Today’s consumers have more ways than ever to get around town, from personal vehicles, to public transportation to rideshare programs to Uber-like services, yet there are more automobiles on the road than there have been in years.

In fact, according to IHS Automotive, “the number of vehicles on the road reached a record level of almost 253 million, an increase of more than 3.7 million, or 1.5%, since last year reported.”

Good news for the automotive industry! Let’s take a look at what else is trending in the automotive and transportation world.

What does a company need to be successful? Many people would say investors and a solid business plan, but in addition to these important factors, a company needs effective managers. These capable leaders act as the backbone for a company, guiding members of the team to become better salespeople. Great leaders make tough decisions to ensure the company achieves targeted goals and takes advantage of opportunities that arise. In addition to quick decision-making, effective managers need to identify and act against potential problems before they become company-wide issues.

If your company suffers from lackluster sales, take a look at the management behind the team. You may discover that effective management makes all the difference for a successful sales force.

Have you ever been CC’d on an email and wondered whether the sender expected you to reply, or just wanted to make you aware of the issue being discussed? Maybe you’ve received an email in all caps or with five exclamation points at the end of a sentence and assumed the sender was upset and virtually “yelling” at you. Or wait, were they just really excited?

Well, you’re not alone.

Risks are a part of all businesses, with starting a business up near the top of the list. The only way to remain ahead of the competition and achieve success is to be aware of the types of risks you face, the types of risks that come out of nowhere and how to take a calculated risk that ultimately benefits your company.

Everybody’s doing it – social media – but is it being used effectively? How do you even tell...?

According to the Pew Research Center, 71 percent of the adult online population is using Facebook and 52 percent of Internet users regularly logged on to at least two social networks in 2014. So if almost everyone is online, using social media, that means your small business should be on social media too, right? Well, LinkedIn and market research firm TNS found that 81 percent of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) use social media.

While a large percentage of the population is on social media and a significant number of SMBs are making social media a part of their marketing budgets, how can these businesses be sure their social media programs are paying off? Do large numbers of Facebook shares or Instagram likes really translate into sales?