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]
Forego ‘Gut Instinct’ to Build Biz in China
Westerners don’t have as much in common with the Chinese as they do with their fellow Westerners. So don’t expect to see through them or make instinctive and accurate judgments about Chinese businesspeople or situations. You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know. Issues not even bothered with when doing business in the States are life-and-death issues for China because contracts … [More]
Stress and Bullying Take a Toll on Business
Stress hurts. Individuals may experience stomach problems, muscle tension or headaches, or loss of interest in their work, among a host of other expressions. And it spills over into the workplace in a number of different ways, all of which hurt a company’s bottom line — to the tune of $200–$300 billion in the United States every year in net effect of expenses that include … [More]
Navigate around the Quicksand in the Global Marketplace
Globalization has been the buzzword of the decade, yet many U.S. business managers are still unaware of the skill sets they urgently need to compete in a global market. There are 32 developed countries with 1 billion potential customers and 162 developing nations with 6 billion people, many heading into the middle class for the first time, with all the attendant needs and … [More]
Intellectual Property: Protecting a Core Business Asset
It is never too early to start thinking about intellectual property protection. Keeping a conscious eye on these assets is a critical part of a business’s success. Business owners are likely to face the following key issues during the early stages of their enterprises. Trade Name vs. Trademark Many business owners mistakenly believe that a company name is synonymous with … [More]
Surviving Healthcare
Many of the changes in healthcare coverage are trends that have been growing gradually anyway — but now they’re mandated, regulated and requiring more paperwork. The healthcare coverage requirements coming down from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act take effect next year, and the most important message to employers is: The time is now for putting plans and … [More]
The Affordable Care Act: Where Do You Stand?
Many employers are feeling overwhelmed by a flurry of new regulations governing their benefits packages, taxes and methods of compliance as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Fortunately, many organizations are aware of this and are gearing up to make 2013 the year of information. The new healthcare reform law includes a number of new taxes and fees … [More]
Women at the Top: Are They Making a Difference in Business?
Yahoo’s recent appointment of Marissa Mayer to CEO when she was pregnant with her first child had many women cheering and others wondering just how effective she will be juggling a high-pressure job and a new baby. One thing is for sure: It opened up more dialogues about women breaking the barriers and advancing to the C-suite. Missing from the discussion, however, was any … [More]
The ROI of Corporate Training
Before long, veteran construction worker Frank Scopetti will become a division president of McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., an accelerated in-house promotion made possible by the 150-year-old, employee-owned company’s state-of-the-art training programs, last year ranked in the Top 10 nationwide by Training Magazine. In an era of economic uncertainty, increased … [More]
Elliott Pollack: Master of Figures
Prominent Valley economist Elliott Pollack, CEO of economic analysis firm Elliott D. Pollack and Company, is a no-nonsense kind of guy, his passion for his profession evident in every word of his rapid-fire delivery. Yet he’s not a strictly by-the-numbers sort; he has a philosophical streak. Just ask, for example, how he got his start. “Life,” he says, “is how you react to a … [More]
Council Launched to Address Fraud, Security and Identity Theft in Digital Age
Identity theft comes in many unexpected guises that can harm a business, a realization that prompted LifeLock to sponsor the recently launched Council for Identity Protection. Says Todd Davis, chairman and CEO of LifeLock, “It is our belief that challenges in the digital age are not independent, but must be viewed with a more integrated view of the problem and ultimate … [More]
Last Year’s Best Business Lunch Spots
Reminiscing on top business lunch spots, here are our reminders of some of the best lunch spots that opened in 2012. Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails Described as a contemporary American gastro-lounge, this “off the lobby” eatery at the Palomar Hotel is a downtown urban delight with a creative and flavorful menu. Go back after the day and enjoy the hand-crafted … [More]
The New Luxury Home Market
With “luxury home” generally defined as a home valued at $500,000 or more, a high percentage of Valley homes would have fallen into that category only a few years ago. Today, however, with the average Valley single-family residence valued at $160,000, “luxury home” encompasses a more select market. Luxury properties span the Valley in gated and non-gated communities, and … [More]
Educating Our Work Force
Enough already! It seems to be taking forever for Arizona’s unemployment rate to drop to levels seen before the Great Recession. Or is it the new reality that rates never will be near 5 percent again? It’s not for a lack of jobs, as a look at help wanted listings shows. It’s a lack of enough qualified Arizonans to do the jobs that require more than on-the-job … [More]
Ask Straight Up — and Close the Deal
Most salespeople, when it comes down to it, are downright scared of being direct and to the point and telling people in no uncertain terms, “Here’s what I want!” Think about it. There’s a conspiracy that encourages people to bury their most important wants and desires. Marketing trainers use consultative selling to draw people out. Social media consultants say, “Selling … [More]
Client Appreciation: Give the Gift
A sign that times are changing is that client gifts are back and in a big way. Retailers are reporting increased activity, so get on it and show some appreciation. Here are some top gift ideas for this holiday season. Charity of Choice Give the gift of charity with JustGive.org. This e-card service can e-mail, print or direct mail a gift card to one’s client. Set the amount … [More]
Funding for Business
No doubt about it, there’s plenty of economic uncertainty in the world, let alone Arizona, today. But Valley bankers and those associated with the banking industry want entrepreneurs and owners of small and mid-sized businesses to know their institutions have been, and continue to be, ready to talk lending. “We’re all dying for loans,” asserts Candace Wiest, president and CEO … [More]
Seek and Defuse: How to Recognize Anger in the Workplace
Workplace violence in the U.S. is a persistent and dangerous problem. How bad is it? A statistic from the U.S. Department of Labor indicates that homicide is the fourth-leading cause of occupational injuries. And it is the leading cause of death for women in the workplace. But the real tragedy is, so many of these violent incidents could be avoided if employees and leaders … [More]
