Groupware Reality Check
Warren Puyarena, the information technology manager of Porter Keadle Moore, says the price of installing and maintaining a groupware system can be conside... Read story
Christopher Caggiano
Seller, Beware!
How to spot the customers you don't want. You know just who we're talking about: the high-maintenance, low-profit customer. The on... Read story
Photo Opportunities
Nick Graham, founder of Joe Boxer, gives his singular take on the art of calling attention to yourself and your company. Read story
The New Urban Chic
Here's how several inner-city CEOs turned unlikely office space into architectural gems that helped enhance their businesses' identities and corporate cultures. Read story
Insider Training
To staff his company, Tucker Technology, CEO Frank Tucker began recruiting the raw talent he saw every day in the economically challenged parts of Oakland, C... Read story
Just Say Yes
The customer is always right. Always, always, always. Right? Ok, maybe not. In fact, sometimes the customer is so wrong, it hurt... Read story
Raises by Democracy
A CEO exposes employee pay rates and lets his employees vote on each other's raises. Read story
Letting Go
Celestial Seasonings founder Mo Siegel explains why he decided to hire someone else to run the company. He describes his 22 years as a CEO and reveals how he... Read story
I Was Seduced by the New Economy
Throughout the 1990s, pundits proclaimed that the traditional rules of business had changed. Here are seven myths of the new economy that smart CEOs fell vic... Read story
Low-Tech Smarts
Knowledge management isn't just for big companies anymore. Want a smarter company? Too bad you can't invest some serious dough in ... Read story
Sign of the Cross-training Times
When companies are in a start-up frenzy, early-stage staffers tend to wear so many different hats that many entrepreneurial companies forgo job descriptio... Read story
Brand on the Run
Martin Connolly, CEO of bicycle-wheel manufacturer Spinergy Inc., used a combination of buzz, product placement, and celebrity endorsement to cultivate one o... Read story
Recruiting Secrets of the Smartest Companies Around
An ever-tightening job market calls for rigorous, creative recruiting techniques. Here are some of the good-old-fashioned ways to find workers, plus some new... Read story
"What Were You in For?" and Other Great Job Interview Questions of Our Time
Advice on what to ask the next job candidate who comes in your door Read story
What's Hot: On-line Recruiting
A guide to books and Web sites devoted to helping you find the right employees. Read story
Psychological Testing: The Legal Position
Although Jennifer Lauro, cochair of the employment practices group at Peabody & Arnold LLP, in Boston, is skittish about personality tests, she says she's... Read story
Time Off for Good Behavior
When one of his most valued employees announced that she was quitting to hike the Appalachian Trail, Kurt Bleicken felt a pang of panic. So Bleicken, the ... Read story
Psycho Path
Although psychological tests have long been dismissed by skeptics, many companies are using them--with great success--to match employees to jobs that they wo... Read story
What's Hot: Teamwork
A guide to books and Web sites designed to help business owners implement strategies for improving teamwork at their companies. Read story
Hot Tip: Signing bonuses
Thanks to a tight labor market, signing bonuses for new employees are becoming increasingly common. "You don't have to be Bill Gates or Michael Jordan to ... Read story
Hot Tip: Sales
John McManus, president of Magellan's Catalogue, a $10 million travel accessories supplier in Santa Barbara, Calif., wants to keep employees interested in... Read story
Beyond Campus Recruiting
Steve Burkhart, CEO of Advanced Micro-Electronics (AME), used to get frustrated trying to find qualified job candidates for the PC-maintenance and -networ... Read story
How Can I Reduce the Expense of Opening a New Office?
Bret Lamperes, president of Dandelion Moving & Storage, in Fort Collins, Colo., cut costs by teaming up with a company in a complementary business. Dandel... Read story
How're You Gonna Keep 'Em Down On the Firm?
Sean Durham and Eric Rabinowitz of IHS HelpDesk Service uncovered a hidden growth strategy when they realized that rampant employee turnover was affecting th... Read story
Can You Achieve High Impact with a Low-Cost Perk?
How about allowing employees to redistribute something that you're already giving them--such as vacation time? Kevin Harper, president of Autumn-Har... Read story
How Can We Explain Our Financial Statements to Employees?
Get a discussion going. Brian Quint, CEO of Aqua Quip Pool & Spa Inc., a Seattle retailer and supplier of pool products, wanted to start sharing financial... Read story
Cancel the Christmas Party!
Tips on hosting a successful holiday bash, including keeping it fresh and exciting, allowing employees to plan it, saving money, and limiting your liability. Read story
Benchmark: Does Anyone Still Wear a Power Tie?
Surely, you've noticed that you see fewer suits at work or at business get-togethers these days - and more chinos. Business dress is becoming increasingly... Read story
Perks You Can Afford
You don't necessarily need to pay more to keep good employees. A look at some unique employee benefits that can help you create an environment your workers w... Read story
Hot Tip: Flexible Hours
For some employees, flexible schedules can be a valued perk. David Kaufer, cofounder of Kaufer Miller Communications, a 27-person communi... Read story
Hot Tip: Share the Perks
Is there an aspect of your business that you could turn into an inexpensive employee benefit? Orval Madden, CEO of Hot Topic, a $44 million chain of music... Read story
Hot Tip: Offer Advancement Opportunities
One of the best incentives for ambitious people is opportunity. Sharon Anderson Wright, president of Half Price Books, a $56 million chain of discount boo... Read story
Think All Noncompetes Stink?
A look at noncompete agreements and some advice on what to do to make sure your agreements can hold legal water. Read story
What Can We Do to Attract Attention at Trade Shows?
When Peter van Stolk, CEO of Urban Juice & Soda, in Vancouver, B.C., attended a major beverage trade show in 1996, he knew his $2.6 million company--the m... Read story
MTV Start-up Flops; Ratings Soar
Here's why a high-end dessert-delivery service proposed by a TV-series cast failed before it started. Read story
Low Rent
While the price of commercial space varies from region to region, here are five ways to actually save rental money. Read story
The Best Time of Day to Get Work Done
Feel as if you spend all day on the phone? Join the club. A recent survey by the American Management Association found that the majority of small-company ... Read story
Tactics to Help You Take a Break from Your Business
If you have a hard time getting away, you're not alone. 10% of CEOs on the 1996 Inc. 500 list say they take no vacation. Terry Anderson is not am... Read story
Hot Tip: Sublet Office Space
When he was looking to relocate, Soheil Saadat, CEO of Scientific Software, a $6.3 million software developer in San Ramon, Calif., eyed a swanky industri... Read story
Hot Tip: Relocate
Many communities offer incentives to relocating businesses, and some have economic development zones, where the city provides tax abatements, low-interest... Read story