Worcester Business Journal

18 Worcester Business Journal | March 10, 2025 | wbjournal.com By Erjon Metohu Erjon Metohu is president & chief creative officer of ERI Design in Worcester. 7) Your website is your firm's digital front door. It's the first impression you make on customers, clients, donors, and job seek- ers. If it's slow, clunky, or outdated, people won't stick around to see what you have to offer. A smart website redesign isn't just a cosmetic upgrade, it's a strategic move. 6) Know why you're redesigning (hint: not just for a prettier homepage). A website refresh should be driven by real business goals, not just aesthetics. Do you need to boost online sales, attract more clients, or make it easier for people to find key information? Define your objectives upfront so your new site works as hard as you do. 5) Think like your visitors (because they don't think like you). You know your orga- nization inside and out, but your website visitors don't. Map out the user journey: What are they looking for? What questions do they have? If they have to dig through multiple menus, they might just give up. 4) Audit before you bulldoze. You wouldn't tear down a building without first checking the foundation. Look at your current site's data in Google Analytics: Which pages get the most traffic and engagement? What content ranks well on search engines? Keep what works, fix what doesn't, and scrap what's outdated. 3) Mobile first, because that's where your visitors are. More than half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, yet too many websites still feel like they were built for a desktop in 2008. Make sure your site loads fast, looks great, and is easy to navi- gate with a thumb, not just a mouse. 2) Choose a content management system (CMS) that works for you, not against you. Your website shouldn't feel like it requires a degree in computer sci- ence to update. Whether you're managing event registrations, publishing thought leadership, or selling products, choose a CMS that's flexible, scalable, and easy. 1) A well-designed website doesn't just look good. It drives engagement, builds credibility, and supports business growth. If your digital doorstep needs an upgrade, consider these essentials before diving in. And if you're looking for expert guidance, well … we know a team that can help. The magic of mentorship BY SLOANE M. PERRON Special to WBJ B usinesses use social media to create public engagement externally, but they oen overlook the effectiveness of using social media internally. Managers can especially benefit from utilizing social media to connect with their teams. Facilitating real-time communication. Company-wide emails and intranets are ways HR departments connect with their employees, but internal social media channels can be more engaging while providing the bonus of direct employee input through comments and likes. "e feedback-centric nature of social media can also facilitate conversations between employees and leadership and can be a rich source of employee feedback," Alex Cleary Leveraging social media in the workplace Tyler Ojala is the director of operations at WorcLab, a nonprofit business incubator in downtown Worcester. Reach him at tyler@worclab.org. BY TYLER OJALA Special to WBJ M entorship is invaluable. Life demands that we play both roles: the teacher and the student. When I first started at WorcLab, I was more than a little overwhelmed. I had the good fortune of working alongside Zachary Dutton, who was then the executive director of the Venture Forum and is now leading Auxilium. Our organizations collaborated on several initiatives and having him just steps away allowed me to quickly seek guidance on everything, from draing emails and interpreting meetings to choosing the right outfit for an event. at kind of informal guidance is just as impactful as structured pro- grams and has taught me the impor- tance of mentorship in both entrepre- neurial and professional development. Why mentor? I am now serving my fourth term as a mentor with EforAll Greater Worcester, a program that sup- ports small businesses through weekly classes and structured mentorship, and I have served as a mentor with Startup Worcester, a nine-month accelerator for scalable tech startups. e transformation an entrepreneur makes aer completing a program like this is remarkable. Both initiatives go beyond traditional education by creating a dynamic space for problem solving, reflection, and growth, em- powering entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and scale their businesses effectively. In Worcester, mentorship fuels the startup ecosystem, guiding entre- preneurs through the challenges of building a business; but they oen give back to the programs and orga- nizations that helped them, whether it be through teaching a workshop or mentoring themselves. Ultimately, this cycle exponentially grows the startup ecosystem over time. The duality of mentorship. One of the greatest misconceptions about mentorship is it is a one- way exchange of knowledge. In fact, mentorship is a two-way street. As much as mentees learn from their mentors, the reverse is just as true. I've experienced many moments where I was forced to learn about an industry or business I otherwise would not have researched. It keeps you sharp, forcing you to stay curi- ous, adapt, and expand your own understanding along the way. It takes a village to raise a business. e most successful entrepreneurs and professionals recognize that growth never happens in isolation. Worces- ter's entrepreneurial ecosystem thrives because experienced business owners, investors, and community leaders make it a priority to share their time and expertise. Mentorship is not just a responsi- bility; it is an opportunity. It chal- lenges us to think critically, expand our perspectives, and strengthen our leadership skills. Every conversation offers an opportunity to pay forward the knowledge we have acquired while learning something new. So, who shaped your journey? And just as importantly, whose journey will you shape next? 7 THINGS I know about... ... Redesigning your firm's website writes in a blog for soware company ContactMonkey. Strengthening team building. Work emails are the preferred choice for employer communication, but endless threads and overflowing inboxes can make employees zone out. By building closed pages for their teams, managers can provide real-time project updates, instantly communicate, and recognize the accomplishments of team members in a way that facilitates bonding. While there should be a clear divide between personal and professional social media pages, the community-building aspect of social media is an easy way to promote teamwork. "For these internal social networks to be most effective they need to strengthen teams and improve productivity. As important as it is to share progress updates and ask questions, workers should also be encouraged to use these networks to bond," Ana Gotter writes in her article for Revive Social. Recruiting future employees. Social media can improve recruiting strategies by showing what goes on behind the scenes. Audiences, all of whom could be potential employees, appreciate videos or posts highlighting employee achievements and humanizing the workforce behind the brand. e benefits of this online transparency are two-fold for managers. First, the recognition boosts the morale and loyalty of current employees. Second, employee-centric posts give potential hires a sense of the workplace culture. "Signs of a strong online brand presence include regular interaction from employees, customers and candidates, especially likes and clicks on job posts," Niki Jorgensen writes for Forbes. W W W

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