November 2009

Want Great Interns? Hold a Contest

Where can you find eager, motivated interns? Clothing line O'Neill holds contests to pluck the best young talent.

• Making It Work: Student Interns
• Why Interns Are Good for Business

Is a Barter Exchange Right for Your Company?

Bartering is an old-fashioned practice that has become increasingly popular as companies seek to unload excess inventory. But it is not without risk.

• Online Barter Exchanges

Using Charitable Donations to Motivate Employees

Taking on pro bono work can burnish your reputation, while keeping employees sharp and motivated between projects. And it just might lead to more paying customers.

• Structuring Pro Bono Work

Elevator Pitch: Green Sherpa

Green Sherpa wants to help organize your finances. But first, it's looking for $5 million of its own. Will investors go for the deal?

Can a Do-It-Yourself Fabric Company Craft a Larger Following?

Four entrepreneurs weigh in with marketing strategies for Spoonflower, a crowdsourcing site for fabric design.

• The Customer is the Company

Are Your Passwords Too Weak?

Hacked passwords can compromise company data security. Here are some strategies for creating the best passwords.

• Storing Data in the Cloud

How to Sell Luxury Goods in a Bad Economy

Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, founder of the online luxury retailer the Gilt Groupe, answers a reader's question on how to sell high-end merchandise now.

• The Best Gifts for the CEO Who Has Everything

How to Manage Telecommuters

What's the best way to manage employees who work from home, to make sure they are being productive? "Being a virtual manager requires more structure and planning," says one entrepreneur.

• The Tradeoffs of Returning to a Home Office

Scott Cook of Intuit on Product Innovation

Intuit's founder calls new product innovation "the central operational challenge for most businesses."

• Everything Will Change
• Case Study: Bringing an Innovative Product to Market
• The Customer is the Company

The Way I Work: Jason Fried of 37Signals

This software entrepreneur hates lame meetings, tech companies that don't generate revenue, and managers who treat their employees like children. Here's a peek inside his typical workday.

• Bootstrapping 101: Use Cheap Web Tools
• How to Choose the Right Collaboration Software
• The Way I Work: Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione
• The Way I Work: Essie Weingarten, of Essie Cosmetics