This week in small business: Productivity tips to propel 2017 profits

One of the reasons the recovery from the last recession seemed to never really gain much speed is because we didn’t experience the gains in productivity that usually accompany a recovery. This week’s collection of curated content has enough productivity improve advice to fuel a few recoveries!

Leadership, management, and productivity

Are you guilty of these afternoon habits that Maleah Black says are killing your productivity? And if afternoons aren’t your only productivity hole, Ayodeji Onibalusi shares the “Ivy Lee” productivity method to keep you going strong all the time. Finally, here are six phrases that are sabotaging your team’s productivity.

In this article, Annie Pilon offers 10 important tips that cover a wide range of common business activities.

Would you be shocked if I told you that sometimes things get over-hyped in the social media? Jonathan Crossfield’s article, Do You Operate in a Social Media Bubble? 3 Questions to Ask, is a good read on this topic.

Marketing and sales

Marketing Land columnist Matt Umbro calls on marketers to use their intellectual abilities to question, scrutinize, analyze, and make informed decisions.

Here are 40 mobile marketing resources you should try and bookmark right now…according to Donte Ledbetter.

It’s possibly too late for this year, but take note of Greg Jarboe’s advice for next year: How brands can make the most out of Christmas video marketing.

Eugene Kim tells us how Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff turns dry earnings calls into funny sales pitches.

It’s the $64,000 question: Which social media outlets should you use to market your business? Mark Parent gives his take on the answer.

Dan Radak tells us why e-commerce companies shouldn’t ignore offline marketing.

You’ve seen the bumper sticker: “He who dies with the most toys wins.” I don’t think it’s true, but I do think there’s something in: “He (or she) with the most social media management tools wins,” and that may be why Jamil Velji wrote this article.

Check your website against Karla Cook’s important insights: “What Is Whitespace and Why Does It Matter? 8 Websites to Inspire Your Web Design.”

Entrepreneurship, startups, and innovation

Thomas Colson’s Business Insider article shares Kelsey Skinner’s seven tips for a successful business pitch.

Carter Thomas nailed it with this one and all Millennials would be wise to read it: Advice for a young entrepreneur – Trade your work for leverage.

Remember the James Brown hit It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World? Entrepreneur associate editor Aashika Jain discusses being a woman entrepreneur in a man’s world. And while we’re on the topic, check out Anushay Hossain’s piece: “How This Company Connects Women-Led Startups To The Capital They Need.”

If you’re starting out as a solo-entrepreneur, this Tech Featured article will give you a lot of clues on how to take your business to the next level.

Michelle Sun takes on four entrepreneurship myths in this piece she wrote for Forbes.

Although this was written for an Indian audience, virtually all the advice is relevant to any ambitious entrepreneur on the planet: Finding money to launch your startup.