Not long ago, disco was king and typewriters shared desktops with personal computers. The Valley of the Sun was known as the “Silicon Desert.” Chandler was its oasis. Motorola and Intel were its bedrock. People were still looking for the way to San Jose and Silicon Valley didn’t exist. “We were once the Silicon Desert,” reminisces Barry Broome, president and CEO of the … [More]
Charles Vermillion, OneNeck IT Services Corp.
Technology is sometimes portrayed in the media for its man-vs-machine role in workplace job losses. But it is also touted as an economic growth sector — in fact, it is one of the areas Arizona’s leaders have identified as key to the state’s development of a sustainable, strong, high-wage-based economy. A number of organizations, including the Arizona Technology Council, are … [More]
Company Culture: Framework for Success
A culture is what makes a company unique. It is all about what, why and how a group of people or an organization does things. It also is about the language, mindset, traditions and values — which don’t cost much money, but there needs to be a structure that supports and maintains all these elements. Many companies I have visited want a great culture and try to do things … [More]
Equity-raising Opportunity Exists for Small Businesses
Owners of small businesses may find it easier to raise money in 2013. This is because, among the favorable tax breaks included under the American Taxpayer Relief Act (the “2012 Act”), there is a temporary extension of a provision that excludes 100 percent of gain arising from the sale of certain qualified small business stock (QSBS). This is a benefit small-business owners can … [More]
Tick, Tock, Tech: Our Place in Time
When it comes to the Phoenix metropolitan area’s evolution into a global technology center, don’t discount an impressive pedigree. The proof is in just one tech giant’s offspring that now dot the landscape: ON Semiconductor, Freescale, General Dynamics’ Advanced Information Systems and Iridium. From silicon solutions to global communications, all had their start as units of one … [More]
Change in Business: Threat or Opportunity?
Waves of change roll through the information technology sector roughly every fifteen years or so; for sectors outside IT, the waves may come less frequently but no less destructively. The IT experience can be viewed as a wind tunnel through which other businesses can pretest their survivability. The experiences in the following IT examples can be applied to businesses across … [More]
Doug Bruhnke: Building Local Globally
Doug Bruhnke’s approach to business, instilled at a young age by family members and bolstered later by his experiences with Japanese culture, has long been, “Whatever it takes.” It’s that kind of no-holds-barred determination — the Japanese call it “ganbaroo,” a term loosely translated as “do your best” — that has brought the New York native success in his career, which … [More]
Arizona Admin Serves
Few know the Arizona Department of Administration or that it has a website for Arizona State jobs, procurement with the State and other benefits for individuals and businesses. The site will also inform on public meetings and notices that pertain to Arizonans. … [More]
AZ TechCelerator Surprises
The City of Surprise is a leader in mentoring of new and innovative business with its AZ TechCelerator program. Mentorships, discounted space and a City-supported drive to succeed are helping micro to small business. Apply online. … [More]
IRS is Your Partner in Business?
The IRS is exploring opportunities to partner with organizations to help entrepreneurs in Arizona thrive in their business ventures, especially new sole proprietors. By providing links and downloadable PDFs, it gives proprietors a site to find information through tax publications, videos and social media. It also provides specific resource information in PDF format for … [More]
Contest is Win for Small Business
The Arizona Small Business Association announced the winner for its amAZing® Small Business Video Contest at the 20th Annual Enterprise Business Awards Luncheon last month at The Phoenician. All In The Present won first place, along with $500 cash. The other finalists were Kaptured Photography, SWAT Fitness and Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. … [More]
Cashing In on the ‘Internet of Things’
Presence, a recently launched smartphone application from Mesa-based People Power, is the first free wireless Web camera made by recycling old smartphones or mobile devices as cameras, which can be used as monitoring devices. Users include the City of Globe’s school district, which uses smartphones donated by the residents as an affordable measure to maintain security … [More]
Demographics Drive Housing Market
Lifestyle-inspired design change is the approach Maracay Homes is taking to make its new homes stand out in the re-emerging housing market. Among the features in its Arizona Collection are an “owner’s entry” from the garage, with cubbies for personal items and a technology station for docking electronic devices, that displaces the laundry room to a new location behind the … [More]
Micro Business Blossoms at Phoenix Public Market
Last month, the Phoenix Public Market celebrated the opening of the Phoenix Public Market Café by St. Francis owner Aaron Chamberlin, which re-energizes space that had been empty for a year. Many of the market’s micro businesses will also directly benefit by selling products to the new restaurant. As a venue, the Phoenix Public Market contributes strong support to the local … [More]
ProKure Revolutionizes Commercial Cleaning
A patented delivery system for ClO2 (chlorine dioxide), a biocide long recognized for its effectiveness in odor and pathogen control but previously available only in large applications, brings the product within reach for small businesses. ProKure Solutions offers easy-to-store, long-shelf-life pouches that dissolve in water to reliably create specified concentrations, … [More]
Big Price Tag on Counterfeit Software
Unwitting piracy is a “surprisingly large problem” in the United States, says Peter Han, Microsoft’s vice president of original equipment manufacturing in the U.S. Counterfeit software has become harder to spot — instead of packaging with misspellings and poor printing that made the counterfeit product fairly obvious, packaging now is more sophisticated, “even with some … [More]
Oh So Fine: O.H.S.O. Eatery
Not an unlikely lunch spot unless you are only interested in beers, O.H.S.O. Eatery is an Arcadia neighborhood hangout that serves up a mean hamburger and the lighter side of gourmet American pub grub and makes diners feel right at home. The setting is casual, but it is common to see Wall Street types there for lunch or early happy hour. Festive with great patios in front or … [More]
Chill Out
Getting away for lunch in the heat seems like a chore, so why not make it a cool and healthy moment — alone or with a client or business associates? Here are some of the cool “cool” spots where a light meal or a cool beverage will help to get the job done. GreenMix Fresh ingredients and healthy eating are what make up GreenMix. This “modern fresh salad” restaurant is … [More]
