Save the date!

DARTON project consultants take note…

We have scheduled the date for the Q1 2010 DARTON networking mixer!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Keep on eye on your email inbox for more information!

“Would I work for me?”

Want to know the answer?

Attend DARTON University’s next webinar, entitled “Would I work for me?” on March 23, 2010 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

Managing people is hard work – maybe the hardest work in business.  Learning to manage effectively is critical to team success.  At this session, you’ll learn:

• What employees want from their managers
• Why accountability is the glue that holds teams together
• The most important skill a manager can have

Registration is limited and is available to all DARTON consultants on a “first come, first served” basis.  Registration closes 48 hours prior to each webinar event.  To register, please send an email to careers@dartongroup.com.

Call DARTON at 704+525+9378 with questions.

While demand for the $330 billion global consulting services industry is certainly down from the high growth years of 2005-2007, businesses continue to purchase project-based services from firms, like DARTON GROUP, who are bottom-line focused.

Plunkett Research has defined 6 positive influences that are driving business in today’s market for firms like DARTON.  Click here to learn more:  http://www.plunkettresearch.com/Industries/Consulting/ConsultingTrends/tabid/178/Default.aspx

 

We are celebrating!

Mark Weber, DARTON GROUP co-founder, is being honored today by Business Leader Charlotte magazine as a 2010 “Top 50 Entrepreneurs” award recipient.

Click here to learn more about today’s event http://charlotte.businessleader.com/index.aspx?page=UI.t5eregistration.

In a stunning, new way.

Rob Carter http://www.robcarter.net/Bio1.html is a creative Brit who is presently based in New York City (Brooklyn).  Among his creative pursuits, Rob makes fascinating (and incredibly playful) films using stop-motion animation and time-lapse videos. 

Rob has put his artistic talents to work in creating METROPOLIS – a fantastic film that illustrates the history and development of Charlotte in an ultra-creative way.  METROPOLIS is a fusion of animation, aerial pictures, history and pure fun.  You’ll never look at the John Belk and Brookshire freeways in the same way after viewing Rob’s film. 

Fast Company, the business magazine, posted an online story this week that featured Charlotte and Rob’s video.  Read the article and view a 3-minute clip of the video at http://www.fastcompany.com/1550183/animated-pop-up-maps-show-9-minute-history-of-charlotte-nc.

Don’t stop at the 3-minute clip!

DARTON GROUP recommends that you view the entire 9-minute video.  Click here to watch:  http://www.robcarter.net/Vid_Metropolis.html.

So what are the top concerns that CFOs have about their own companies?

1. Margin maintenance
2. Ability to forecast results
3. Maintaining morale/productivity during economic downturn
4. Working-capital management
5. Cost of health care

Read the full report in CFO Magazine at http://cfomagazine.com/article.cfm/14470786/c_14475974?f=archives&origin=archive.

Introducing…Free Webinars in 2010

DARTON has partnered with Denise Altman of Altman Initiative Group (consulting firm) to offer a series of practical, educational and fun webinars in 2010. DARTON is proud to be in partnership with Denise (a CPA and MBA) who has been honored by the Charlotte Business Journal as a “Top 25 Women in Business” and “40 Under 40” award recipient.

We are pleased to kick-off DARTON University’s 2010 webinar series with the following 2 events this month:

February 10, 2010 / 3 – 4 p.m.
“Time is money – use your time wisely!”
Time is a perishable commodity. If you don’t use it, you lose it.
At this webinar, you’ll learn about:

• Why we waste time
• The biggest time wasters
• How to take control so that others don’t rob you of valuable time

February 25, 2010 / 9 – 10 a.m.
“Networking to grow your career!”
Knowing the right people can help you accomplish more for your
company and your career. At this webinar, you’ll learn:

• How networking can help you
• How to make the right networking impression
• How 6 degrees of separation really works

Registration is limited and is available on a “first come, first serve” basis to DARTON project consultants.  Registration closes 48 hours prior to each webinar event.

To register, please send an email to careers@dartongroup.com and indicate the name of the webinar(s) you wish to attend.

As always, feel free to contact DARTON at 704-525-9378 with any questions.

Team DARTON is a huge fan of this monthly report as it provides a user-friendly format to understand employment, manufacturing, housing and other key economic trends and statistics in the greater Charlotte region.  Be sure to check out the section entitled “Charlotte USA Business Activity:  Announced Investments, Layoffs & Closures”.

Read the report online at http://www.charlotteusa.com/documents/charlotteusa_by_the_numbers_12-31-2009.pdf.

Learn more about the MLK Day of Service at http://www.mlkday.gov/.

For a schedule of MLK Day events in Charlotte, visit http://www.charlotteobserver.com/breaking/story/1187808.html.

Click here to learn more about a MLK speech that hasn’t been heard in half a century:  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122612938.

DARTON GROUP

Did you know…

• There are 1,000 Department of Defense suppliers in greater Charlotte?
• In one 12-month period since the economy crashed, more than $500 million in corporate bonus dollars vanished in greater Charlotte?
• Demand for electricity is forecasted to increase by 30% by 2030?
• The Charlotte area boasts 165 energy-related companies?
• 1 in 3 Americans is a race fan?
• The racing industry contributes $5 billion annually to the greater Charlotte economy?
• The film and video industry contributes more than $500 million annually to the greater Charlotte region?
• 85% of commuters in greater Charlotte are “single-occupant” commuters?

Learn More…

• Charlotte Regional Partnership  http://www.charlotteusa.com/
• CREW Charlotte http://www.crewcharlotte.org/
• DARTON GROUP http://dartongroup.com/