A Survival Map in the Age of Product Recalls

A Survival Map in the Age of Product Recalls: If 2007 was the Year of the Recall, welcome to the Decade of the Recall.

3 Powerful Skills You Must Have to Succeed in Sales

3 Powerful Skills You Must Have to Succeed in Sales: by Sharon Michaels

How To Give A Great Speech

How To Give A Great Speech: Steve Jobs' 2005 commencement address at Stanford University has been viewed more than 4 million times on YouTube. Six years after he delivered it, a text version still flies around the Web. The speech is as powerful for its message--stay hungry, stay foolish--as it is for its structure and delivery. "Today I want to tell you three stories from my life," says Jobs. "That's it. No big deal. Just three stories." And with that, viewers (and readers) are hooked.

How to Delegate Like Donald Trump

How to Delegate Like Donald Trump: Image via Wikipedia
Sometimes the simple stuff is the most powerful.

With Great Startups It's All About The Execution

With Great Startups It's All About The Execution: A startup begins with a great idea, but all too often, that?s where it ends. Ideas have to be implemented well to get the desired results. Good implementation requires a plan, and a good plan and good operational decisions come from good people. That?s why investors invest in entrepreneurs, rather than ideas.

How To Force Yourself To Be Creative

How To Force Yourself To Be Creative: Sometimes (okay a lot of the time), the life of a creative is less about inspiration and more about needing to get x done so that y can happen. In many cases, x equals producing something (a story, a pitch, a design, an order of 2000 butterfly magnets) and y equals getting paid and/or feeling like less of a freelance fraud. So, what happens when you need to be creative under pressure? Can you force yourself to produce when a muse is the furthest thing from your mind? Yes. Here's how:

10 Steps to an Effective Apology

10 Steps to an Effective Apology: Just last week, Joe Nocera writing for the New York Times apologized for calling the Republican side of the aisle "terrorists." Yesterday, I apologized here for posting an untrue story about the Indiana Corner's Office  - based on the Defense of Marriage Act - refusing to release to her lesbian partner the body of a woman killed in the recent tragic stage collapse.

Ten Signs You're Depressed But Don't Know It

Ten Signs You're Depressed But Don't Know It: It's a subtle, debilitating and increasingly rampant affliction. Here's how to detect it and let the healing begin.

10 Ways That Being More Positive Improves Your Career (and Your Life)

10 Ways That Being More Positive Improves Your Career (and Your Life)

How to grow your sales faster than the economy

How to grow your sales faster than the economy: Three new books explain how to swipe market share from rivals, why some brands stand out, and the sneaky tricks great marketers use.

Six Sneaky Ways Coupons Make You Spend More

Six Sneaky Ways Coupons Make You Spend More: Consumers are using more coupons than they did before the recession, and 37.4% are using them "to stretch a limited grocery budget out of necessity," according to NCH Marketing Inc.'s "2010 Annual Consumer Survey".

The One Skill They Don't Teach You in B-School

The One Skill They Don't Teach You in B-School: An MBA from the most prestigious business school in the world will not help you overcome poor communication skills.  That?s why I enjoy giving presentations to business students who have transformative ideas but need to develop their communication skills (here?s a 20-minute excerpt from a presentation I recently delivered at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley).

10 Things to do After you Lose your Job.

10 Things to do After you Lose your Job.: Part Two of a Survivor?s Guide to your own Personal Black Swan Moment

Tips for Payroll Outsourcing

Tips for Payroll Outsourcing: Does your business use an outside payroll service?  Are you thinking of using one?

6 Ways To Give Family And Friends Financial Aid

6 Ways To Give Family And Friends Financial Aid: Between the stock market roller coaster and the announcement of massive layoffs at corporate giants like Bank of America, HSBC, Merck and Pfizer, those "lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" that Nat King Cole sang about disappointed a lot of people this year. As Fall approaches, plenty of folks are wondering how they're going to pay their bills.

Tips for Payroll Outsourcing

Tips for Payroll Outsourcing: Does your business use an outside payroll service?  Are you thinking of using one?

Three Ways to Think Big and Start Small

Three Ways to Think Big and Start Small: Taking the plunge into entrepreneurship is simultaneously exhilarating and paralyzing. If you?re like most entrepreneurs you?ve been living and breathing your business idea for what feels like forever, growing its potential in your head with each passing moment. And despite the anticipation and excitement, when the time comes for action, you feel stuck. Where do you even begin? How do you go about building an empire, changing an industry, or creating a legendary business?

Three Questions that Help Me Live a Fulfilling Life

Three Questions that Help Me Live a Fulfilling Life: I am on a plane with my wife Eleanor as we fly back from our once-a-year-without-children vacation. It was, for us, the perfect week. After years of planning vacations, we've finally figured out how to reliably create a meaningful, fun, fulfilling week.

What Do You Need for a Commercial Loan?

What Do You Need for a Commercial Loan?: Working with financial professionals across America, Sageworks has learned what business owners must do if they want to compete for a commercial loan.

10 Ways to Add Sizzle to Your Online Marketing

10 Ways to Add Sizzle to Your Online Marketing: These days every new entrepreneur understands that an innovative product or service is necessary, but not sufficient, to start a business. You have to build a web presence with marketing content to get visibility above the 50 million other new websites created every year, and attract the customers you need. But most entrepreneurs don?t know where to start.

Ten Myths About Social Networking For Business

Ten Myths About Social Networking For Business: Common misconceptions and what to do about them.

10 Common Money Wasters

10 Common Money Wasters

8 Telltale Signs of a Good or Bad Job Candidate

8 Telltale Signs of a Good or Bad Job Candidate: I've interviewed hundreds of job candidates over the years and have witnessed some of the best and worst behavior that has instantly affected a person's chances of getting the job.  Based on my experience talking to folks for open positions -- from entry to senior level -- here are some telltale signs that someone will make a good or bad hire.

Creating an Idea Culture

Creating an Idea Culture: Dave Trott is a legend and an advertising hero of the old school (not Don Draper old school). He has an uncanny knack of getting to the heart of the matter in a really engaging way. He writes that 89 percent of advertising is never noticed or remembered.

How to Build Credibility as a Young Entrepreneur

How to Build Credibility as a Young Entrepreneur: Five steps to make your business a success when experience is not on your side.

Get Clear On Winning: It's Personal!

Get Clear On Winning: It's Personal!: Last month I had the opportunity to speak at Microsoft?s annual Worldwide Partner Conference. As one of the featured business session speakers, I addressed a lively audience on two of my favorite subjects: the importance of getting clear on winning, and engaging employees in reaching the organization?s destination.

Driving Principles: Insights from Successful Entrepreneurs

Driving Principles: Insights from Successful Entrepreneurs: Looking for inspiration? You'll get it from the stories of these entrepreneurs who have turned challenges into opportunity.

How Do I Cut Through the Noise on Social Media?

How Do I Cut Through the Noise on Social Media?: Starr Hall on how to identify and research your target audience on social sites.

Does Your Home Business Need Insurance?

Does Your Home Business Need Insurance?: Here's a look at the most common types of coverage for home-based companies and what make sense for your business.

How to Connect Powerfully With People Using Body Language

How to Connect Powerfully With People Using Body Language: Body language -- good or bad -- can make or break a meeting, a conversation, a presentation.  Here's how to use it to connect powerfully with other people.  The podcast is just under 7 minutes and it's based on my book Trust Me:  Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma.  Enjoy!

How to Handle a Horrible Boss

How to Handle a Horrible Boss:

Video

KRON TV interviewed me on the body language of horrible bosses -- and what you can do about it. I'd love to hear from you. How have you handled a horrible boss?

Five Overlooked Legal Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make

Five Overlooked Legal Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make: When starting a business, details can get lost in the excitement of a new venture. Here are the top legal mistakes unwittingly made by new business owners -- and how to avoid them.

Zig Ziglar's Tips on Becoming Successful in Life

Zig Ziglar's Tips on Becoming Successful in Life: I recently spoke to Zig Ziglar, a motivational teacher and trainer who has traveled the world over, delivering his messages of humor, hope, and encouragement. As a talented author and speaker, his international appeal has transcended every color, culture, and career. Recognized by his peers as the quintessential motivational genius of our times, Zig Ziglar's unique delivery style and powerful messages have earned him many honors, and today he is considered one of the most versatile authorities on the science of human potential. 10 of his 28  books have been on the best-seller lists, and his titles have been translated into more than 38 languages and dialects. In this interview, he explains which sales tactics work most effectively, how to become a motivational speaker, and more.

How Unbeatable Is Your Resume? Q&A With Resume Expert Tony Beshara

How Unbeatable Is Your Resume? Q&A With Resume Expert Tony Beshara: I receive questions almost every week asking for tips on résumé writing so I decided to turn to one of the top recruiters in the United States for a discussion on how to build a résumé that will get you noticed, help you get interviews, and ultimately, get you hired.

How Small Businesses Can Reach Mom's Wallet

How Small Businesses Can Reach Mom's Wallet: The poor economy changed families' spending habits. Astute companies can use the shift to pick up new customers

Small Business Lessons from the Hottest Retailers

Small Business Lessons from the Hottest Retailers: Here's how some retailers managed to thrive despite the nation's economic malaise.

Startups, Avoid 10 Common Million-Dollar Mistakes

Startups, Avoid 10 Common Million-Dollar Mistakes: It?s a well-accepted axiom in the investor community that entrepreneurs learn more from their failures than their successes. Thus a well-explained startup failure often can actually improve your odds of funding in the next go-round. Yet, there is no doubt that the best strategy is to learn from someone else?s mistakes, so you can enjoy the millions that someone else lost in learning.

Build a Website That Drives More Business

Build a Website That Drives More Business: First, determine what your business does best, then develop a strategy for a site that will show clients why they should hire you, rather than your competition

7 Tips For A Better Retirement

7 Tips For A Better Retirement: What retirees can do now for a better retirement later.

When Buying a Shelf Corporation Doesn't Pay

When Buying a Shelf Corporation Doesn't Pay: As states streamline incorporation times, these business structures aren't necessary for most entrepreneurs seeking to start companies, consultants say

How to Divorce-Proof Your Company

How to Divorce-Proof Your Company: If your marriage is headed toward a breakup, these seven strategies can help protect your business if you end up in divorce court.

Three Tips to Start a Consulting Business

Three Tips to Start a Consulting Business: Ready to use your industry expertise to strike out on your own? Consider these tactics to get your business off to a successful start.

Why Letting Yourself Make Mistakes Means Making Fewer of Them

Why Letting Yourself Make Mistakes Means Making Fewer of Them: Think back to the last time your boss assigned you a new project or task at work, or the last time you tried to tackle something really difficult in your personal life.  How did it feel?  I?m guessing scary, right?

Sales: How to educate your clients

Sales: How to educate your clients: Chances are, you’ve got your firm’s value proposition down cold. You know the benefits that set you apart from the competition, and you know why you’re unique in the marketplace. But do you know how to make your customers understand that?

How NOT to Manage a Crisis

How NOT to Manage a Crisis
In the past three months, Representatives David Wu (D-Oregon) and Anthony Weiner (D-New York) were forced to resign their congressional seats for inappropriate sexual behavior. Although each man had a different form of misconduct, each of them had two factors in common that provide a striking lesson in crisis management:

How To Get A Job When You Don't Know Anyone

How To Get A Job When You Don't Know Anyone: Despite having more than a few people put in a word for me over the years, it turns out that every full-time job I?ve ever gotten has had zero to do with networking, having connections, knowing someone who knows someone, etc.  These non-networked jobs have included:

How to Build Brand Loyalty in a Digital Marketplace

How to Build Brand Loyalty in a Digital Marketplace
Cultivating, and then nurturing, brand loyalty have always been top priorities for marketers.

Are You Wasting Money on Management Training?

Are You Wasting Money on Management Training?
Most everyone would agree that the training and development of managers is a critical component of success for organizations ? especially if you believe that a stronger leadership team makes a competitive difference. Yet despite its importance, when times are tough, management training and development budgets are among the first to be cut as we saw during the financial crisis.  More often than not the reason behind this apparent contradiction is the lack of a clear connection between training and results. Without this connection, cost-conscious executives at best view management development as a "nice" but discretionary expense and at worst as unnecessary time off.

Great Ideas: Are you too smart to start a successful business?

Great Ideas: Are you too smart to start a successful business?: If you’re super smart, then logically you’d be the best possible candidate to launch a company, right? Maybe not. Investment banker and business strategist Carol Roth argues that you’ll probably find it harder to succeed than someone with less brainpower would

Ten E-mail Habits that Send Wrong Message

Ten E-mail Habits that Send Wrong Message

Selling Your Business 101

Selling Your Business 101: How to prepare so you’ll get the highest price when you sell your firm

5 Tips For Using Credit Cards Abroad

5 Tips For Using Credit Cards Abroad If you travel much outside the United States, it pays to be choosy about which credit cards you use abroad. Here are five key things to know about using credit cards in foreign countries. 1. Watch out for credit card foreign transaction fees. Don't be ...

How to Communicate Powerfully

How to Communicate Powerfully: In this, the 3rd podcast in the series from Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma, I focus on the 4 steps of the title -- how to align your body language and content for effective communication.  The podcast lasts about 5 minutes.  Enjoy!