Business Blogs: Trends, tips, and real-life anecdotes from industry experts.

The past 18 - 24 months have been tough on corporate America. I’m based in Charlotte (home of Bank of America and Wachovia/Wells Fargo) and many of my friends that work for the bank are always nervous. A lot of these people were also able to store up a nest egg and once they get [...]

Let’s face it. The first step is always the hardest. Whether you’re trying to quit smoking, start graduate school, or learn how to play guitar. It’s that first step that leaves us feeling awkward, inadequate, and questioning our conviction. Taking that first step toward entrepreneurship is no different. We question our business skills, product performance, [...]

Jeff Elgin of FranChoice answered host Jenna Lee’s questions on “Franchising in 2009” on Fox Business Morning C-Suite Sit-Down. His message: Despite the economy, people can still find great opportunities in franchising.
Jeff Elgin of FranChoice on franchising

Here’s a transcript of my comments on CNN’s Your $$$$ this weekend. Thought you might enjoy…
ALI VELSHI: Businesses start up with in these economies, and by the way consumption we were over consumers and that’s going to change, but we do remain consumers. People do buy things.
CHRISTINE ROMANS: That’s right.
VELSHI: Richard Sloan joins us now; [...]

This idea gives “green business” a whole new meaning…
Anti-Theft Lunch Bags will deter the most glib of lunchroom swappers. Slip your sandwich into one of the green-splotched decoys before placing it in the office refrigerator and even the most brazen thief will think twice before running off with your “mildewed” PB&J. ($10 for two packs [...]

I sign up for a lot of newsletters because I like to know what’s going on, what people I used to work with are up to, and it helps spark the Idea Mill.
I worked with Jerry Shereshewsky back in ‘97 at Yoyodyne and (among other interesting andecdotes) I remember then he mentioned a desire to [...]

William Sonoma and Pottery Barn are offering in store classes. Everyone gets the main need to do these: move product off the shelves. However, there is another reason why ideas like this are important. They are experiences, they make the shopping moment feel person, local and more communal.

According to Joseph Pine and James Gilmore (authors [...]

Grandmothers have many great qualities. This idea had a “Greatest Generation” ring to it: Capturing their ability to make the most of limited resources.
With just that talent in mind, Oxfam recently recruited a team of what it calls Green Grannies to offer advice to the UK public about everything from how to darn socks to how [...]

Having a baby is great, but no one wants to share how hard and sweaty it is - and no woman wants to go hmoe looking like a hockey player after the big game.
Hospitals should consider thinking about their procedures as services. They refer to them as “hospital stays” - that is often how we [...]

Last week we took a brief glimpse at Wall Street and some of the good, and bad, news filling the media. Franchising, currently suffering like many other sectors, has historically outperformed other industries during economic downturns and subsequent recoveries. A few interesting points:

While dozens of retailers and corporate owned chains are expected to fail, franchises [...]