Are you taking a break from business to refresh?

On your way to reaching new heights in life and business, it’s imperative to take time to truly enjoy your life and the fruits of your labor. Without breaks to the routine flow of life and work, we tend to become burned out, overwhelmed and fatigued, to name a few problems. This reduces the quality […]

Now is the time to prepare for coming tax increases

There’s a blizzard of tax increases headed our way. If you’re a small business owner or practicing professional, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to survive this onslaught. In the next few years, you can expect four significant tax increases. The first two are already legislated. The third is under debate in […]

Management can turn crisis into opportunity

Even with the best planning and a highly trained staff, crises occur at every business. It’s how you approach and manage the situation that determines whether or not it will turn into a detriment for your company or a wonderful opportunity for growth. Large companies experience crises on a national level and it’s visible that […]

Paying for home work: Does answering cell phones and e-mail constitute work time?

The number of businesses displaying signs asking their customers to end cell phone calls at service counters indicates how intertwined modern personal, social and professional lives have become. Inevitably, employers begin to wonder how they know which time amid this cacophony of activity is compensable “work time” under the Fair Labor Standards Act for non-exempt […]

Group exercise classes latest step in evolution of fun fitness

In 1980, aerobics was introduced into health clubs in a class style format. It’s best remembered by the dress code: leotards, brightly colored tights and leg warmers. This fashion statement was complimented by feathered hair styles and high-top tennis shoes. More specialized aerobics classes made their way into the scene by 1990, including step aerobics, […]

Uncertain times require experienced accountants

The hottest topic right now in the accounting industry is how new regulations and changes will affect businesses. Hopefully, I can provide a little clarity on how best to proceed now that tax season is officially here. As an audit principal at Dalby, Wendland & Co., I work in several disciplines within the accounting and […]

It pays to offer rewards for referrals

Referral partners are a powerful thing for any business, especially during times of economic slow down. It is the power of the testimonial and the spoken word that directs a person to buy something from a particular store or vendor. To capitalize on this power, many businesses offer rewards for referrals. Do you know how […]

Commercial real estate investments make sense — and dollars

The crash of the markets in 2007 and subsequent economic recession left many investors with money on the sidelines. But the smart money says it finally could be time to get back in the game. Market conditions have become quite attractive compared to recent years, and the commercial real estate market is no exception. For […]

Markets signal economic expansion maturing

The stock and bond markets have been moving in different directions for the past several months. This divergence could offer a clue we’re entering the late stages of an economic recovery. The correlation between stocks and bonds isn’t a foolproof signal of where we are in the cycle, but it’s possible to make some generalizations. […]

What does six minutes a day cost you? More than you think

Let’s assume the average hand-written time card overstates the time actually worked by six minutes. An employee comes in at 8:03 a.m. and enters 8 a.m. on the time card, then takes an extra three minutes at lunch. No big deal, right? Unless you do some figuring and find that, at six minutes a day, […]