Portland and Vancouver Small Business Blog

Marketing in Japan

Michael — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 06:32:39 +0000

I was recently in Japan on business and observed something interesting while looking for something to quench my thirst. There are drink vending machines all over the place and I quickly found one that dispensed my beverage of choice. Both a small and a large size were available but to my surprise both were the [...]

How to Move a WordPress Blog or Website

Michael — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 05:11:31 +0000

I know this might seem a little “techie” but I though it would be hugely helpful for those of you that use WordPress as a platform for a blog or a website. In the last few years WordPress has become increasingly popular for many good reasons. It is excellent as a website because it allows [...]

ITunes Library Sharing Not Working? iPhone Printing a Problem?

Michael — Mon, 23 May 2011 17:52:30 +0000

I know this is not strictly business but it was driving me nuts so I thought I’d quickly blog about it. Recently I was trying to use the new iPhone/iPad printing feature but the new HP printer (HP PhotoSmart D110) could not be found on my iPhone or iPad. Frustrating. Around the same time I [...]

Audio Fox – New Client Website

Michael — Wed, 11 May 2011 05:25:32 +0000

I’m pleased to announce that we have just helped one of my clients upgrade their website. The company makes TV hearing aid devices and is called Audio Fox. If you or someone you know has trouble hearing the TV they should take a look at this helpful product. Even better; it is made right here [...]

How Does Your Company Handle Conflict?

Michael — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 02:15:44 +0000

I’m sitting on a Horizon flight from Portland Oregon to Seattle and we are an hour and a half late. Well actually it is less of a flight and more of a metallic immovable tube since we are still sitting on the tarmac. The originating flight was late in arriving but now it seems we [...]

LED’s in Carpets!

Michael — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 06:06:44 +0000

I love the way some companies innovate and take an old, perhaps staid product and innovate. Starbucks did it with coffee, Cirque Du Soleil did it with Circuses and now this company has done it by embedding LEDs into their carpets. You can read more about it on the Fast Company Blog: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1662978/dutch-company-integrates-led-wayfinding-into-its-carpets

Mind Mapping on an iPad

Michael — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 23:27:59 +0000

A few months ago I bought an iPad. Just like it’s smaller brother the iPhone it changed the way I do computing. I now do as much email on the iPad as I do on my desktop or laptop computer. In addition I use it more for news than a newspaper or TV. I think [...]

Support Wikipedia

Michael — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:24:06 +0000

I don’t know about you but I find Wikipedia to be an invaluable resource both for business and personally. It has saved me hours of researching time plus I like that it is a non-profit. Like many non-profits at this time of year they are looking for funding in order to keep it going. If [...]

Customer Service Makes the Difference

Michael — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 06:14:12 +0000

I was talking to a travel agent friend of mine recently. I wanted to book a trip to London and he was recommending Air New Zealand. Turns out that Air New Zealand are on a customer service offensive. Their service has been upgraded and they are really courting travel agents. They have a special phone [...]

Free Investment Funding for Pacific NorthWest Small Businesses

Michael — Tue, 25 May 2010 05:05:11 +0000

I know this sounds like a scam but it really isn’t. Over the last few years I have worked with a number of Pacific Northwest companies who have been beneficiaries of a fabulous matching federal grant program. The program is administered by the Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center and it assists companies that have been [...]