It’s almost impossible to run any business nowadays without using computers, the internet, online ordering, and social media. And although technology has increased customer bases, markets, and product availability with new levels of speed and interaction, technology has also brought its own problems—or rather new levels of speed and interaction for the ancient problem of honest merchants guarding against thieves and scammers.

The White family has been personalizing awards and gifts at their shop, Atta-Boy Awards in North Pole, AK, for 45 years. Offering quality service at a fair price, Atta-Boy Awards has gotten an extra boost from the owners’ dedication, creative ideas, and positive outlook.

Everyone is familiar with the old saying, “time is money.” The quotation is attributed to a 1748 letter titled “Advice to a Young Tradesman,” written by Benjamin Franklin. His original quote was “remember that time is money” and was meant as business advice. That particular piece of advice seems as relevant in 2021 as it must have in the 1700s.

This past year, the popular photo sharing social media platform Instagram reached a mighty milestone: There are now more than 1 BILLION people globally using Instagram every day. According to Sprout Social, 63% of U.S. users say they check their Instagram daily, and Instagram users are among the most dedicated (amongst social media platforms) in terms of how frequently they log in.

Some people are introduced to the personalization industry through family or friends.

For retailers to be successful, a web presence is as necessary during (and after) the pandemic as it was, well, even before the pandemic.

As the United States—and much of the world—starts a slow return to normalcy after pandemic lockdowns and safety measures, big and small corporations have changed some of the ways they do business. Those changes have been felt by our industry’s retailers and suppliers who provide personalized products for corporate customers.

As owner and president of GO-HR, Sharon DeLay is a human resources professional with a big-picture view of the corporate world. That’s because her company provides customized HR solutions to a wide range of small businesses. Unlike an HR professional who is employed by a single company, DeLay and her team have experience with hundreds of businesses and are able to assess larger trends in the business world.

Have you ever had one of those days when the pieces of life’s puzzle just don’t seem to fit together? You know you have all of the necessary pieces right in front of you, but you just cannot get them in the right order.

Village Awards and Engraving of La Mesa, CA, will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.