Opinion

Governor’s budget won’t move state forward

Arkansas deserves a budget – and elected leaders – who value this state and all her people. We have to ask ourselves, does the budget Gov. Asa Hutchinson proposed at…

Prioritize and embrace ethical data privacy practices

Jan. 28 marked National Data Privacy Day. With companies like Google previously announcing the end of cookies and Facebook continuously under a microscope for its data practices, data privacy is…

Two little words

I’m often accused by my friends of using 10 words when two will do. OK, I’m guilty. So in an effort to mend my loquacious ways, I’ll focus for the…

‘Future-flex’ your business

The 2022 State of Talent Optimization Report is out, and the results are shouting. The Great Resignation (aka, The Big Quit) has dominated headlines. Workers are tired and frustrated, now…

Delta Leadership Institute is cultivating success

Every year, a new class of leaders from the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt come together to hone their leadership skills as fellows of the Delta Leadership Institute…

Be Pro Be Proud addressing workforce challenges

Arkansas businesses across the industry spectrum have long-faced a well-known workforce problem: an increasing percentage of their highly technical-skilled employees are at or nearing retirement age and an adequate pipeline…

Let them read the books

I spent a lot of time growing up in the school library. For reasons smacking of irony, that was where they sent girls who “talked too much” in class. So…

When it comes to medical bills, no one likes surprises

I’m not really much on surprises, although I do like the kind when you find some cash in a jacket that you haven’t worn in months. Opinions on surprises such…

Five threats that will drive the 2022 cybercrime economy

The 2022 cybercrime economy is now worth at least $1.2 trillion, according to economists. That makes it the 15th largest economy in the world, by International Monetary Fund estimates. It…

Telehealth can help rural communities, veterans who live there

Arkansas has experienced a record number of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, and the state has taken serious measures to mitigate this spike. Gov. Asa Hutchinson has deployed the National…

Entrepreneurial misconceptions

One of the significant aspects of entrepreneurship is that it’s an option for virtually anyone who wants to do it. Every type of person — every age, sex, size, race,…

What we need now is a beginner’s mind

I am a bit of an outlier in the world of business commentary. Although my feet are firmly planted in the fertile soil of data-driven marketing, I also am deeply…

On Covidism

It is said that travel broadens one’s horizons and I believe that is true in virtually every instance. There is always something that can be learned from getting out from…

Let’s get physical: Resolving to invest in health at the individual and community levels

Just before the pandemic started in March 2020, I made one very poor decision ― getting rid of a large, infrequently used desk — and one excellent decision — purchasing…

Why donating time, blood or money to the Red Cross matters

On the night of Dec. 10, Harold Clayton stepped outside his apartment in Leachville, Arkansas to stare at the unusual flickering of lighting filling the night sky. From inside the…

The year ahead

It’s hard to believe 2021 is almost over. With as long as 2020 was, this year just flew by. There is so much happening here in Northwest Arkansas that it…

The biggest non-event ever

Do you remember the devastating Dec. 3, 1990, earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone? You know, the one that claimed thousands of lives, destroyed billions of dollars of infrastructure…

7 de-stressors when you hit a mental wall

In the coming weeks, the pressures of the holiday season, financial decisions, and end-of-year responsibilities can all lead you to crash into a mental wall. You can’t make decisions. You…

Riff Raff: Private votes on the public’s business

Here we go again with the city of Fort Smith and its inability and/or unwillingness to conduct the public’s business in public. City directors and administrators come and go, but…

Full STEAM ahead

We are inundated with data. So the first business question we typically ask is a hard science question: What am I looking at here? And to answer that question requires…