Feeling Dejected? Then Beware…
If we offered an 80 percent chance to win $200 or a 20 percent chance to win $800, which would you pick? The correct answer: “That depends.” Scientists at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology believed students would be more likely to go for the high-payout long shot if they were made to feel […]
Small Business on the Rise
It’s time for small businesses to take some credit as the little engines that could in our economy. As employers, they are more than pulling their weight. Their numbers are up, too. Using the latest data available, the Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy reports: -Small businesses made 40 percent of all U.S. sales in […]
For Your Reference…
Is your company listed on Wikipedia? If so, it’s likely one of the most trusted sources of information regarding the business. So is the entry saying what you want clients and customers to read? The entries for nearly a third of Fortune 500 companies contain biased, poorly written or unreliable information, according to a recent […]
Panda Express: Taking Care
He’s co-CEO of a $1.8 billion company, yet Andrew Cherng is constantly challenging himself and every member of his team. Panda Express encourages continuous personal growth by reimbursing associates for taking classes. It holds Saturday sessions that bring associates together to read books or learn from company leaders. But perhaps the most interesting story at Panda […]
SUCCESS Foundation: Crossing Borders
After completing the SUCCESS for Teens life-skills program, nine Canadian students paid it forward by taking clothes, computers and the program itself to a Mexican village. “Before I went, I didn’t check the village out,” says Connor Robinson, 18, part of the Alberta team. The poverty “was eye-opening.” The Canadians would learn that the Mexican […]
Face Facts: Zoom In
If you are serious about attracting eyeballs to up your social media cachet, using a well-composed headshot isn’t optional. It’s mandatory. For example, LinkedIn reports that profiles with a photo are seven times more likely to be viewed than those without an image. Professional headshot photographer and personal brand strategist Michael Cavotta of Cleveland has […]
How to Light a Fire Under a Slacker
Psychologists have known for a long time that as the size of a group of workers increases, overall performance decreases. Coincidentally (or not), there is the phenomenon of the Slacker. Social scientists call this behavior “social loafing” or “free riding,” and it’s widespread. You might even say that if you don’t know who the Slacker […]
Google Databoard
This summer, Google unveiled a new content site tailored to business owners. Databoard presents stats obtained through the search engine’s research studies in well-organized, easy-to-digest graphics. Each slide is simple to customize and share as you build your own PowerPoint presentation. In the beginning, the content was limited to Google’s studies on mobile use, but […]
SUCCESS Foundation: “Opened My Eyes”
Rick Jackson was moved when he read a SUCCESS article about how the SUCCESS for Teens program nurtures kids’ leadership and coping skills and their self-esteem. He wanted to reward students who took the program’s lessons to heart, so his Jackson Insurance Agency in Sterling, Colo., in 2012 and 2013 has given an iPad to […]
Outsmart the Inbox
The average business email user receives about 78 messages a day, and sends about 36, according to a study by the Radicati Group. Fortunately there are web applications and mail system options to address the overload: In May, Gmail (free) began automatically sorting email into distinct category tabs to separate personal and business messages from […]
Temporary Workers: Right Fit, Right Now
When it comes to finding workers with the right skills, America’s small-business owners and managers are challenged. A recent survey showed that 60 percent of small-business leaders find getting the ideal employee in place the most significant issue facing them. The survey is by Robert Half International, a specialized staffing firm, so naturally the company […]
SUCCESS Foundation: Leading Edge
Sheryl Tuchman knows a good leadership program when she sees one. She is founder and CEO of Tools 2 Succeed Inc. in the Los Angeles area, a company that does leadership, employee development and sexual harassment prevention training at employers’ sites and through e-learning (online instruction). Tuchman discovered the leadership lessons of the SUCCESS for […]