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productivity

Be Productive, Have Free Time, and Reduce Stress: Rethinking Productivity with Naphtali Hoff

By Meny Hoffman // Let's Talk Business, Podcast // 5 min read

Does being productive mean living a life filled with stress and working crazy hours…or is there a way to increase your productivity while also reducing stress and having time for other parts of your life?

Many serious business owners assume that the more time they work, and the more stressed out they get, the more successful they’ll become. Naphtali Hoff, President of Impactful Coaching & Consulting, suggests that they have it completely backward. An expert on productivity and leadership, Naphtali explains that with the proper strategies and outlook, you can become more productive and more successful by using your time well, rather than by working late hours. Join Meny and Naphtali as they talk about the secrets of productivity, common mistakes that lead to unwarranted stress, learning how to have a closed-door policy, reducing the number of decisions you make every day, how to create a productive daily calendar, and much more. Read more

From Fixing Your Back to Fixing Your Business: The Odyssey of Dr. David Kaplowitz

By Meny Hoffman // Let's Talk Business, Podcast // 5 min read

Why would a chiropractor choose to leave his massively successful practice, and pivot into becoming a renowned marketing expert and coach? Dr. David Kaplowitz was one of Connecticut’s most successful chiropractors, building a practice that brought in over one hundred patients every day. Over time, he left the world of medicine and entered the world of business coaching. By using the lessons he learned during his medical career, alongside the many teachable moments he has experienced ever since. David has become a sought-out and wildly respected coach who works with companies and executives to develop leadership skills and maximize performance. Listen to David’s fascinating conversation with Meny to learn more about his story, the importance of active listening, how to resolve conflicts without undermining your entire business, why you should pay attention to the people who think you’re wrong and much more.

How Two Minutes Can Ruin Your Day

By Meny Hoffman // Let's Talk Business // 5 min read

Knock, knock.

Your employee peeks their head in innocently. “Do you have two minutes?”

OK. It’s just two minutes, you think. “Sure! How can I help you?”

Tell me the truth: How many of you fall for this on a daily basis?

Though the person didn’t intend it to be, this is a trap—and we all know it. Because a second is never a just second. A minute is never just a minute. Even if it were, all those seconds and minutes add up to much more than you might think, in both time and mental headspace.

We’re here for you.

By Meny Hoffman // Business, Let's Talk Business // 5 min read

In these unprecedented times, you, like business owners around the world, are probably uncertain about what steps you should be taking to minimize the effect of the coronavirus crisis on your business, and how to best support your employees and customers during this challenging time.

We want you to know that you’re not alone, and we’re here to support you in any way we can.

Is Asking for Help a Strength or a Weakness?

By Meny Hoffman // Leadership, Let's Talk Business // 5 min read

By the time he came to me to ask for advice, the only thing left to do was stop the bleeding and get out.

He sat across from me in my office, tears welling up in his eyes. He had invested $400,000 into his new venture, and it wasn’t working. The most painful part of the story? If he had sought advice from someone sooner, he may have been able to turn the situation around, or at least cut his losses.

The Meeting that Should Have Been an Email

By Meny Hoffman // Let's Talk Business // 5 min read

When you hear the word meeting, what’s your gut reaction?

The other day, I was listening to a podcast about productivity where the guest was bemoaning the amount of time that we waste on meetings. Curious if this feeling was the norm, I decided to turn to my LinkedIn community and ask: “When you hear the word ‘meeting,’ what is the first time that comes to mind?”

Well, over 8,000 views and 75 comments later, I got my answer.

The Food Truck Challenge

By Meny Hoffman // Company Culture, Let's Talk Business // 5 min read

Recently, I took the Ptex Team on a surprise outing just a few doors down from our office. We came to a large, empty hall with chairs arranged in a circle. As the team filed in, no one knew what was going on, why they were there, or what we’d be doing.

Then, our moderator explained that we would spend the afternoon competing in “The Food Truck Challenge.” We divided into four teams and each team was tasked to create their own food truck according to their assigned cuisine (Mediterranean, Asian, South American, and desserts), complete with branding and marketing, three dishes plated for 20 people, and of course, the truck itself. Everyone had a blast!

You 2.0: Your Update Is Now Available

By Meny Hoffman // Let's Talk Business // 5 min read

You turn on your phone, and a familiar message flashes across the screen. It’s a request to update to the new and improved version of some app or software. You ignore it.

The next day, the same message comes up during an important meeting. And once again, you hit “not now.”

Then, a few days later, it happens again. Annoyed, you ignore the message, telling yourself that you’ll deal with it later.

A couple of weeks later, you find out that some of your friends and colleagues have certain helpful features on their phones that you don’t have, making you feel outdated. The only difference? They took action—they clicked “update.”