When is it Time to Hire More Employees?
The declining economy creates many complexities that dictate staffing levels. One common reaction when searching for ways to control costs is the eliminat... Read more
Office and Operations
Recent Office and Operations Articles
Managing Sudden Sales Increases
In the wake of the September 11 th attacks, many businesses are struggling with decreasing sales figures. On the other hand, some companies are ... Read more
Tom Ritchey's Garage
Tom Ritchey, bike-frame and bike-component designer, finds that he's most productive when working in a space of his own. Read more
Making the Travelers' Century Club, Times Two
Dick Matland, president of Coronado Shores Co., has traveled to enough destinations to qualify for the Travelers' Century Club two times over. Read more
The Suitable Throne
The Explorer E-cliner could be the most comfortable home office ever. Read more
Midnight Express
In a 24-7 society, every minute counts. But do all minutes count the same? Read more
A Wasp in Time ...
What's the best way to keep track of perishable inventory? Read more
Should You Outsource Your SEO Campaign?
Company representatives often ask me whether they should outsource their search engine optimization (SEO) campaigns. I've read many articles by tho... Read more
Not-So-Homeward Bound
Inc. Technology executive editor Chris Caggiano reflects on the benefits and distractions of working from home. Read more
Log On, Turn Off, Spend Less
Joe Whitley, CEO of Best Sign Systems, offers ideas on how to save money on your next electric bill. Read more
A World Of His Own
Dilbert's creator designs his dream office. Read more
Working From Home -- And From Another Home
Sometimes one home office isn't enough. Read more
One Man, One Computer, 1,431 Lawn Mowers
A garden-tool distributor rakes it in by carefully deciding what he needs to do himself -- and what he doesn't. Read more
Hot Tip: Product Mix
Find out what your distribution strategy will be before you start selling your product. Read more
Perennial Growth
Learn from CEO Neal Waldman on how to lease space -- he does it every summer when the number of his employees jump 10-fold. Read more
Buh-Bye, Bell?
Beema, Inc., a multimedia production house, found that it could save money by using Internet telephony rather than the traditional telecoms. But will it work... Read more
Hot Tip: Improving Office Decor for Free
One company in Cleveland is using its space to showcase local artists, benefiting the artists and the company. Read more
How can I get the best options when leasing office equipment?
Office & Operations mentor Mie-Yun Lee responds: Before signing any lease, you'll want to think carefully about which type of lease ... Read more
Should we invest in voice recognition software?
Offices & Operations mentor Mie-Yun Lee responds to the following question from an inc.com user: Should we invest in voice reco... Read more
Tips for Weathering Air Travel Troubles
Weather delays, flights that are overbooked, and seemingly endless lines mark typical days at most airlines' ticket counters. And it's only going to get w... Read more
Best Cities: The Two Loudoun Counties
Can a place that's good for business survive as a great place to live? A look at the two sides of Loudoun County, Virginia. Read more
Big-Sky Country
Business: Maker of computer-based camera systems Location: Bozeman, Mont. Site rationale: C... Read more
Misclassifying Workers Can Cost You, Big Time
When are freelancers really your employees? Ron Bourquin isn't the first executive to find out that the contractors he'd hired wer... Read more
Managing Independent Contractors
If you want to comply with state and federal regulations on classifying workers, talk to an HR expert. Rules vary from state to state. Still, there... Read more
In a Former Life: Ed Lilly
Ed Lilly, 56 Present life: CEO and president of Serta Inc., the $760-million-plus maker of mattresses based in It... Read more
Dealing with Zoning Problems
You've found the perfect spot -- except that it lacks the zoning you need. But you may be able to work the situation to your favor. Read more
Pick a Legal Location and Avoid Zoning Trouble
Legally speaking, it's far less important whether a certain spot is a good one for your business than if it'sproperly zoned for what you plan to do. The f... Read more
Behind Warehouse Doors
Although your inventory might be quite small and you think your current system works well enough, it's to your benefit to implement a scaled-down version ... Read more
Commercial Lease Checklist
It's crucial to understand from the get-go that, practically and legally speaking, there are oceans of differences between commercial leases and residenti... Read more
Lodge Your Complaint
You've been wronged. The goods you ordered arrived intact, but the craftsmanship is shoddy. You've been handed a bill, but you haven't received satisfacto... Read more
Stephen Gordon: My Biggest Mistake
STEPHEN GORDON CEO and founder of Restoration Hardware Inc., based in Corte Madera, Calif. My biggest mistake was ho... Read more
Start the Presses!
With a little imagination, you can design your company's printed materials without ever leaving your desk. Many online sites offer print services, but how go... Read more
Outsourcing Bookkeeping
An entrepreneur of a fast-growing company wonders when it's the right time to graduate to a big-time accounting firm. Read more
Find the Best Deals for Fall Foliage Travel
For some, autumn comes with a particular appeal. While the others seasons may have their beauty, autumn is the one time in North America where you can tru... Read more
