There is a distinct difference in the atmosphere of companies where the owner and managers bring their inspiring energy on a consistent basis and those where this does not happen. It is a feeling that is known by both team members and customers alike, and one that will ultimately have a positive or negative effect […]
Since September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, it’s a great time for employers to consider an affordable benefit for their employees and perhaps review the benefits they offer employees. What is life insurance? Life insurance is often called “love” insurance, a product that pays out a financial benefit (also known as death benefit) tax-free to […]
For 45 months, nearly four years now, the United States has suffered under a troubled economy. Other nations around the globe have not fared much better — indeed, some worse. Although it was not a surprise, gross domestic product data for the second quarter in the U.S. was revised downward, according to a news release […]
Could there be a more perfect conversion of symbolism about what is wrong with the American economy than what will take place on Sept. 5 in Detroit? There, a president of the United States whose regulatory excesses have stifled meaningful job creation will make a Labor Day speech to union workers now only a faint […]
Experienced commercial real estate investors seem to sense market trends and take advantage of those trends when other methods of commercial investment begin to fade. From 2005 to 2008, industrial land development and the construction of industrial offices and shop buildings on security fenced acreage seemed to constitute a no-lose proposition in the Grand Valley. […]
For many small businesses, the process of trying to obtain a government contract is fraught with fears of red tape and endless reporting requirements. Yes, the process can be challenging. But working for the government doesn’t have to be difficult. You have to get through multiple steps with a certain amount of commitment, but eventually […]
Most business startups are created to take advantage of some kind of benefit or need the founders have identified in the market. They see a problem, create a way to offer a solution and — presto — a business is born. Customers are so happy to have their problems solved they pay a healthy price […]
Small to medium-sized businesses need every advantage possible to remain competitive in a shrinking economy. As consumers spend less and less, business owners must spend their marketing dollars more wisely than ever to retain current customers and bring new ones through the doors. Business owners who take advantage of text message marketing often enjoy a […]
The word “green” gets thrown around a lot these days, but few try to define it and fewer still actually do anything about it. Here’s my rather simple definition: Green means being responsible with what we have and with the place we live. If we each do what we can, it will make a huge […]
Albert Einstein once said: “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it’s stupid.” Henry Ford once said: “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” When it comes to business networking, many feel […]