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Jim Collins: How to Thrive in 2009
By Bo Burlingham | Apr 1, 2009 Inc. Magazine
As part of our (Inc. Magazine’s) 30th-anniversary issue, Inc. asked Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and Built to Last, what we might expect in the next 30 years. His answer: uncertainty, chaos, turbulence, and risk. In other words, it’s not a bad time to be an entrepreneur.
Engaged Employees for Increased Productivity
In comparing job performance differences between unionized and non-unionized employees, researchers with Gallup Inc. found minimal differences in productivity. However, they did find differences based on whether the company had highly engaged employees. When the basic needs of employees are met in the workplace, these employees are more involved and enthusiastic. “They are more productive, innovative, inclusive, and aligned with the objectives of the overall organization.” For the full article, go to the Gallup Management Journal, Employee Engagement and Labor Relations, 10 September 2009.
Serial Entrepreneur Reveals His 17 Start-up Mistakes
A seasoned entrepreneur reveals the 17 most common mistakes start-ups make and how to avoid them — plus, the 5 things you must do to ensure success.
By: Mark Henricks, Entrepreneur Magazine, February 2004.
A seasoned entrepreneur reveals the 17 most common mistakes startups make and how to avoid them — plus, the 5 things you must do to ensure success. John Osher has developed hundreds of consumer products, including an electric toothbrush that became America’s best-selling toothbrush in just 15 months. He also started several successful companies, including Cap Toys. He built sales to $125 million per year and then sold the company to Hasbro Inc. in 1997. But his most lasting contribution to the business world just may be a list of screw-ups he jotted on the back of a piece of paper. Read more
How to Speed up Your Mail
Follow these guidelines to avoid postal errors and speed up your outgoing delivery.
- Include only the city, state and ZIP+4 code on the last line of the address. In particular, make sure that nothing is placed beneath the ZIP code. Most mail is scanned by machines these days, and if phone numbers or business codes are written beneath the ZIP code, the machines may misread the address, possibly slowing delivery. If you’re ordering or designing mailing labels, check to be certain that they conform to the above points. Read more
Managing your Household and Business During a Recession
Visit Managing in Tough Times for tips and ideas on how to save money for your home and business. The website features resources explaining money-saving tactics to stretch your grocery dollars, trim your family budget and make your home more energy efficient. Apply the same tactics to decrease your business expenses by weather stripping, turning off lights in vacant rooms or powering down electronic equipment when not in use.