With the global credit crunch being felt most strongly here at home, there’s no easier way to wrap your head around it than to get a basic idea of how compound interest works, especially as compared to simple interest. Compound interest is what causes some loan recipients to owe substantially more than they borrowed, and some people to earn way more than they invested.

The economic advantages of a good location mean less and less in today's economy. Many small business owners are unfortunately hampered by thinking that belongs more to main street suburban American in the 50s than to the new reality of wired small businesses, the most successful of which are using highly effective and low cost internet marketing and e-commerce strategies. I’ve compiled a list of what I consider are the core points to keep in mind when trying to compete in the global marketplace.

There are a number of effective and easily-implemented strategies that small businesses can use to survive rising commodity prices. I detail them here.

How do you hammer out a joint venture marketing campaign for an industry, such as artisan products, with so few precedents to follow? Adapting a joint marketing campaign for artisans from one for, say, a new media marketing company doesn't always make sense. In this article, I'll tell you how to craft a joint venture marketing campaign perfectly suited for the sensibility of the artisan community and market.

Negotiating a business deal doesn't have to be difficult. While not everyone has years of experience in negotiation or is blessed with natural negotiation skills, every business at one point or another will be involved in negotiations. This article takes a look at some basic strategies you can employ when entering a negotiated setting.

Brand identities are the core of any successful business. Branding builds a relationship with consumers, inspires loyalty, and creates long-term business, and the small business owner ignores branding at her or his own peril. While branding often seems prohibitively expensive, brand building on a budget for your small business is possible. In this article, I offer some simple and basic ideas about branding: covering corporate and brand identities and visual identities, branding strategies, brand origins, and the basics of how to brand.

Damage control press releases are an essential tool in crisis management and crisis communications. Here are guidelines for crafting a well-written, effective and direct press release as part of your crisis management plan.

What is Web 2.0 and how can Web 2.0 applications help a small business? Skepticism about new buzz-words like "Web 2.0" and e-hype seems prudent, especially after the dot-com crash, but neglecting Web 2.0 technologies and Web 2.0 benefits to your business can have a negative impact not only your business' growth, but also on your business' ability to compete. In this article, I'll give you an idea of how Web 2.0 technologies can add value to your business, improve efficiency, encourage co-operation and stimulate growth.

Request For Proposal (RFP) represents a unique opportunity to tap into lucrative revenue streams and to increase your company's profile within a market, but can seem confusing and full of unwarranted documentation. In this article, I'll go over the key elements you need to include when responding to Requests For Proposal (RFPs).

Venture capital is a great source of financing, and firms stimulate tremendous business growth and innovation in the economy through equity financing. Acquiring venture capital funding can mean the difference between converting ideas to new technologies, or an idea dying on the drawing board, and attracting venture capital investment can be daunting.

Manufacturers experienced a sharp reduction in orders in February as, for the 2nd month, business spending unexpectedly slipped.

Is the current rally of gold and other precious metals an indication of coming global inflation, or are weary investors simply opting for a conservative and prudent investing strategy in an unsure market by investing in precious metals?

There are many lessons to be learned on the importance of focus, a crucial element in all aspects of life: whether it be at work, at play, or even socially. What are some of the benefits?

Delegating, we all know we should do it, yet many of us find myriad reasons to avoid it. I even heard someone recently state that delegating is just a traditional management tool that doesn’t apply in his fast-paced world. He told me that he just wants everyone to roll up their sleeves and pitch in where they are needed... without prompting.

Reviewers Rating 4/5 Stars

You may have heard that if you drive a red car you are more likely to get a speeding or other traffic ticket. This is just one of the myths and urban legends that are believed about what effect the color of your car may have.

Reviewers Rating 3/5 Stars

I am often asked what is a reasonable fee to charge my clients. And on the opposite side of the coin – what should I expect to pay for a bookkeeper? A bookkeeper who is honest, trustworthy, reliable and knowledgeable is worth their weight in gold. You might find a good honest hard working person, but if they don’t have the knowledge and experience that you need then you only have part of the solution you are looking for.

Reviewers Rating 5/5 Stars

A client recently asked, "I don't have a formal marketing budget, so how much should our company spend on marketing?" There is no simple answer because all companies have different marketing goals, different target audiences and staffing varies for sales and marketing follow up.

Reviewers Rating 5/5 Stars

In my opinion anyone or any business that needs some name recognition in any manner should have a website. The Internet is taking over from the numerous yellow page directories that exist throughout North America and around the world. It has reached a point where the yellow pages are now using the Internet to deliver advertising for their subscribers.