Asked how they communicate with others about brands or products after searching online, Millennials reported using all digital. They use texts, social media, instant messaging and blogging more than the older generation (source: Goldman Sachs). I for a fact know they use Calendar more than any other generation. They also love Calendly.

7. They’re more likely to buy online.

From 2008-2014, Millennials were more likely to buy online than any other age group. Because of this, they know the importance of ranking in Search and of providing a great online buying experience.

8. Millennials believe that businesses can make a positive impact.

Deloitte’s 2017 Millennial survey gave some insights. 76% of Gen Y’ers say they believe businesses can have a positive impact on society and the world.

The report states, “Again, we see ‘super-connected millennials’ at 89 percent.”  The survey shows these “active citizens” (80 percent), to be among the strongest advocates of business.”

9. They are more positive and hopeful about business in general.

Millennial believe that “businesses behave in an ethical manner” and 62% say that business leaders are committed to helping society.

Millennial business owners have high expectations for themselves and for their businesses.

10. They value hard work.

Some businesses have had a common belief that Millennials will do as little work as possible. A survey from Project: Time Off shows that Millennials are actually more likely to want to be seen as “work martyrs.”

This martyr group can be defined as workers who are irreplaceable. They hesitate to take vacation days and who want to be seen as completely dedicated to their work.

11.  They know how to save money.

According to Pew Research, fewer Millennials live independently than before the recession. This may be largely due to higher housing prices and more student debt.

The bottom line is this: Millennials aren’t afraid to do what it takes to save money. They handle the inconvenience and  embarrassment of heading back to mom and dad’s basement, to save some cash.

12. They truly understand the sharing economy.

The older generations don’t understand the need for some services like Uber, Airbnb and WeWork.

For Boomers, ownership was seen as the pinnacle of success. Yet Gen Y’ers understand the benefits of pooling resources.  They are more likely to understand the importance of integrating shared economy practices into their business models.

13. When it comes to buying products, Millennials value price over quality.

While non-Millenials believe quality is more important, Millennials are more likely to value a lower price tag. While some see this as a negative, it’s this mindset which motivates Millennial business owners. Millennials intend to drive down costs so they can offer the lowest prices possible.

14. Millennials value a healthy lifestyle.

And as we know, healthy workers are productive workers. According to Goldman Sachs, Millennials eat better, exercise more and smoke less than older generations.

15. Millennials aren’t as flighty as everyone thinks.

Gen Y’ers have a reputation for jumping from one job (or business) to the next. Pew Research reports Millennials stick with a job as much as the previous generation did at that age. Take that, Boomers!

Final Thought

It seems no Millennial is immune from being called “lazy” or entitled.” Hopefully not for long — when all the tally’s are published.

Entrepreneur Evan Spiegel has even had to contend with these types of mischaracterizations. This reputation still followed after co-founding the social media giant, Snapchat.

Spiegel has been quoted as saying, “When we decided not to sell our business people called us a lot of things besides crazy. He continues, “things like ‘arrogant and entitled.’ The same words that I’ve heard used to describe our generation time and time again.

“The Millenial Generation. The ‘Me’ Generation. Well, it’s true. We do have a sense of entitlement, a sense of ownership, because, after all, this is the world we were born into, and we are responsible for it.”

I hope this post has proven that Millennials are anything but lazy. Watch! It will be proven that Millennials really do make the best and smartest business owners.

Thoughts? Comments? Share below!

The post 15 Reasons Gen Y’s Are Better At Business Than Anyone Else appeared first on Meet John Rampton - Entrepreneur, Investor and Connector.

He noted that all good managers need to know when to fire an employee: “It’s a necessity if you want to have a thriving business,” says John Rampton. He also added some specific reasons: “When employees are gone more often than not, are argumentative, or customers despise them, these are signs your workers have overstayed their welcome.”

Other thought leaders noted that bosses should not be surprised when a new hire isn’t going to fit in with the culture, when an employee is about to jump ship, when an employee hates them, when an employee is bored, and when an employee fails.

To read the entire article and find out other things that should never surprise a boss, click here. 

The post John Shares Insights Into What a Boss Should Know with Business Insider appeared first on Meet John Rampton - Entrepreneur, Investor and Connector.

I’m excited to join 64 other influencers this year as a 2019 Adobe Summit Insider at the Adobe Summit to be held March 24th through March 28th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Adobe Summit is an ideal conference to attend if you are part of the digital marketing community. To deliver the most comprehensive experience for attendees, Adobe has regularly included leaders and visionaries from across industries and the digital marketing community to provide extensive coverage throughout the Summit. The group of Summit Insiders also features major media correspondents, journalists, and tech pioneers.

Some of these Summit Insiders include Cynthia Johnson, Co-Founder/CEO of Bell + Ivy as well as an entrepreneur, keynote speaker; and author; Jay Baer, a noted public speaker and a digital business celebrity;  John Hall, Co-Founder of Calendar and Influence and Co.; and Sarah Evans, digital correspondent and consultant.

After participating in many keynotes and panel discussions across numerous industry conferences, I’m excited to serve as an on-the-ground correspondent. It gives me an opportunity to meet more of those I admire within the digital marketing landscape. I’ll also get to ask them some compelling questions about issues that impact all of us as we evolve along with digital marketing.

I’ll be able to provide you with unparalleled access and insight during all of the keynotes and sessions– not to mention the parties — as well as broadcast from the new Adobe Broadcast Center they are introducing this year.

Join me at the Adobe Summit or follow along through the Summit Online experience.

The post A 2019 Adobe Summit Insider appeared first on Meet John Rampton - Entrepreneur, Investor and Connector.

I think we’ve all been in a spot where we were only focused on making a ton of money.

We take a job that we can’t stand because the pay is outstanding. Next thing you know — you dread hearing that alarm clock every morning.

Next — you start neglecting your health and relationships. These are more valuable than money. Despite the myth — you aren’t any happier. In fact, research has found that having strong social connections and access to nature makes you happier than merely more money.

In other words — money becomes the most important thing in your life. Even worse, it influences all of your choices and decisions. You’ll find that this is not the way to live.

If you feel that you’re in this situation, remember this statement:

Money is not the most important thing in life. But, there are some things in life that are more valuable than money.

What is the most important thing in your life? Here are five things that you should value more than money.

1. Health – Health is something in life that is more valuable than money.

Yes. You need money so that you have insurance and can cover medical emergencies. The fact is that money can’t improve your health if you eat junk, smoke, and live a sedentary lifestyle.

When you’re healthy — you’re obviously reducing the risk of serious health concerns — like cardiovascular disease. Being healthy gives you more energy. You’re more productive. Whenever you get your body moving — you release endorphins — which can also improve your mood. As a result, you become more successful in life.

Exercising, eating healthy — and getting enough sleep — will also decrease stress and anxiety.

“Stress is what stops most people from getting the results they want in life,” says entrepreneur Arman Sadeghi. “Unfortunately, as stress increases — the human body changes. Hormone levels change and success becomes much harder. Of course, this then further increases stress, so it’s an unfortunate cycle that feeds itself.”

What’s more, chronic stress can lead to fatigue and even an increase in coronary disease. So, it’s also important to take care of your mental health. Exercising and eating healthy is a start.

However, you also need to find other ways to relieve this stress through meditation, building strong relationships. A great choice is talking to a psychologist or other licensed mental health professional.

2. Community – Your community is something in life that is more valuable than money.

“When I have friends I am happy. Friends make me laugh. They also laugh at my problems. They also laugh at my insane stories,” writes author and entrepreneur James Altucher.

Altucher adds, “I love my children. Children are very difficult. NO GROWN MAN wakes up and says, ‘I can’t wait to drive 80 miles to see 300 10 years olds dance in a ballet recital.’ And yet that’s what daughter’s make you do.”

Magic — you can value magic above money.

Why does Altucher do this — and say this? Because he loves his daughter. And, “Because it’s magic to see her dance. Because I won’t admit it — but I value magic more than money.”

Your community can bring you health and support — this can be better than money.

Your friends and family are a community. An actual community can include a professional organization — social, religious group, or nonprofit organization that you support. Being a part of a community comes with benefits that no amount of money could buy.

The benefit of a community includes finding the inspiration and motivation to achieve your goals.

A community allows you to exchange ideas and seek advice when you’re down. It also gives you a chance to network and strengthen your talents. When you’re a member of a community you feel valued.

“There’s evidence that strong community leads to a longer, smarter, quality of life,” says Altucher. “So I value this more than I value money.” I think most of us can agree with that statement.

3. Time – What you do with your time can add more value than money does for you — in life.

Shola Richards, founder of The Positivity Solution, writes that, “there is no amount of money in the world that can buy you one millisecond of time.”

“Unlike money, time cannot be multiplied, borrowed, or recovered after you lose it.” Richards adds, “Time can only be spent. That’s it.”

“Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. While it is possible that you could end up with much more money in your bank account next year than you currently have right now, you will never be as young as you are at the moment that you are reading these words.”

Time is a limited resource.

It’s important that you get the most out of time. That means effectively managing your time is important. When you manage your time –you’ll be less stressed. You can be sure that you’ll accomplish more with less effort — make fewer mistakes — and avoid conflicts.

Time management also opens you up to more opportunities and allows you to focus on what matter most. Time management — and not money — can lead to a more successful and happy life.

4. Respect – Respect is something in life that is more valuable than money.

“Respect is what I want from you

Respect is what I need

Respect is what I want

Respect is what I need.”

My dad was a huge fan of Otis Redding. Every time we would be in the car he would blast Otis. So, I became very familiar with this classic tune. A more popular version — is the Aretha Franklin version.

I think people enjoyed the “Respect” piece, or song a lot. Sure it’s a catchy song. But respect really is something that we all want in life.You can have all the money in the world. But, when you’re not respected by others — or you don’t respect yourself — then what’s all that money good for?

Additionally, you can’t buy respect. So respect really is more valuable than money.

There are feelings of trust, safety, and well-being that come with respect. That’s because of the sense of worth or personal value that’s been attached to you by others.

People will only respect you when you respect yourself.

Respecting yourself generally means that you’re honest, listen to others, and hold yourself accountable. It also means surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people. Most importantly — it’s treating others how you want to be treated.

In short, respect is crucial if you want to be a happy and successful person.

5. Mental Strength.
Mental strength is something in life that is more valuable than money.

Amy Morin is a renowned a psychotherapist and a lecturer at Northeastern University. Morin also has a claim for being a mental strength trainer. She says that you need mental strength to be successful. This is because mental strength conquers self-doubt, keeps you motivated, and helps you face your fears.

Mental strength also ensures that you learn from your mistakes.

Mental strength assists you when you need to bounce back from failure. And, mental strength can help you regulate your feelings.

Throughout your life you’re going to experience setbacks and obstacles. You’re going to need mental strength — a lot more than money — to help you overcome these obstacles.

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