TITLE	DESCRIPTION
The ''Shark Tank'' Is Educational	I hope everyone has been watching it as it shows up on prime time television.  There are many business lessons here in easy-to-understand language.  Last week's biggest issue was the evaluation of a business that was already up and running.
Networking Has Never Been So Important	With our world crashing about us, there is only one way not to feel hopeless.  You need to have a better golden rolodex (virtual) than the next guy.  I understand that some folks are dong well despite the credit mess.  I am addressing this article to the rest of us.

For Our Members

TITLE	DESCRIPTION
Business Communications 101	If you are still in the habit of using 'corporateease' when you write memos, brochures, pamphlets and other materials related to your business, it is time to get over it.
Times Are Even Tougher for Small Business Owners	Small business owners are feeling the crunch. So the question is: who will stay afloat and who is going to close their doors?  The stories overflow to every part of the newspaper.  The economic slowdown seems to be on everyone’s mind.  There was a whole section of the increase of food prices and how rice has become scare in the latest Business Week.
Business Law Basics	Promises and commitments are made every day over the Net.  It is very common for those involved in alleged deals not to have a clue about contract essentials.  Many feel that small business owners have no recourse if they don't want to pay.
It's Rough Out There	This is the header for one of the last front-of-the-book commentaries in the "Economist".  The only thing we can be sure in the next couple of years is uncertainty and there will be tough times.  The ripples from the sub prime mortgage market are being felt in Europe and other developing countries.
The Presidential Race is Getting Crazy	The debates are now discussing who did what and personal accusations.  That is not what a presidential race should be about.  They are good at talking about the problems.  Hillary talks about health care and the problems with the war.  Obama is quick to bring up the fact that he also has a health care policy.  ... Someone has to pay for it.
Stop Sacrificing Yourself on the Corporate Altar	We have all met workaholics at some point in our lives.  We all know that lawyers work an awful amount of hours.  They spend daytime in court and most of the night doing the research for what happened in court.  No one has found a way to get around that issue.
An Insight On Profits	In case you don’t take time out of your life to watch prime time television, Montel Williams is a spokesperson for the company who helps low-income people get their drugs, the Patient Assistance Program.
Running a Business Requires a Budget	Stop trying to convince yourself or anyone else that you can run a business without a budget.  I am still running across ecommerce sites claiming they can’t pay for services because they are start-ups.
Presidential Candidates and Business Economy	I went to one of the big social networks and asked who they thought among the front-runners would be a plus for business and the economy.  This is a hot topic for those really concerned about business.  Answers popped up so fast I had to close the question in a few hours.
What Price is That Doggy in the Window?	What better way to introduce a piece on pricing decisions.  Before you think it is boring, keep your hat on. How your price your product or service can make or break you.
There is No Free Lunch	THERE STILL IS NO FREE LUNCH!  The boom of the dotcom companies drew the eager multitudes into this erroneous thinking once again.  You can see where this got us.  It could be labeled, from those with a clear mind, that it was the straw that broke the camel's back of the California economy.
Defining Your Market Niches	I have a conversation recently with my oldest son about a franchise he is dreaming of buying. It relates to selling kosher food.  He told me about a cluster of religious families in a nearby city that it would benefit.  A cluster of families does not a market make.
Competitive Products Can Be a Pain; Choose Wisely	People, consumers and business, look at the subject of competition with more emotion than logic. The following paragraph shows that the market is deciding to pick at Microsoft again. This blog author labeled this "Microsoft under stack."
CLIENTS: The Hunt is On	The number of woman-owned businesses just keeps increasing astronomically. With each opening comes the hunt for new clients.
Change is in the Air	There are questions popping up about future banking consolidation in Europe, according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal. The story went on to relate that regulatory hurdles and national pride are stumbling blocks to mergers similar to those pending in the U.S. It (the story) did mention a possible merger between the Union Bank of Switzerland and Swiss Bank Corp.
Consumer Service in the Banking Industry	This is an area which at the current time is still in need of some desperate inhouse cleaning. Some of the faux pas which currently take place are results from the leftover changes from when some banks used to be S&Ls. This is added to by a big push to update computer systems and learning to deal with new parent corporations resulting from recent mergers and acquisitions.
Creating Wealth	Wealth is the most coveted thing in this country. People will do silly things and make a fool of themselves on national television for a chance at getting a piece of the action.
David VS Goliath	Market members in the changing segments, ironically, are growing and/or merging because of totally different forces. The financial institution market has been shrinking ever since the recession hit full force. The air started leaking out of its balloon faster when the full brunt of the S&L debacle hit.
Going Paperless	While we have been pressured for more than a decade to create a paperless office, it seems as if the push to do so created another problem.
Questions and Worries About Monopolies	Despite all the huffing and puffing about huge financial institutions, the community banks are not disappearing off the consumer's landscape.  Out of curiosity the other day, I decided to do an Alta Vista search on community banks. The result was over 1,000 hits.
Real Business Sense	The economic principles effecting business fill a textbook. The importance of understanding them holds true if you own or simply manage someone else’s business.
The FED Watchers Are at it Again	The Fed Watchers are a group of nervous nellies who like to gather in dark rooms and talk to a few members of the financial press on a semi-regular basis because it makes them feel important.