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Deep Dive » David Mills
David Mills

David Mills

David is one of the founders of Story Collaborative and serves as the Chief Growth Officer. He is passionate about finding the right strategy for each client and helping them move into sustainable growth. He is a veteran of organizational development and communications and has worked with thousands of businesses and nonprofits across the country.

More from David Mills

David Mills
By David Mills
on August 28, 2024
In the bustling B2B landscape, it's easy to get caught up chasing big fish. But what if the real opportunity lies in the vast schools of smaller fry? Microenterprises, often overlooked, represent a goldmine of potential for savvy B2B service providers. Here's why your business should consider diving into this vibrant ecosystem.

1. Not So Micro After All: The Surprising Scale of Small

Don't let the "micro" fool you. In many countries, microenterprises make up over 90% of all businesses. That's not just a market; it's an ocean of opportunity. With digital ventures lowering entry barriers, this sector is set for explosive growth.

Consider this: In the EU, microenterprises account for 93% of all businesses. In the US, businesses with fewer than 10 employees make up 79.4% of all firms. The sheer volume presents a massive addressable market for B2B services tailored to their needs.

 

David Mills
By David Mills
on August 28, 2024

Understanding the Shifting Landscape of Young Adult Financial Needs

Recent research by ZenBusiness has unveiled a significant trend among Generation Z that financial professionals should take note of: an unprecedented surge in entrepreneurial aspirations. This shift in career outlook and financial priorities presents both challenges and opportunities for accountants, financial planners, and insurance agents seeking to serve this emerging market.

David Mills
By David Mills
on August 27, 2024

The Rise of Zoomerpreneurs: A New Market Emerges

Recent research by ZenBusiness reveals a significant shift in the business landscape, one that B2B companies serving micro-enterprises cannot afford to ignore. An astounding 93% of Generation Z individuals (aged 18-25) have taken steps towards business ownership, signaling a boom in the micro-enterprise sector.

David Mills
By David Mills
on January 30, 2024

You may have noticed that it’s getting harder to get in front of new customers. They’ve walled themselves off with email, ad, and interruption blockers and filters. They’re disconnected.

David Mills
By David Mills
on January 24, 2024

As companies (and nonprofits) grow, the products and services and the customer support required to deliver them can race out ahead of the sales operation.

David Mills
By David Mills
on September 18, 2023

With all of the elements of the sales environment that we cannot control, it's vital to streamline what is within reach.

There's a lot about the sales environment that sales leaders cannot control. The list includes the economic cycle, the growing size of the buying committee, a lengthening decision cycle, rising costs of doing business, and the behavior of the competition. Proof of this reality is the fact that 71% of the Fortune 400 missed their sales goals in Q1 of 2023- and the normal rate is about 40% globally. Focusing on what you can't control is a sure path to frustration.

David Mills
By David Mills
on July 17, 2023

How to approach communication and development software to improve growth outcomes and reduce frustration and time waste.

Credible estimates tell us that sales reps spend only one-third of their time selling with the rest of their time spent on administrative tasks or data entry - is it any better for nonprofit development teams?

It’s a safe bet that your communications and development team is spending at least 5 hours or more each week just managing the technology they need to communicate.

That’s more than half of a day, wasted every week.

But that’s not all, how much time is spent each day in data entry?

There went another half day.

David Mills
By David Mills
on June 14, 2023

AI is moving fast, picking new winners and losers.

The pace of AI development has been remarkable, often surpassing the speed at which the internet evolved. While the internet took several years to reach significant milestones, such as reaching 100 million users, AI technologies have achieved similar feats in much shorter timeframes. For example, large language models like ChatGPT have gained widespread attention and usage in just a matter of months. This rapid progress can be attributed to advancements in computing power, increased availability of data, and the continuous refinement of AI algorithms.

David Mills
By David Mills
on June 09, 2023

Most companies are guilty of it. They continue adding to the tech stack until it's like a giant Jenga puzzle that just falls over of its own weight. Collecting every shiny thing that comes along with the promise of a better X, Y, or Z can be pretty tempting. And the options are almost endless with 8,000 different marketing technology (MarTech) solutions in the mix as of 2020.

Grow more with less may even seem daunting as a concept, but here's the rub: more isn't always better, and with technology, the hidden cost of lost time in learning, switching back and forth, and licensing and maintenance makes it even dicier. 

David Mills
By David Mills
on June 08, 2023

When sales teams underutilize a CRM, it shortchanges the sales team and the company management of the real value that a modern CRM should provide to a growing organization. If you'd say that your team "barely uses the CRM" or that it operates like a big address book, then you're missing out on the real impact of a CRM that delivers as it supports sales enablement.