Managing Money

Given the fact that small business employs over half of the private sector and contributes to half of the private GDP, a pessimistic small business community is not good for our economy. However, another survey claims that not everyone is pessimistic.[read more]

Harvest ideas. Edit applications. Ideas need a dynamic, fluid, generous environment to sustain life. Applications, on the other hand, benefit from critical rigor. Produce a high ratio of ideas to applications.[read more]

The Fed will continue monitoring inflation, but does not expect inflation to rise more than 0.50 percent above its target rate of 2.00 percent over the next one to two years.[read more]

Lots of people talk about business models these days, but what does it really mean? When it comes to starting or planning for business success your model is essentially your decision about how you intend to add value – which is another way of saying – how you intend to make money.[read more]

If we're in a position to initiate something new or different, the time we've invested building solid relationships can determine our ability to gain support and moment. The leader who spends time playing corporate video poker may revel in his individual genius, but lacks the relational chips needed to convert that genius into action.[read more]

Last year we suggested growth in the underground economy is likely a key reasons workforce participation has fallen so much in the U.S. Others are starting to also suggest this. Noted author James Surowiecki's New Yorker article The Underground Recovery points out: "Ordinary Americans have gone underground, and, as the recovery continues to limp along, they seem to be doing it more and more."[read more]

The point of the event or meeting is to educate and enthuse, to encourage growth and camaraderie and “team build." So what are you going to do to get everyone’s attention and get them working together? Introducing periodic elements of fun that still serve a purpose will go a long way, but you should set the tone from the beginning.[read more]

Men still out earn women on average. But the gap has significantly closed over the last 2 decades and we are forecasting earnings parity between the sexes will occur within the next decade. We also believe women's earnings growth will outperform men past that point and by the 2030 time frame women, on average, will substantially out-earn men.[read more]

According to Professor Sean Wise, who claims to have worked with more than 15,000 entrepreneurs, no matter how great the idea and the opportunity, in the end it is only the execution that creates change and generates wealth.[read more]

Some of the assets you can build, not just buy: Your brand. A brand isn't a logo. It's a promise and an expectation. Also, your expertise. You might lose your job, but they can't take away what you've learned.[read more]

States often adopt more stringent definitions to force smaller companies to offer benefits and rights to employees than otherwise required under federal law. Check your state’s laws carefully to make sure you are in compliance.[read more]

Working longer than eight hours increases the chances of coronary disease by 40% to 80%. You certainly don’t want this for yourself or your staff.[read more]

While crowdfunding is best known for raising money for non-profits, a growing share of crowdfunding money is going to small businesses and startups. Games and gadgets are the most common type of business funded. The best known of these is Pebble, a maker of smart watches that raised over $10 million on Kickstarter.[read more]

Whether you’re a small business and just one entrepreneur or a global business and hundreds of employees, business debt can be very scary. But as a small business on the verge of being in the red a little bit too far or a start-up worrying about the future, there are a number of ways that can help you slash your debt and get back into the black once more.[read more]

Americans are a generous people. According to the Atlas of Giving they donated $370 billion to charities of various types in 2012. This is up 6.7% from the prior year and well about what is was a decade ago.[read more]

I’m about to say something that many marketing executives might not like, but most business leaders will understand when they think about it. Business to business marketing is not about how pretty your company looks, or even how great your brand is. It’s about the amount of revenue you help your company generate.[read more]

Find out how corporate health insurance works. The worst thing you can do is to make a decision based on poor information, or worse, no information at all. It is critical that you are informed before purchasing any cover – it could be an expensive error.[read more]

So when it comes to leadership development, what’s the difference between a CEO that is just “involved” and one that is really committed? Here are 10 things that I believe would give any CEO the best return on their time invested.[read more]

A major lesson: You can improve your business by admitting mistakes. Houlihan believes that customers judge you more by how you react to mistakes than how you behave when all is well.[read more]

When you physically hand over cash, you know that you have less to spend the next week. When I use a credit card, I can keep a running total of my balance in my head, but it doesn’t have the same feeling as paying for something with cash.[read more]