Soft skills such as emotional intelligence and adaptability, have become vital in today's workplace, Babson management experts said. (Photo: Viacheslav Yakobchuk)
What Are Soft Skills and Why Are They Important in Business? Babson experts define soft skills, such as emotional intelligence and communication, and explain why they are essential for career growth and success in today’s evolving workplace.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
March 17, 2025

Posted in Entrepreneurial Leadership, Insights

Engaged students are seated at tables during a classroom presentation
Groundbreaking Babson Research Advances the Field of Entrepreneurial Leadership New research from Babson College offers the first conceptual model of entrepreneurial leadership, showing the need to build meaningful relationships, inspire creativity, and support risk-taking behaviors to solve the world’s problems.
By
Eric Beato
Editor / Writer
Eric Beato
Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.
March 12, 2025

Posted in Entrepreneurial Leadership

The fate of the penny is up in the air after an executive order asked the U.S. Mint to stop making the coin. (Photo: Stephen Orsillo/Adobe Stock)
Eliminating the Penny? These Babson Professors Have Thoughts It costs 3.7 cents to mint a U.S. penny. But ending penny production isn’t simple, sparking a debate about the future of physical currency.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
March 12, 2025

Posted in Insights

Matthew Desmond speaking on stage
First-Year Students Inspired by the Intersection of Business and the Liberal Arts and Sciences Pulitzer Prize winner Matthew Desmond came to campus to discuss how to combat poverty in America. First-year students share their big-picture takeaways.
By
Melissa Savignano
Writer
Melissa Savignano
Melissa Savignano, a content marketing manager at Babson College, has worked in higher education for almost a decade, where she tells authentic, compelling campus and community stories. Before Babson, she managed communications for Boston University’s largest college, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. She previously worked in client relations, helping brands of various sizes launch content marketing strategies and storytelling initiatives. When not at work, you will find her in the city of Boston, probably at the movie theater.
March 5, 2025

Posted in Community

Babson first-year students showed off their FME ventures at the Len Green Recreation and Athletics Complex during the annual FME Expo last week. (Photo: Nic Czarnecki)
AI Joins the Team: How FME Students Are Learning to Use Generative AI First-year Babson students harness AI to develop and launch their FME ventures—gaining an edge in the evolving entrepreneurial landscape.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
March 3, 2025

Posted in Insights, Outcomes

Two students shadow box in a fitness studio
Ring the Bell: Working Out with the Babson Boxing Club In the Babson Boxing Club’s popular classes, students learn self-defense, gain confidence, and grasp how to roll with the punches, both literally and figuratively.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
February 28, 2025

Posted in Community

Jeanie Chung and Alec Leddon pose for a photo by the Charles River
Turning Personal Loss into Life-Saving Innovation  With the help of the SUD Sprint program at the Kerry Murphy Healey Center for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Jeanie Chung is turning personal tragedy into a life-saving solution to the opioid crisis.
By
February 27, 2025

Posted in Entrepreneurial Leadership

Is Your Business Idea Worth Pursuing? Three Tips to Avoid the Most Common Reason for Failure Check out these front-end market research tips that will help you determine whether your venture ideas are worth pursuing, writes Associate Profess Bradley George in an article from Entrepreneur magazine.
By
February 24, 2025

Posted in Insights

Cargo ship being loaded at a busy port, trade, planning, global
Tariffs Explained: What They Do, Why They Matter, and Who They Impact Tariffs shape global trade and domestic industries. Babson’s Joshua Stillwagon explains their purpose, impact, and economic consequences.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
February 20, 2025

Posted in Insights

A Starbucks sign hangs from a building
The Frappuccino Funk: What’s Ailing Starbucks? Sales at Starbucks are slumping. Babson Professor Gina O’Connor examines how the coffee giant lost its way and how it can find its way back.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
February 19, 2025

Posted in Insights