The Pros and Cons of Facebook for Small Business
by Ira Wolfe Monday Feb 8, 2010A fear of Facebook by the business community and especially senior management is simultaneously irrational and prudent.
The Business Lesson in Scott Brown's Facebook Strategy
by Ira Wolfe Friday Feb 5, 2010Management can learn a few lessons why they need to move quickly and adeptly at integrating social media into their everyday communication strategy by reviewing current events. Just a few weeks ago, little-known Scott Brown beat heavily-favored Martha Coakley in the Massachusetts race for the late Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat, held by Democrats for 47 years. While the recession and Obama politics contributed to Brown’s win, they don’t account fully for his meteoric rise to Washington.
Who's Hiring Right Now
by Ira Wolfe Thursday Feb 4, 2010A few weeks ago, I predicted that job growth won't come from one company rehiring 10,000 laid-off employees, as has happened in the past. Instead, I said to watch for 10,000 small businesses to hire one employee. Well, I was wrong...sort of.
Can Facebook Save Toyota -- and Your Business?
by Ira Wolfe Monday Feb 1, 2010For good and bad reasons, many organizations are slow to get involved with social media. It’s a mistake — a big mistake. A wait-and-see attitude might have worked in the past, but it’s a clear indication how out of touch management is with what’s happening in their marketplace. One critical reason to start building a fan base on Facebook or followers on Twitter today is to have an attentive audience when you need them. To do that you need to be available when they need you, not when you decide the time is right. That might be too late.
A Free and Easy Way to Keep Tabs On Your Competition
by Ira Wolfe Friday Jan 29, 2010Do you know what your customers, competition or the media are saying about you? While social media like Facebook, Twitter and blogs are brilliant tools to convey a message and monitor what’s being said, the simplest way to get started on gathering market intelligence is Google Alerts.
Coming Soon to Your Business: A Leadership Crisis
by Ira Wolfe Thursday Jan 28, 2010Worried about your next generation of leaders? You’re not alone. According to a new survey about leadership skills from Pearson and Executive Development Associates Inc. (EDA), 57% of business executives said their leadership talent pipeline was the same or weaker today than it was two years ago. Seventy-five percent said increasing bench strength will be their top business priority for the next two to three years. Is this too little too effort?
Job Market of the Future: Startups With Zero Employees?
by Ira Wolfe Wednesday Jan 27, 2010When writing my monthly column for Business2Business, I included a statistic from a previous post about my prediction for jobs growth in 2010. “Unlike the economic recoveries in the past," I wrote, "we won’t see wholesale re-hiring of tens of thousands of people by a single company.
Why Facebook Apps Are Your Company's Friend, Not Foe
by Ira Wolfe Tuesday Jan 26, 2010Managers often cite popular video game applications like FarmVille, Mafia Wars, FishVille, and Happy Aquarium as justification for prohibiting Facebook at the office. Companies instead should embrace them as tools to attract and engage customers and employees.
The Big Lesson for All Managers in 'Tonight Show' Feud
by Ira Wolfe Monday Jan 25, 2010The unsuccessful hand-off of a business from one owner to another is so common these days that its mere mention likely brings an extended yawn to most people. Many of the failures have been attributed to too-little or too-late succession planning. But the failed hand-off from Jay Leno to Conan O’Brien has not only become fodder for business school case studies but headline news on Entertainment Tonight and The National Enquirer.
Hottest Jobs in 2020: Locapreneur? Metal Skin Consultant?
by Ira Wolfe Tuesday Jan 19, 2010What will you be doing for a living in 10 years? The chances are it won't be what you're doing now, and it may be something that doesn't yet exist. It's estimated that 22% to 29% of all U.S. jobs will be offshored within two decades. Ian Wylie, writing for the Guardian, suggests 20 jobs you might want to pursue if you’re planning ahead. Here are just a few of them:
