by Rebecca Button on May 9th, 2008
No no…I’m not referring to Paris and Nicole. Sorry for the bait and switch.
As savvy as those two are at marketing (themselves) I’m referring instead to good old fashioned business students.
We all know how the internship program works. Companies offer students an opportunity to gain "valuable experience" and some times even compensation in exchange for a semester of what can be boiled down to as free labor. The students will file, fax, answer phones and fetch coffee in the hopes that their time has been spent earning them a good recommendation and bonus points on their resume.
But... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on March 3rd, 2008
According to a survey conducted by Yahoo!HotJobs here are the top 10 qualities employees consider necessary for being a good boss:
(in order of importance)
1. Communication/listening skills.
2. Effective leadership skills.
3. Trust in their employees to do their job well.
4. Flexibility and understanding.
5. Intelligence.
6. Teamwork skills and even temperament (tie).
7. Interest in employee development.
8. Ability to share credit.
9. Successful in finding and retaining new talent.
10. Presentation skills.
So if you are looking to cut down on employee turnover consider these things for yourself as a boss and also as qualities to... Read more »
by Carrie Hinkel on February 21st, 2008
Many business experts believe that a team-based organizational structure is the most effective design for accomplishing overall objectives. If managed properly, a team environment allows each employee to contribute to the company’s success while working alongside fellow teammates to generate these results.
However, not all employee teams are successful. If members don’t fully understand the team’s importance, or are not recognized for their efforts, then motivation and devotion will be lacking, leading to the inevitable collapse of the team and its objectives. In order for a team to be successful, it’s important that certain basic guidelines are followed.
Team importance... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on February 15th, 2008
I don’t know about you, but whether when I have a question about a person, a process, a product, a band, etc. my first stop on my road to discovery is usually Wikipedia, one of the most popular online information resources. And for the first time in history, the editors are the readers!
But the point of this post is not to sing the praises of Wikipedia, rather sing the praises of the concept of the Wiki. Did you know that small businesses are using Wikis to better organize and present information? Did you know that you could be doing... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on January 18th, 2008
Okay, so you’ve got your idea, your business plan, your funding, your location and you’ve hired some employees–but wait! You’ve never managed anyone before! Where do you even start!?!
Well if you’ve got enough savvy to start your own business, it’s likely that management will come somewhat naturally to you. But no matter how well versed you are (or think you are) in dealing with people, there are undoubtedly going to be unforeseen issues that arise that you will not be prepared to handle.
Since this will likely be the case, I recommend you book mark a website called ManageSmarter... Read more »
by Rebecca Button on January 7th, 2008
This is a great article in the New York Times highlighting how outsourcing can be beneficial for small businesses.
"Outsourcing — the practice of using outside firms to handle work normally performed within a company — is a familiar concept to many entrepreneurs. Small companies routinely outsource their payroll processing, accounting, distribution, and many other important functions — often because they have no other choice. Many large companies turn to outsourcing to cut costs. In response, entire industries have evolved to serve companies’ outsourcing needs.
But not many businesses thoroughly understand the benefits of outsourcing. It’s true that outsourcing can... Read more »