Business Mentors

In past columns I have asked, “Who does the best thinking in your organization?” The purpose of this question is to focus on two different and yet important types of thinking — creative thinking that generates new ideas that can be exploited for the growth and prosperity of the business, and analytic or critical thinking […]

In my book, “Employees, Kids & Pets,” I talk about how the lack of proper and disciplined communication can lead to unhappy employees and business owners. What I don’t talk about is how profoundly that unhappiness can affect your bottom line.  When I say, “communicate with employees,” I don’t mean day-to-day stuff or even formal “task”

Let me start by saying that tax filings are a necessary evil. While you may just want to sweep the entire thought of your tax return under the carpet, my advice is: don’t.  With the adage “pay me now, or pay me later” in mind, many folks procrastinate on filing their tax returns with the

The most important asset contributing to a company’s productivity is the energy and efficacy of its employees. More than financial figures or public-image potency, employee productivity is crucial. The importance of keeping your workers focused and dedicated can’t be emphasized enough — so how are you, as an employer, able to motivate your employees? The

Are you between the age of 45 and 55? Have you owned your business for 15 to 30 years? Is your personal net worth tied to the value of the business as a going concern? Does your company enjoy a strong reputation in your industry and in your community? Have you received inquiries from buyers?

In his January State of the Union address, President Barack Obama declared that the American dream was under siege. The president promised to shrink the income gap between rich and poor, calling it “the defining issue of our time … No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important.” The president continued, “We can

Bravo! As I write this editorial, the pundits are 99 percent certain that our elected officials will present us with another on-time budget for New York State. Kudos to Gov. Andrew Cuomo for encouraging the state legislature to complete its work in a timely fashion. Of course, the governor made it clear that he would

The solution to America’s biggest challenge is small. Small business, that is.  Most Americans know and understand that the only way to put the nation’s economy back on its feet is to put people back to work. However, that simple message has become muddled in the pandemonium that has engulfed candidates of both parties in

This article is part one of a three-part series. In this series, we will define occupational fraud, provide statistics of the incidence of fraud, identify red flags, and discuss types of fraud and the steps employers can take to help protect themselves against fraud. This first article in the series discusses facts of fraud and