| Resolutions small business owners should keep all year long | 2012-02-13 |
| While we all start the new year hoping to better ourselves, business owners have another improvement goal to think about: strengthening their business. But while personal promises to go to the gym more or read 50 books often fall by the wayside, business owners have to keep up their efforts to keep their ventures thriving in a strained economy. |
| Professionals find passion, paychecks in sports business industry | 2012-02-13 |
| Decades ago, the sports industry was a combination of talented athletes and mom and pop business owners. But now, in an economic time when many industries are hurting, sports business is one that is thriving and growing. |
| Tips for working smarter outside of the traditional office environment | 2012-02-02 |
| For many professionals, life in a cubicle is a thing of the past. Going into work could very well mean taking a stroll down the hall to your home office or heading to the coffee shop down the street. For those who are used to working in a traditional office environment, there are a few things you can do to make sure you are working at peak efficiency in your flexible work environment. |
| Social media helping small businesses stretch their ad dollars | 2012-01-30 |
| The 6th annual Staples National Small Business Survey found that seven out of 10 small-business owners are optimistic about the future. Further, 52 percent of small-business owners revealed they would look to grow their business through advertising and direct marketing if they had a larger marketing budget. |
| Master's degrees help educators navigate changing roles | 2012-01-30 |
| Education is the second largest industry in the United States, and nearly everyone is impacted by its professionals in some way. Unfortunately, budget cuts have forced many states to cut faculty size and increase classroom size in K-12 schools. These changes have put educators under increased pressure to meet new demands while also staying abreast of evolving industry trends and regulations. |
| Tips to simplify your tech life | 2012-01-16 |
| Technology is wonderful - when it is simple and works. Anyone who's ever had to run both a PC and a Mac in order to be able to use the applications they need understands that the technology we depend upon to make our lives easier can sometimes complicate things. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways - some low-tech, others leading-edge - to simplify your tech life. |
| Old meets new: How to represent yourself in today's social-media-driven business world | 2012-01-05 |
| If you met someone new and wanted to keep in contact with them, you wouldn't give them your mailing address and ask them to post a letter. In this day and age, that kind of behavior would be considered eccentric at best. The world revolves around new technology, and ignoring it can put you at a disadvantage, whether you're forging new friendships or, more importantly, trying to get hired. |
| Experts expect smartphones to overtake personal computers in 2012 | 2012-01-04 |
| Smartphones are steadily becoming commonplace devices for everyone from professionals to busy moms. Users of these devices now instinctively turn to their phones for tasks that previously they would only have accomplished on a computer, over the phone or in person. As smartphones allow people to connect with businesses in new and exciting ways, businesses in turn need to become savvier about going mobile. |
| Is this the year you change your career? | 2011-12-28 |
| When you evaluate your current situation and set goals for the future, do career goals top the list? If so it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Why not make 2012 be the year you get your new career underway? |
| College credit but no degree: The focus is on working adults | 2011-12-28 |
| If you are a working adult who has accumulated some college credit but haven't earned enough to be awarded a degree, you are not alone. There are at least 54 million people in the nation who fall into this category. To once again put the United States among world leaders whose citizens have college degrees, these "near completers" are receiving increased attention. |
| How small businesses can protect their floors and technology this winter | 2011-12-20 |
| Snow, ice, wind and cold temperatures bring a host of problems that facility and IT managers must plan and prepare for ahead of the winter season. Not only do they need to consider the damaging effects that salt and sand have on flooring, but they should prepare for potential power outages that could impact their technology infrastructure. |
| Forensic science a popular degree program thanks to prime time | 2011-12-14 |
| Crime scene dramas like "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "Criminal Minds" have exploded in popularity over the past decade, creating what many in the legal field describe as "The CSI Effect," which refers to the way the often exaggerated scenarios in these shows have influenced the public's perception of the forensic science field. |
| How to pursue your passion through a career change | 2011-12-09 |
| Whether you are pursuing a life-long passion or looking to reinvent yourself, it is never too late to pursue a new career. Here are some tips on changing careers and making the most of this transitional period. |
| Ways to keep small business registers ringing during the holidays | 2011-12-01 |
| The holiday shopping season is the time of the year that service and retail businesses big and small look forward to all year. In fact, National Retail Federation research shows that the last two months of the year can account for between 25 and 40 percent of all annual sales. For small businesses especially, the holiday season is often a crucial make-or-break opportunity to earn the revenue required to sustain the business the following year. |
| Are business credit cards rewarding for small businesses? | 2011-11-28 |
| Considering how much money your small business pumps into your local economy, the taxes you pay and your company's role as part of the engine that drives the national economy, you probably think someone should be giving you some kind of reward. A rewards program from a business credit card can be a great way to get something back for all the money you spend running your business. |
| Taking your business ideas to new dimensions | 2011-11-23 |
| As the current global market continues to create uncertainty for jobs across almost every industry, self-employment has become a growing trend, with more than 10 percent of workers being self-employed according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. After all, if you're your own boss, what better job security could there be? |
| What's up in the workplace this holiday season? | 2011-11-23 |
| Keeping the season fun and festive at work can take on a lot of different forms. Staples.com recently surveyed close to 400 people through social media to find out what was going in their office this holiday season. Here's what people found to be the most important to them this year. |
| Small businesses fill their stockings with new PCs | 2011-11-23 |
| You've bought the turkey, winter clothes are out and it's official: The holiday season is in full swing. It's a time when many start thinking about holiday gifts and many small businesses consider how they'll hit those end-of-year goals and start the new year out ahead of schedule. |
| The industry where the American Dream still thrives | 2011-11-16 |
| In today's high-competition workplace, the restaurant industry remains one of the few in which people can literally start at the bottom and work their way to the top. |
| Financial services a good field for students to investigate | 2011-11-16 |
| Despite high unemployment rates and a slow economy, job outlooks are bright for students considering degrees related to financial services. To snag one of these positions, experts say experience and financial prowess are key. |
| How SEO brings ROI to business websites | 2011-11-14 |
| Many people doubt search-engine optimization, or "SEO" for short. Some have a bad impression of it from watching the TV show "The Good Wife" or reading about the "dirty tricks" of a certain department store in The New York Times. They say it's nothing more than "black- hat" tactics that can get you in trouble with Google. These people want to cut back their marketing spending in a slow and uncertain economy. Some of this thinking may even be correct. |
| A flu prevention guide for the workplace | 2011-11-08 |
| Flu season is upon us and that means runny noses, chills and body aches. For a small business and its employees, that can mean days spent home in bed or feeling sick in your office, which results in lost working hours. Did you know that flu costs businesses approximately $10.4 billion each year in direct costs for hospitalizations and outpatient visits for adults? |
| Holiday digital-marketing strategies for small businesses | 2011-11-03 |
| With the holiday shopping season approaching, Santa's workshop isn't the only thing buzzing with activity. Search engine activity spikes every year as the holidays approach. It's likely that your current and potential customers are creating at least some of that online activity. |
| Using social media to ramp up for Small Business Saturday | 2011-11-03 |
| Big retailers have traditionally been the businesses to see the biggest boost on Black Friday, and Cyber Monday helps online merchants. If you're a small-business owner, you now have a day when consumers are thinking about you - Nov. 26 is Small Business Saturday - and smart use of social media can help you make the most of it. |
| Simple ways small businesses can protect their data from disaster | 2011-10-31 |
| Small or large, domestic or international, modern businesses run (or fail) on data. If you're a small-business owner, data - from customer email addresses to your bank account numbers - is vital to your company's success. Protecting data is as important as generating sales. |
| Teaching kids financial literacy? Don't forget entrepreneurship | 2011-10-31 |
| You teach them the value of hard work and the importance of telling the truth, how to be a loyal friend and a good citizen. But you might be overlooking one of the most important lessons you can teach your children to help ensure they do well in life - financial literacy. |
| How to create a winning resume and have your best interview | 2011-10-31 |
| You've seen the headlines. While no one would call the job market red hot, it is warming. Companies across most industries are starting to lift their heads and are considering new talent. While many businesses may be operating leaner, they are recruiting for skilled workers in many areas. Job candidates need to be focused on presenting their best selves for the right opportunities once they come along. |
| How your business can make the most of the holidays | 2011-10-27 |
| At the end of the year, you might be thinking about how the quarter is going to end, but the rest of the world is thinking about the holidays. Getting in the spirit shouldn't just apply to your personal life - it should also be a natural part of your business initiatives. |
