Expert Advice

Meet our on-site business experts, who help answer your questions about everything related to running a business - from managing and marketing to finance, sales, and IT. Here are their latest answers, articles, and other contributions.

Expert Answers

Creative Finance

When Credit is Tight, 'Factoring' Can Help

by Gary Honig Monday Feb 8, 2010

There are many types of commercial financing available to business owners. The most notable would be a term loan or line of credit from an institutional bank. But due to current economic conditions, banks may be unable to provide financing to certain businesses. Luckily, business owners are turning to an alternative for working capital called “factoring.”

Workforce Trends

The Pros and Cons of Facebook for Small Business

by Ira Wolfe Monday Feb 8, 2010

A fear of Facebook by the business community and especially senior management is simultaneously irrational and prudent. 

Power Performance

The Key to Great Employee Performance: Play to Strengths

by Jay Forte Monday Feb 8, 2010

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman calls great employees “untouchables” — they add significant value to become untouchable from layoffs.

Smart IT

4 Must-Reads About Computer Security

by Kevin Beaver Monday Feb 8, 2010

Here are some articles I've written recently which cover storage security, laptop and mobile security and encryption — all of which likely affect your business:

The Health Care Maze

Health Care Reform: Too Little, Too Slow

by Bruce Phillips Monday Feb 8, 2010

Where does President Obama's call for a bipartisan meeting to jump-start stalled health care legislation leave small business owners? Still twisting in the wind.

Workforce Trends

The Business Lesson in Scott Brown's Facebook Strategy

by Ira Wolfe Friday Feb 5, 2010

Management 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.

The Health Care Maze

A $5K Tax Credit Doesn't Work Without Health Care Reform

by Bruce Phillips Thursday Feb 4, 2010

President Obama wants to give a $5,000 tax credit to every small business that creates a new job. Meanwhile, health care reform or no, medical insurance premiums are rising. What kind of incentive is that for an already-struggling business to expand its payrolls? Therein lies the small business conundrum amid the great jobs creation debate. What good is $5,000 when health care costs are sucking away at any savings?

Workforce Trends

Who's Hiring Right Now

by Ira Wolfe Thursday Feb 4, 2010

A 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.

Smart IT

How to Protect Against Your Biggest Security Threat -- Your Employees

by Kevin Beaver Thursday Feb 4, 2010

As a small business manager, have you thought about the importance of security policies that outline what your employees can and cannot do on company computers? After all, there is a real insider threat you cannot ignore. When all else fails, you've got an incident response situation on your hands. Interestingly, all three things are often overlooked — sometimes intentionally.

Smart IT

2 Signs Your IT Manager Needs to Go

by Kevin Beaver Thursday Feb 4, 2010

I just read Jay Forte's great post, "Checklist: Are You Settling for Second-Place Employees?," on his Power Performance blog on Bizmore and thought...Great, I'm not the only person seeing this!

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