We are speaking about voice-enabled technology.

Speech technology, powered by other disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence and Big Data, will tear down computing barriers and will be the next transformative platform that your company can leverage.

We are already on our way toward the voice revolution. In all likelihood, when you hear about voice-enabled technology, you think of Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant. Consumers who purchase these voice assistants already love them: according to one study by Google, 72 percent of individuals who own a voice-activated speaker rely on those devices as part of their daily routine.

What you may not know is that Apple, Amazon, and Google have already created platforms allowing third-party developers to develop “skills” (or a synonymous term) for these voice assistants. Essentially, Apple, Amazon, and Google have granted solo entrepreneurs, small businesses, and large corporations the ability to leverage their groundbreaking technology.

Similar to how the advancement of the smartphone and app store enabled a Cambrian explosion of innovation, voice-enabled technology will empower creators and longstanding companies. The potential applications are endless. That said, voice-activated speaker owners told Google that they want to receive particular information from brands. Specifically, they are looking for information about deals, sales and promotions, personalized tips and information to make users’ lives easier, information about upcoming events or activities, options to find business information, and access to customer or service support.

We are still in the early innings of voice-enabled technology. But having said that, users are already envisioning how it will make their lives easier.

You and your company should be participating in this same thought exercise.

Creativity will be rewarded here. To proceed, you will want to gather all stakeholders in your company. Whether you sell a product or service, sit down and determine how you can serve your customers through this new platform. It can be as simple as allowing users to ask Alexa (or the equivalent) for basic information about your business or the ability for customers to submit support tickets through their voice-activated speaker. Whatever it is, think about how you can solve a customer’s job through this technology. By taking this perspective, you will continue to surprise and delight your customers.

Ultimately, you and your business shouldn’t ignore voice-enabled technology. Your competitors certainly aren’t. Embracing this technology and developing an action plan will help you prepare for this game-changing revolution.

To find out more about how technology can benefit your company, contact info@thecarterbrothers.com or 281-240-3536.

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That said, this is an important exercise. According to one study, 65 percent of internet users view online searches as the most trusted source of information about people and companies. Intuitively, the higher profile you are in your field, the more opportunities that will emerge. These opportunities can lead to more income and more recognition, which leads to even more opportunities.

But how do you do this? Most, if not all, ambitious people want to be seen as authorities in their field. Having said this, there are many talented individuals who haven’t yet been discovered as authority figures.

You won’t be surprised to hear that there is not one bulletproof strategy. However, there are several things that you should keep in mind.

First, you will have to embrace self-promotion. There is a fine line here between sharing your valuable knowledge and being too promotional. No one likes the hubristic person that continually talks about himself or herself. However, you can expect the world to simply discover you. You have to be proactive, whether that is starting a blog or maintaining an active Twitter feed. Consistently releasing your ideas into the marketplace is a great starting point to becoming an authority figure.

Next, you will want to connect with other authority figures. Even if you are releasing the best content out into the world, you won’t be an authority figure if no one is consuming it. There are a variety of ways to increase the distribution of your content, but one of the best ways is to have an already-existing authority figure vouch for you. Essentially, you are borrowing their built-in credibility. Having some anchor authority figures can go a long way in spreading the word about you as an authority figure.

Finally, you will never want to start learning. Authority figures are often better marketers than others, but those authority figures must continue to provide value to others. Adopting a learn-first attitude will not only help you build more credibility, but can also further your marketing efforts—like when you speak at an industry or sector event.

These are just some tactics that you can leverage on your path to becoming an authority figure in your field. Ultimately, at Carter Brothers Consulting, my brother and I leverage our marketing and entrepreneurship experience to help individuals share their expertise. We are simply obsessed with this topic, so if you would like to learn more about how we can help you increase your profile in your industry, please click here.

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The reality, however, is much more complicated. Starting any type of business is a risk. More often than not, small businesses fail. Because of this, the image that we have of free-wheeling entrepreneurs who love taking on risk is often misguided. Even Richard Branson, who is thought to be one of the most risk-loving entrepreneurs, always seeks to protect the downside.

Therefore, instead of fulfilling that fantasy of rapidly quitting your job to become your own boss, you will want to chart out a roadmap. By stopping and planning before you take the leap, you will avoid many common missteps that haunt entrepreneurs.

Ultimately, there are some things that you will want to think about before becoming your own boss.

One of the best ways to becoming our own boss is to start a side hustle or side project. By working on your idea on the side, you can advance your idea while maintaining your income from your day job. One of the riskiest things you can do is quit your job cold turkey with few (if any) savings to sustain yourself while building your business. You can avoid this worst-case scenario by working on your business full-time when you are consistently earning revenue.

Beyond the financial aspect, it helps to confirm whether you actually want to be your own boss. Your vision may not match up with reality. Being your own boss means being forced to complete tasks that may bore you to death. Simply put, it isn’t for everyone. Gaining some of this tangible experience—either in a management role at your company and/or on your side hustle—will increase the odds that you are making the right choice.

Market validation is another key exercise. Regardless of your idea, you need to get out of the building and speak with customers. Truly understand their wants, needs, and how your product or service idea will make their lives better. Above all, be agile. In all likelihood, your initial idea will not be what your business looks like in the next year or two. Listening to the customer and pivoting as necessary are critical for your future success.

These are just several of the many things that you must consider when charting our the roadmap to being your own boss. If you would like to learn more, I encourage you to check out Carter Brothers Consulting, a firm that my brother and I started to help entrepreneurs start businesses. We look forward to hearing from you.

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This can be a scary proposition. But regardless of whether your job is taken by automation, it is important to think about this trend and prepare for a world in which automation is the standard of work.

Ultimately, as with everything, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that automation, according to McKinsey and Company, will entirely eliminate less than five percent of total occupations. But for 60 percent of total occupations, automation will be able to accomplish about one-third of current activities in those occupations. Therefore, fears of robots and automation entirely replacing a vast swath of occupations is likely overblown. The much more likely scenario is that robots will complement our work rather than take our place entirely.

The bad news, however, is that the automation of everything could significantly impact the middle class, which is a key component to the overall health of the U.S. economy. Retraining these workers will likely be expensive and difficult. And according to the Brookings Institution, skill-biased technical change (like automation) is a significant cause of growing inequality between college-educated workers and other workers. The ripple effects of automation on the overall economy aren’t precisely known, but it is safe to say that it may cause upheaval—just as other technological revolutions have caused.

So what can you do to prepare yourself for the upcoming automation of everything?

There are several steps that you can take. First, take stock not only of your skills, but skills that humans execute better than robots. At this time, humans have better creative skills, social skills, and interpersonal skills than robots. While these may be “soft” skills that are not necessarily related to your job, they can be your hidden advantage.

To the extent possible, you should try to diversify your skill set so that you can leverage these additional “human” skills. Embrace learning and try to be open-minded. By adopting a “learning first” attitude, it is more likely that you will become indispensable at the office.

Like other disruptive events, the automation of everything will undoubtedly affect many parts of our personal and professional lives. However, by embracing this change rather than repelling it, you can ensure that you will be well-prepared for an increasingly automated world. Since these changes appear to be inevitable, it is in your interest to get started today.

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Work has gotten increasingly complicated. That said, there is one universal trend that shows no signs of slowing down. Simply put, it is easy for us to get distracted at the office.

Employees have already admitted to this troubling trend. According to a recent study by Udemy, 69 percent of full-time employees reported being distracted at work. This is for a variety of reasons, but things like social media, noisy offices, unnecessary meetings, and chatty coworkers are some of the main culprits.

Distracted employees can significantly impact a corporation’s bottom line. One study by Basex estimates that interruptions at work cost the American economy $588 billion per year. If you are an entrepreneur or corporate manager, these numbers can be deeply concerning.

So what is the solution? Whether we are managers or entry-level employees, how can we regain our attention at work and become more productive, effective workers?

Unfortunately, there is not one straightforward answer. While this is more of an art than a science, there are several helpful steps that you can take.

One great initial step is recognizing the problem. It is all too easy to succumb to inertia and go through the motions at work. By understanding that we aren’t as efficient or productive as we could be, it is easier to course correct.

From there, it is extremely helpful to prioritize tasks throughout the day. Work on the most important tasks in the morning. Yes, the chatty coworker or unexpected meeting is inevitable. However, by prioritizing what we want to accomplish every day at the office, there is less of a chance that those interruptions prevent us from finishing our most important tasks.

One more unconventional tip is to take care of your body. Getting enough sleep and exercise can help you from feeling fatigued or drained at the office. You will be better able to maintain your attention throughout the day and not fall into the dreaded afternoon slump.

These are just some quick tips on how to improve your focus and productivity at work. Undoubtedly, you will have to find what best works for you. With that said, just be aware of what works and continue to leverage those tactics. By being aware of your personal productivity at work and how you can maximize that productivity, you will be in a better position to become a star contributor at your organization.

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