Andrew Miller’s Advice for How Business Leaders Can Drive Company Growth

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Over thirty companies are worth at least a billion dollars that didn’t exist just ten years ago.  Money and decisions are moving fast, and those who falter or waste time being unsure quickly get left in the dust.

If you want to take a page out of the book of successful business leaders like former Polycom CEO Andrew Miller and aren’t sure where to start, here are the top ways business leaders drive company growth, from Andrew Miller himself!

Set The Tone For The Whole Company

Business leaders can help their companies thrive by being a resilient and robust figurehead.  If your CEO is meager or unsure of how to lead, your company will show this.  Every business needs a firm hand to guide it forward, have a vision for the future, and a hopeful determination that you can feel in every thread of the company.

Business leaders achieve this with incredible enthusiasm, a fair amount of pride, and enough success already in their pockets that they don’t have the first-company jitters anymore.  This cliche doesn’t mean that first-time business owners can’t be successful; it’s just that those in that boat have to work harder to get over their hurdles.

Change And Grow With The Company

If a company’s business plan hasn’t changed in thirty years, that business can’t be doing very well.  Times vary, and with them, technology, public opinion, and people’s needs shift as well.  The only way to ensure your business keeps an advantage, some edge that you can stay ahead of the curve, is to make sure you bend and change when it’s necessary.

Business leaders who roll with the punches, and aren’t too precious about the things they created, are more likely to take reasonable risks that could turn into significant profit for the business they own.

Listening to Employees and Peers

A fantastic leader has to listen to employees and peers to strive.  Opinions, especially if they’re different from your own, can help you reevaluate your business.  These evaluations help garner change and ingenuity.  You may be having trouble keeping your employees on time, but talking to them could help you solve that problem.  If your business hits a hiccup, talking to peers who run their companies may help you to realize who you can fix it or avoid that problem in the future.  Be open to learning, and people will be happy to share their knowledge with you.

Scrapping Bad Ideas When They’re Proven Bad

Holding onto bad ideas just because you thought of them is a terrible plan.  If a change turns out poorly and doesn’t help your company succeed, you have to drop it.  Although there are some ideas you can rework into the right actions, don’t think that every idea works this way.  Be willing to admit when something has failed so that you’ll be able to pick up and move forward with the next course of action.  This idea may be more challenging for some new to running their own business, but with time, you’ll learn to take failures in stride- since they mark a path leading to success.

Brian Burns – The Revelation of the Season for the Carolina Panthers

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Although the season has been up and down for the Carolina Panthers, Brian Burns has shown that his stellar performance on defense gives promise to the future of the roster. Last year, the Carolina Panthers chose Burns in the first round of the draft, and he showed promise at the time. His sacking skills shone with 7.5 sacks in his rookie season in a rotational role, but he has shown himself to be a star across the board.

Off to a Great Start

After working hard in the off season, fans can see the results. Burns committed himself to improving and becoming a defensive end who could perform across the board, and the results are exciting. He has had the sacks fans expect, and he is consistent and quick in going after the quarterback. He has the potential to become even more of a phenomenon.

Burns’ Potential for Stardom

It seems as though Burns has been around much longer than he has, as he is only in his second season now. As a college star at Florida State, Burns racked up 23 sacks and 38.5 tackles for loss, and he continues his march forward in the NFL without hesitation. In spite of his efforts, the Panthers need to beef up the team around him. As it stands, he is the one making everything happen. 

For one, Carolina needs to add a defensive tackle to play next to Derrick Brown and go after the passer. This player can also help the injured Yetur Gross-Matos become a more imposing threat across the line once he recovers from his high ankle sprain. Burns is clearly a force, as evidenced by his performance, but Carolina should bring in some players to help him out next season, which would increase the odds put up by Online Gambling NJ. 

Burns’ Success This Season

It isn’t difficult to see Burns’ potential in this sport. In the first nine weeks of this season, he had 22 pressures, and he had 23 in all of last season. In fact, pro-Focus Football grades him an 85. In addition, his snap count is 75%, which is significantly higher than the 43% he had as a rookie last season. He continues to impress and develop as an all around great defensive end, possibly one of the best in the league. 

In fact, in the 20 – 0 shutout of Detroit last Sunday, Burns was all over the defensive line. The Panthers lined up ready to blitz and bailed out over and over again, leaving Detroit scrambling to figure out what they were going to do. On Burns’ last sac, they didn’t even find him when the play started. This game was worth getting excited about as a preview of the future.

Carolina Panthers This Season

The Panthers 3 – 6 record is not terribly surprising, as they are going through a transition period with a young and inexperienced roster. Their record doesn’t tell the entire story, as they have been competitive in most of their games. They need to learn how to come through at key moments, which comes with player experience. 

The Panthers have a solid foundation that they can build on, and they should consider complementing the talents of Burns and beefing up their defense. Carolina could be a contender in the near future if they make the right moves.

Final Words

Brian Burns has taken the NFL by storm, and he stands to be a force going forward. Although the Carolina Panthers are in a time of rebuilding the team, they have a promising future if they make the right moves during the off-season. Burns has shown himself to be more well-rounded this season, and his hard work off the field is paying off. If Carolina can find a few players to back him up, they might find themselves with more in the win column.

Keep an eye on Burns for the rest of the season, as he only seems to get better. In this season, Burns has shown that he can do more than sack, but his sacks have proven to be more than a one season deal. He has transitioned from college to the NFL seamlessly and looks to be the real deal.

Maryland Sports Betting Could be Available by Summer 2021

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More and more states in the US are finally heading towards the legalization of local sports betting within their territories. This started in May 2018 when the Supreme Court of the United States have stricken down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act or PASPA of 1992. Since then, sports betting has been made federally legal and each state is given the freedom to decide whether they should allow betting within their borders.

Currently, there are already over 20 states with legal sports betting. Many US casinos are now accepting sports wagers especially in the states of New Jersey, Delaware, Nevada, Illinois, New York, Iowa, and a few more. States like Maryland, however, is just starting to head towards its legislation.

The recent election revealed how the locals of Maryland approve the legalization of sports betting. The voters in the state approved of the ballot question by a 2-1 margin. The yes vote that the state accounted for 68.8 percent of the casted ballots. That’s several around 1,867/310. Meanwhile, no votes only accounted for 32.2 percent or 920,524 of the casted ballots.

The sports betting referendum was voted on by the senate with 47-0 earlier this year. Even if the voters have also already approved this, the Senate will still have to vote on enabling the legislation for it to be launched. Overall, the process could take around a year.

When it comes to the main benefactor of the sports betting revenue that the state will get once it is up and running, it would be the education system of Maryland. This was approved by the Maryland General Assembly. They all agreed that the vast majority of the funds would go toward education and this was also posed to the voters via referendum.

Senator Craig Zucker who is a Montgomery County Democrat was known to have sponsored the sports betting legislation. He was interviewed by CBS Baltimore about this and said, “It’s very important in this age of COVID, where the economy is still suffering, that any additional revenue we can get from sports betting will help to close the budget gap around education.”

Senator Zucker said that the most pressing question that needed an answer was whether the locals approve of it and surely, they do judging by the results of the recent elections. He said, “What else is included and how those bets are made, that’s to be determined. I think the biggest obstacle that we were facing was: Do Marylanders approve it or not? And I think there was a resounding yes.”

And so, the locals of this state will soon be able to enjoy sports wagering. However, there is still a lot to discuss when it comes to how this will be implemented by the state. The founder of a law firm in the state that covers the local gambling industry shared his thoughts on how the state will be regulating betting.

Ifrah said that the law will probably allow retail betting licenses at places like horse racing tracks, casinos, and sports stadiums. He also said that it’s likely that mobile betting will also be allowed. Overall, he thinks that the state may only be able to launch it by Super Bowl 2022.

He said, “Assuming [legislators] could get all their ducks in a row, I would think that it’s not unrealistic for them to be done by the end of next year and ready to stand up some initially licensed operators.”

Gordon Medenica, the director of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency spoke to WBAL-TV that it may be launched rather quickly. He said, “If the bill is very streamlined, straightforward, sports betting for the casinos, and let’s say horse tracks as well, they can get up and running very quickly. Most of those entities have contractual relationships with several major sports betting providers.”

When it comes to what Senator Zucker thinks about mobile betting, he said, “I can’t imagine a scenario where the state wouldn’t allow it online.”

State officials are estimating that sports betting will generate an amount between 20 million and 40 million US dollars each year. They also anticipate that around 80 percent of the wagers will be from the online or mobile sector. This is just like how it is in the state of New Jersey where 80 to 90 percent of the state’s sports betting handles are from online and mobile wagers.

Winter is Here – The First Ski Resort in North Carolina Opened For Business Today

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Winter is officially here!

Today, Sugar Mountain opened for business, becoming the first ski resort in North Carolina to open their 2020-21 ski season and marking the beginning of our southern winter.

The mountain has been pumping out artificial snow for the past several days and this morning at 9am, they turned on their chair lift for guests.

Kenny from Charlotte had got the honor of being the first to ride the lift.

 

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They are now open every day from 8:00am – 5:00pm. So if you really want to have some good time outing, get your Gamma ski jacket and enjoy various winter activities at Sugar Mountain.

You can check out their current conditions on their live webcams here.

Rock Hill Opening New Exhibit Featuring Famed Christmas Artist Vernon Grant

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Vernon Grant’s Santas art exhibit opens on November 30 at the Center for the Arts, 121 E. Main St., Rock Hill, SC. Grant’s favorite subject, Santa Claus along with his whimsical gnomes, and published scenes of winter are on display in the Dalton and Perimeter Galleries through December 31, 2020. A virtual exhibit is available on the Arts Council’s webpage, yorkcountyarts.org/vernongrant.
Vernon Grant’s dream to become a New York City artist began when he arrived in the Big Apple in 1932. He rented a studio apartment in Greenwich Village where his vivid illustrations were soon in high demand. His beloved art captivated the attention of millions of people on cereal boxes, magazine covers, playing cards, billboards and a host of other products. Visit our galleries to capture the artistry of Vernon Grant and view his hallmark collection of Santa Claus, gnomes and scenes of the holiday season.
Also on Display at the Center for the Arts
CENTER FOR THE ARTS | EDMUND D. LEWANDOWSKI CLASSROOM GALLERY
York County High School Art Show
November 30 – December 31, 2020
Also at the Center for the Arts, the York County High School Art Show is on exhibition in the Edmund Lewandowski Classroom Gallery. Coordinated by the Arts Council of York County and the Catawba River Art Guild, awards are sponsored by the Yorkville Artists’ Guild. Awards will be announced online at yorkcountyarts.org and through the Arts Council’s Facebook, YouTube and IGTV accounts on Thursday, December 3, 2020.
ChristmasVille at the Center for the Arts
  • Only at the Center for the Arts during ChristmasVille in Old Town Rock Hill, visitors can see for the Chairman’s Choice Santas and previous People’s Choice winners. Vote for your favorite Chairman’s Choice through ChristmasVille’s app!
  • Santa Checking it Twice, I, the image selected as the People’s Choice in 2018, has been recreated in three dimensions by and New York-based artist Linda Kay. This life-size sculpture will be on display in the front window at the Center for the Arts throughout ChristmasVille.
  • A Christmas tree featuring indy ornaments created by participants of ChristmasVille’s ornament competition. Visit the ChristmasVilleRockHill.com website for complete details and for a schedule of all events.
The galleries at the Center for the Arts are open Monday through Friday from 9 AM – 5 PM and on Saturdays from 10 AM – 4 PM. On Sundays, the Dalton Gallery is open from 12 – 4 PM, and the Perimeter Gallery and Edmund D. Lewandowski Classroom Gallery are open from 2 – 4 PM on Sundays.
The Arts Council is headquartered in downtown Rock Hill, a state-recognized cultural district. For more information on Arts Council events, contact the Arts Council of York County at (803)328-2787, by email at arts@yorkcountyarts.org, or visit our webpage at http://www.yorkcountyarts.org.

Charlotte’s Colaborative “Court Shoes Only” Double IPA to Benefit ACEing Autism

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Court Shoes Only, a Double India Pale Ale recipe, has been co-developed by two prominent Charlotte head brewers with the mission to capture the creative and charitable spirit of the area’s brewery community. This special, one-time beer is scheduled to be released by local breweries participating in the initiative the week of February 1, in lieu of what would have been a milestone 10th year of Queen City Brewers Festival (QCBF) benefiting ACEing Autism, a non-profit providing tennis programming to children with autism.

Similar to national charitable collaborations such as Resilience, All Together and most recently Black is Beautiful, local breweries are encouraged to express their creativity and personality by expanding on the base Double IPA recipe. Co-authored by Chad Henderson of NoDa Brewing and Chris “Tropes” Tropeano from Resident Culture, a wide spectrum of variants and quantities of Court Shoes Only will be available for a limited time for local craft beer enthusiasts to seek and enjoy. Proceeds donated from sales of Court Shoes Only will benefit ACEing Autism-Charlotte tennis programs.

“It’s hardly how I imagined the 10-year anniversary of QCBF would be celebrated, but it’s also an exciting concept with incredible potential,” QCBF organizer and ACEing Autism Regional Director, Nils Weldy said. “I’m so impressed, once again, by the local brewery community’s unwavering commitment to supporting ACEing Autism and the countless other valuable programs that make Charlotte such a special place to live,” Weldy continued.

The Charlotte Independent Brewers Alliance (CIBA) will be the presenting sponsor of the Court Shoes Only marketing campaign, providing vital promotional resources to support the initiative, which will better position ACEing Autism to continue serving the local autism community in the new year and beyond.

Gavin Toth, co-owner of CIBA member Divine Barrel Brewing said of the collaboration, “Charlotte is unmistakably an IPA town and we’re looking forward to interpreting the recipe our brewing brothers at NoDa and Resident Culture have created, naturally, with a west coast approach.”

Charlotte craft beer enthusiasts are encouraged to follow QCBF social media channels and qcbrewfest.com to discover the breweries participating in Court Shoes Only, details about the variants of the Double IPA, beer release dates as well as plans for a special commemorative element to accompany sales at taproom and specialty retail locations.

Second Man Has Now Been Charged With Scott Brooks’ Murder

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31-year-old Steven Staples has just been charged with the murder of Scott Allen Brooks, the legendary and beloved co-founder of Brooks’ Sandwich Shop.

Brooks was shot and killed on December 9th, 2019. He had just arrived at Brooks’ to open the restaurant when he was attacked.

Police arrested their first suspect, 33-year-old Terry Conner Jr. in March, saying at the time that they were still looking for a second suspect.

According to CMPD, Steven Staples was already in custody for other charges when he was charged yesterday with Scott Brooks’ murder.

Staples is now facing charges for murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

CMPD officers are continuing to investigate the case they have not said whether or not they are looking for any additional suspects at this time.

Pandemic’s Impact on Rents & Apartment Searches in Charlotte

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New data shows a record number of Charlotte renters are searching for a new place to live on Apartments.com. Prospective renters are enthusiastic about the market, searching for cheaper rents, taking advantage of increased concessions, and looking for properties with more space.

The number of renters searching for an apartment in Charlotte peaked in July and September, increasing significantly since last year. The recent rise in search history suggests tenants are no longer putting their apartment hunt on pause, rather they’re moving out of expensive, relatively smaller units in search of larger living spaces that can better accommodate working from home, multi-family living scenarios, etc.

Rents have returned to pre-pandemic levels after falling significantly in the initial months of COVID19. However, expensive supply-heavy submarkets were hit the hardest by the rent losses during the pandemic. Rents in Uptown, have fallen more than 8% over the past year, while other supply heavy areas like South End and South Park have seen rents decrease by more than 2% over the past year.

Charlotte Stories is continually partnering with the best real estate agents in every part of the Charlotte region.

If you’re thinking about moving in or around Charlotte, let us connect you with a top agent in your area by filling out the form below:

    NC Tribal Leaders Send Letter To Congress Opposing Lumbee Recognition

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    Richard Sneed, the Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and Cyrus Ben, Tribal Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, released the following letter to Congress opposing the Lumbee Recognition Act.  Other tribal leaders have expressed similar opposition, including the Cherokee Nation and the United South and Eastern Tribes(USET), representing over 30 tribes.

    Chiefs Ben and Sneed note in their letter that “For over a century, the Lumbees have claimed to be Cherokee, Croatan, Siouan, Cheraw, Tuscarora, and other unrelated tribes but have never been able to demonstrate any historical or genealogical tie to any historical tribe. Instead of demonstrating credible ties to historic tribes, they abandon one claim for another when challenges to their identity are asserted. H.R. 1964 would even prevent a serious review of the Lumbee claims that its current membership has Native American ancestry.” 

    Chief Sneed commented on House passage of the legislation on Monday saying,  “Tribal recognition should not be granted when so much doubt and uncertainty remain over the Lumbees’ lineage and genealogy. It is dangerous to pass legislation that short-circuits an established process designed to protect Native American history and identity. That is exactly what H.R. 1964 does and we urge the Senate to reject this bill. “ 

    A copy of the letter is attached and below:

    Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy:  

    We write to express our opposition to the Lumbee Recognition Act, legislation that would extend federal acknowledgment as a Tribal Nation to the Lumbees in North Carolina and circumvent the Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA) administrative process at the U.S. Department of the Interior.  

    For over a century, the Lumbees have claimed to be Cherokee, Croatan, Siouan, Cheraw, Tuscarora, and other unrelated tribes but have never been able to demonstrate any historical or genealogical tie to any historic tribe. Instead of demonstrating credible ties to historic tribes, they abandon one claim for another when challenges to their identity are asserted. H.R. 1964 would even prevent a serious review of the Lumbee claims that its current membership has Native American ancestry.  

    The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has not scored this bill since 2011, when it issued a score of $847 million. Today, the cost of this bill exceeds $1 billion, which would have devastating impacts on Tribal Nations reliant upon federal health care, education, and other services provided through the Indian Health Service (IHS) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).  

    The consideration of this bill demonstrates this country’s broken politics in its relations with Tribal Nations. The Lumbee should pursue federal recognition through the OFA administrative process at the Department of Interior, where experts and procedures are in place, and not through an Act of Congress. With enormous need across Indian country related to the COVID-19 response, reacquisition of land, protection of natural resources, and protection of Native women and children, federal swing state politics has overwhelmed sound federal policy and the priorities of tribal governments with whom the United States has treaties and trust relations.  

    We urge you and your respective members to vote no.  
     
    Sincerely,

    Richard Sneed 
    Principal Chief, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians 
    Cyrus Ben
    Tribal Chief, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

    Slot Machines: Useful Tips To Choose The Right One

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    Having fun at a land-based casino is a truly unique experience that everyone will love to have at least once in their lifetime. Fortunately for casino aficionados, the online casinos offer a nearly matching experience or even more. As a result, you can find numerous sites on the web catering to different tastes and offering an exhilarating fare.

    Slot machines are the most sought after by punters for several reasons such as the simple and no fuss gameplay and exciting themes. To have the best time at the slot machines and make it a rewarding one too, you need to choose the right one. So, here we have some important and useful tips to help you select.

    It Depends on the Establishment

    To have an exciting time, you have to first identify a website that has plenty of choices when it comes to slot machines. In general, most sites feature these as they are in popular demand. One of the reasons for this is the spins offered for free in such sites.

    These benefits are mostly open to newbies so they can practice well and savor the experience fully. So, first choose from the list of the best online casinos to ascertain you have made the right decision.

    Decide on the Specific Type

    The second thing you have to do is finding the type that you favor. Since there are various types available choosing can be overwhelming. For starters, you need to pick from the two main varieties namely the direct or progressive categories. With the direct type, you will find similar jackpot and the pay tables are mostly fixed.

    And best of all, you get to make wagers of smaller size easily. With progressive type, while the jackpot is common, the value increases with each bet. Your winning probability escalates with the increase in bet value. But as a newbie you need to go for the low-risk option and take on the progressives only after you gain experience.

    Reels In a Slot

    Usually there are just two major types found. One is with 3 reels and the other sports 5 reels. The reels have special icons in them and when you rotate them, the resulting arrangement of the icons decides your win. In some types, you can find additional aspects based on the software used. Many are theme-based which makes them more attractive and engaging to play.

    Reliability

    To ensure you have chosen right, you need to do some research. Reading reviews helps you know whether your choice is suitable. This is especially true, if you are new to the game. Verifying information provided by the manufacturer on the specific site is also a way to assess the suitability. Choosing reputed brands will ensure the machine is a reliable one.

    Conclusion

    To revel in an immersive experience, you need to consider the above-mentioned tips. When these are to your satisfaction, you are sure to have a spectacular time savoring the feeling. And when you are hooked to these machines, you will be yearning to repeat the experience again and again. With the plethora of choices open to you, this is easier now than ever before.