Articles

Column by VerticalResponse CEO/Founder Janine Popick, Inc.com "Basement to Boardroom"
Sept. 10, 2012

Don't allow new policies to have huge consequences for your existing customers, staff, and your bottom line.

There's a restaurant I've been going to for 10 years. Over the course of time, management has come and gone as you would expect, and great people have left only to be replaced by new ones who were equally as great (and in some cases better).

Column by VerticalResponse CEO/Founder Janine Popick, Inc.com " Basement to Boardroom"
Sept. 7, 2012

CEO of Inc. 5000 company VerticalResponse Janine Popick talks about her trepidation leading up to a major shift in the company's business model.

My company, VerticalResponse, has been around for over 11 years. We're great at what we're known for, which is email marketing software for small businesses. Over the course of these years, we've added other really nice bells and whistles to help small businesses grow.

Column by VerticalResponse CEO/Founder Janine Popick, Inc.com "Basement to Boardroom"
August 31, 2012

The secret to successful social media marketing is to use what you've already got. Don't think you have anything? Think again.

If you're like most busy business owners, you're probably thinking to yourself, "I barely have enough time to run my company, now I have to worry about social media?" Social media can seem overwhelming and daunting, but if you break it down into tiny little pieces, it's actually quite doable.

Column by VerticalResponse CEO/Founder Janine Popick, Inc.com "Basement to Boardroom"
August 27, 2012

Having a frank discussion about what works, what doesn't and what your customers want from you is key to a successful business.

My company doesn't get a lot of face-to-face time with our small business and non-profit customers. I hate that. Since VerticalResponse is an online marketing solution, we really only get ear-to-ear or chat-to-chat (online) with them, not in person.

Column by VerticalResponse CEO/Founder Janine Popick, Inc.com "Basement to Boardroom"
August 24, 2012

Give your presentations, documents or Web pages a little creative oomph with these three free business tools.

At my marketing platform company, VerticalResponse, I'm lucky to have an in-house creative department that designs all our marketing materials, ads, website, etc.

Column by VerticalResponse CEO/Founder Janine Popick, Inc.com "Basement to Boardroom" August 13, 2012

CEOs need to put themselves out there to see what their customers are saying. And the best way is to communicate with them directly.

If you own and run your business, you're busy. I get it. Who isn't? You have to pay the bills, pay your employees, order supplies, and the list goes on and on and on. And if you're growing, you have less and less time to do all of the above, including talking to the people who are most important to you: your customers.

Column by VerticalResponse CEO/Founder Janine Popick, Inc.com "Basement to Boardroom" August 10, 2012

Creating a real team-oriented approach, where everyone is rooting for the same thing, is crucial to any company.

I have a ton of respect for Olympians, no matter what their sport of choice. It's a lot of hard work that you mostly do because you're passionate about it, and you do it for your team and your country.

Column by VerticalResponse CEO/Founder Janine Popick, Inc.com "Basement to Boardroom"
August 7, 2012

It's tempting to take creative responsibilities off your shoulders and hand it over to an agency, especially when you're growing. Here's why I decided to build an internal team instead.

With the huge popularity of the TV show Mad Men, you might be thinking, maybe I need a creative agency to take my business to the next level. In many ways, it's tempting to take such a huge responsibility off your shoulders and hand it over to an external agency.

Column by VerticalResponse CEO/Founder Janine Popick, Inc.com "Basement to Boardroom"
August 3, 2012

If HR-related issues are getting in the way of running your business, then it's probably time to bring in an expert.

If your business is growing and you're bringing on more employees, at some point you'll have to decide if you need to hand over HR responsibilities to someone else who knows the ins and outs of hiring, benefits, labor laws and more.

But when is the right time?

Column by VerticalResponse CEO/Founder Janine Popick, Inc.com "Basement to Boardroom"
July 30, 2012

If you're thinking about forming a partnership or acquiring another business, these questions will make it easier to decide which option is best.

Instagram and Facebook. Microsoft and Yammer. Is an acquisition or partnership a possibility in your future?

If your company is growing, first things first: CONGRATS! It's a tough economy and you're lucky to be on the upswing, no matter how big or small it might be.