Author: Ritik Tyagi

Companies with a diverse workforce experience increased innovation, improved decision-making, and higher employee satisfaction. But building a diverse talent pool doesn’t happen by chance; it requires intentionality, effort, and the right strategies. Recruiters are at the forefront of this transformation. Let’s explore actionable strategies for creating a diverse talent pool, ensuring your organization thrives in the ever changing market.

Understanding the importance of diversity recruiting

Diversity in the workplace brings together people from varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. It’s not just about representation but about cultivating an environment where everyone feels valued.

Why should recruiters prioritize diversity?

Recruiters play an important role in shaping organizational culture. By focusing on diversity, you’re not only aligning with ethical hiring practices but also unlocking tangible business benefits. Research shows that companies excelling in diversity outperform competitors by 35% in profitability. It’s clear: diversity isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s smart business.

Step 1: Define your diversity recruiting metrics

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Diversity recruiting metrics are your compass in understanding where your organization stands and what needs attention.

What are diversity recruiting metrics?

Diversity recruiting metrics help assess the inclusiveness of your hiring processes. These include:

• Demographic breakdown: What’s the gender, ethnicity, or age distribution of your candidates?
• Sourcing channels: Are your job postings reaching diverse talent pools?
• Candidate pipeline diversity: Are underrepresented groups progressing through all hiring stages?
• Offer acceptance rates: Are diverse candidates accepting your offers at the same rate as others?

Step 2: Expand sourcing strategies

If you want diverse candidates, you need to look beyond your usual hiring grounds. Traditional methods may limit your reach, so it’s time to think outside the box.

Tap into diverse talent pools

• Partner with diversity-focused organizations: Collaborate with groups like Women Who Code, HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), or LGBTQ+ professional networks.
• Engage on inclusive platforms: Platforms like Handshake or PowerToFly cater to underrepresented job seekers.
• Attend community events: Career fairs, industry meetups, and networking events for specific groups can help you connect with diverse candidates.

By expanding your sourcing efforts, you’ll ensure that no talent is overlooked.

Step 3: Audit your job descriptions

Words have power. The way you craft your job descriptions can either attract or deter candidates from diverse backgrounds.

How to write inclusive job descriptions

• Avoid jargon: Terms like “rockstar” or “ninja” may alienate candidates who don’t resonate with such descriptors.
• Use gender-neutral language: Tools like Textio can help flag potentially biased phrases.
• Highlight commitment to diversity: Mentioning your organization’s diversity goals can reassure candidates that inclusivity is a priority.

Simple tweaks can make a significant impact, attracting candidates who might otherwise hesitate.

Step 4: Redesign the interview process with diversity questions

Interviews are pivotal in showcasing your company’s values and culture. However, they can unintentionally perpetuate biases if not handled thoughtfully.

Incorporating diversity questions into interviews

Diversity questions help assess a candidate’s perspective on inclusivity while demonstrating your commitment to the cause. Examples include:

• “How have you contributed to fostering inclusion in your previous roles?”
• “Describe a time when you worked with a team of individuals from diverse backgrounds. How did you approach collaboration?”
• “What steps would you take to ensure everyone feels valued and respected in a new team?”

These questions not only evaluate the candidate’s mindset but also set the tone for an inclusive workplace.

Step 5: Train your hiring team

Even the best strategies can falter without proper training. Unconscious bias is one of the most significant hurdles in achieving diversity, but it can be mitigated with awareness and education.

Conduct bias training

• Highlight the impact of bias: Help your team understand how biases can inadvertently affect hiring decisions.
• Introduce structured interviews: Standardized questions ensure that all candidates are assessed fairly.
• Encourage diverse panel interviews: Diverse perspectives lead to more balanced evaluations.

A well-trained hiring team is essential for building a truly inclusive recruitment process.

Step 6: Build an employer brand rooted in diversity

Candidates today evaluate employers based on their commitment to diversity and inclusion. Your employer brand should reflect your values authentically.

Showcase your diversity initiatives

• Leverage social media: Share stories of employees thriving in your inclusive culture.
• Create a diversity report: Transparency about your goals and progress fosters trust.
• Highlight diverse leadership: Representation at the top signals a genuine commitment to inclusivity.

Remember, actions speak louder than words. Genuine initiatives will naturally strengthen your brand.

Step 7: Leverage technology to reduce bias

Recruitment technology is changing rapidly, and it can be your ally in fostering diversity. From sourcing to final selection, tools can help ensure fairness and efficiency.

Tools to consider

• AI-driven sourcing: Tools like SeekOut and Entelo Diversity help identify candidates from underrepresented groups.
• Blind resume screening: Tools that anonymize candidate data eliminate bias in the initial stages.
• Analytics platforms: Software that tracks diversity recruiting metrics offers actionable insights.

By integrating the right tools, you can make data-driven decisions while minimizing human biases.

Step 8: Foster an inclusive culture

Hiring diverse talent is just the beginning. To retain top candidates, your workplace must genuinely value diversity.

Steps to nurture inclusivity

• Employee resource groups (ERGs): Create spaces for employees to connect based on shared experiences.
• Diversity training: Regular workshops on topics like cultural competency and allyship can deepen understanding.
• Feedback loops: Encourage open dialogue to identify areas for improvement.

When employees feel included, they are more likely to contribute meaningfully and stay long-term.

By defining clear diversity recruiting metrics, revamping sourcing strategies, and fostering inclusivity at every step, recruiters can drive meaningful change.

The journey may require effort, but the rewards—innovation, growth, and a thriving workplace—are well worth it. Let’s reimagine recruitment and create workplaces that truly reflect the world we live in.

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In today’s B2B world, the pressure to hit and exceed quota is higher than ever. Sales leaders need to motivate their teams but also create strategies that deliver results. One of the key parts of that strategy is a sales performance improvement plan. When done well, it helps underperforming salespeople not just themselves but the whole team to be efficient, aligned to company goals, and grow sustainably.

Whether you have a small team of sales reps or a large sales organization, you need a structured and
actionable plan. This article will walk you through the steps to create a plan that hits quota, boosts
performance across the board, and keeps your team aligned to the most important B2B sales KPIs.

Why You Need a Sales Performance Improvement Plan

Before we get into the mechanics of creating a plan, let’s first understand why you need one. A sales
improvement plan is more than just a roadmap for underperformers – it’s a strategic tool to identify
performance gaps, optimize sales processes, and hold the team accountable.

Here are a few reasons why:

• Clear Expectations: It sets clear expectations for your team, with specific, measurable
  goals.
• Structured Feedback: It gives you a framework to give structured, actionable feedback.
• Growth: It’s not just about fixing problems but about continuous improvement.
• Consistency: It keeps your team working towards the same objectives.
• KPI Alignment: It ties individual performance to broader B2B sales KPIs – revenue
  growth, conversion rates, customer retention.

Sales Performance Improvement Plan Components

To create a successful sales performance improvement plan you need to include several key components that
give clarity, accountability, and alignment to your organization’s goals.

1. Current Performance Assessment

Before you can create a plan, you need to know where your team is at. Start with a performance review for
each salesperson. Review metrics such as:

• Quota attainment: How consistently are they hitting their targets?
• Pipeline management: Are they managing their pipeline and closing deals?
• Conversion rates: What’s their success rate moving leads through the sales funnel?
• Customer relationships: How strong are their relationships with key accounts?

2. Clear, Measurable Goals

Once you’ve reviewed performance, the next step is to set clear, measurable goals. These goals should be:

• Specific: Vague goals like “improve sales” won’t cut it. Be specific, like “hit 15%
  quota increase this quarter.”
• Measurable: Define metrics to track progress. For example, “reduce sales cycle by 20
  days.”
• Achievable: The goals should be challenging but realistic. Setting unrealistic targets
  will demotivate your team.
• Relevant: Ensure the goals align with broader business goals and B2B sales KPIs.
• Time-bound: Set deadlines for when the goals need to be achieved.

3. Actionable Steps

Your sales performance improvement plan must include specific actions the team can take. These could be
around skills, processes, or new tools. For example:

• Training: If a salesperson is struggling to close deals, provide training on
  negotiation techniques or objection handling.
• Process Optimization: Review the sales process to identify bottlenecks. If sales reps
  are spending too much time on admin tasks, consider automation tools.
• Coaching: Regular one-on-one coaching sessions will keep reps focused on their goals
  and get real-time feedback.
• Tools and Technology: Invest in CRM tools or sales enablement platforms that provide
  real-time data and insights so reps can make better decisions.

4. Accountability and Measurement

One of the biggest challenges in any sales improvement plan is accountability. You need to have a system to
track progress and hold reps accountable for their performance. This could be:

• Regular Check-ins: Schedule weekly or bi-weekly check-ins to review progress, address
  issues, and adjust strategy if needed.
• Performance Reviews: Formal performance reviews at the end of each quarter to measure
  progress towards goals.
• Incentives: Use incentives to motivate your team. Bonuses, recognition, or career
  advancement opportunities.

5. Ongoing Feedback and Improvement

Improvement should be a continuous process. A successful sales performance improvement plan isn’t static – it
evolves based on feedback and the performance of the team. Encourage continuous improvement by:

• Asking for Feedback: Regularly ask your sales team for feedback on the plan. Are the
  goals realistic? Are the strategies working? What are the challenges they’re facing?
• Adapting the Plan: Be prepared to adjust the plan based on this feedback. If certain
  strategies aren’t working, try something new.
• Celebrating Wins: Don’t forget to celebrate along the way. Recognizing success will
  keep your team motivated and engaged.

B2B Sales KPIs

A sales performance improvement plan should align with your overall business objectives and B2B sales KPIs. Some of
the key KPIs to measure are:

• Revenue Growth: The most obvious one, as it ties directly to quota attainment. Measure
  total revenue and revenue growth over time.
• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): The cost of acquiring new customers should be
  reasonable compared to the lifetime value (LTV) of those customers. A good sales improvement plan can
  reduce CAC by improving efficiency.
• Lead Conversion Rate: How well are your sales reps converting leads into customers?
  Improving this KPI can drive revenue growth.
• Average Deal Size: Increase the average deal size and you don’t need more leads to
  drive revenue growth.
• Sales Cycle Length: A shorter sales cycle means your team is closing deals faster and
  generating revenue sooner.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with a good plan in place, there are common mistakes that can derail your efforts. Here’s how to avoid
them:

• Lack of Buy-in: If your sales team doesn’t buy into the plan, it won’t work. Involve
  them in the planning process and make sure they understand the value of the plan.
• Unrealistic Goals: While you need to challenge your team, setting goals that are too
  high can lead to frustration and burnout. Make sure your goals are realistic and achievable.
• Not Tracking Progress: Without regular measurement, you can’t know if the plan is
  working. Use a CRM to track key metrics and have regular check-ins with your team.
• Ignoring Feedback: Your sales team is on the front line and has valuable insights into
  what’s working and what’s not. Make sure you’re asking for and acting on their feedback.

Summary

Creating a sales performance improvement plan is key to your team hitting or beating their sales quotas. By
setting goals, implementing strategies, and aligning with B2B sales KPIs, you can create a roadmap for
growth and success.

Remember, improvement is continuous. Monitor performance, adjust the plan as needed, and keep your team
engaged and motivated. With the right plan in place, your sales team will be set up for success for your
business.

If you’re looking to connect Shopify to QuickBooks Online, finding the right method to do this is crucial.
There are several ways businesses or accounting professionals can record sales and payments in QuickBooks.
Hence, find a process that can save you time while maintaining accuracy.

In this article, we’ll specifically go over how to automate the process with an integration. Learn about the
benefits, how to choose one, and how to get set up with Amaka’s Shopify to QuickBooks Online integration.
This is available on a completely free plan as well as a paid plan for premium features.

Can I integrate Shopify with QuickBooks Online?

You’ll be happy to know that recording all your transactions doesn’t have to be a manual process! An
integration will automatically sync sales, payments, fees, taxes, and more. There are free Shopify to
QuickBooks Online options, such as the free plan from Amaka, as well as paid options. The functionality of
each integration varies widely.

What’s the difference between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online?

QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online are both accounting software made by Intuit. On one hand, QuickBooks
Desktop is installed on a specific computer and on local storage. On the other hand, QuickBooks Online is
cloud-based, accessible from any device with an internet connection. Being cloud-based means that users will
be using the latest version of the software whenever they log in.

Benefits of Connecting Shopify to QuickBooks Online

The key benefits of using an integration to sync e-commerce data to accounting software are saving you time
while avoiding human error. With a solution that can automate the reconciliation process on top of syncing
your transactions, you can get back over a dozen hours every month that you’d otherwise spend on manual data
entry.

Additionally, there are several other benefits to connecting Shopify to QuickBooks Online. Note that the
specific features and functionality will depend on the integration solution you choose. However, these are
the bare minimum requirements that you should be on the lookout for.

• Automated data sync: Integrations can sync sales, fees and taxes from Shopify into
  QuickBooks Online. Depending on the solution, it will sync these as an invoice or a journal entry. The
  frequency will vary as well.
• Backsync historical data: Certain integrations will allow you to backsync data so that
  you can catch up on any missed data entry.
• Real-time insights: Since there is a delay between when a sale is made and when the
  Shopify payout hits the business bank account, it’s beneficial to use an accounting integration that can
  sync data to QuickBooks Online in real-time. Specific integrations will use a clearing account to
  temporarily show your sales.
• Streamlined reconciliation: A quality integration will be able to automatically match
  transactions to the bank feed to speed up the reconciliation process. This will only be possible when
  Shopify fees are synced accurately since fees are already deducted from the payout.
• Stress-free tax season: With automated data entry and reconciliation, you can rest
  assured your financial data is up-to-date when tax time rolls around. No more scrambling to get caught
  up.
• Improved scalability: Whether you’re managing the bookkeeping for your own store or
  working with e-commerce businesses as your clients, using an integration is highly scalable. The more
  sales grow, the more time you’ll be saving.

What Shopify to QuickBooks Integration Should I Use?

When “comparing all the top Shopify and QuickBooks integrations, Amaka’s integration comes out on top as the option with the best flexibility, affordability and customer satisfaction. You get unlimited, round-the-clock support from a CPA-trained and QuickBooks-certified team.

Features that stand out against competitors include:

• Choose to sync a summarized daily invoice OR individual invoices per order.
• Includes a wide range of data including sales, payments, refunds, fees, taxes, COGS, discounts,
  shipping, gift cards, tips, and more.
• Customizable account mapping and transaction grouping.
• A clearing account holds a record of your sales in QuickBooks Online before Shopify payouts hit your
  bank so that your data is always up-to-date.
• Shopify payouts are automatically matched to bank transfers to speed up the reconciliation process.

Note: Customer details and stock levels aren’t included in this integration.

How to Sync Shopify with QuickBooks Online

You can be as involved or removed from the setup process for Amaka’s integration as you want. One of the most
popular options is the Guided Setup where an Integration Specialist can walk you through the entire process
over a quick Zoom call. Since the team is both CPA-trained and QuickBooks-certified, you can be sure your
integration is being set up correctly.

For those wanting to set up the integration on their own, you can choose from the Express Configuration or
Advanced Configuration. With the Express Configuration, the integration will automatically create a chart of
accounts in QuickBooks Online and map your Shopify transactions to the relevant accounts. Otherwise, you can
create your own mapping with the Advanced Configuration.

Follow these steps to get started with Express or Advanced Configuration:

1. Register or sign in to Amaka dashboard.
2. Click New integration and choose Shopify + QuickBooks from the integration list
3. Click Connect new account to grant permissions for Shopify. Do the same for your QuickBooks Online
   account.
4. Follow the wizard to choose your configuration, invoice breakdown and format, and scheduler options. If
   you choose Advanced Configuration, you’ll be able to set up your custom account mapping here as well.
5. Click Save + Continue to complete the setup.

Frequently Asked Questions on Amaka’s Integration

• Is there a free option for Shopify to QuickBooks Online integration? Amaka offers a
  free plan for stores with up to 60 orders per month. Sales and payments will all be synced. However,
  COGS sync and historical sync are not available.
• How often does the data sync between Shopify and QuickBooks Online? Amaka’s integration
  will sync data once a day at a time you choose.
• Can I choose to sync individual transactions instead of a summarized daily invoice?
  Yes! Depending on the business structure and sales volumes, it can make more sense to sync one invoice
  per order rather than a summarized invoice for each day. With Amaka, you can choose the option that
  works best for you.
• How does the integration handle Shopify fees and payouts? Amaka will separate Shopify
  fees when syncing to QuickBooks Online. This means that when the Shopify payout is paid and shows up in
  the bank feed, the integration can automatically match the transaction to the payout.
• Will I need accounting knowledge to set up this integration? Definitely not! The setup
  process is incredibly user-friendly. However, if you need additional help, our support team is
  CPA-trained and QuickBooks-certified. They’re happy to help with any concerns you may have.
• Can I get help if I need support with the integration? Yes! Amaka offers support
  round-the-clock. You can submit a ticket via the helpdesk or book in a Zoom call at a time that works
  for you.
• What other platforms can I sync using Amaka? Amaka offers a wide range of integrations
  for Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB and Sage. The most popular platforms we sync include Square, Shopify,
  Loyverse, Impos, Squarespace, Vend, eBay, DocuSign, Lightspeed and WooCommerce.

Key takeaways on how to automate your Shopify accounting

Syncing Shopify with QuickBooks Online offers e-commerce businesses and accounting professionals an easy way
to save time while reducing human error. By setting up Amaka’s integration, you’ll have real-time, accurate
financial data at your fingertips—without the need for manual data entry. This reliable solution enables you
to focus more on growing your business, confident that your bookkeeping is up-to-date and ready for tax
season or any financial reporting needs.

Introduction

Apache Airflow has established itself as a standard for orchestrating workflows, especially for large-scale ETL
(Extract, Transform, Load) jobs, machine learning pipelines, and complex data engineering projects. However,
despite its popularity, Airflow isn’t always the best fit for every use case due to challenges like complexity
in setup, limited support for modern cloud-native applications, and its dependency on Python-based DAG
definitions. Fortunately, a range of alternatives has emerged that address these challenges, offering more
flexibility, scalability, or ease of use. Below, we’ll take a deep dive into ten top alternatives to Apache
Airflow in 2024, exploring their key features, strengths, and ideal use cases.

Overview of Apache Airflow and Its Limitations

Airflow has limitations that may not suit every organization, particularly when it comes to complexity in setup
and its dependency on Python-based DAGs. Many modern cloud-native applications require more user-friendly
solutions.

Why Consider Alternatives to Airflow?

While Airflow is a robust tool, alternatives provide ease of use, flexibility, and scalability that can better
meet the needs of modern data pipelines, cloud-native applications, and specific workflows such as machine
learning pipelines.

Top 10 Airflow Alternatives in 2024

1. Prefect

Prefect is one of the leading alternatives to Airflow, offering a more intuitive and user-friendly approach to
orchestrating data workflows. Prefect reduces “negative engineering”—the time and effort spent fixing broken
workflows. It does so by providing a rich, easy-to-use orchestration layer that integrates seamlessly with
existing data stacks. One of its main advantages over Airflow is its emphasis on reducing code verbosity, making
it easier to write and manage workflows.

2. Hevo Data

Hevo Data is a leading real-time ELT No-code Data Pipeline platform designed to automate data pipelines cost-effectively while offering the flexibility to meet your specific needs. With integrations across 150+ Data Sources (including 40+ free sources), Hevo not only facilitates the export of data from sources and the loading of data to destinations, but also transforms and enriches the data, ensuring it is analysis-ready. As an Airflow alternative, Hevo provides an intuitive UI to automate workflows without the need for complex coding.

3. Kedro

Kedro, developed by QuantumBlack, is an open-source Python framework aimed at making data science workflows
repeatable and maintainable. While not a direct competitor to Airflow, it excels at integrating best practices
from software engineering into data science pipelines, making it a great alternative for machine learning and
data science projects.

4. AWS Step Functions

AWS Step Functions is a serverless orchestration service that enables you to coordinate multiple AWS services
into a single workflow. If your data stack is built around AWS services, Step Functions provide a highly
integrated solution for orchestrating everything from ETL jobs to complex serverless applications.

5. Google Cloud Composer

Google Cloud Composer is a fully managed orchestration service built on Apache Airflow. It provides a way to run
and manage Airflow without the operational overhead of setting up and maintaining the infrastructure. Cloud
Composer integrates natively with Google Cloud services, making it a powerful solution for users already
committed to the Google Cloud ecosystem.

6. Argo

Argo is a Kubernetes-native workflow orchestrator designed for cloud-native applications. It’s particularly
useful for orchestrating containerized workflows and microservices, making it an excellent choice for teams
already using Kubernetes.

7. Flyte

Flyte is another Kubernetes-native orchestrator designed specifically for managing large-scale, distributed
systems. It is well-suited for machine learning and big data applications and offers robust version control and
monitoring features.

8. Kestra

Kestra is a relatively new entrant to the workflow orchestration space but has quickly gained popularity due to
its ability to handle large-scale, event-driven workflows. It is designed to orchestrate real-time data
pipelines and event streams, making it ideal for use cases that require low-latency data processing.

9. Metaflow

Metaflow, originally developed by Netflix, is a human-centric workflow tool designed specifically for data
science and machine learning workflows. It focuses on simplifying complex machine learning pipelines and
enhancing collaboration among teams of data scientists.

10. Mage

Mage is a relatively new, low-code workflow orchestration platform designed for simplicity and ease of use.
While it’s still evolving, Mage has gained popularity due to its focus on democratizing data workflows, making
it accessible to non-technical users.

Conclusion

When choosing an alternative to Apache Airflow, it’s important to assess the specific needs of your workflows,
including the level of technical expertise within your team, the complexity of your data pipelines, and your
existing infrastructure. Whether you’re looking for a cloud-native solution, a low-code interface, or a tool
that simplifies machine learning workflows, these ten alternatives offer a wide range of features to suit
diverse use cases. By partnering with a reliable Cloud development company, you can
ensure that these solutions are tailored to meet your specific business needs and drive efficient outcomes.

From the intuitive interface of Mage and the machine learning focus of Metaflow to the robust scalability of
Flyte and the event-driven architecture of Argo, each tool addresses specific gaps in Airflow’s functionality,
helping you orchestrate data workflows more efficiently and effectively in 2024.