Latest posts

Below are the most recent articles or resources I’ve published. If you are looking for help on a specific topics, it would best to look at the topics in my Articles archive as I have grouped my recent and best articles by topic there.

  • AFP article February 25, 2022

    AFP (Association for Financial Professionals) wrote an article about the webinar I was part of discussing data visuals. I shared some tips and showed some makeovers. The response was very positive and we will be doing it again in the spring. The article summarizing the webinar is here. Continue reading

  • Force a column, bar, or line chart in Excel to start at zero

    Excel changes the starting value for the measurement axis of column, bar, and line charts based on the values being graphed. This can cause a chart to be misleading just because the data got updated. In this video I show you how to add a second invisible data series that forces Excel to always start…… Continue reading

  • Should you have 2 webcams active for Zoom and Teams meetings? Here are 3 situations where you might consider this setup.

    Suggesting you consider having two webcams active during a Teams or Zoom meeting might initially sound like something only a high-end production would consider. While it may not be common, there are cases where having a second webcam active can help you deliver a more effective business or sales presentation. Here are three situations where…… Continue reading

  • The strategic use of color in Excel charts

    A few dataviz experts tweeted about a great new article by Lisa Charlotte Muth called “10 ways to use fewer colors in your data visualizations”. I highly recommend you read it because it is very well written and has great ideas. If you create data visuals in Excel like many business professionals do, let me…… Continue reading

  • Why Bluetooth keyboards, mice, and remotes are preferred over ones with dongles

    Recently a visitor to my website sent me a question about a problem he was having with his presentation remote. Often at some point during his presentation his slides would start advancing on their own and he would have to shut down his computer to make it stop. He was wondering what was going on…… Continue reading

  • Play a YouTube video in a clean browser window in Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet

    When you want to share a YouTube video in a Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet meeting and you don’t want to show the ads and rest of the YouTube default interface, the video below will show you how to create a web page that has just the YouTube video embedded in it. This allows…… Continue reading

  • Which Logitech webcam is the best for a Zoom or Teams business meeting? What to consider & what I recommend

    Logitech is the leader in webcams and they offer many models. Sometimes it can be confusing to know which one you should invest in. Let me share some criteria I think you should consider when evaluating which model is best for a typical business meeting on Zoom, Teams, Webex, or Google Meet. At the end…… Continue reading

  • New option to blur your video background in Zoom February 2022

    In version 5.9.3 of the Zoom client for Windows and Mac released on January 25, 2022, they have added new ways to blur the background of your video. You no longer have to go into the settings to do this. These quick options are great when you realize someone has walked into the background of…… Continue reading

  • Expert Tips for Using PowerPoint Presenter View on a Mac in Teams or Zoom (1 or 2 screens)

    When you are using PowerPoint Presenter View on a Mac with either 1 or 2 screens, you can take advantage of some of the additional features to make your presentation more effective. Watch this video to learn how to use Presenter View with 1 screen on Zoom (here is the video for Teams) and read…… Continue reading

  • Stop Teams repeatedly saying “You’re muted” when you are listening to a meeting and have your mic muted

    A lot of people attend Teams meetings with their mic muted. This is a good practice because it reduces the noise that is in the meeting that comes from everyone’s background environment. This is especially common for students attending class, business professionals participating in a training program, or large group “town hall” style meetings. Teams…… Continue reading