As is the case with so many aspects of American life, 2021 has been a year of monumental change. From rising inflation to unprecedented labor shortages, from approval and distribution of the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine to seismic shifts in our political landscape, we have been on a bumpy roller coaster ride. For those in higher…  Read more

October is “Mental Health Awareness Month,” and 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to discuss the growing epidemic of poor mental health in this country. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that nearly one in five Americans has some type of mental health condition. According to the U.S.…  Read more

Crisis is inevitable for any organization; however, taking the proper steps can make a huge difference when dealing with them. In 2020, the Institute for Crisis Management (ICM) reviewed an overwhelming 1,709,419 crisis stories in the news, with the most prone industries being banking and financial services, technology, healthcare, government agencies, food production, and travel/hospitality.…  Read more

Consumer behaviors and patterns are constantly changing. Marketers do their best to make accurate predictions on where trends will be heading and adapt accordingly. But after being hit with a global pandemic that flipped the world on its head, “temporary” solutions are now here to stay. As consumers grow accustomed to their “new normal,” marketers…  Read more

When the NCAA announced a new policy allowing college student-athletes to benefit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) in late June, much of the focus immediately, and justifiably, turned to the nearly 500,000 players who can suddenly profit financially for their talent and the hard work they put in playing sports for colleges and…  Read more

If you’ve spent even five minutes driving down Buffalo’s Main Street recently, you’d notice that the talk of Buffalo’s renaissance isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s real and it’s progressing every day before us. The city’s tallest building is living proof that Buffalo’s boom is among us. One of the leading drivers of Buffalo’s resurgence? The…  Read more

While the last 15 months have been filled with comparatively empty businesses, isolation and cancelled events, the time has finally come where I feel like it is safe to say that we are somewhere in the neighborhood of “normal.” Normal—with stipulations of course. Restaurants are among those still struggling post-pandemic. With lack of resources for…  Read more

Let’s start with a riddle: What kind of companies tend to be among the largest and most successful businesses in the region (or any region, really) despite not actually selling any products? Answer: Professional services firms. “Professional services” encompasses a range of different industries that sell specialized, knowledge-based services to clients, as opposed to tangible…  Read more

The American stance and public sentiment on recreational and medical marijuana has moved quicker than just about any other major issue in recent memory. A majority of states now offer legal access to medical marijuana, and New York recently joined 15 other states to have now legalized adult-use cannabis as well. This seismic shift –…  Read more