If you’re not in to YouTube, check out this article by Lifehacker at http://lifehacker.com/5207514/six-ways-you-should-be-using-twitter-that-dont-involve-breakfast.

Invest 15 minutes and it will pay off for a lifetime.

After leaving the Air Force, I found work at a company called Kronos as a Laboratory Analyst.  It was there that I became a student of Dr. Deming’s continual improvement theories, as well as, the ISO certification process.  Our mantra was measure everything and apply statistical principles to guide management teams assigned to critical business areas.

In the late 90’s, a friend got me interested in the casino industry after mentioning the vast amounts of operational data and I took a position as Operations Analyst for a publicly traded casino operator with 14 casinos.  It was there that my operations management background was joined with financial analysis.  The pace was fast and the CFO embraced my insights after a few quick ROI studies.

Years later I would return to assisting start-ups and large corporations putting my background to work evaluating and recommending strategies for bottom-line results.  I formed CANNON Business Intelligence (pulseCHECKER) in 2003 and began software development projects and consulting for clients in both gaming and non-gaming industries.

The results seen are impressive.  The average return on investment seen in 30-60 days has been as high as 18% increases in efficiency and effectiveness in operational and/or marketing dollars spent.

Our first project generated an $8.8 million ROI in the first 12 months.  More importantly, revenues grew in areas where they never expected it could happen.  The CFO said that without a doubt gross revenue improved while reducing operating costs.

Each client that followed achieved similar results.  Shortly afterward, I was contacted by the UNLV International Gaming Institute and asked to make a presentation of my theories and case studies to their graduate students.  The gaming industry is an exciting area to absorb and utilize data.

In time, I began observing information levels increase within social media and started studying how consumers and businesses were co-existing.  The similarities in social media were identical to the gaming industry theories.

Over the last two years, I began implementing social media tactics and strategies to discover they are very cost effective additions to existing sales, marketing, advertising, and public relations.  The ramp up time is short and the ROI is quickly achieved.

We live in exciting times with an ever-changing tool box of digital business development tools.  Our mission is to continually stay relevant in consumer and business communities while deploying effective operations management and social media strategies.

Steve Cannon

Founder & Information Scientist