Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 16, 2014

'Top 10 Small Business Trends for 2015. Below is our 8 th annual Top 10 Small Business Trends List. Click here to see last year’s list and for links to the lists from prior years.  2015 Technology Trends. The ongoing technology platform shifts to Cloud and Mobile Computing will continue as long term drivers of change in 2015. While each is important and powerful on its own – and both have been listed individually multiple times in our top 10 lists from prior years - their growing convergen

2015 219

2015 Payroll Finance Customer Service 219

Practically Perfect PA

DECEMBER 3, 2014

'What are the main aspects of your role? A lot of time is taken up with diary planning and liaising with the various companies that Ben works with. Ben is Deputy CEO of the Financial Times (FT) but is also Chairman/Non Executive Director of another fives companies so it can get rather hectic at times, it certainly keeps me on my toes! I also look after the Commercial team events so researching and visiting potential venues, caterers etc.

Twitter 209

Twitter Restaurants Email Training 209

Virtual Moxie

DECEMBER 16, 2014

'Rose wrote to me about a problem with a client. The client was readying for an event that Rose was helping with. Two days before the event, the client asked Rose to get the answer to an important question (logistical) from the venue''s coordinator. Rose got the answer, but not in a timely fashion, according to the client. The client was upset, and Rose was perplexed.

Stress 201

Stress AT&T Email Management 201

Office Organization Success

DECEMBER 11, 2014

'I’m going to share with you a really simple way for collecting your client testimonials. This is an important aspect of building your business. But many business owners overlook this important step simply because they don’t know how to implement it. Getting feedback is so crucial to your long-term business success as you need to know that you are providing: the information/services that your clients and customers want; when they want it; and. in the way that they want it.

2014 170

2014 AT&T Training Management 170

Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson

Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.

Payroll

Office Dynamics

DECEMBER 8, 2014

'This week I encourage you to. Celebrate WHO you are. Celebrate WHERE you are in your life. Celebrate WHAT you have. I have been in the personal growth and development industry for 25 years (as of 2015), I know that we put emphasis on developing new skills; assessing our skill gaps and taking courses that make us smarter and better at our jobs; setting goals in various aspects of our life.

Gifts 168

Gifts 2015 Goals Skills 168

The Small Business Blog

DECEMBER 10, 2014

'Why are we even starting a business? Is it passion, are we driven to do something new, or as Steve Jobs put it make a dent in the universe? Start a business, grow it and then do an IPO – world domination next! For many the reality often has little to do with passion! It… Read the full article here: Are you thinking about your business or in it?

166

166

Practically Perfect PA

DECEMBER 12, 2014

'1. Wearable technology. Google Glass and the Apple iWatch really do seem like something out of a sci-fi film but they will be available in 2015. If my Executives are anything to go by your Executives will also want to try out the latest technology and incorporate it into their working day. It will be interesting to see how this new technology impacts our role, you would think it would make people more self-reliant but as we know technology tends to make people more reliant on those that know ho

Social Media 193

Social Media 2015 Phones Twitter 193

Virtual Moxie

DECEMBER 9, 2014

'One of my coaching clients said that she''d been approached by a prospective client who, in discussing his needs, said he wanted to only pay her for successful outcomes based on the work she did, rather than simply paying her for her work. She asked what I thought of that idea, and I''m pretty sure that on my side of the conversation, I snorted in disdain.

AT&T 171

AT&T 171

Office Organization Success

DECEMBER 8, 2014

'If you’re struggling to get more clients, there are three simple strategies that you can implement that will help. But, more importantly, taking consistent, daily action is the real answer to getting more clients. I’ve had many conversations with business owners these past few months who are, quite frankly, really struggling with their businesses: They have little to no clients.

Networking 160

Networking UPS 160

Office Dynamics

DECEMBER 23, 2014

'Executive and administrative assistants can accomplish anything their heart desires today. 2015 will mark the 25th Year Anniversary of Office Dynamics and I am excited because I have seen so many good changes in the profession since I started my business—a business that grew out of a passion about a career I loved for 20 years and because I saw a gap in specialized, robust training for executive and administrative assistants.

2015 159

2015 2014 2013 Goals 159

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

Join this brand new webinar with Tim Buteyn to learn how you can master the art of remote onboarding! By the end of this session, you'll understand how to: Craft a Tailored Onboarding Checklist 📝 Develop a comprehensive, customized checklist that ensures every new hire has a smooth transition into your company, no matter where they are in the world.

Equipment

The Small Business Blog

DECEMBER 9, 2014

'As a business owner there may come a time when you need to raise cash, either because of an unexpected cost or emergency, or because you see an opportunity to invest for growth. In either scenario you have a few options to consider, like borrowing from your bank, another loans provider, or even freeing up… Read the full article here: Release The Equity In Your Business Vehicles on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.

UPS 157

UPS 157

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 23, 2014

'There are already  lots of 2015 travel trend lists out.  Here are a few of the trends from these lists I found interesting. 1. Peer to Peer Dining:  Just as Airbnb lets you stay in someone's house or apartment, peer to peer dining services like Eat With  allow tourists to dine in local homes. Tapping into growing consumer interest in authentic experiences, peer to peer dining lets people experience local food cooked by a local in their own home.

2015 195

2015 Travel 2013 Expenses 195

Practically Perfect PA

DECEMBER 12, 2014

'Prior to moving out of London I was living in a house in Wapping. From my bedroom window I had direct views out to the Shard and over the years I watched Europe’s tallest building grow and grow until it was finally opened to the public in summer 2013. By that point I was living in Barcelona, eating a lot of tapas and enjoying the Gaudi architecture.

Restaurants 192

Restaurants 2013 AT&T Management 192

Virtual Moxie

DECEMBER 2, 2014

'I had the most interesting conversation with a new mentee at AssistU. Her POV on moxie had it dealing with action. Strong action—ballsy action. I shared with her that while it''s often true that moxie deals with action, moxie starts with strength…internally, deeply and quietly. Without that, strong action is just bravado with no real underpinning, and, in my view, not genuine moxie.

International 166

International AT&T 166

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Management

Eco-Office Gals

DECEMBER 1, 2014

'CYBER WEEKEND DEALS CONTINUE! Just like buying a house, your website needs maintenance. You need a good foundation and you want to protect your investment. You don’t want all that hard work bogged down by slow servers or worse hijacked by a hacker bot. We’re delivering some awesome Cyber Week WordPress Deals to make sure your website runs smooth and stays secure and up to date.

Purchasing 157

Purchasing AT&T UPS 157

Office Dynamics

DECEMBER 1, 2014

'Take Time For A BIG Celebration! December 1, 2014. Hello, Monday Motivators! I hope you had a wonderful holiday. I imagine many of you are not back at work this Monday or if you are back at work, you will slowly move through your emails. I hope you have two minutes to read this Monday Motivator. It is the last month of 2014 and I want to talk about BIG celebrations in December!

2014 155

2014 Holidays Training Health 155

The Small Business Blog

DECEMBER 17, 2014

'What should you be mindful of when working at a height? Safety Concerns When Working At a Height Official statistics from the Government Department of Work and Pensions reports that a million British businesses and 10 million workers are estimated to carry out jobs involving some form of work at height every year. The Chair… Read the full article here: Working at a height on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.

Forms 153

Forms 153

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 30, 2014

'There are probably more annual technology trends and predictions lists than any other category. Below is our synthesis of the lists we've read, including links back to the various sources. 1. Wearable Computing -  is on most lists, mostly due to the expected release of the Apple smartwatch. But while consumer uses of wearables is getting most of the press - The Telegraph has even declared 2015 the year of the smart bra -  we agree with Forrester Research that business applicatio

2015 153

2015 2014 Forms UPS 153

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Interviewing

Practically Perfect PA

DECEMBER 4, 2014

'There have been so many times over the years that I have received an email about a fantastic training course or conference that I would love to attend. As I’ve read over the details, looked at the programme and the speakers I thought to myself ‘I’d love to attend that conference’ and then rather than doing something about it I’ve deleted the email.

Training 182

Training Networking Assertiveness Expenses 182

Office Organization Success

DECEMBER 10, 2014

'We all love a giveaway event … especially around the Holidays. So I’m thrilled to have partnered with 18 other business coaches and service professionals who support business owners just like you. We’re offering you an array of fabulous gifts to support your business growth in the Build Your Brilliant Business: Holiday Giveaway. This special Holiday Giveaway only runs through December 19th so be sure to access your gifts from the industry leading experts (including me!

Holidays 145

Holidays Gifts 2015 145

Tips From T. Marie

DECEMBER 3, 2014

'There is no shortage of information and advice for small and micro business owners when it comes to dealing with the ins and outs of running your business. Articles and posts on the subject of money management, marketing, dealing with uncertainty and growth are abundant, if not consistent. However, there is little material out there that talks about how to deal with personal situations that effect your business.

Social Media 131

Social Media Email Stress Home Office 131

Office Dynamics

DECEMBER 22, 2014

'CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR ASSISTANTS. IT’S NOT TOO LATE! Are you scrambling to figure out what to buy that wonderful person who supports you throughout the entire year—through thick and thin? Are you wondering what to get your executive or administrative assistant for Christmas that might have meaning and expresses your appreciation more than a poinsettia plant?

Gifts 138

Gifts 2015 Budget Purchasing 138

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Policies

The Small Business Blog

DECEMBER 8, 2014

'Some business owners find it difficult to justify the cost of sending Christmas cards and messages to their clients, but there are some very persuasive arguments for doing so. A Christmas message shows your clients that you look upon their custom as more of a human relationship – something that could further your commercial interests… Read the full article here: Send Your Clients Some Christmas Cheer with Custom Envelopes on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.

153

153

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 4, 2014

'The New York Times article Shops on Wheels, but the Goods aren't Sold From the Trunk covers the growing trend towards trucks being used as mobile retail/service outlets. The article features the fashion truck Nomad , which we covered last year in our article The Rise of Fashion Trucks , as well as Bootleg , which we covered several years ago in our article The Advantages of Truck-Based Commerce.  The key article quote goes to the heart of why mobile retail is becoming more popular - l

Clothes 152

Clothes 2012 AT&T UPS 152

Practically Perfect PA

DECEMBER 1, 2014

'We have a fantastic competition for you this month! One very lucky assistant will win a free airport meet and greet service courtesy of DiamondAir International. If you are an assistant based in the UK and you have plans to travel to or from London Heathrow or London City Airport in January or February 2015 this is the competition for you! The prize includes: Departing from the UK : You will be met by a personal airport concierge agent from your vehicle outside the terminal.

2001 181

2001 2015 Travel International 181

Office Organization Success

DECEMBER 3, 2014

'For those of you in the US, I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving break. Even though this isn’t a traditional holiday for us, we’ve embraced the Thanksgiving Holiday — it’s like Christmas but without all the hassle! We enjoyed lots of family time (my son was home from college) and went to the movies to see the latest Hunger Games movie.

Agenda 142

Agenda Holidays 2015 AT&T 142

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

💢 Do you find yourself stuck in never-ending review cycles? Are you wondering if your Subject Matter Expert actually got that last review request? Are you having trouble trying to decipher impractical or conflicting feedback? 💢 If any of these scenarios sounds familiar, you may benefit from a crash course on managing SME relationships!

Collaborate

The Office Professionals Place

DECEMBER 29, 2014

Jenny enjoyed her job, but didn't like the people. Her tolerance had grown thin and she was ready to quit. The interactions with her boss were the most challenging because she felt the meetings were counterproductive due to differences of views. Jenny left meetings feeling frustration, anxiety, and anger. Jenny suffered from a low level of emotional intelligence and needed to do something to save her job and reputation before her emotions brought out the worst version of herself.

IAAP 130

IAAP Stress Management Health 130

Office Dynamics

DECEMBER 2, 2014

'What Busy Hospitals Can Teach You About Office Management – You don’t need to work in a hospital to benefit from the knowledge shared in this post! What Busy Hospitals Can Teach You About Office Management. Working in a busy hospital is demanding and requires complicated systems with clear instructions in order to manage unpredictable and a constantly changing workflow.

Management 131

Management Medical Skills Health 131

The Small Business Blog

DECEMBER 17, 2014

'Understanding new technology is key for explaining how start-ups grow to become well known brands. These days, it is important for companies to be ‘fresh,’ ‘in cloud’ and, of course, ‘socially connected. New technologies allow you to spend less money and get more time for running a well operated business. There are some new tools… Read the full article here: Businesses Love New Technology on: THE SMALL BUSINESS BLOG.

UPS 152

UPS 152

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 1, 2014

'The use of mobile devices and mobile data  continues to grow at a very rapid clip. BI Intelligence explains why this happening in great detail in their 138 slide presentation The Future of Mobile: 2014. You have to be a paid subscriber to download the presentation, but at a cost of only $495 per year the service is steal.  Since I've given them a sales plug, hopefully they won't sue me for copyright infringement for showing the following charts from their deck.

2014 148

2014 Phones Copyright AT&T 148

Speaker: Tim Buteyn

Let's set the scene: you’ve identified a critical performance gap in your organization and need to close that gap. A colleague suggests training, but you suspect there’s something going on that training can’t address. How can you determine if training is the right solution before you commit your budget and resources to a new training program? In this webinar, you will learn how to determine if training is the right solution using the Behavior Engineering Model.

Training