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The changing workforce

By Pat Hayes, CPP Businesses across all industries face changes in workforce and labor needs. Finding the right person with the right skills suited to specific job requirements continues to be the crux of all labor issues. No matter the size of the company, business owners may face similar employee problems: turnover, lack of commitment [...]

By |2009-06-17T00:00:00-05:00June 17, 2009|

Customer service keeps businesses afloat

Focusing on customer service can help navigate a tough economic climate. By Abbie Yarger Businesses are doing all they can to stay afloat in today’s economic environment, from layoffs to budget cuts. One thing they shouldn’t cut is customer service. Creating and sustaining good customer service in tough economic times can give businesses an advantage [...]

By |2009-06-15T00:00:00-05:00June 15, 2009|

Le Bel forms connections to fuel innovation

Claude Le Bel's experiences and interests have led him to success. By Sigrid Tornquist “For me, everything is possible. You just have to find the right person for the job,” says Claude Le Bel, president and founder of Sollertia Inc. in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. Appropriately named Sollertia—which is Latin for ingenuity—the company serves as a [...]

By |2009-06-01T00:00:00-05:00June 1, 2009|

Cut costs, not customers

Think like your customers before making cost management decisions. By Marc Hequet Getting a grip on how to navigate through difficult economic times is challenging even for the most seasoned business people. It may be tempting to fiddle with prices and expend significant resources in scrounging for new business, but experts advise a different path. [...]

By |2009-06-01T00:00:00-05:00June 1, 2009|

Christiansen brings Flagsource from loss to profit

Janice Christiansen rebuilds the family business one solution at a time. By Sigrid Tornquist “When you’re faced with a problem, you need to break it down and take one thing at a time—because it’s not the size of the challenge, it’s how you handle it,” says Janice Christiansen, president of J.C. Schultz Enterprises Inc. (Flagsource®) [...]

By |2009-05-01T00:00:00-05:00May 1, 2009|

Increasing the odds of getting a business loan

How to get a business loan in today’s tight economy. By William J. Lynott Credit is the oil that lubricates the machinery of business. Whether it’s a loan to buy inventory or supplies, support renovation or expansion, a capital purchase, or just the need for a short-term boost to meet payroll or other operating expenses, [...]

By |2009-05-01T00:00:00-05:00May 1, 2009|

Connecting with customers

Making design trends and economic realities work together. By Gina Wicker It is difficult to focus exclusively on design trends when the economy is the overwhelming trend these days, but the truth is that colors and patterns and economic trends have an impact on each other. With grim economic news and changes in our political [...]

By |2009-05-01T00:00:00-05:00May 1, 2009|

Employee Free Choice Act impacts employment

What would this legislation mean to small businesses? By Patrick W. Hayes In 2007, the U.S. Senate narrowly failed to pass legislation that would have changed labor union organizing rules. This same issue was supported by President Obama in his recent presidential campaign, and likely will resurface in upcoming congressional talks. The Employee Free Choice [...]

By |2009-04-01T00:00:00-05:00April 1, 2009|

Winning government contracts

The U.S. government is big business and contracts for thousands of products. How-to advice helps businesses take advantage of these opportunities. By Teresa Bouchonnet On January 9, 2009, the U.S. government’s Defense Supply Center in Philadelphia (DSCP) awarded each of four different firms a contract worth a maximum of almost $488 million for a base [...]

By |2009-04-01T00:00:00-05:00April 1, 2009|

Schmieler creates customized cost accounting system

Greg Schmieler's system maximizes profit for his awning business. By Sigrid Tornquist “Creating a cost accounting system changed my whole career life,” says Greg Schmieler, vice president of Laurel Awning Co. in Pittsburgh, Pa. “It changed the way the company is run. We now know what our profit is, what our costs are, and what [...]

By |2009-04-01T00:00:00-05:00April 1, 2009|
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