How Location Can Affect Your Business's Profitability

The Kara Network is a digital resource foradvice and discussion for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs. Allyson Downey, CEO of weeSpring, founded her company-which is a resource for new parents looking for baby products recommended by friends-in a New York City, a place where many businesses are founded, but cost of living is [...]

This Silicon Valley Executive Says Millennials Can Do More By Working Less

One Silicon Valley executive believes you can accomplish more work in 40 hours than you think. And the research proves it.

The Taiwanese Startup That Can Sell You A Lifetime's Worth Of Stored Data

No one wants to shoot a smartphone video or start updating software only to find a popup saying storage is full. Six people in Taiwan kept running into these problems and knew plenty of others who did, too, so they decided to do something about it.

An Apple Earnings Beat Could Fuel Another Big Run For The Stock

Stocks continue to chop around as we head toward a lineup of huge events in the coming weeks. First, we have third quarter earnings reports underway. Remember, last quarter companies reported into lowered expectations. And they beat at about the same rate they historically beat--about 70% of the time. But conveniently, they accompanied those better earnings with downgrades on the third quarter outlook.

Meet The Entrepreneur Bridging The Gap Between Tech And The Military

Nick Taranto, co-founder of Plated is one. Paige Craig, managing partner of Arena Ventures is too. So is Ann Weeby, director of workforce innovation at Salesforce. They look just like any other person in the the startup world. But the truth is that they are part of a small but growing population in tech: veterans. And if Harvard grad and former Navy EOD Officer Mike Slagh has his way, there will soon be a whole lot more of them.

8 Influencer Marketing Trends That Will Lead You To Success

Influencer marketing has skyrocketed in the past year, but you can?t just start throwing money at the strategy without understanding the trends that shape it.

The Honest Story: How Jessica Alba Solved A Big Problem

From being one of the hottest actresses to running one of the hottest billion dollar companies, this is a look into how Jessica Alba created The Honest Company.

Kansas City Startup Shows How To Succeed In China With An Alibaba Deal

A Kansas City startup with disruptive technology shows the path to attracting Alibaba as a China strategic investor.

Why B2B CMOs Need To Demonstrate Social Media Savvy To Build Credibility

I recently interviewed Margaret Molloy, Global CMO and Head of Business Development, at global brand strategy, design and experience firm Siegel+Gale, for my CMO Insights Series (see here). In addition to having 20+ years of experience in marketing B2B firms, Molloy (@MargaretMolloy) has also become a leading influencer of CMOs on Twitter (see here for the full list of influencers), landing in the #6 spot of all top influencers on twitter. I followed up to get her insight regarding how she has been particularly effective at developing a strong social media presence; her thoughts are below.

How Bernie Ecclestone Steered F1 To Make $1 Billion More Than Star Wars

In 1977 the sci-fi epic Star Wars premièred and at warp-speed became the highest-grossing movie of the year. Cementing its status in Hollywood history it also eclipsed Steven Spielberg's Jaws to become the most successful movie of all time and spawned six sequels which made a combined $6.4 billion at the box office.

Could The Return Of Glass- Steagall Prevent Wells Fargo-Style Debacles?

Last month, regulators fined Wells Fargo $185 million for creating approximately two million bank and credit-card accounts without customers' consent. Soon after, eight former employees filed class-action lawsuits claiming workers faced termination if they refused to meet sales goals by creating those fraudulent accounts. The story rocked the financial world and the consumers who rely on banks to make ethical choices when handling their hard-earned money.

China And India Are Getting Ahead Of Japan

China and India are getting ahead of Japan in two key competitiveness indicators -- the ability to attract and retain talent.  That?s one of the key findings of the 2016-17 International Competitiveness report (World Economic Forum), which ranks China 22 and India 23 in the capacity to attract talent -- well

Small Business Tech News This Week: Facebook Wants To Help, But Amazon Just Wants To Compete

Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?

For Tesla, Electric Car Sales Explode In All The Wrong Places

More than 2 million electric vehicles may be on the world's roads by the end of 2016, writes the Guardian, citing data from the electric vehicle world database EV Volumes. That should be good news for electric carmaker Tesla. It is not. A closer look at the data shows that most of the growth comes from Tesla competitors, and from regions where Tesla is weak. It is a stereotype “that the U.S. market is further ahead in deploying the zero-emission technology thanks to cars such as the Tesla Model S,”  writes Automotive News. As far as Tesla is concerned, electric vehicle sales are exploding in all the wrong places.

Shark Tank Mompreneur's Accidental Invention On Way To Being The Next Big Thing

Some kids and temper tantrums go hand in hand like Big Bird and yellow when you try to wipe the mess off of their faces. Stay-at-home mom Danielle Stangler accidentally discovered it could be a fuss-free feat when she wiped her 22-month-old daughter's face with a napkin her husband dipped in lemonade instead of water.

The 10 Most Promising Jobs Of 2016

The 10 Most Promising Jobs Of 2016

The 11 Most Clever Children's Products From Shark Tank

The 11 Most Clever Children's Products From Shark Tank

Entrepreneurship In Gynecology: Tracking Four Innovations In Women's Health

Tomorrow I'm off to the 2016 meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), which I've attended almost every year since 1988. As a fund manager I'll be looking for innovations and trends in early development that will be investable in the near future. As an obstetrician/gynecologist I hope to learn how we can better serve women's health.

IBM Earnings: What Wall Street Expects From The Technology Giant

IBM (NYSE:IBM) has been turning the corner recently, as revenues from emerging business segments have begun to make up for losses in declining business segments. Big Blue has exceeded both top and bottom line analyst estimates for the last three quarters. But is the turnaround sustainable?  We?ll know on Monday when Big Blue

Can A Board Of Directors Really Help My Company?

What should you expect from a high performance board? What role does a board play in the strategic planning of your business? 
Use your board of directors to anticipate problems. Don't wait until the fire starts to look for the exit doors!A good board makes the discussion about where you are going as a company richer and deeper.
Mickey had inherited a healthy family business from his dad. The business made money every year but Mickey found himself with a collection of assets, not all of which were being maximized, because he constantly distracted, dealing with issues across the portfolio. He spent too much time putting out fires rather than designing a sprinkler system.  The assets were across half a dozen industries that weren't necessarily related and each had their own unique set of issues.  He needed clarity.

Zero Is The Loneliest Number, At Least For Presidential Candidates And Their Taxes

When it come paying taxes, how much is too little? The answer depends on whether you're running for president. Ever since someone leaked portions of Donald Trump?s 20-year-old state tax returns, people have been speculating about the taxes he paid ? or didn?t pay, as the case may be.

Deepen Your Relationship With Centers Of Influence

Networking has a lasting effect on your business. Discover how to deepen your relationship with Centers of Influence.

At Notre Dame CMO Summit, GE's Linda Boff Keynotes Event Designed To Bridge Practice, Academia

World-class marketing leaders recently descended on South Bend, Indiana, for the first-annual Notre Dame Chief Marketing Officer Summit, presented by the Mendoza College of Business and Forbes CMO Network.

The Point Of Docker Is More Than Containers

The value of Docker is in what it enables, not the technology itself.

6 Entrepreneurship Lessons We Can Learn From Climbing Mountains

The act of running your own business and of scaling mountains have a lot in common. Here are the important lessons I learned while hiking the majestic Dolomites in Italy.

6 Ways To Conquer The Fear Of Confrontation

Stop letting your fear of confrontation prevent you from speaking up.

Connecticut Judge Dismisses Sandy Hook Massacre Lawsuit Against Remington

A Connecticut judge decides a lawsuit against gumaker Remington can't be sued over the murders at Sandy Hook.

This Is What Millennial Entitlement Does To The Workplace

The unexpected side effect of millennial entitlement.

Starbucks Hopes 15 New Stores Will Make It Part Of The 'DNA' Of Low-Income Communities Of Color

A few years ago, Starbucks' location on Sutphin was a forgettable local business. It was literally forgettable--none of the partners or customers who spoke with FORBES could remember what it was. In less than a year, however, the previously unremarkable space has given hope to partners, a home to a partner who lost one, and renewed vigor to a company veteran. Most importantly, it's given a neighborhood a taste of development, and a company a taste of the benefits of partnering with oft-overlooked communities.

#1 Reason You Need An Email List

The Australian Watchmaker Using A Subtle Psychology Trick To Sell Less

They have a business model that makes customers take notice - which is, psychologically speaking, pure genius. The Fifth Watches only sell watches on the fifth of every month, for five days.

Small Business Lending Remains Strong At Big Banks, Institutional Lenders Ahead Of Next Fed Meeting

It is appearing more imminent that the Federal Reserve will institute an interest rate hike at its mid-December 2016 meeting, exactly one year after it implemented its first interest rate increase in nearly a decade. The relatively weak economic recovery from The Great Recession (2007-09) was one of the primary causes for these developments, but now we have seen slow, but gradual improvements in the economy.

How To Answer Stupid Job Interview Questions (In Trump's America)

It's one of the most common questions you will ever receive when you go in for a job interview: where will you be in five years? These days questions about a certain presidential candidate and his temperament lead one to conclude that that answer might have more meaning than you might've thought. Cartoon by Ted Rall.

Company Culture: By Design or Default

As a business owner, you're challenged with creating a culture that inspires your employees to be the best they can be, and helping them to become it.

Why Beijing Won't Landfill This Valuable Sinkhole In The Disputed South China Sea

Dragon Hole is the world's biggest blue hole water feature, measuring 300 meters deep (984 feet), and is found in the Paracel Islands.

BRANDgelina What Brands Can Learn about Crisis Management from Hollywood's Premier Power Couple

BRANDgelina What Brands Can Learn about Crisis Management from Hollywood's Premier Power Couple

One Thing Missing From India's Global Rise

India is rising in the global economy, leaving neighboring Pakistan and Bangladesh in the dust, and closing in on China. When it comes to global competitiveness that is, climbing 32 ranks in World Economic Forum's competitiveness index in the last two years! 

One Way To Achieve Work Life Balance? Love Your Work

Mariam Naficy, founder & CEO of Minted.com, a design marketplace focused in the stationery, art, and home categories. Mariam shares some wisdom and discusses what drives her.

5 Marketing Lessons You Can Learn from the Presidential Election

The presidential election is almost at an end and most of the country couldn't be happier at that fact. But businesses might be looking at the presidential election in a different way. There are a lot of marketing lessons that can be learned from both candidates, in both a positive and a negative way.

A Gigafactory, California Style? Tesla Seeks To Double Size of US Auto Plant

The carmaker aims to expand operations and employment at its Fremont plant as it rushes quintuple vehicle production there.

How You Can Invest In (Not Donate) Ending Homelessness

Salt Lake County is pioneering Pay For Success financing for reducing homelessness. This innovative program allows investors to earn a financial return while helping to reduce homelessness.

Make A Loan, Don't Get Repaid: What Are The Tax Consequences?

It's a story that's as old as time itself: boy meets girl; girl loans boy $450K to fund the creation of a golf-themed comic strip; boy laughs his way all the way to the car dealership; boy loses girl, but keeps the cash.

Your Memory Is Getting Worse

I'd like to think that having the world's knowledge at our fingertips makes us smart. I fear the reality is far different.

The '8 Great' Tips For Marketing In A Category That Hasn't Existed Before

Matt Riemann is on a mission to evangelize Personalized Health within the industry of "biohacking" that is new and emerging itself.

4 Fears All First-time App Creators Have And How To Overcome Them

Fear isn't uncommon when starting a business for the first time. We take a look at the most common fears and how not to succumb to them.

4 Ways To Avoid Killing Your Customer Experience With A Cheap-Suit Sales Approach

From untrained employees to no official sales process to arrogant managers, car shopping today is like one long Seinfeld episode. And these sales issues are easy things to fix. So let?s talk about these quick fixes to a broken sales process and learn from common missteps at the car dealership.

Lifestyle Upgrades: 4 Ways To Become A Healthier Entrepreneur

Someone once said that “entrepreneurs pass on a 40 hour work week to have an 80 hour work week.” Anyone who runs a business will know what I'm referring to. If you're not careful it can consume your entire life and really take a toll on your health. This is precisely what Daniel Workman, the founder of GymCrate told me at the StartupElevated pitch competition in Utah last month. According to Workman, “the key to staying healthy while running a startup is focusing on a few key habits: wake up early, exercise daily, eat healthy, and find balance.”

Donald Trump's 1995 Return And A Lesson In Unrealized Appreciation

You've got to give the Times credit. Somebody just handed them the pages from Donald Trump's returns - anonymously by snail-mail, but they had to do some slick investigative work to hunt down Jack Mitnick, the preparer and, more significantly, get him to confirm that those pages were from Trump's actual return. If it had been me or any other CPA I have talked to, they wouldn't have gotten that and might not have had any story at all, but that's for another post.

The Business Of Super Bowl 51

Houston Texans President Jamey Rootes on hosting football's big game.

Today's Customer Service Week Paradox: Practice Doesn't Make Perfect In Customer Service

To kick off Customer Service Week 2016 (which starts Monday), let me pose a question that may sound like a no-brainer:Does practice make perfect in customer service?

How Children Of Entrepreneurs Can Find A Healthy Tech Balance

While we, as busy entrepreneurs, spend the majority of our days staring at screens, our children are learning from our habits. Here's how (and why) to create a healthy technology balance for your family.

Mercedes Races To Record $320 Million F1 Revenue

The Mercedes Formula One team has revealed that its revenue last year accelerated 38.5% on 2014 to hit $316.1 million, its highest since the German auto manufacturer bought the outfit from former boss Ross Brawn in 2009.

How To Solve India's And Pakistan's Old Problem

India and Pakistan are two countries with great potential that has attracted the interest of foreign investors. But it will likely remain potential until they address an old problem: corruption and crony capitalism, which raises the cost of doing business in both countries. Country Corruption Index in 2010 Corruption Index in 2015 China 78/168 83/168 Hong Kong 13 17 Pakistan 143 117 India 87 76 Estonia 26 23 Denmark 1 1 Finland 4 2 USA 22 16 Source: