Oregon Business

Once an executive lets go of his or her own sense of superiority — their arrogance — and return to the level of being human, they become more effective. Read more by leadership expert Tom Cox.

There is a revolution happening in which globalization is not the best solution, in which the focus is increasingly local and has the most hope for creating jobs, building community, and improving our health. That revolution is around food: what we grow, how we grow it, how we distribute it, how we consume it. The phrase, “Think Globally, Act Locally” has never been more appropriate than when we talk about food. By wine industry pioneer Susan Sokol Blosser.

The effective CEO recruits for strength where she herself is weak, in order to round out a diverse team. However it’s not enough to let leaders play to their natural strengths — each leader needs to encapsulate “just enough” of both capabilities.

Eighteen months ago, 25% of food-cart owners in Portland used mobile payment options. That number is now more than half. “With the newer carts coming in, [owners] are younger, more tech savvy. It’s not an afterthought, it’s part of what they do,” says Brett Burmeister, managing editor of FoodCartsPortland.com.

Finally, the day had come to savor the victory. It had been five years of uncertainty, fighting, wrangling, and putting up with going to school in some pretty sorry conditions. But after five years of herculean efforts by the community, supporters, funders and others, Vernonia’s new K-12 school was christened.

For every leader who loves numbers, there is a skeptic. They both have points — without measures, we cannot tell how we are doing, yet many metrics seem arbitrary or measure the wrong thing.  Meanwhile, often the right goals seem immeasurable.

Sen. Jeff Merkley's Rebuilding American Homeownership plan would allow underwater homeowners who are current on their mortgage to refinance at lower rates. Local bankers, realtors and economists weigh in on the proposal.

New nonstop flights from Portland International Airport will mean increased access for Oregon businesses to key locations. Beyond the obvious boon to consumers, businesses and business travelers will reap a huge benefit from the new nonstops.

The city’s proposed public market shows there’s no end to Portland’s love of food as urban development tool. Meanwhile, other neighborhoods are still waiting for a grocery store.

It’s too early in the summer to be definitive about how Oregon’s peak tourism season will shape up, but early reports show Europe’s ongoing economic woes is meaning fewer visitors from the United Kingdom to Stumptown, but more tourism coming from Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The nearly $9 billion industry showed very little growth last year and fingers are crossed that this year will be better.

Snappy marketing and logos help new business models appeal to the teen and young adult market

An embrace of a new food processing technology has led to quick growth and job creation for Pressure Safe, a spin-off company of Morasch Meats, a family-owned meat processing and packaging business based in Wood Village.

You most assuredly do not control or direct your boss.  Nor do you staff him or her. To attempt to engage in any of the standard management behaviors toward your boss is, by definition, insubordinate. Your goal is to be effective, and leadership expert Tom Cox explains how to do that.

CEOs often have senior leaders who don’t “get a seat at the strategy table.” It’s a tremendous lost opportunity, and it’s almost entirely the fault of the CEO. Leadership consultant Tom Cox explains how to fix it.

A surge in online education startups may transform higher education landscape, in Oregon and nationally.

The summertime job for teens is becoming a thing of the past. Teenagers are less employed now than any other time in the past 70 years.

A former chief of public affairs for the Oregon National Guard launches new mobile app for transaction of barter.

The conflagrations in Southeast Oregon have not yielded a big uptick in business for private firefighters and equipment operators.

A Tuskegee Airman's tech venture and an incubator targeting women of color provide mounting evidence of inclusivity in the tech community

The business owner or CEO is the inevitable recipient of problems, complaints, and suggestions. The tide of them can feel overwhelming. Here’s the three-stage “Listen – Redirect – Empower” formula Tom Cox teaches to CEOs (and managers) on how to handle complaints and suggestions most effectively.