Disrupting Auto Finance

Last year, I woke up to the sleeping giant of auto finance. Over the last decade, we’ve witnessed an explosion of startups building software that dramatically cuts inefficiencies in the exchange of information, goods, and services – disrupting industry incumbents in the process. In the last year, Silicon Valley is

Start-up Stock Exchange: Covering The Funding Gap

Funding remains one of the biggest issues facing entrepreneurs. A recent survey by consutlancy, EY found that 55% of entrepreneurs consider it to be the biggest hurdle - over other problems such as uncertainty of income (37%) or market conditions (6%).

How to Create Content That Drives Lots of Organic Traffic

Have you ever wondered why some types of content generate lots of search traffic and others don't? I too was wondering about that, so I started to look for patterns and analyze competing blogs. What I found was interesting - so interesting that I decided to create an infographic to illustrate my findings. If you want  [click to continue...]

Inside AirBnB: How They Think About And Create Amazing Workspaces

Chances are you have heard of AirBnB, the company that lets you rent lodging and accommodations directly from other people instead of staying at a hotel. Based in San Francisco AirBnB has one of the most unique offices I have seen. Upon entering their headquarters you find yourself in a giant five story sunlit atrium with accented with wooden beams and flooring. Once you take the elevator up and exit into their actual offices you find wide open space, carts of homemade gluten free healthy desserts being pushed around, a few dogs sitting by their owners, and rows of employees sitting side by side working together. You also see many conference rooms where employees can go to meet or get some quiet time if they need it. Each conference room is designed to look like one of their unique listings that someone has actually put up on AirBnB. On one of the floors you find a massive kitchen area where employees are given high quality meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, prepared  by their on-site chefs. I ate there and the food rivals what you would expect to find at any casual dining restaurant in the Bay Area. The average age the company is somewhere in the mid 20's.

Advice To Learn About Using Solar Energy

Your lack of knowledge on solar energy might be stopping you from installing a system. There are many things you need to know before you begin so that you’re able to get the full benefit of solar energy. Read the below article to expand your knowledge on the subject. Start small when you want to ...

Men's Site Offers Bloggers A New Way To Make A Living

Many bloggers dream of creating a site with the reach of Perez Hilton, Timothy Sykes or Dooce, but, as they often discover, it's not as easy as it looks. It often takes months to start bringing in revenue, and many bloggers don't earn a full-time living.

Antares Failure Casts Doubt On U.S. Commercial Launch Strategy

As Orbital Sciences Corporation looks for clues to Tuesday’s catastrophic failure of its Antares launcher, three independent industry insiders tell Forbes that the blame squarely rests on one of two of the rocket’s Soviet-era engines.

Britain's Small Businesses Face Pensions Disaster

Many of Britain's small businesses have no hope of complying with legislation that requires them to offer staff pension plans

Generation Selfie And How Entrepreneurs Are Cashing In

Snapping selfies has become a national pastime, with everyone from PaulMcCartney and Warren Buffet to Ellen DeGeneres getting in on the act (sometimes unintentionally). Not everyone is a huge fan of the trend, as many folks don’t truly want to see people they know deliver multiple personalized updates about every little thing they do each day. However, the selfie fulfills a basic need in a lot of people, even if it’s a narcissistic one. Part of the reason for the rise in apps like Instagram, Vine and Snapchat, is the selfie. Even more addicting, those programs have filters that can change a picture’s coloring to match it more to the desires of the people who took it.

7 Ways Harry Potter Conjured Silicon Valley

Without Harry Potter, Silicon Valley would not be what it is today. It might seem like a fantastical claim, but a close look at the seven tomes that filled our childhoods with wonder reveals just how much Harry Potter might have impacted our adulthoods, too. The millennials that run Silicon Valley today were Harry

Everything You Need To Know About The Internet Of Things

A few months ago I wrote a post called, A Simple Explanation Of The Internet Of Things where I tried to provide some clarity around what this new connected world means for all of us. In the article I mentioned some of the driving forces behind this.

Leader Argues For Impact Investing

As we look closer at where the leaders are in the impact investing world, we're finding more evidence that high-net-worth families and individuals are among those who have the greatest experience in the space.

Do You Have What It Takes To Start Over?

Starting over comes down to making a key decision: do you remain a bystander as the changes in your life unfold before your very eyes, or do you make decisions and participate? Are you really too old to change, too defeated to act, or too tired to do anything? Or, are you ready to start over in new ways?

Could Unlimited Vacation Time Work For Your Company?

Richard Branson does it. Netflix, Groupon, and Evernote do it. Should you?

Freakshow – A New Video Show Coming Soon

I’m pretty excited to announce a new project I’m doing with the legendary Grant Cardone on his Whatever it Takes Network. It’s called Freakshow and it’s a video show about entrepreneurship but often from the perspective of some extraordinary types you wouldn’t normally get a chance to sit down with and talk business. If you […]

Learn Everything You Need To Know About Solar Energy

Saving the environment while reducing the amount you spend on energy are both important. As time passes, electricity costs will rise, meaning you should look into solar energy. This article will tell you more about solar power. When you maintain it, your solar power set-up will last. Inspect and clean your panels on a regular ...

The Surprising Spooky Secret to Enduring Success Habits

Are you addicted to productivity advice? I was, for a long time. I bought every system, book, and blueprint out there. I had a very spiffy David Allen-inspired GTD process that was only 642 steps long and took a mere 3 hours a day to implement (during which time I wasn’t actually, you know, getting

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The Ultimate Content Marketing Checklist: 40 Questions to Ask Yourself before Publishing Your Next Blog Post

The beautiful part about content marketing is that it can bring you thousands of social shares, new email subscribers, and tons of comments, but only if your blog posts are masterpieces and you do content marketing right. But content marketing has so many elements to it that it’s really easy to forget them, right? To help  [click to continue...]

The Definitive Guide To LinkedIn Groups For Marketing

Creating a LinkedIn profile is just scratching the surface of the B2B social networking platform’s potential; LinkedIn has become an essential networking and marketing tool for business professionals. Whether you’re a marketer or an entrepreneur, it’s important to establish a presence on LinkedIn. But then what?

Five Ways To Navigate The Sale Of Your Company

More likely than not, a successful start-up business will capture the attention of a larger corporation. If you are in the market to sell, your preparation ahead of time can make all of the difference when that time comes.

A Bad Boss Can Make You Sick...Literally!

Life is short but apparently it can become a lot shorter if you spend your days dealing with a bad boss. In a recent study performed by Keas.com they found that 77% of employees experienced physical symptoms of stress from bad bosses and workers who had inconsiderate or uncommunicative managers were 60% more likely to suffer heart trauma.  An Inc. study cited that workers who have poor relationships with their bosses are 30% more likely to suffer coronary heart disease. That’s right people, your bad boss could quite literally be making you sick!

A Bad Boss Can Make You Sick...Literally!

Life is short but apparently it can become a lot shorter if you spend your days dealing with a bad boss. In a recent study performed by Keas.com they found that 77% of employees experienced physical symptoms of stress from bad bosses and workers who had inconsiderate or uncommunicative managers were 60% more likely to suffer heart trauma.  An Inc. study cited that workers who have poor relationships with their bosses are 30% more likely to suffer coronary heart disease. That’s right people, your bad boss could quite literally be making you sick!

Immigrant Investor Programs Should Be Used To Aid Our Crumbling Infrastructure

A recent report from Credit Suisse says that there are 128,200 ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals in the world. These are people whose net worth exceeds $50 million. According to the report, that number is up from 98,700 a year ago. The report adds:

Among individual countries, the United States leads by a huge margin with 62,800 UHNW adults, equivalent to 49% of the group total. This represents an increase of 9,500 compared to mid-2013, an astonishing rise for a single year – more than the total number of UHNW residents in China, which occupies second place with 7,600 residents (6% of the global total). The United Kingdom gained the second largest number of UHNW individuals (up 1,300 to 4,700) consolidating fourth place, behind Germany (5,500), but ahead of France (4,100). Taiwan (2,000) and Korea (1,900) each added about 550, while Brazil (1,900), Canada (2600) and Hong Kong (1,500) gained 200 apiece. The numbers for Russia (2,800) and India (1,800) were almost unchanged.

A number of my immigration colleagues see these UHNW people as potential investors who might be interested in immigration options. I agree.

Immigrant Investor Programs Should Be Used To Aid Our Crumbling Infrastructure

A recent report from Credit Suisse says that there are 128,200 ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals in the world. These are people whose net worth exceeds $50 million. According to the report, that number is up from 98,700 a year ago. The report adds:

Among individual countries, the United States leads by a huge margin with 62,800 UHNW adults, equivalent to 49% of the group total. This represents an increase of 9,500 compared to mid-2013, an astonishing rise for a single year – more than the total number of UHNW residents in China, which occupies second place with 7,600 residents (6% of the global total). The United Kingdom gained the second largest number of UHNW individuals (up 1,300 to 4,700) consolidating fourth place, behind Germany (5,500), but ahead of France (4,100). Taiwan (2,000) and Korea (1,900) each added about 550, while Brazil (1,900), Canada (2600) and Hong Kong (1,500) gained 200 apiece. The numbers for Russia (2,800) and India (1,800) were almost unchanged.

A number of my immigration colleagues see these UHNW people as potential investors who might be interested in immigration options. I agree.

Puerto Rico's Utility Siblings Prep For Subsidy Fight

By Suneet Chandvani and Simone Baribeau

Puerto Rico's Utility Siblings Prep For Subsidy Fight

By Suneet Chandvani and Simone Baribeau

The 5-Step Process for Writing an About Page that Connects (and Converts)

Although it seems like a natural place on your website to talk about yourself, a strong About page is really about empathy for your visitors. When you write an effective About page, you dig into your readers’ minds and then communicate that you have what they need or want. And you can’t afford to follow

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The 5-Step Process for Writing an About Page that Connects (and Converts)

Although it seems like a natural place on your website to talk about yourself, a strong About page is really about empathy for your visitors. When you write an effective About page, you dig into your readers’ minds and then communicate that you have what they need or want. And you can’t afford to follow

[ Continue Reading... ]

The post The 5-Step Process for Writing an About Page that Connects (and Converts) appeared first on Copyblogger.

Worries Aplenty for BG Group and BP

Two FTSE 100 oil and gas majors – BP and BG Group – have come out with quarterly results narrating a tale of woes above all else. Starting with BP, alongside continuing fallout from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, it now has a growing Russian worry to contend with as market engagement there is getting clobbered by Western sanctions on the Kremlin.

NBA Season Tips Off Debate On The Future Of Broadcast Television

The writing is on the wall that TV as we have come to know and love it is headed for a disintermediation at the hands of streaming media.

Controversial U.S. Sports Gambling Law Turns 22 Today

Today marks the twenty-second anniversary of President George H.W. Bush signing into law the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act -- the very act cited by a U.S. District Court on Friday to prohibit the State of New Jersey from allowing sports gambling at its Monmouth County racetrack.

Controversial U.S. Sports Gambling Law Turns 22 Today

Today marks the twenty-second anniversary of President George H.W. Bush signing into law the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act -- the very act cited by a U.S. District Court on Friday to prohibit the State of New Jersey from allowing sports gambling at its Monmouth County racetrack.

Does A Vitaminwater A Day Keep The Doctor Away?

Remember the old saying, “A Vitaminwater a day keeps the doctor away”? Neither do we.

After Revolv and Smart Things, What's Next For Smart Home Acquisitions?

A couple of the highest profile smart home startups have been snapped up in recent months by Samsung and Nest/Google. Who and what's next on the smart home acquisition front?

After Revolv and Smart Things, What's Next For Smart Home Acquisitions?

A couple of the highest profile smart home startups have been snapped up in recent months by Samsung and Nest/Google. Who and what's next on the smart home acquisition front?

When the Thrill Is Gone: 4 Ways to Bring Passion Back to Your Business

Ever hear of the “seven year itch,” that point when a marriage supposedly starts to feel stale? It can happen with businesses, too. After you’ve run a company for several years, it’s easy for the passion to start to drain from both you and your team—and that can harm productivity.

When the Thrill Is Gone: 4 Ways to Bring Passion Back to Your Business

Ever hear of the “seven year itch,” that point when a marriage supposedly starts to feel stale? It can happen with businesses, too. After you’ve run a company for several years, it’s easy for the passion to start to drain from both you and your team—and that can harm productivity.

Do Comments Actually Increase Your Search Traffic? A Data-Driven Answer

Theoretically, the more content you have on each page, the more keywords you rank for, which should increase your overall traffic. That should mean the more comments you have on each of your blog posts, the more search traffic you should receive, right? Although it sounds logical, I am not convinced it is actually the case.  [click to continue...]

Do Comments Actually Increase Your Search Traffic? A Data-Driven Answer

Theoretically, the more content you have on each page, the more keywords you rank for, which should increase your overall traffic. That should mean the more comments you have on each of your blog posts, the more search traffic you should receive, right? Although it sounds logical, I am not convinced it is actually the case.  [click to continue...]

The Amazingly Simple Anatomy of a Meaningful Marketing Story [Infographic]

Think about it. Apple. Dos Equis. Old Spice. Procter & Gamble. Ram Trucks. Jack Link’s Beef Jerky. GEICO. GoDaddy. At some point, all these companies told compelling stories that grabbed our attention — and held it. Not just for thirty seconds, but longer. And as they repeated their stories over and over again, they got under our skin. Through simple stories,

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The post The Amazingly Simple Anatomy of a Meaningful Marketing Story [Infographic] appeared first on Copyblogger.

Advantages Of Using Solar Mirror To Produce Power

Did you know that solar power is a renewable, clean and cheap source of energy? Once the mystique is removed from the idea of using solar mirror to produce power people will began to understand how it all works. This will lead to people seeing how using solar mirror to produce power can be looked ...

The Coffee Economy That Bloomed In Rural Mexico

How did a world-class coffee region arise out of a land once decimated by smallpox and measles?

FATCA Envy Spreads Across Hemisphere

Thanks to FATCA (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), the IRS is now receiving important data on formerly hidden bank accounts, but tax administrators in other countries aren't so fortunate. Their enforcement efforts are stymied by a lack of information on offshore income. As the current spat between Colombia and Panama illustrates, revenue officials around the world are being stricken by a strange new condition: FATCA envy.

The Scariest Things You Could Hear From Your Customer

Any one of these statements can haunt a small business for years. The trick: Avoid hearing them, which requires staying keenly in tune with every move the customer makes. The treat: Sustained, profitable business relationships!

The Scariest Things You Could Hear From Your Customer

Any one of these statements can haunt a small business for years. The trick: Avoid hearing them, which requires staying keenly in tune with every move the customer makes. The treat: Sustained, profitable business relationships!

Not All VCs Are Evil!

"Not all VCs are evil!" says leading Business Angel David Cleevely.

Not All VCs Are Evil!

"Not all VCs are evil!" says leading Business Angel David Cleevely.

How Data Nourishes Agile Marketing At Kraft Foods

This approach, which Kraft is calling Agile Marketing, is the ability to flex with the consumer and to manage precision by getting to the consumers with the right message and the right medium at the right moment. It means moving from buying broad-based demographic targets to buying individual consumers in a manner agnostic to the medium.

How Data Nourishes Agile Marketing At Kraft Foods

This approach, which Kraft is calling Agile Marketing, is the ability to flex with the consumer and to manage precision by getting to the consumers with the right message and the right medium at the right moment. It means moving from buying broad-based demographic targets to buying individual consumers in a manner agnostic to the medium.

Will China Fund the World's Next Round of Economic Expansion?

This is a guest post by Shrey Verma, a graduate student at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. You can follow him on Twitter at @shrey7.

Will China Fund the World's Next Round of Economic Expansion?

This is a guest post by Shrey Verma, a graduate student at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. You can follow him on Twitter at @shrey7.

National Organization For Marriage - No Recovery Of Attorney Fees In Case Against IRS

Video

Judge James C. Cacheris has ruled last week  (10/16/14) that the National Organization for Marriage is not entitled to the nearly $700,000 in legal fees that it was seeking in connection with its suit against the IRS, which was decided by Judge Cacheris on June 3, 2014.  (Decisions are in the

National Organization For Marriage - No Recovery Of Attorney Fees In Case Against IRS

Video

Judge James C. Cacheris has ruled last week  (10/16/14) that the National Organization for Marriage is not entitled to the nearly $700,000 in legal fees that it was seeking in connection with its suit against the IRS, which was decided by Judge Cacheris on June 3, 2014.  (Decisions are in the

Is Your Company Bleeding Knowledge?

In the world of business, knowledge is currency. And, like currency, knowledge can seem scarce when you need it most — unless you’ve got something in the bank.

Is Your Company Bleeding Knowledge?

In the world of business, knowledge is currency. And, like currency, knowledge can seem scarce when you need it most — unless you’ve got something in the bank.

Starting Up, Then And Now: Why Branson Believes Business Life Is Better Today

Did start-up founders have it easier a decade ago?

Starting Up, Then And Now: Why Branson Believes Business Life Is Better Today

Did start-up founders have it easier a decade ago?

Dolce & Gabbana Cleared Of Tax Evasion, Could Help Lionel Messi Trial

Dolce & Gabbana Are Ruled Innocent of Tax Evasion, Which Could Help Embattled Footballer Lionel Messi, Still Facing Trial In Spain, Even If it's Too Late to Help Wesley Snipes.

Dolce & Gabbana Cleared Of Tax Evasion, Could Help Lionel Messi Trial

Dolce & Gabbana Are Ruled Innocent of Tax Evasion, Which Could Help Embattled Footballer Lionel Messi, Still Facing Trial In Spain, Even If it's Too Late to Help Wesley Snipes.

Skateboard Company Declares War On Bullying

Bullying in the United States has taken center stage in recent years with evidence coming to light that youth who are bullied experience increases in mental health issues, negative physical performance, poor school performance, depression, anxiety and changes to eating and sleeping patterns. In contrast, those who bully are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs, have criminal convictions and engage in other risky behaviors that endanger themselves. Whether bullied or bullying, it is clear that youth who are impacted by these behaviors lack feelings of self worth and self-value that all youth should know. Further, the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice’s - whose name alone indicates the direct relationship between mental health and incarceration in youth – estimates that up to 70% of youth in the justice system have a diagnosable mental health disorder, and often no support at home. These disorders, lack of resources, low-income households and poor family structure can express themselves in many ways from depression to violence to bullying.

Skateboard Company Declares War On Bullying

Bullying in the United States has taken center stage in recent years with evidence coming to light that youth who are bullied experience increases in mental health issues, negative physical performance, poor school performance, depression, anxiety and changes to eating and sleeping patterns. In contrast, those who bully are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs, have criminal convictions and engage in other risky behaviors that endanger themselves. Whether bullied or bullying, it is clear that youth who are impacted by these behaviors lack feelings of self worth and self-value that all youth should know. Further, the National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice’s - whose name alone indicates the direct relationship between mental health and incarceration in youth – estimates that up to 70% of youth in the justice system have a diagnosable mental health disorder, and often no support at home. These disorders, lack of resources, low-income households and poor family structure can express themselves in many ways from depression to violence to bullying.

Switzerland Set To Greedily Grab Gold

On November 30th the Swiss will be asked to vote on boosting the share of central reserves devoted to gold. Opinion polls indicate they will vote yes.

Switzerland Set To Greedily Grab Gold

On November 30th the Swiss will be asked to vote on boosting the share of central reserves devoted to gold. Opinion polls indicate they will vote yes.

How Customer Service Experts Like Apple, Virgin, Zingerman's Bend Time

It's no secret that customer expectations for speed have accelerated. (Almost daily, it seems.) However: there are instances where you can’t increase your speed of customer service, your delivery of your product, the deliverables of the customer experience. The reality of such situations is that customer expectations have rushed ahead of what you, being a reality-based business, can provide.

How Customer Service Experts Like Apple, Virgin, Zingerman's Bend Time

It's no secret that customer expectations for speed have accelerated. (Almost daily, it seems.) However: there are instances where you can’t increase your speed of customer service, your delivery of your product, the deliverables of the customer experience. The reality of such situations is that customer expectations have rushed ahead of what you, being a reality-based business, can provide.

5 Ways To Avoid Danger Through Communication And Change The World

“You will do as I say!!!” my investor screamed at me. When I was younger, I influenced him to invest $10 million into my startup business. I was looking to raise another $5 million.

5 Ways To Avoid Danger Through Communication And Change The World

“You will do as I say!!!” my investor screamed at me. When I was younger, I influenced him to invest $10 million into my startup business. I was looking to raise another $5 million.

10 Ways To Lose Friends And Alienate Coworkers With Bad Mobile Behavior

10 Ways To Lose Friends And Alienate Coworkers With Bad Mobile Behavior

How to Get Your First 1,000 Blog Readers

Do you know what the hardest part about blogging is? It isn’t writing content or growing your traffic. So, what is it? The hardest part about blogging is getting that initial traction… Sure, you can get your first 100 readers by hitting up your friends and family, but it won’t be sustainable. What you need  [click to continue...]

On the RiskMap Radar: Ebola's Impact, Lower Oil Prices and Brazil Votes

LONDON and NEW YORK – As global fears escalate over the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, companies are beginning to take stock over what the public health crisis means for their business operations. A few months ago West Africa’s emerging markets were darlings for frontier investors. But already the countries have taken a tremendous economic hit.

On the RiskMap Radar: Ebola's Impact, Lower Oil Prices and Brazil Votes

LONDON and NEW YORK – As global fears escalate over the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, companies are beginning to take stock over what the public health crisis means for their business operations. A few months ago West Africa’s emerging markets were darlings for frontier investors. But already the countries have taken a tremendous economic hit.

LOOKING FOR PERSONAL FINANCE INFO? LOOK NO FURTHER!

The majority of people today have not been properly educated in managing their personal finances. In this article, you will learn lifelong money management tips. Find out how to make the most of your budget and supplement your income.

Knowing how to handle your finances will make you more victorious. Find things to invest your profits in and save what you need. If you are able to properly manage your profits, you will see a return from your investment. Fixing a firm ratio between profit and reinvestment will help you keep a handle on your money.

One way to improve your finances is to refuse to pay full price for anything. Saving with coupons should be more important to you than brand loyalty. As an example, if Tide has normally been your detergent of choice, but Gain has a $3 off coupon available, choose the money savings.

A credit repair company may guarantee they can improve your credit report, don’t believe them. A lot of companies out there make vague statements about how they will repair your credit history. This isn’t even possible, since every individual has different credit issues. Not one person or company can promise a favorable outcome and to say differently is fraudulent.

Having a garage sale is a great way to make some spending money and also rid the house of clutter. You may even want to consider offering your neighbors the opportunity to consign their unwanted things that you could sell at your yard sale for a small portion of the price. Get creative with your garage sale.

Now that you are more knowledgeable about your money, you can apply these tips to avoid wasting your chance to make things better. Save your money using a method that will earn you more money back than a simple savings account.

LOOKING FOR PERSONAL FINANCE INFO? LOOK NO FURTHER!

The majority of folks today have not been properly educated in managing their personal finances. In this article, you will learn lifelong money management tips. Find out how to make the most of your budget and supplement your income.

Knowing how to handle your finances will make you more victorious. Find things to invest your profits in and save what you need. If you are able to properly manage your profits, you will see a return from your investment. Fixing a firm ratio between profit and reinvestment will help you keep a handle on your money.

One way to improve your finances is to refuse to pay full price for anything. Saving with coupons should be more important to you than brand loyalty. As an example, if Tide has normally been your detergent of choice, but Gain has a $3 off coupon available, choose the money savings.

A credit repair company may guarantee they can improve your credit report, don’t believe them. A lot of companies out there make vague statements about how they will repair your credit history. This isn’t even possible, since every individual has different credit issues. Not one person or company can promise a favorable outcome and to say differently is fraudulent.

Having a garage sale is a great way to make some spending money and also rid the house of clutter. You may even want to consider offering your neighbors the opportunity to consign their unwanted things that you could sell at your yard sale for a small portion of the price. Get creative with your garage sale.

Now that you are more knowledgeable about your money, you can apply these tips to avoid wasting your chance to make things better. Save your money using a method that will earn you more money back than a simple savings account.

The Inefficiency In Law Nobody Talks About

There was a time when tapping collective wisdom simply meant consulting your immediate circle of trusted confidantes. Oh, how the times have changed. Over the last decade crowdsourcing has revolutionized almost every field of knowledge sharing. Naysayers scoffed at replacing expensive encyclopedias written by experts with free online articles by the public, but now Wikipedia is the top source of information in the world. We consult Yelp before choosing a restaurant, check traffic conditions on Waze, and scour Amazon reviews before buying a product. In each case, crowdsourcing improved the quality of information because it was based on firsthand knowledge and a diversity of perspectives, quality-controlled by the wisdom of the community. And in each case, crowdsourcing made valuable information free to the public. In spite of its proven success in other fields, crowdsourcing has been virtually nonexistent in law. Attorneys treat legal research like a solitary endeavor, nevermind the fact that the research experience would be fuller and the understanding of legal issues deeper if they had access to analysis from other lawyers with relevant experience. This void cuts to the core of legal practice: litigation associates spend roughly one-third of their time doing legal research. That means hundreds of thousands of lawyers across the country spend countless hours developing insight and expertise about issues relevant to their clients, without a mechanism to leverage that knowledge for broader use. It’s one of the biggest market inefficiencies in law that nobody talks about. Crowdsourcing has the potential to be a disruptive innovation in law. It can help attorneys do their jobs better and more efficiently by building on the expertise of the legal community. And in the process the public, for whom law is often frustratingly opaque, gains access not only to free legal documents, but to analysis that helps put the law into broader context.

The Inefficiency In Law Nobody Talks About

There was a time when tapping collective wisdom simply meant consulting your immediate circle of trusted confidantes. Oh, how the times have changed. Over the last decade crowdsourcing has revolutionized almost every field of knowledge sharing. Naysayers scoffed at replacing expensive encyclopedias written by experts with free online articles by the public, but now Wikipedia is the top source of information in the world. We consult Yelp before choosing a restaurant, check traffic conditions on Waze, and scour Amazon reviews before buying a product. In each case, crowdsourcing improved the quality of information because it was based on firsthand knowledge and a diversity of perspectives, quality-controlled by the wisdom of the community. And in each case, crowdsourcing made valuable information free to the public. In spite of its proven success in other fields, crowdsourcing has been virtually nonexistent in law. Attorneys treat legal research like a solitary endeavor, nevermind the fact that the research experience would be fuller and the understanding of legal issues deeper if they had access to analysis from other lawyers with relevant experience. This void cuts to the core of legal practice: litigation associates spend roughly one-third of their time doing legal research. That means hundreds of thousands of lawyers across the country spend countless hours developing insight and expertise about issues relevant to their clients, without a mechanism to leverage that knowledge for broader use. It’s one of the biggest market inefficiencies in law that nobody talks about. Crowdsourcing has the potential to be a disruptive innovation in law. It can help attorneys do their jobs better and more efficiently by building on the expertise of the legal community. And in the process the public, for whom law is often frustratingly opaque, gains access not only to free legal documents, but to analysis that helps put the law into broader context.

How The Motley Fool Became Glassdoor's No. 1 Place To Work In America

You may have heard of The Motley Fool. It provides financial advice and guidance to many people around the world. You would think that any company in the financial space would be conservative, buttoned-up and down right working in the '80's. Not so! In fact, The Motley Fool is the only company I have spoken with or have heard of that actually has a chief collaboration officer. So, that's who I spoke with on this latest episode of The Future of Work Podcast, Todd Etter. Recently, Glassdoor ranked The Motley Fool as the No. 1 company in America to work for based on their size (around 300+ people), so I wanted to learn what Todd and his team were doing to create such a desirable place to work, and to give you a hint, it as nothing to do with remote working. In fact The Motley Fool hardly has any remote workers at all, and everyone comes into the office.

How The Motley Fool Became Glassdoor's No. 1 Place To Work In America

You may have heard of The Motley Fool. It provides financial advice and guidance to many people around the world. You would think that any company in the financial space would be conservative, buttoned-up and down right working in the '80's. Not so! In fact, The Motley Fool is the only company I have spoken with or have heard of that actually has a chief collaboration officer. So, that's who I spoke with on this latest episode of The Future of Work Podcast, Todd Etter. Recently, Glassdoor ranked The Motley Fool as the No. 1 company in America to work for based on their size (around 300+ people), so I wanted to learn what Todd and his team were doing to create such a desirable place to work, and to give you a hint, it as nothing to do with remote working. In fact The Motley Fool hardly has any remote workers at all, and everyone comes into the office.

2014's Best Corporate Holiday Gifts For Professional Women

Corporate gift giving is on the rise as the economy is growing more quickly than in years past. Gift giving slumped from 2008 through 2012, but in 2013, many merchants in the trenches saw their best year yet. Even more promising, 2014 is on target to surpass last year. Here are a few more gifting trends to share and then let?s dive into my curated suggestions of hot gifts for working women this year.

2014's Best Corporate Holiday Gifts For Professional Women

Corporate gift giving is on the rise as the economy is growing more quickly than in years past. Gift giving slumped from 2008 through 2012, but in 2013, many merchants in the trenches saw their best year yet. Even more promising, 2014 is on target to surpass last year. Here are a few more gifting trends to share and then let?s dive into my curated suggestions of hot gifts for working women this year.

Meet The Woman Who's Using 3D Printing To Make Your Shoes Cool And Comfortable

Technology is sexy. Orthotics, those inserts you put in your shoes to fix your hurting feet, aren’t even close to being sexy. But what happens when you bring in a wicked-smart woman, an iPad and a 3D printer to solve the problem of design versus comfort? You disrupt an industry and sexy happens.

Meet The Woman Who's Using 3D Printing To Make Your Shoes Cool And Comfortable

Technology is sexy. Orthotics, those inserts you put in your shoes to fix your hurting feet, aren’t even close to being sexy. But what happens when you bring in a wicked-smart woman, an iPad and a 3D printer to solve the problem of design versus comfort? You disrupt an industry and sexy happens.

Focus on These 4 Steps to Harness the Addictive Power of Email (And Turn Your Traffic Into Business)

Are you working your butt off to run your business, but you still feel like you’re not making enough progress? In addition to building a social following, writing weekly blog posts, and managing your client load, perhaps you’d also love to develop digital products or write a book. But it’s difficult to find the time

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'Do You Like Free Money?' Palmer Luckey's Secrets To Success

A conversation with the 22-year-old inventor of the Oculus Rift.

'Do You Like Free Money?' Palmer Luckey's Secrets To Success

A conversation with the 22-year-old inventor of the Oculus Rift.

Practicing entrepreneurship: Part 4- creation and creativity

This is part 4 of our mini-blog series and I focus on the practice of creation and creativity. My colleague Heidi Neck http://www.babson.edu/academics/faculty/profiles/pages/neck-heidi.aspx launched this series by pointing out that entrepreneurship is about “acting and doing”, and that there are five distinct practices entrepreneurs can engage in to learn entrepreneurship. http://www.forbes.com/sites/babson/2014/09/09/entrepreneurship-requires-practice-part-1-the-five-practices/ Heidi, Patti Greene http://www.babson.edu/academics/faculty/profiles/pages/greene-patricia.aspx and I elaborate on the five practices that we believe are central to teaching entrepreneurship in our book http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Entrepreneurship-A-Practice-Based-Approach/dp/1782540695/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410301726&sr=8-1&keywords=teaching+entrepreneurship

Practicing entrepreneurship: Part 4- creation and creativity

This is part 4 of our mini-blog series and I focus on the practice of creation and creativity. My colleague Heidi Neck http://www.babson.edu/academics/faculty/profiles/pages/neck-heidi.aspx launched this series by pointing out that entrepreneurship is about “acting and doing”, and that there are five distinct practices entrepreneurs can engage in to learn entrepreneurship. http://www.forbes.com/sites/babson/2014/09/09/entrepreneurship-requires-practice-part-1-the-five-practices/ Heidi, Patti Greene http://www.babson.edu/academics/faculty/profiles/pages/greene-patricia.aspx and I elaborate on the five practices that we believe are central to teaching entrepreneurship in our book http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Entrepreneurship-A-Practice-Based-Approach/dp/1782540695/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410301726&sr=8-1&keywords=teaching+entrepreneurship

9 Ways To Create A Stress-Free Work Environment

9 Ways To Create A Stress-Free Work Environment

Unlikely Partnership Yields Social And Environmental Impact

"There is a tendency amongst environmentally minded people to view plastics as evil. But they have revolutionized our lives and are here to stay. What is most important is how we use them and how we reuse them - closing the loop rather than dumping them in the oceans to kill marine life," says noted conservationist and scientist Dr. Nicholas Hill from the Zoological Society of London.

Unlikely Partnership Yields Social And Environmental Impact

"There is a tendency amongst environmentally minded people to view plastics as evil. But they have revolutionized our lives and are here to stay. What is most important is how we use them and how we reuse them - closing the loop rather than dumping them in the oceans to kill marine life," says noted conservationist and scientist Dr. Nicholas Hill from the Zoological Society of London.

John Sculley on His New Book "Moonshot"

My interview with the legendary former CEO of Pepsi and Apple, entrepreneur and mentor, John Sculley, on the occasion of the publication of his just published book Moonshot! Game-Changing Strategies To Build Billion-Dollar Business....

The Ultimate Copy Checklist: 51 Questions to Optimize Every Element of Your Online Copy [Free Poster]

So, you’ve written a piece of sales copy. Congratulations — that’s no small feat. But, before you celebrate, there’s just one issue: Now what? After all, as I’m sure you’ve heard before: “There is no such thing as great writing. Only great rewriting.” And why is “great rewriting” important? One reason: the bottom line. Will

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How to Build the One Thing You Can’t Blog Successfully Without

Have you noticed that I do a great job at connecting with you? So much so that it feels like you actually know me? It didn’t happen by accident. When I started Quick Sprout, my goal was to build such a strong bond with you that you would listen to the recommendations I gave you.  [click to continue...]

What Spending $57,000 on Instagram Taught Me

Over the last few months, I heard one name mentioned by my fellow entrepreneurs more than others. Can you guess who it is? It’s not Elon Musk or any other popular entrepreneur… It’s Dan Bilzerian - the man with over 5 million Instagram followers (some of his pictures aren’t safe for work). If you aren’t familiar  [click to continue...]

What Spending $57,000 on Instagram Taught Me

Over the last few months, I heard one name mentioned by my fellow entrepreneurs more than others. Can you guess who it is? It’s not Elon Musk or any other popular entrepreneur… It’s Dan Bilzerian - the man with over 5 million Instagram followers (some of his pictures aren’t safe for work). If you aren’t familiar  [click to continue...]

Dear Podcaster

Dear podcaster: I’m really glad that you were kind enough to invite me to be a guest on your show. It means a lot that you think my ideas will be of value to the community you serve. I really want to share a few things with you before we get started. (I’m blogging this […]

Dear Podcaster

Dear podcaster: I’m really glad that you were kind enough to invite me to be a guest on your show. It means a lot that you think my ideas will be of value to the community you serve. I really want to share a few things with you before we get started. (I’m blogging this […]

A Key Element In Solar Panels – Efficiency

While solar energy is most often associated with the production of electricity, heating is also a major platform. While heating isn’t particularly difficult, efficiency in doing so is the key to saving wear and tear on your system. A Key Element In Solar Panels – Efficiency The sun produces a ton of energy, but solar ...

A Key Element In Solar Panels – Efficiency

While solar energy is most often associated with the production of electricity, heating is also a major platform. While heating isn’t particularly difficult, efficiency in doing so is the key to saving wear and tear on your system. A Key Element In Solar Panels – Efficiency The sun produces a ton of energy, but solar ...

Bravery is Contagious

I recently watched my friend, Matt Ridings give a very personal speech, wherein which he talked about culture and how culture is living content. It was mind-blowing especially insofar as how Matt told a very personal story and then a story everyone over twelve years old knows. In the process, though the speech itself was […]

How Empathy Maps Help You Speak Directly to the Hearts of Your Audience

As we enter the conclusion of our three-part series on content strategy, you should already know what your audience believes about the world and have a narrative mapped out that will allow you to confirm your audience’s worldviews. Now it’s time to explain the final piece of the content strategy puzzle. This piece creates an

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Talking To Investors About Pricing In Corporate Governance Risks

Anyone in denial about the growing importance of corporate governance, environmental and social factors in setting the direction of business needs to start talking to investors.Some 90% of institutional investors from across the UK and Europe believe fund managers should price in corporate governance risks as a core part of their investment analysis, alongside financial metrics.

Five Companies That Are Tapping Into The Power Of Crowds And Communities

Everyone knows the axiom that there is safety in numbers. This is especially true for young startups that need to quickly build communities of supporters often with limited resources. This is often of the most difficult challenge for young companies, since even if you have an amazing and innovative product, that’s no guarantee that people will even discover your startup in the first place.

Five Companies That Are Tapping Into The Power Of Crowds And Communities

Everyone knows the axiom that there is safety in numbers. This is especially true for young startups that need to quickly build communities of supporters often with limited resources. This is often of the most difficult challenge for young companies, since even if you have an amazing and innovative product, that’s no guarantee that people will even discover your startup in the first place.

What Are Your Toughest Hiring Challenges? Ask My Advice

Editor’s Note: Each Monday, through the third week of November, we’re encouraging readers to pose questions to our startup expert of the week; authoritative answers will appear in a post on Fridays.

Meet Siri's Sister, 'Nina': The Humanoid Future Of Customer Service?

You’ve already met Siri, the earnest, cheeky and sometimes hamfisted personal assistant built into your iPhone.

25 Ideas to Transform Ho-Hum Infographics into Something Extraordinary

A few weeks ago here on Copyblogger, Demian Farnworth presented the infographic as the Salvador Dalí of content marketing — the most interesting person at the cocktail party. More than just a superficial presence, an infographic is a significant asset pillar with diverse possibilities that help you grow your media empire. Today, let’s equate the

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Father Of The World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, Reflects On The First 25 Years

This past week, I spoke at IPExpo Europe in London, and I was honored to have Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the father of the World Wide Web as a fellow speaker.  He reflected on the 25 years that have passed since he helped create the Internet.  He raised a number of interesting topics during the course of his presentation.

3 Fatal Social-Media Traps (And How To Avoid Them)

Social media is a sink hole. A company can pour all its available manpower and time, yet still barely make a dent. There's a natural tendency to make three critical mistakes. Almost every business makes them at one time or another. Let's see what we can do better, and how to avoid the traps...

7 Obsolete Social Media Tactics You’re Wasting Your Time On

You already know social media marketing is a channel that can drive traffic and sales, but the question is: are you actually seeing an increase in traffic or sales? Chances are you are not. Why? Because you are using obsolete tactics that aren’t effective anymore. If you want to change that, just avoid these 7  [click to continue...]

How to Stand Out in a World of Dull Podcasts

Think about this for a moment. Your favorite podcasts. This American Life. WTF with Marc Maron. Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income. Every single one of them started at the bottom. Every single one of them started in obscurity. Every single one of them started without an audience. It’s hard to believe. Over 25 years ago, at

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Five Important Digital Marketing Elements To Consider

For a business to succeed in today’s world, it is important to have a strong digital footprint within the internet. Therefore, when a business is defining its marketing plan, it must incorporate a solid digital strategy. Without a digital marketing strategy in place, new client acquisitions, brand visibility, and impactful revenue generating opportunities will likely be damaged.

Demandbase--Yet Another Vendor Delivering Sales Insights On Salesforce

The technology industry runs on hype cycles and the hype of the moment is all about “big data insights for sales professionals”. Without a word of a lie, in the past week alone I would have had at least two dozen vendors contact me, all who offer some kind of variation on a theme around deriving insights from the mass of enterprise data and offering it back to sales professionals by way of actionable insights.

The Very Wealthy Embrace Severe Disaster Contingency Planning

Anyone who watches the news realizes that the world can be a dangerous place. From increasing crime rates to uncontrollable international crises to the threat of a global pandemic, the potential dangers seem almost endless. Though the peril to the general public tends to be sensationalized, the pitfalls for ultra-wealthy families are very real. The sheer complexity and diversity of lifestyle and financial obligations and eroding distinctions between wealth and fame can leave the exceptionally wealthy vulnerable to geopolitical instability, market volatility, career criminals, and even unscrupulous associates.

7 Signs It's Time To Outsource Your Marketing

Most companies try to keep their work internal, hiring new employees to fill specialized positions, such as marketing management, rather than outsourcing work. This approach is advantageous in many ways, since it allows companies to keep tight control over their flow of work, and in some cases, it keeps costs minimal. But internalizing all of your company’s processes doesn’t always pay off. Since specialized marketing firms staff several niche employees with varying realms of expertise and have a much wider range of capabilities than non-specializing companies, in many cases they can perform more efficient work for a lower overall cost.

'Smartcuts' Not Short Cuts Are Key For Media Companies In Accelerating Success

Shane Snow, author and entrepreneur of a fast-growing company, admits it seemed a bit insane that just a few years into co-founding a media based SaaS company, with serious V.C. investors ($11 million raise),  two dozen staff and “a large percentage of the Fortune 500” as clients, he should take the time to write a book.

UnFair - One Night Stand Tonight - Exposing IRS Or Fair Tax Infomercial?

UnFair-Exposing The IRS playing of one night tonight looks more like an infomercial for the Fair Tax than an actual documentary.

See Gisele Bündchen Surf in the New Chanel No. 5 Campaign

Chanel No. 5 spokeswoman Gisele Bündchen rides the waves this fall in the perfume campaign's new short film, 'The One That I Want,' directed by Baz Luhrmann. It's a collaboration between the world's highest-paid model (Gisele earned $47 million last year) and one of Hollywood's most talented directors, for the bestselling iconic 1921 fragrance. What's not to love?

Sears Owned Kmart Discloses Data Breach

It was Friday afternoon, October 10, when Sears quietly announced via a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that one of their brands, Kmart, had suffered a data breach. It appears based on the information that they’ve shared that Kmart's point of sale systems were compromised by malicious software. Kmart has discovered themselves in the unenviable position of being shoulder to shoulder with companies such as Home Depot, Target, Dairy Queen, Neiman Marcus and other firms who have also suffered this fate. I fear that we are a long way from seeing the end of these types of announcements.

Make Smart Mistakes To Achieve Impossible Goals

Unfortunately, a famous NASA study showed that the typical 98% creativity scores of five-year-olds falls to a mere 2% by the time these same children become adults. Here are five ways to breathe new life into the creativity with which you were born.

1,000 Year Old Viking Gold Found By Treasure Hunter

A Record Find of 1,000 Year Old Viking Gold and Silver Will Net a Nice Reward

Becoming a Sales Success in Today's Corporate America

Often, it’s effective for job seekers to gain an understanding of sales careers from experts in the field. Due to her keen insight regarding business development jobs, I asked Julie Sponagel, a Global Director of Enterprise Solutions at Fred Pryor Seminars & CareerTrack Training to share her unique perspective on sales, sales careers and what it takes to become a success as a key account manager in today’s corporate America.

The Best Places For Business And Careers

Customer Service Beyond Coupling: From Hospitality (Four Seasons) to Healthcare (Mayo Clinic)

If you're gearing your customer experience and your customer service practices just to couples or a "traditional" nuclear family, you're behind the times, my friend.

On National Boss's Day, 6 Ways To Handle A Bad One

If you've got a bad boss, people around you will know it. They'll also be watching how you handle the pressure, challenges and frustrations. So having a lousy boss can be a great opportunity to show what you're made of and set yourself apart. Make the most of it by acting with the professionalism they appear to lack. Just never let your boss's poor behavior be an excuse for your own. You never know who is watching or listening but be assured, people who can open or close future opportunities for you are doing just that!

30 Under 30: Support Staff

Entrepreneurial enablers from the Forbes 30 Under 30, in 30 words or less.

Cerner & Missouri Forging A Real Partnership For Population Health

Increasingly, the United States is looking to “population health” as a means of providing better health and care to entire communities. Nevertheless, defining such communities and how to improve outcomes, especially for our most vulnerable populations, has been misunderstood by most. There is no single analytical tool, coordinated care model or insurance reimbursement method that can solve our many issues with access to and quality of care – and the associated individual behaviors – for all. It is only with honest assessment, understanding and transformation of housing, food, transit and education, in tandem with better health information that can lift all citizens.

FCancer: Two Same-Name Nonprofits Are Finally Taking Down Cancer -- Together

"We've known about each other for a long time and had our first conversation three years ago," Cohen says. "Early last year I reached out to Julie...and the timing seemed perfect. We decided we should find a way to finally do this together."

Want to Hook Your Readers? Apply These 10 Principles to Create Captivating News Stories

Writing well-structured articles that inform, educate, and entertain is not as easy as it looks. There are billions of webpages out there that contain poorly written, unimaginative, boring content. But those aren’t the descriptions you want associated with the media you produce, right? As all content marketers who want to grow their digital media platforms

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10 Ways to Improve Your Content Marketing

Looking for ways to improve your content marketing?  Are you wondering what resources you should be reading to boost your content marketing efforts? I’ve compiled a list of 10 articles you should read that will not only teach you how to improve your content marketing but will also show you how to generate more traffic  [click to continue...]

How Do You Rebuild A Small Business After It Collapses?

By Natalie Burg

7 Things You Believe About SEO That Are Not True

I've interacted with thousands of clients and have seen every misconception about SEO out there. Here are 7 of the top ones that come up over and over again.

Closed Club Reignites Memories Of F***ed Company And The Tech Bubble

Closed Club is a new community-driven site that details recent technology company and product failures.

Entrepreneurship Requires Practice: The Practice of Empathy

This is the third installment in a series my colleagues and I are writing on the five practices of entrepreneurship. In the last installment Patricia Greene talked about the Practice of Play. Now it’s time to address the second practice – The Practice of Empathy.

Travel Ban And New Visa Regime Should Be Implemented To Deal With Ebola

A recent news report summarizes what America is doing to protect itself from the outbreak of Ebola:

Newly instituted screening procedures at New York's JFK International Airport identified 91 arriving passengers as having a higher risk of being infected with Ebola based on their recent travel, CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden said Monday. None of the airline passengers had a fever, Frieden said, noting that of five people who were sent for further evaluation, none were determined to have Ebola.

Effective, Successful Leadership - Walk the Talk if You Want to Lead

Everywhere we look these days, it seems, everything appears to be falling apart. New, politically explosive global trouble spots emerge daily while lingering ones become more demanding and complex. Barbaric atrocities have become a staple on the evening news while many of our global leaders seem feckless and perplexed about how to respond to the challenges before them.  

Google Play's Downloads Beat The iOS App Store This Quarter

According to a recent report by the app analytics firm App Annie, Google Play served up more downloads to users worldwide than the iOS App store in the past three months, reporting numbers 60% higher than the Apple platform. The same time last year Google’s app hub beat out iOS, but only by a 25% margin.

Google Play's Downloads Beat The iOS App Store This Quarter

According to a recent report by the app analytics firm App Annie, Google Play served up more downloads to users worldwide than the iOS App store in the past three months, reporting numbers 60% higher than the Apple platform. The same time last year Google’s app hub beat out iOS, but only by a 25% margin.

Call For Nominations: Who Are The Young Social Entrepreneurs Changing the World?

Each year, Forbes calls out young entrepreneurs in our "30 Under 30" project, which highlights rising stars in various industries. The people who make these lists are on the leading edge of their professional areas while still in their twenties (or in some cases, even younger). And we need your help to find them.

Call For Nominations: Who Are The Young Social Entrepreneurs Changing the World?

Each year, Forbes calls out young entrepreneurs in our "30 Under 30" project, which highlights rising stars in various industries. The people who make these lists are on the leading edge of their professional areas while still in their twenties (or in some cases, even younger). And we need your help to find them.

Why Cloud Makes Economic Sense In Limited Doses

Lately, there has been some talk that suggests that public cloud services eventually cost organizations more than on-premises systems or private clouds.

Why The Collaborative Economy Is Changing Everything

You may have heard of the collaborative or sharing economy- the concept is quite simple. Consumers are able to get what they need from each other instead of always going to large organizations. This includes good such as baby toys and wedding dresses to services such as web design work or ride sharing.

Omnichannel Customer Experience Beyond Retail: In Healthcare, B2B, Professional Services

An omnichannel customer experience is the future of everything that involves extracting money from a customer in a way that the customer actual likes to have it extracted.

Patent Boxes Come To Ireland & UK, Why Not U.S.?

Patent Boxes Encourage R&D and Manufacturing, Taxing IP Revenues At Low Rates. Why Not Keep Them at Home Instead of Offshore?

Under 30 Summit: Steve Case Is Giving $400,000 To One Of These 5 Young Entrepreneurs

While Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, who will give a keynote talk at next week’s Under 30 Summit in Philadelphia, is generating enormous buzz, more than 100 young entrepreneurs have been nervously anticipating a different moment: the announcement of who gets to go on stage and pitch Steve Case, Forbes Media CEO Mike Perlis and Philly's own Troy Carter for a winner-take-all jackpot: $400,000.

100 Swiss Banks Get Ultimatum: Hand Over Americans Or Face U.S. Prosecution

100 Swiss Banks Rushed To Take A Settlement From The U.S. Justice Department and Avoid Prosecution. Now, They Know Their Cooperation Must Be Total.

I Will Write You An Amazon Review

I will do one amazon review.

I can review your book, ebook, or product.
For a verified review you need to send me a code or gift card to cover the purchase.

https://www.fiverr.com/keyshabass/write-you-an-amazon-review

Do You Know Your Neighbor's Name? A Shocking Number of People Don't

There's a plethora of social networks. One that aim to connect friends and family, close friends, school friends, colleagues, professionals, travelers, gay men, lesbians; that's just a few of the many. I like these because ultimately they are trying to get us to connect more in real-life. (Not forgetting the very aptly named meetup.com!)

Overworked? Stressed? Feel Young, No Matter Your Age

The secret to eternal young is to avoid age segregation and hang out with people both younger and older than yourself.

Cream Of The Crop: The 15 Best-Run U.S. Community Banks By Two Key Metrics

Of the best-run community banks in the U.S., very few names may ring a bell.

6 Reasons Carl Icahn Overvalues Apple By $700 Billion

Carl Icahn has a superb reputation for using his big microphone for getting technology companies whose business he doesn't understand to do something that he does -- conduct what former Labor Secretary Robert Reich dubbed paper entrepreneurialism -- boosting stock price through balance sheet manipulation like buying back shares and spinning off businesses rather than creating new products.

More About Seventh Generation's $30 Million Infusion From Al Gore

Social enterprise and founding B Corp. Seventh Generation recently got a $30 million cash infusion for acquisitions--and has no plans to become a Benefit Corporation, by the way.

Obama's Attorney General, Secret Service And Prostitutes? Ask IRS

Could a Secret Service Prostitution Cover-Up Keep AG Eric Holder's Successor Out in the Cold With the Meter Running?

How to Manage Sales People: Activity Based Management vs Results Based Management

There has always been a lot of discussion about which is the best approach to managing sales people, activity based management or results based management. For the record, I'm 100% in the results based management camp. I don't believe there is only one way to get a job done. Activity based management assumes there is only one approach to getting a job done and mandates everyone does it that way. In sales that means telling sales people how many calls to make, how many appointments to set, who to call, when to call, etc.  The activities being managed come from the top and the sales people have little autonomy to manager their own business. The approach is defined and then everyone has to follow it. Activity based management assumes there is only one way to get something done and that everyone needs to be doing it. I call foul on that.

Must We Vilify Satya Nadella?

Right now when – finally – the spotlight is being focused on the abysmal record of tech firms in hiring, promoting, retaining, and paying women leaders...it is very appealing to use this misstep as the focus for our rage. Just as, geopolitically, it is often just when the restrictive pressure of autocratic regimes is lifting that the protests grow even worse...releasing years, decades, centuries of pent-up frustration. Often the wrong people are targeted as bad actors…while the real villains are given a pass. That is, I believe, the case here with Satya Nadella.

Stupid Systems Make Angry Customers: Building An Expert Customer Service Experience

Customers appreciate the ability to have genuine, meaningful contact with a company, especially if it has empathetic, intelligent, empowered humans working for it.  However, customers only want to be in touch with you when they need you, not when you force them to contact you because of bad process design and lazy systems implementation.

Every Smart Athlete Should Be A Shaq-Tag

Athletes should demand agents skilled at branding and connecting them to corporate products. Shaq O'Neal has done it to the tune of $21 million last year. Others ought to follow his model.

7 Ways to Avoid the Pain of Bad Online Reputation Management By Thinking Like The Next Jay-Z, Iggy Azalea, or Tesla D

Clients who are billionaires— whose bank accounts have crazy levels of zeroes— come to me for help. “It’s like hell,” one said.  “Despite all of my success, I cannot walk into a banker meeting right now. They’ll Google me and see .”

Comedy Central's "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" Hires South African Comedian Trevor Noah

South Africa's top comedian Trevor Noah have been tapped to join Comedy Central's The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, the cable network's late-night satirical news show. Named one of "Thirteen African Celebrities To Watch In 2013" by Forbes, Noah will join the Emmy and Peabody award-winning daily show starting in December as a contributor.

President Obama, Audit Threats, And Rogue IRS Employees

President Obama's IRS is Not Supposed to be Influenced by Politics. But is it Clear that Rogue Employees Understand?

How To Structure Your Board Of Directors Or Advisory Board

Properly structuring your board of directors or advisory board could be one of the most important pieces of determining the success for any venture.  These are the people you are going to be relying on for strategic direction, or voting on all key decisions.  So, it is important you understand their role, and correctly set them up.

As Pressure Mounts To 'Demilitarize' Police, Sovereign Citizens Arm For War

On July 30, 2014, the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland released a report entitled “Understanding Law Enforcement Intelligence Processes.”  According to the officers polled for the study, the Sovereign Citizen movement is the number one domestic terrorism threat today,

Where Will Healthcare's Data Scientists Find The Rich Phenotypic Data They Need?

The big hairy audacious goal of most every data scientist I know in healthcare is what you might call the Integrated Medical Record, or IMR, a dataset that combines detailed genetic data and rich phenotypic information, including both clinical and ?real-world? (or, perhaps, ?dynamic?) phenotypic data. The question is, where will the dense phenotypic data come from?

Skinny Body Care Review - Is This Venture Truly Worth The Effort?

Skіnnу Bоdу Cаrе is a nеw multі level marketing organization whісh rеlеаѕеd in Jаnuаrу of this уеаr аnd the talk іѕ definitely going аrоund. Yоu hаvе almost сеrtаіnlу bееn approached ѕеvеrаl tіmеѕ, muсh lіkе I hаvе to enroll іn this соrроrаtіоn. But уоu nееd to remain quite саrеful аѕ wеll as реrfоrm your оwn hоmеwоrk еѕресіаllу іf you are a newbie аnd thіѕ wіll lіkеlу bе thе 1st year іn MLM.  

All оf that glіttеrѕ іѕn't gоld, рluѕ a grеаt deal оf іndіvіduаlѕ ріtсhіng уоu thе buѕіnеѕѕ саn mаkе fаkе offers but nоt lеt уоu know juѕt whаt іt ѕеrіоuѕlу wіll tаkе tо ѕuссееd with thіѕ business. But wе аrе gоіng to cover thаt іn-dерth later.  

Aѕ thе nаmе іndісаtеѕ, Skіnnу Body Cаrе іѕ in thе hеаlth mаrkеt, раrtісulаrlу wеіght lоѕѕ. Thіѕ іѕ оnе оf the mоѕt ѕаturаtеd and aggressive mаrkеtѕ іnѕіdе the industry. Thеу'rе bаnkіng on a couple of thіngѕ: #1: thеrе'll аlwауѕ bе реорlе whо wіѕh tо ѕhеd роundѕ ԛuісk аnd #2: you'll аlwауѕ fіnd fоlkѕ that dеѕіrе tо mаkе money ԛuісk whіlе not асtuаllу wоrkіng hаrd.  

Skіnnу Bоdу Cаrе - Thе Fоundеrѕ  

Typically, I'd соmmеnсе an еvаluаtіоn wіth mentioning thе actual рrорrіеtоrѕ of аn organization as wеll аѕ their history, gіvеn thаt that is a kеу еlеmеnt when dесіdіng оn a MLM buѕіnеѕѕ. But, I саnnоt dо thіѕ bесаuѕе I dо nоt know who thеу аrе. The Skіnnу Bоdу Care wеbѕіtе dоеѕ not feature thе рrорrіеtоrѕ or lеаdеrѕhір ѕtаff. Thеіr "Cоntасt Uѕ" раgе juѕt hаѕ аn еmаіl address with 3 physical street аddrеѕѕеѕ, оnе іn Utаh аnd thе others аrе out of US. Rеd light? Yоu dеtеrmіnе.  

I еxрlоrеd аnd ѕtіll wasn't able tо соmе up with a ѕіnglе nаmе соnnесtеd tо this business. You must аlѕо rеаlіzе that a lаrgе аmоunt оf nеtwоrk marketing companies gо bust wіthіn thе іnіtіаl 2 уrѕ.  

Thе Skіnnу Bоdу Cаrе Suррlеmеnt  

Skіnnу Bоdу Care mаrkеtѕ a рrоduсt known аѕ Skіnnу Fiber. Thеу say іtѕ "the ultimate bоdу fаt rеduсtіоn remedy". It рrоmіѕеѕ tо аmоng оthеr things rеmоvе harmful toxins from the bоdу, burn оff body fаt, mіnіmіzе thе сrаvіngѕ, as wеll as increase thе mеtаbоlіс рrосеѕѕ. Thе lіѕt оf ingredients аrе Gluсоmаnnаn, an аll-nаturаl fiber, Cаrаllumа a hunger соntrоllеr, аѕ wеll аѕ Chа dе Bugrе, thеіr "Brazilian secret" thаt claims to burn thе еxсеѕѕ fat аwау through mаxіmіzіng thе mеtаbоlіс process.  

So уеt again wе'vе gоt a ѕuреr wеіght lоѕѕ supplement. I don't nееd to tеll уоu thаt thіѕ rеаllу іѕ еntіrеlу nоthіng аt аll іnnоvаtіvе fоr thе mаrkеt рlасе. Positively you'll gеt people that swear thаt thіѕ is most еffесtіvе, hоwеvеr I can еаѕіlу wіthоut even аttеmрtіng find mеn аnd wоmеn tо ѕау рrесіѕеlу thе ѕаmе аbоut ѕоmе оthеr multilevel mаrkеtіng body wеіght burning ѕоlutіоnѕ, nоt fоrgеttіng fat burning goods оnе соuld gеt frоm nеаrbу ѕuррlеmеnt retailers аt a сhеареr price.  

Sо when you rесоgnіzе thаt there is рrасtісаllу nоthіng ѕресіаl regarding the solution аnd that реорlе wіll соnѕtаntlу jumр to thе up coming bеѕt рrоduсt whісh аѕѕurеѕ fаr better оutсоmеѕ thаn Skіnnу Fіbеr, уоu аrе gоіng to bеgіn to knоw thаt accomplishment in Skіnnу Body Cаrе will in nо wау rest іnѕіdе the products solely.  

Thе Skіnnу Body Care Sсаm Alоng With Thе Sріll Ovеr Dеluѕіоn?  

This іѕ where іt gеtѕ іntrіguіng. Skіnnу Bоdу Cаrе features a 3 X eight matrix compensation рrоgrаm uѕіng a Pоwеrlіnе ѕуѕtеm. Allow me to explain this. Inѕіdе a mаtrіx соmреnѕаtіоn рlаn іndіvіduаlѕ fаll undеrnеаth уоu frоm the tор level to bоttоm lеvеl аnd left tо rіght. Sо, іn theory, аѕ реорlе аbоvе уоu brіng іn folks, they wіll drop undеrnеаth уоu аnd whеn you ѕроnѕоr they fall undеr the fоlkѕ bеnеаth уоu аnd so on.  

This саn be саllеd "spillover". Here's thе issue wіth ѕріllоvеr hоwеvеr, as thе mаtrіx gеtѕ wider fоlkѕ hаvе еxtrеmеlу lіttlе possibility оf еvеr асԛuіrіng ѕріllоvеr. Not mеrеlу thаt, it hаѕ thе pitfall of еntісіng реrѕоnѕ tо jоіn thе company undеr the іlluѕіоn thаt аll thеу'vе gоt to do іѕ асtuаllу еnrоll аnd dо аbѕоlutеlу nothing аnd thеу wіll be wеаlthу, which is just what Skinny Bоdу Cаrе along with its representatives аrе rеаllу аttrасtіng unаwаrе desperate people wіth.  

Thеу ѕtrоnglу аllеgе that уоu wіll bе аblе tо generate $1,618 on a mоnthlу bаѕіѕ whіlе nоt ever rесruіtіng a ѕіnglе іndіvіduаl. So mаnу реорlе will jоіn, рау a monthly аutо-ѕhір соѕt, nеvеr еvеr enroll аnуоnе, thеn wаіt for a hugе paycheck tо аrrіvе. 

 If thіѕ іѕ whаt уоu might bе аntісіраtіng, tаkе thаt enrollment рrісе аnd purchase ѕоmе lоttо tickets. You wіll stand a muсh better likelihood. Bесаuѕе реорlе happen tо bе соmрrеhеndіng thіѕ fасt, they're аlrеаdу lаbеlіng Skіnnу Body Cаrе a Sсаm.  

Exactly Whу Sріll Ovеr Cаn Bу nо mеаnѕ Hеlр Yоu Bесоmе Rich  

Let us bе сrуѕtаl сlеаr, I am nоt lаbеlіng Skinny Body Care a hоаx. Truthfullу, іt rеаllу іѕ tоо ѕооn tо rеfеr to it as аnуthіng аt аll. Onlу time саn tell. Yоu only gеt duреd if you dо not реrfоrm your duе dіlіgеnсе аnd уоu count on ѕоmеthіng fоr nоthіng аt аll.  

Sріll оvеr rаrеlу wоrkѕ since everybody jоіnѕ wіth thе іdеntісаl "I dо nоt hаvе to rесruіt аnуbоdу" attitude. As a result, іf a lot оf реорlе join, but dо nоt sponsor, thеrе is nоthіng аt аll tо ѕріllоvеr.  But let's іmаgіnе a реrѕоn tоld you they wеrе a "ninja-like" ѕроnѕоr аnd ѕhоuld you mеrеlу jоіnеd аnd hung аrоund, you would get spillover, аnd еаrn $1618 a mоnth doing nоthіng аt all. Yоu'll bе luсkу іf you еvеr got a раусhесk for $100 аnd regularly еvеrу month, nоt juѕt оnсе. And once much mоrе іndіvіduаlѕ undеrѕtаnd that depending on ѕріll over is actually a large blundеr, thеу аrе gоіng tо cancel thеіr аutо-ѕhір and ԛuіt thе buѕіnеѕѕ!  

The Best Wау To Aсtuаllу Gеnеrаtе Inсоmе Wіth Skіnnу Bоdу Cаrе  

In саѕе you dесіdе to join thіѕ company оr аnу other, rеаlіzе that the рrіmаrу strategy tо gеnеrаtе a significant соnѕіѕtеnt passive іnсоmе іѕ tо sponsor people. Sо that уоu саn sponsor іndіvіduаlѕ, уоu'll need реорlе tо expose уоur company tо. Sо, thе сruсіаl factor to your асhіеvеmеnt dереndѕ оn fоr ѕtаrtеrѕ branding yourself frоm every оnе еlѕе еxhіbіtіng thе vеrу ѕаmе Skіnnу Bоdу Cаrе ѕіtе, gеttіng your own lеаdѕ, and аlѕо mastering thе real marketing ѕkіllѕ that іt requires to dо wеll within nеtwоrk marketing.  Sad tо ѕау, most оf thе реорlе whісh еnrоll іn Skinny Body Cаrе will not hаvе good results. That is only thе truth, but nоt bесаuѕе of thе actual corporation, its item or compensation рrоgrаm, hоwеvеr juѕt because thеу dоn't possess thе online mаrkеtіng ѕkіll ѕеtѕ thаt іt tаkеѕ tо achieve success.  

Looking for a way to earn a full time income from home without recruiting a single person visit http://bit.ly/toptier2013

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First shots have been fired in a bid to create the world's biggest mining company by merging Swiss-based Glencore with British-based Rio Tinto and while nothing is officially happening after the opening salvo there's no doubt a big battle is brewing.

Reclaiming the American Dream III: The Connecticut Yankee Saving Kids in Southern Ohi

When Alice Chapman moved to Marietta, Ohio, in 1995, she had no intention of taking on the city’s social problems at her own expense. Heir to a Connecticut newspaper fortune, Chapman had lived modestly her whole life but had recently inherited family monies, making it possible to leave her office job at a private school in Philadelphia and move, with her husband, a recently-retired letter carrier, near his aged mother in southern, “Appalachian,” Twenty years later, Chapman—one of four recipients of the Manhattan Institute’s $25,000 2014 Richard Cornuelle Awards for Social Entrepreneurship—has become one of the most-honored citizens of Marietta for her work (full-time, but volunteer) at the Ely Chapman Educational Foundation (ECEF), the institution she founded and largely self-funded.

Cambodians Say Land Grabs Have Lead To Crime Against Humanity; Want The ICC To Investigate

A few Cambodian citizens are filing a complaint today at the Hague against a group of politicians, security chiefs and business tycoons, alleging that a systematic and sustained land grab by them amounts to a crime against humanity that needs to be tried at the International Criminal Court.

Manny Pacquiao Ordered To Explain His Taxes In Court: Is Pacman Now Taxman?

Manny Pacquiao is Used to Winning. Yet the See-Saw of Tax Liens, Bonds and Collection Actions from the Tax Man in Two Countries Could Put Him on the Ropes.

Why Business Insider Is Completely Wrong About Bill Simmons

People are speculating Bill Simmons wants out of ESPN to start his own media company. If the speculation is true, Simmons will have no trouble finding backers for his new venture.

6 Dumb Things That Won't Improve Your Customer Service Culture (And 6 That Work)

Six things to do that won't increase your customer-centricity or help you build a customer service culture, and six that do work,, ways I encourage my consulting clients to improve their customer service and customer experience. These have proven their worth time after time after time in getting you closer to achieving an idea customer-centric culture.

Why GoPro Is One Of The Hottest Platforms For IoT App Development

GoPro is red hot, giving app developers a new platform opportunity in the fast growing IoT app market.

Disney UK's Dividend Income Drops By $60 Million

Plunging profitability at the Walt Disney Company’s Australian division last year took the sparkle off the bottom line of its parent company in the United Kingdom by contributing to a $63.3 million reduction in its dividend income.

Why Global Businesses Need A Language Strategy

Lingua francas have existed for centuries. Why not for businesses?

3 Smart Ways to Attract Recruiters to Your LinkedIn Profile

Make yourself super easy to find.

99 Motivational Quotes For Entrepreneurs

Being an entrepreneur can be challenging, rewarding, frustrating, satisfying, disappointing, and exhilarating. To help you navigate the highs and lows of starting your own business, I've gathered some of my favorite words of wisdom.

Building a Culture of High Performance Training

In working through my new course, The Owner’s Heart, we had to understand what was required for an owner to have a successful journey from a life (and job) being led by others to picking up the capabilities and connections required to own your choices and your business as well. Just like it says here […]

SMS Marketing - Start with Service and Add Promotion Carefully

SMS Marketing has the power to deepen your customer relationships, raise your customer service performance levels, increase repeat business and generate referrals. What's not to like? However, keep the service/promotion balance tilted well toward service to keep the customer connected in this channel.

The Rainmaker Reseller Program: Come See What All the Fuss Is About

Content marketing works. This is no longer up for debate. Granted, there are no shortcuts. You have to publish useful content that stands out above the noise, you have to do it consistently over the long haul, and your content strategy needs to place you into a particular kind of role relative to your audience.

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A Smart Way To See The World: Take A Working Vacation

By Teresa Meek

The Content Marketer’s Toolkit: 35 Tools You Can’t Blog Without

Don’t you wish there was an easier way to blog? From coming up with ideas to writing and promoting, there is a lot that goes into content marketing. So, how can you facilitate the whole process? You can use a number of tools that can help you generate ideas, make the writing process easier, and  [click to continue...]

How To Pitch An Entrepreneur And Persuade Her To Take Your Cash

With the rise of a trillion-dollar crowdfunding market, angel investors bundling their investment offerings, and family offices doing more direct investments, venture capitalists are no longer the only available source for entrepreneurs seeking funding.  Now that anyone can benefit from the global growth of entrepreneurial activity, venture capitalists need to show their true added value more than ever, in order to attract the most capable entrepreneurs. Capital On Stage – an invitation-only conference about funding that runs annual events in the US, Israel, South-East Asia, and Europe since 2011-- is tackling this issue.  I wrote last year about their unconventional format that allows venture capitalists to pitch themselves to growth-stage startup founders in under 5 minutes. Arjen Strijker, co-founder and CEO of Capital On Stage, has had more than 200 top-tier venture capitalists on stage at his conferences (view all 5 minute VC pitch videos here). Arjen: “Successful startup founders really want to know the same thing about VCs that VCs want to know about startup founders: the unwritten stuff that’s never mentioned in a bio or on a website. Imagine you have a successful company that’s profitable and ready for global expansion, wouldn’t you be looking beyond the financial commitment of your funder, like a matching skillset and experience?”