Remember co-workers? Those annoying people who you're forced to share an office with -- some of them friends, but most of them insufferable. If you're anything like me, one of reasons for starting a home business was to get away from these people. And yet, when you do work at home all day, every day, you might find that you start to miss that kind of companionship, and feel more than a little lonely. All Alone... Picture the scene. You get up for another day of work. Yo...

At some point in your business' life, you might be contacted by someone in a far-away land who's heard about your business somehow (probably through the Internet). This will be your first encounter with the international market. For many businesses, once you've conquered your local area and done business by post or email with other areas of the country, dipping a toe into international markets seems like the next big step. Preparing to Export. When you're preparing to e...

November 2005. Winter is just around the corner here in Western Michigan. The leaves are literally raining off the trees. Just this morning at breakfast as I looked into the woods and I could see a steady stream of golden brown, red and yellow leaves heading towards the earth. Last month I talked about keeping your quality improvement changes in place�using a manual that you develop of SOP�s, standard operating procedures. By the way, if you missed that issue, you can find...

The title of this article may sound a little strange. What did I mean by located and faced for prosperity? I must warn that this is not a typical business article. It has nothing to do with marketing, sales, productivity or even the internet. It is about a branch of Chinese Metaphysics called Feng Shui.

Are your meetings as bad as the ones that ducks hold in the park? Find out here.

People who work for and who belong to institutions have one thing in common: they all wear uniforms. Uniforms are dress codes, usually distinct in style, clothing and even color that can make the wearer easily identifiable not only to his peers but also to other people. Take for example the military personnel who are all clad in fatigues, except for some who have their own distinctive brand of clothing like those in the navy or other branches of the military. But no matt...

With the increased challenges that all companies are faced with, many corporations have implemented various initiatives to continue to grow corporate earnings and shareholder value, some have discovered the strategic value of corporate awards and corporate gifts. From the boardroom to the frontlines to the client across the country, corporate awards and gifts offer many benefits to enhance performance. Not only are you showing your appreciation to the employee or customer, you setting a standa

With the increased challenges that all companies are faced with, many corporations have implemented various initiatives to continue to grow corporate earnings and shareholder value, some have discovered the strategic value of corporate awards and corporate gifts. From the boardroom to the frontlines to the client across the country, corporate awards and gifts offer many benefits to enhance performance. Not only are you showing your appreciation to the employee or customer, you setting a standa

If your business is in trouble and your loosing money, then hiring any one of the qualified business consulting companies out there may be one of the best choices you can make for your company. Business consulting companies can give you the solutions you need to make your business a success that is their job. They will look and all side of your business and find its strength and its weaknesses and then draw up a plan that is right for your business. Business consulting compan...

If you're one of those managers who dreads the annual appraisal, this article is written specially for you. Just learn these 7 simple steps and you'll become the biggest convert to appraisals.