Posts by Doug Hughes

What the Government Shutdown Means for Small Businesses and Employee Healthcare by David Key, President & CEO, Greater Sedona Chamber of Commerce As Washington debates budgets and subsidies, small businesses in Sedona and beyond need to pay close attention. The ongoing federal government shutdown isn’t just a matter of politics—it has real-world implications for your…

Tourism Declines Are Real, But the Economy Remains Resilient Reprinted from Sedona Red Rock News By David Key The Economic Shift The United States is still living with the consequences of an extraordinary economic experiment. For more than a decade, interest rates sat near zero. Businesses could borrow without concern and many grew quickly on…

Why Digital Skills Matter More Than Ever for Small Business Reprinted from Sedona Red Rock News By David Key The Digital Imperative The way people shop, travel, and connect is changing at lightning speed. The tools to win in this environment are digital. Digital literacy is no longer optional. It is the ability to use…

Why Your Best Ideas Come From Asking Dumber Questions In 1968, Dick Fosbury asked the stupidest question imaginable: “What if I jump backward?” Every coach knew you went over face-first. That’s just how high jumping worked. Fosbury’s technique looked so ridiculous his own coach told him he’d never succeed. He won the gold medal. Within…

The Constraint Advantage: How Limited Resources Force Better Ideas Introduction While household names like Apple and Amazon revolutionized their industries through innovation, today’s small and medium enterprises are proving that transformative breakthroughs aren’t reserved for tech giants. Recent data shows that innovation-active small businesses create 69% more revenue than their non-innovative counterparts—adding an average of…

Is SEO Dead? The Great Decoupling and the Future of Digital Visibility The reports of SEO’s death have been greatly exaggerated—but traditional search traffic is undeniably declining. Here’s what the data really tells us, and what businesses must do now. The question isn’t whether SEO is dying. The question is whether you’re still optimizing for…

From Satisfied to Obsessed: Why Your Business Needs Raving Fans There’s a dangerous myth in business: that satisfied customers are good enough. They’re not angry. They don’t complain. They might even come back. Mission accomplished, right? Wrong. Satisfied customers are the walking dead of your customer base. They’re one coupon away from your competitor. One…

Building a Great Work Culture and Strong Team: Where Value and Contribution Drive Success Creating an exceptional work culture starts with a fundamental recognition: people need to feel that their work matters and that they matter. While psychological safety has its place, the deeper driver of engagement and performance is the sense that you’re making…

Navigating Difficult and Controlling Coworkers: A Guide to Professional Survival Working with difficult and controlling colleagues can transform even the most enjoyable job into a daily challenge. Whether it’s a micromanaging peer, someone who takes credit for others’ work, or a colleague who creates unnecessary drama, these workplace dynamics can significantly impact your productivity, job…