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Michele Nichols


Recent posts by Michele Nichols

4 min read

EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) Traction & Marketing Strategy

By Michele Nichols on Mon, Feb 19, 2024

EOS and the Traction model have been making their way through entrepreneurial circles for years. It has staying power for a reason: it’s an operating system that can help empower teams, create clarity, and drive smart action. While it has the potential to create a cult-like following, there is no need to blindly follow this methodology at the expense of other tried-and-true practices that work in your business and culture. Its data-driven approach dovetails nicely with other methodologies you may follow.

Topics: Business Insights Marketing Strategy Change and Innovation
3 min read

The Social Dilemma: Impact of Social Media in B2B

By Michele Nichols on Mon, Jan 22, 2024

B2B marketing and sales are changing fast, and while experience matters, we need to keep up with the latest. Launch Team uses a mix of formal and informal, in-person and online, peer groups, and book clubs to support a continuous learning culture.

Our latest ‘book club’ was a discussion of a Netflix special, the Social Dilemma.

Topics: Social Media
4 min read

Change Management in Utilities

By Michele Nichols on Wed, Dec 20, 2023

The energy and utility industry is faced with a lot of change: renewables, microgrids, IIoT, and automation. Climate change is driving unpredictable service outages; digital transformation adds complexity and capability in communicating with stakeholders, enabling data-driven decisions, while maintaining aging infrastructure, technologies, and systems is straining budgets.

Topics: Change Management
4 min read

State of the Optics & Photonics Industry: SPIE Summit Debrief

By Michele Nichols on Thu, Oct 05, 2023

Optics, Photonics, Quantum and Energy Industry Updates

This past week, 150 leaders of photonics company leaders met with government agency leaders to discuss policy and initiatives critical to:

Topics: Optics Business Insights
5 min read

Smart Moves for Trade Shows 2023/2024

By Michele Nichols on Tue, Sep 19, 2023

Fabtech 2023 kicks off the season with one of the earliest major tradeshows for manufacturers. This 45,000-attendee show alternates cities each year and offers B2B technology companies an early preview of what works and what doesn’t in time for their booth planning for major 1Q 2024 shows like CES and Photonics West.

Topics: Change and Innovation Trade Show Strategy Branding and Identity
6 min read

The Automation Imperative: Debunking Misconceptions in Advanced Manufacturing

By Michele Nichols on Thu, Aug 03, 2023

Automation and digital transformation are the next revolution in productivity. This is driven by a severe shortage of skilled labor and supply chain disruption is capping growth for advanced manufacturing across the sectors we serve. Automation has the potential to improve output, introduce new capabilities, improve margin, and grow revenue—but the skilled labor gap is making this change an imperative.

Topics: Business Insights Manufacturing Change Management Digital Transformation
5 min read

Marketing Budget Planning for 2024

By Michele Nichols on Fri, Jun 16, 2023

For many, it’s budgeting season as companies work through their strategic plans for the coming year. This means something different in every B2B industrial company we surveyed:

Topics: Business Insights Marketing Strategy Strategic Planning Marketing and Sales Alignment
5 min read

Marketing KPIs for 2023: What to Expect, and How to Measure it

By Michele Nichols on Wed, May 31, 2023

What to expect in 2023? After the last two years, we are prepared for anything! There are ongoing changes to privacy regulation and management that will impact what you can measure, and what you should expect in the year to come.

Topics: Inbound Marketing Lead Generation Marketing Mix Marketing Strategy Social Media Marketing Metrics Email Marketing Strategic Planning Digital Transformation
3 min read

Measuring Change: KPIs for Change Management

By Michele Nichols on Tue, Apr 25, 2023

Appropriate change management and internal communications are critical to the success of your change plan, whether that’s driven by:

Topics: Business Insights Internal Communication Change Management Digital Transformation
1 min read

Trends for Tech Startups and the Investment Community

By Michele Nichols on Thu, Feb 09, 2023

Last week we attended Photonics West 2023 in San Francisco, for the latest in optics, lasers, imaging, and sensing technology. We had the opportunity to sit on the start-up panel, where entrepreneurs pitched their optics and photonics businesses.
Topics: Business Insights Strategic Planning Tech
7 min read

SPIE Photonics West DEI Roundtable

By Michele Nichols on Mon, Feb 06, 2023

Lessons Learned from Students, Candidates, Employees & Employers 

Introduction:

I was proud to be asked to lead this roundtable discussion on a topic that is critical to the growing field of photonics. That in no way makes me an expert in DEI. As a business owner who works with many of the market leaders in photonics, I am simply committed to doing the work.

I’m pleased to share the highlights from our active discussion on topics including:

  • What’s the state of the industry today?
  • What are some actions you can take to improve diversity in photonics, whether you’re a student, candidate, employee, or employer? 

Topics: Business Insights employee engagement DEI
2 min read

Catch Launch Team at FABTECH 2022

By Michele Nichols on Wed, Nov 02, 2022

We're headed to FABTECH 2022, November 8-10 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Topics: Trade Show Strategy Manufacturing