June 2010

COVER STORY

2010 Top Small Company Workplaces

Building a great culture is both a strategic decision and a moral one. Here's how that decision can lead you to success.


FEATURES

A Little Enlightened Self-Interest

Patagonia's Yvon Chouinard and Winning Workplaces's Ken Lehman on why companies that treat employees well are succesful.

A Look Inside the Un-Factory

Good friends, good food, good times. Yes, this is a chemical company, but it feels less like a factory than a combination greenhouse and family garage.

Team Building With the New York Jets

No, the Jets did not make it to the Super Bowl this year—to the dismay of many New Yorkers—but they did get an extraordinary new facility to practice in. Here's a look inside.

Testing a Company's Commitment to Transparency

When executives at Return Path decided to sell a division, they also had to decide whether they would bend their commitment to openness and transparency.

How to Build a Beautiful Company

Employing leadership by consensus, the Sky Factory's Bill Witherspoon has set out to create the perfect business.

Why I Sold Zappos

With credit tightening and investors eyeing the exits, was selling his company really the only way to save it?

The Way I Work: Blake Mycoskie of Toms Shoes

Blake Mycoskie, founder of Toms Shoes, built a lifestyle business based on social entrepreneurship.

COLUMNS

Street Smarts |  Norm Brodsky

Norm Brodsky on When It's Time to Sell

Should a business owner take an offer to sell his struggling business? Columnist Norm Brodsky offers his advice.

Get Real |  Jason Fried

Never Read Another Resume

37signals co-founder Jason Fried never wastes time reading resumes. That's just one of his tips on hiring great workers.

THE GOODS

4 New Rugged Notebooks

We put models from Dell, Panasonic, HP, and Lenovo to the test.

4 iPad Apps for Business

Programs that help you track flights, create slideshows, and more.

3 Online Database Services

New software offers companies innovative ways to store and manage data in the cloud.

4 New Desk Phones

Models from Cisco, Alcatel-Lucent, and AT&T that are smarter and sleeker.

A New Event Service

Poken promises its users networking, with a twist.

A Way to Revive Waterlogged Gadgets

The story behind the invention of the Bheestie bag starts, predictably enough, at the bottom of a pond.

Things I Can't Live Without: Jason Pomeranc of Thompson Hotels

A look at the gear that Jason Pomeranc of Thompson Hotels brings with him when he visits his company's 10 properties.

Luxurious Long-Hauls

United Airlines, Emirates, and Swiss Air are offering some cool new amenities for first- and business-class travelers, including private cubicles with larger TVs and lie-flat beds.

My Favorite Collaboration Tool

Entrepreneur Tim Miner explains how he uses Yammer, a Twitter-like messaging system for businesses.

Does Every Home Theater Need a 3-D TV?

Looking to watch Avatar on DVD as it was meant to be seen? We test new 3-D TV models from Panasonic and Samsung.

A Wireless Phone Charging System

The PowerMat offers users an easier way to power up their phones.

PASSIONS

CEO Passions: Collecting Rare Books

Edward Surovell, founder of Edward Surovell Realtors, spends his free time collecting rare and antiquarian books.

INNOVATION

Innovation: Taking Aim at Gas Guzzlers

Transonic Combustion, founded by Mike Cheiky in Camarillo, California, in 2006, has a simpler solution reducing gasoline consumption: a superefficient fuel injector designed to integrate easily into conventional cars.

How to Guides

How to Build Business Alliances

The basic logic of a strategic alliance is often clear, but managing it can be tough. Here's how to forge partnerships that last.