Wouldn't it be nice to get some of your money back that you have invested in developing policies, procedures and processes for your organization? Well, you can with the recently restored tax credit.$7.6 Billion in Tax Credits are AvailableIn September 2004, President Bush signed the $146 billion tax cut bill restoring the recently expired business Research & Experimentation Tax Credit. The 18-month renewal of the research and experimentation...more
In United States of America and Canada, indoor tanning products are very usual. Moreover, the indoor tanning businesses have appreciably grown in the last 25 years and are still increasing, getting more and more sophisticated.It's hard to compete with the global beauty industry. Surprisingly or not, the American population is spending more time and money on beauty than on their education. Thus, regardless of sex, nationality, age or...more
Next to winning the lottery, a debt consolidation loan is a debtor's dream. With one monthly payment and a fixed monthly payment schedule, you can actually see an end to those monthly payments. In reality, consolidating bills isn't always easy. If you have a lot of debt, it can be hard to find a consolidation loan at a lower interest rate. And if you're not careful, you can end up deeper in debt than when you started. Your goal in consolidating your debt should be to lower your overall costs. To accomplish this there are two things to keep in mind: Get the lowest interest rate possible Have a plan to pay off your debts in 3 - 5 years. Here are some of the best ways to consolidate:Using Credit CardsThe good news about this method is that with a good credit rating, you may get a much lower rate than other forms of consolidation loans. And since credit card issuers don't require collateral, you aren't "risking the farm."Call your current issuer to ask what interest rates they will offer you if you transfer balances from other cards over to theirs. Go for a fixed rate if you can get it, and ask them to waive any transfer fees. If you can't negotiate a low...more
It is a common question when investors review their retirement planshould we include social security benefits into our retirement income projections?It seems the closer an investor is to retirement, the more likely he/she will include social security benefits into the analysis. Younger investors, however, may feel compelled to omit such...more
Do you ever wonder why some people seem to get all the lucky breaks in business while others struggle to barely get by? They seem to be in the right place at the right time. Fact is, maybe they're not at the right place at the right time; maybe they just know how to make things "happen." As a business advisor I often see people begin and end a...more
Branding is one hot topic, although it is wildly misunderstood. To make things even more confusing, branding is often tossed in the same basket as marketing which makes its application to an entrepreneur or sole-practioner even more unclear.While out speaking on branding, the question that I hear most is "How do I know if my business or service is brand material?" With businesses opening left and right, and more and more closing each year, I'm glad there are smart business owners open to understanding the issue.If you've found yourself asking the same thing, don't worry you're not alone. Perhaps, this can shed some light.At a recent luncheon, the same question came up again in a different way. I was seated next to an attorney whose sole practice focuses on elder abuse cases, he asked me in rapid succession (a manner that showed me he'd be great in court):"Isn't branding for businesses that make a lot of stuff?""Doesn't branding apply only if you want to sell a lot of stuff?""Isn't branding pointless for my kind of business?"Smiling, I fired back, "yes, yes, and... no".Yes, branding is most often associated with businesses that make a lot of...more
Starting Your New Home Business The Right Way Once you have made the initial preparations for starting up your home business, it is time to think about getting a little discipline. I don't mean that in any salacious sort of way: we are not...more
The seven essentials of business communicationThere are seven essential elements to successful business communication: Structure Clarity Consistency Medium Relevancy Primacy/Recency Psychological Rule of 7±2If you are going to communicate...more
Everyday someone asks me, "How do you start a pet-sitting business?" I try to answer their question succinctly. But the truth is, starting a pet-sitting business, or any business is not always a succinct process. Following are 21 tips that I know can...more
Like human nature over time, the power of good public relations remains the same. Whether you are a manager working for a business, a non-profit or an association, at some point, you will want, or need to create outside stakeholder behavior change...more
We've all heard about certain ways to cut your grocery bill like avoiding the grocery store when you're hungry, using coupons on double coupons day, and buying only the items on your list. These are all good tips and we should keep using...more
You excitedly signed up for that pre-made money generating website you saw in a popbehind window. You signed up for the affiliate IDs. You set up your autoresponder and signed up for several "traffic generators". You read the writings of all the...more