Ritika Puri

Arriving late to school is stressful for everyone — from harried parents rushing to work and teachers trying to manage their classrooms to students starting their day already behind.
The disciplinary and academic burden of late arrivals is real and meaningful: One study found that late arrivals contributed to 25% of the variance on a state math test — students who were chronically late to class were less likely to pass their exams. According to anot...

In 2020, US-based eCommerce experienced a 30% growth, and accelerated the shift in physical to digital shopping by nearly two years. As a result, one of the biggest challenges companies must navigate is rising customer demands. But what’s the best way to meet people’s needs and ensure a smooth shopping experience?
According to a recent survey, 90% of consumers rated an “immediate response as important or very important” for their customer service expectations. Meanwhile, 75% of people expect ...

Georgia State University, which ranks as one of the most innovative institutions in the US, has invested in designing and implementing a social media strategy that would scale across their institution. For the last two years, Georgia State’s #TheStateWay campaign has been a vibrant channel for sharing news, insights, and stories—communicating to audiences a unique spirit that is changing the higher education landscape.

When we wrote the campaign, our team wanted to approach our work with the ...

Here are three steps to help you get started building your business credit history to give you financial options that cash alone simply cannot.

It stands to reason that, due to a coronavirus-related cash flow problem, companies of all sizes may lapse on payroll. So what should you do if you can’t make payroll? Read on for six options for paying your employees when you think you can’t make payroll—and three options should you miss payroll.
6 ways to increase cash flow when you can’t make payroll
1. Ask your vendors for longer payment terms.
Humans are the heart of any business. Explain your situation to your vendors as soon as possibl...

As the world navigates it’s new normal, one of the biggest challenges that you may face as a marketer is understanding the needs of your target audience. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people around the world to adapt to new ways of life; and while 2020 is about adjusting to change, 2021 and beyond will be about discovering and building new routines, especially around the way that we engage with screens.
For this reason, your email marketing strategy requires careful thought, consideration,...

This guide outlines the legal and finance challenges that companies often navigate, when building a remote-first workforce. Rather than offer prescriptive steps to regulatory gray zones, this resource highlights judgment calls that leaders should anticipate making, including outlining risks and rewards. Throughout each section, we’ll share our experience at Doist, a remote-first company, on building and scaling remote operations over the last 12 years.

In the coming years, digitization will be a key priority for cities around the world. One of the biggest questions on every local government leader’s mind is how to improve access to public services and quality of life. This need requires a heightened degree of integrated systems thinking and problem-solving. Connectivity and software-defined feedback loops are essential for effective resource management.
This need is largely responsible...

One of the biggest challenges that the commercial real estate industry faces in the coming years is safety. Around the world, building occupants and facilities managers are questioning how to create safer spaces — to protect tenants, guests, and workers responsible for upkeep.

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing companies in all industries to take a more strategic and proactive approach to cleaning spaces. At a minimum, workplaces need to be cl...

There has even been an evolution of new retail shopping trends such as Cyber Monday, which made its debut in 2005 to reach consumers who would rather shop online than participate in the Black Friday rush. Just seven years later in 2012, Giving Tuesday made its debut as part of a consumer-led movement to bring more attention to giving back during the season of “thanks.”
As a retailer, you’re impacted by constant change in the industry. Over the last decade, the world has seen dramatic changes ...

Solar power projects are one of the biggest opportunities for investment in Africa. With more than 600 million Africans living without electricity, there’s a clear need. But there isn’t a clear path. Even though Africa is the most sun-rich continent in the world and pricing on new electricity generation is reaching record lows, limited financing and lack of government support have stood in the way of development. This gridlock has been a challenge for overseas investors and developers to crac...

Mobile Money + Decentralized Banking = Global Economic Pathways
Investors around the world are focused on economic development in Africa. In particular, this economic opportunity has been a focus for China. The country has been spearheading innovation in solar panel development and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, has sights on manufacturing facilities, supply chains, transportation infrastructure, reliable communication systems, and human infrastructure throughout the continent.
“China is a...

Erica Swallow is an entrepreneur on a mission to change peoples’ lives for the better. Her life has taken her through many extremes — from growing up in poverty to working alongside some of the wealthiest venture capitalists in the United States. It was through a series of twists and turns in life — and shutting down her first technology company — that she learned the art of aligning value creation with business success. That balancing act, she explains, starts with the stories that w...

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Chris Folayan is a Nigerian-American entrepreneur with a vision to change the rules of global trade. His company, Mall for Africa, has connected previously closed financial, shipping, and logistics pathways between the African continent and the rest of the world. What started as a personal experiment in 2012 has evolved into a shopping ecosystem that reaches hundreds of millions of people in 57 countries. In this Q&A, you’ll learn about Chris’s vision, values, and the decisions he nav...