As you can see from this month’s cover, it’s our 12th annual Business Planner. This is the issue where we tap an array of industry experts to cover topics vital to growth. This year, we specifically asked them to write about the things they believe you must do during your planning period to have a successful 2016.
There’s lots of good stuff in here. Some of it’s strategic, and some of it’s tactical. And it’s overflowing with tips and quotables. I realize everything we publish doesn’t apply to all of our readers, as you vary in services, sizes and locations, but I’m confident there’s something here for everyone.
Maybe you don’t even know where to start when it comes to planning. Well, the articles by Bruce Wilson and Phil Harwood are a good introduction. Maybe you’re trying to perfect your team—and who’s not hiring these days? Then you’ll want to check out Kevin Kehoe’s advice. Or maybe you’re working on harnessing the information you already have within your company or improving your systems. Read up on what Frank Ross, Monica Muir or many of our other contributors have to say.
Because we’re calling this “The Must List,” we’ve created a checklist for you to use as you read through these articles, discuss them within your company and, hopefully, implement them.
Our pink logo
As you also can see from the cover, we’ve gone pink this month in honor of cancer awareness. For the second year in a row, our parent company, North Coast Media, is donating a portion of the revenue from all our brands’ October issues to support cancer research.
We chose pink because it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, although our donation supports cancer research in general. Last year we donated $8,000 to the American Cancer Society (ACS), and this year our funds will go to a local cancer research initiative.
My colleagues and I are proud of our company for making this donation, and we appreciate all the support from our readers and advertisers, which allows us to give back, so thank you. This year feels extra personal for me. Since this initiative was announced just last year, my family lost my Aunt Heather to cancer, and we’ve learned about my Uncle Ray’s diagnosis and treatments over the last few months. As we wrap up this issue of LM and I reflect on the significance of our pink logo, I stop to honor them and wish them much love.
Of course, when it comes to cancer, my family’s not unique. Nearly everyone has been touched by this disease, as Kevin Bryan, co-founder of Top Turf, notes. In fact, the ACS says there will be an estimated 1.6 million new cancer cases diagnosed and more than a half million cancer deaths in the U.S. this year. That’s why his company puts out pink lawn signs during October. And it’s why North Coast Media publications’ logos are pink this month.
