Getting an MBA is hard work, but using the right tools can make the journey a bit easier. Students have been incorporating various technological devices into their studies as they try to simplify their workload. This involves the integration of mobile devices, laptops, tablets and smartphones among other devices. This post will talk about the types of technology that make getting an MBA easier.

1. Laptops – Accessing eTextbooks

Your laptop is a single centralized device that allows you to do multiple tasks without taking around large text and mounds of papers with notes. The provision of etextbooks has greatly aided the pursuit of an MBA degree for many individuals. The text book is not in and of itself a device, but rather technological move that has spared many the expense of getting the physical textbooks by making them available on devices such as laptops. The price of physical textbooks continue to climb to unreachable levels for many individuals pursuing their MBA studies.

This cost combined with that of the study course takes the costs of the MBA program beyond the financial reach of many students. Having a laptop and being able to access etextbooks has greatly reduced that cost, therefore enabling many students hold on to their dream of completing their studies. Transforming your laptop to a textbook reader is a reality you will have to face during your studies if you are to control the price of your MBA course.

Your laptop and a digitalized textbook makes life much less complicated as you will be able to do things such as:

• Navigate the book much more easily and faster as you will be able to locate the exact page and terms and concepts you need.
• Print, email and use a PDF or document editor to annotate pages with ease.

2. Tablets for MBA students

Tablets are very handy devices that can also be used as an e-reader. MBA students download various education apps that are useful for their studies. These include dictionaries and math apps as well as watching videos that are relevant to their studies. A tablet is not cumbersome or heavy to take around and you can conduct research even while you are on the go.

Just like a laptop, Androids spare you the hassle of having to drag big bulky books around with you. The availability of these books in soft, online or PDF versions makes it possible to download and read them whenever you get the chance to do so. A tablet can be used to do your class assignments and projects as well as to view various lectures related to your studies.

3. iPhone

The iPhone also allows you easy access to your course as well allow you to access a number of apps that will make your life easier. You naturally take your mobile around with you so it is a major benefit to have apps that make your life as an MBA student that much easier. It is a convenient web-browser and notebook and the apps will assist your studies from different perspectives.

MBA studies are costly and time consuming. You have limited time on your hands so multitasking is a must. The laptop, Android and iPhone are technological devices that have simplified the classroom and made it mobile so you can access your course while on the go. They help you to cut cost significantly. Technology in the classroom environment has been greatly simplified and an MBA student can manage his/her timetable and other school routine using this hand-held device.

About the Author

Andrew Roth is a professional tutor and former classroom teacher. He blogs regularly on issues related to learning and using technology to facilitate the educational process. To learn about furthering your education without disrupting your life, visit Concordia University online.

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3 Types of Technology No MBA Can Be Without originally appeared on The Daily MBA on January 14, 2013.

Deciding whether or not to get a masters degree is a tough choice for students in most fields. The Daily MBA has written about some of the general considerations in this debate, but has not honed in on particular specializations the way the next article does. Today’s post, written by Valerie Harris, takes an in-depth look at the growing value of masters degrees in finance and accounting. Valerie is the author of a web resource for students interested in professional networking, and has a great deal of experience navigating the often choppy waters of higher education.

How a Masters Education in Accounting Might Help Thwart the Next Financial Crisis

As the events of the last four years have shown, the financial world is anything but predictable. International markets shift constantly, and regulators are responding with more adaptable standards and regulations. Those already established in the financial world often have no trouble keeping up with the changes, though there remains a strong argument for continued education—particularly for the newer, rising class of accountants and financial planners who may not have had the unique “benefit” of working through the 2008 collapse and its aftermath. Going back to graduate school for a masters in accounting may be one of the smartest things today’s professionals can do. Employers are increasingly shouldering the costs and absorbing the lost time, too, which can make the situation a win for everyone involved.

In most cases, earning a bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting is all that is needed to get started in the working world. As in many jobs, a lot can be learned simply through doing. Putting together financial reports, preparing filings, and tracking investments requires a keen eye and a quick mind, but is not usually so advanced as to require certification or other professional training.

In order to move past the entry level, however, more exacting knowledge and training is often indispensable. This is increasingly true in many of the top U.S. financial firms, most of whom are looking for expertise and new direction in order to ward off another major meltdown. “The ramifications of the Banking Collapse of 2008 will be felt for years if not decades to come,” Britain’s The Guardian has said. “Western leaders, who for years boasted about the self-evident benefits of light-touch regulation, had to sink trillions of dollars to prevent the world bank system collapsing.” Few are keen to do so again.

The rise of new regulatory tools and accounting practices—instituted in many markets for precisely the purpose of preventing the unchecked spending and poorly managed loans that marked the beginning of the end in 2008—also in many ways demands a more educated workforce. “The complexity of today’s business environment requires public accountants to have expertise in accounting principles and procedures, and to understand the financial, managerial, legal, and tax ramifications of business transactions,” Boise State University says. Boise State is one of many schools around the country promoting one-year masters in accounting programs designed to equip already-trained professionals to hone their knowledge even further in order to serve the modern financial marketplace more effectively.

In most schools, the masters in accounting, or MAcc, takes just one year to complete. It typically prepares students to become Certified Public Accountants, and provides in-depth knowledge about regulatory and tax codes, technical accounting, and consulting, among other things. Some programs, like the one at Indiana University, are geared mostly towards new market entrants—that is, people who are looking to break into the world of professional accounting. Entering the job market with graduate-level credentials is a great way for new applicants to set themselves apart. These grads are often particularly attractive to younger firms looking to pick up top talent right away.

Others, like the Executive MAcc at Vanderbilt, are designed more with a seasoned professional in mind. Many of the larger financial powerhouses send their rising talent to programs like this in order to train them in the newest techniques while still keeping them on the payroll. This sort of work-and-learn arrangement is often very beneficial for both students and employers: the students get the experience and insight that comes with a top-notch graduate education, while employers guarantee that the knowledge gleaned will be used to help advance their strategies and strengthen their own performance.

“One reason for hope is that the direct economic fallout from the rich world’s disaster is manageable,” The Economist wrote as the dust settled on 2008. That management is still ongoing, though. Properly balancing the need for future planning with damage mitigation and preventative measures today requires a new sort of finance professional with a new sort of knowledge. Pursuing a graduate education is one of the best ways to procure these skills, and may actually be one of the only ways to prevent another disaster from sweeping the markets. Regulations and oversight are important, but at the end of the day, it’s the feet on the trading floor and the minds behind the investment calculators that are really shaping the future.

About the Author:

Valerie Harris is a writer and researcher for MastersDegreeOnline.org. When she’s not writing she enjoys kayaking and hiking with her collie Roxy.

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How Accounting Will Save Us From The Next Financial Crisis originally appeared on The Daily MBA on December 21, 2012.

When you are starting up a small business you will soon learn the value of productivity. The phrase “time is money” starts to make a lot more sense when you are working on your own time and your own money!

Essentially when you are working for yourself the more efficiently you work the more you can get accomplished with your time. This means that you can make more money without having to spend more hours working. Getting more done with your time doesn’t necessarily mean going into overdrive and tiring yourself out, it just means adapting to a smarter way of working and using techniques and strategies to focus your energy rather than wasting time.

So how can you combat your naturally lazy brain and train yourself to focus and get work done quicker? Different strategies will work for different people, but there are many great apps and programs which will help. These apps can help you manage and keep track of all of the 1,000 things that you will need to do every day as a busy entrepreneur and help you get them done faster. Some are free, some charge a small fee, but all are worth the investment.

Dropbox

This is a free cloud-based storage service which allows you to keep all of your documents, photos and videos online so that you can access them from any laptop or mobile device. This means that you will never have to worry about your computer crashing and deleting your files, cancelling out hours or work.

It will also make it so much more efficient to share files with other people on your team, as everyone can simply access the Dropbox folder rather than having to email different versions of a collaborative project back and forth to each other.

Evernote

This very clever app helps you manage all of the little tasks that you need to do and keep track of a million details at once over all of your devices. It allows you to sync files, take notes, capture photos, save web pages, make your own to-do lists and even record voice reminders. It is also completely searchable whether you are at home on your computer or on the go on your mobile device.

You will not forget anything anymore because it is so easy for you to jot down quickly. This app makes your life easier by making you more organised; successfully eliminating the need for you to keep so much information in your brain.

Nozbe

When you are a small business owner you will probably have many tasks on the go at once, so this task-management system will help you remember what you have delegated to others as well as what you have assigned to yourself. It is very easy to use, integrates with Dropbox and Evernote and is available on both Android and iOS devices. It even allows you to enter tasks by sending it an email.

Total Recall

If you attend a lot of meetings, lectures and conference calls you will likely find yourself constantly scribbling down notes that you sometimes can’t even read or understand afterwards. An easier and more effective way to remember all of the great points from that meeting or workshop is to record it with Total Recall, which is a simple app for most Android devices. It allows you to automatically or manually record your calls or meetings as well as even leave yourself an audio note.

These are just a few of the clever apps out there which work well to maximise the productivity of your small business. Of course, depending on what kind of work you do there will be other more specific apps which will help you out in other ways. Find the apps that work the best for your specific needs and get in the habit of using them and you will find your productivity greatly increased, leaving you with more time. What you do with that extra time is up to you!

Author Bio

JonJon Yeung is a freelance writer and enjoys writing on Technology, Entrepreneurship, Business and lives a Savvy lifestyle. He writes about software products for businesses (in particular Intuit products). He also provides tips for small businesses.

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Apps That Will Boost the Productivity of Your Small Business originally appeared on The Daily MBA on December 3, 2012.

A Guest Post by Debbie Malone

Ask anyone who works in any type of office environment and one word more than any other strikes fear in their hearts: consultants. Thanks to misleading representations in TV and movies, many people mistakenly believe that when their company hires a consultant of any type, big changes – including layoffs – are imminent.

While there have been cases in which consultants have found areas where businesses could be more efficient, and yes, have recommended changes to staff, more often than not, consultants actually improve business processes and the functioning of the office, in addition to making it easier for staff to do their jobs more effectively.

And in some cases, hiring a consultant is an absolute necessity. While it’s possible to run a successful business without a background in sales, marketing, finance, human resources, business law and management, if you lack knowledge and experience in one of those areas, hiring a consultant can get you on the right track and, in some cases, prevent you from violating laws and regulations. In fact, in some situations, particularly when it comes to HR, hiring a consultant should be the number one item on your to-do list.

Time #1: You’re Writing a Business Plan

When you’re starting a new business, the first step is to create a business plan outlining how you will operate – but a good business plan doesn’t just focus on the numbers. If you plan to hire staff, your business plan should include a comprehensive outline of how you plan to handle human resources, and that’s where HR consulting firms come in. If you do not plan to hire a manager or HR director, a consultant can help you develop your plan for hiring and managing staff, providing guidance on policies and regulations. A consultant can also help you establish your benefits and payroll plans, and set you up with appropriate vendors.

Time #2: You’re Offering – Or Changing – Benefits Packages

Your small business is growing – and you need to start offering insurance and retirement benefits to your employees. Or, perhaps you want to change carriers or adjust your retirement plan offerings. In any case, the world of employee benefits is a complex one, and if you aren’t familiar with the various options, you might not be able to create an ideal benefits package. A human resources consultant can help you weigh your options, establish new packages, communicate with employees as well as manage the enrollment process.

Time #3: You Need to Communicate Change

In the business world, you cannot afford to stand still. In order to remain competitive and stay ahead of the curve, your business has to be flexible and open to change. Whether you’re trying to communicate major policy changes, a new business model or simply create an environment in which your team works as effectively as possible, a consultant can help you develop strategies for communicating and working with your staff that will propel your business forward and prevent future problems.

Time #4: You’re in a Crisis

Sometimes, things happen that can adversely impact your business. Perhaps you’re the target of a lawsuit from a disgruntled ex-employee, or you’re being charged with an ADA violation. While you certainly need legal advice, a human resources consultant can be a valuable part of your defense team as well, offering the HR perspective and strategies for going forward. In fact, if you do not have a full-time HR professional on staff (or a department) engaging the services of a consultant to help develop policies and an employee handbook, and lead staff training, can actually prevent problems down the road.

Time #5: You’re Merging With – or Acquiring – Another Company

Mergers and acquisitions can be a scary thing for employees; many people wonder if they will still have a job once the deal goes through, and if they do stay employed, what it will look like. A consultant can provide guidance during the M & A process, and help make the transition to a new organization a smooth one.

Of course, there are other circumstances in which you should consider hiring a human resources firm, such as when you want to move to a computer-based management model, or if you’re switching payroll companies and processes. A consultant can make a potentially overwhelming process manageable, and save your business time and money in the long run.

About the Author: Debbie Malone holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resources and has more than 5 years of experience in benefits administration. She recently left a position with a large hospital in New Hampshire, and now works as a consultant to small and mid-sized businesses

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The 5 Times You May Need A Consultant originally appeared on The Daily MBA on November 26, 2012.

Body language plays a vital role in effective leadership. It helps you convey your attitude, feelings, and intentions to your employees. Mastering how to use your body language, as well as read the body language of others, is an essential managerial skill.

When You Enter a Work Area

Pay attention to how employees react when you enter their work area. Do they turn towards you, make eye contact, and smile, or do they essentially keep their bodies in the same positions and stare at their computers?

Presentation Indicators

If during your presentations employees slump in their chairs, avoid eye contact, fidget with objects, or scribble on paper, then clearly they’re bored. Employees who disagree with your message may have their arms and/or legs crossed. To alleviate boredom or reach an acceptable solution to problems, find a way to end the presentation and initiate a discussion addressing their issues; create solutions together as a group.

Ensure that an employee knows that you are listening to him or her. Turning your head and torso to face an employee directly and making eye contact lets an employee know you’re taking him or her seriously. Leaning forward and occasionally nodding or tilting your head also indicate you’re paying attention.

Smiling

A genuine smile lets employees know that you are approachable and cooperative. When you smile at employees, they’ll typically return that smile.

Employee Eye Contact

Eye contact is an important body language indicator. Employees keeping eye contact shows attention and interest.

An employee maintaining eye contact while explaining what caused a mishap may indicate that the employee is telling the truth. Averting eye contact may be an indicator of a lie, especially if they divert their eyes to their right. Some experts suggest that when people look to the right, or upward and to the right, they are using the creative side of their brain, and this may indicate that they’re exaggerating or flat out lying. Rapid eye movement is another indicator of lying.

Increasing one’s breathing rate, getting red in the face and/or neck area, perspiring, altering one’s voice (such as stammering or changing pitch), or clearing of the throat are other indications that an employee is telling a lie.

Employees who are well aware of body language indicators try to control their facial expressions, hand and arm gestures, and their posture. However, people often forget to control their legs and feet while telling a lie, and thus they significantly increase their foot movement. They shuffle or fidget with their feet and even wrap their feet around each other or around the leg of a chair.

Touch

Touch is one of the most powerful nonverbal cues. Just touching an employee on the hand, arm, or shoulder for less than a second creates a human bond. In the workplace, a sincere handshake makes a positive impression on employees.

Voice

The delicate task of suggesting how employees can improve their performance without alienating them, but making sure they take you seriously, isn’t easy; they won’t take you seriously if they hear a soft voice and notice little eye contact. An overly powerful stare along with a powerful voice may make an employee defensive and resentful.

Use a strong voice and let your tone go down rather than up at the end of a comment. If you bring your voice up near the end of a comment, it comes across as trying to be nice.

Gestures

Gesturing while speaking to a group of employees can actually improve your thinking. Gesturing with your hands often improves verbal content and produces clearer thoughts.

Stance

A broader than usual stance (with arms further away from the body than usual) while keeping your head up and maintaining good eye contact conveys confidence and conviction.

Don’t try to persuade employees when they’re showing defensive body language, such as when they’re crossing their arms and legs. Wait until their bodies open up.

Don’t just listen to your employees – be aware of their body language. Also, keep in mind that they’re getting clues from your gestures, posture, and facial expressions. Improving your body language can have a huge positive impact on your employees.

Brian Jenkins writes about a variety of job-related topics for The Riley Guide.

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How Managers Can Use Body Language to Their Advantage originally appeared on The Daily MBA on November 19, 2012.

For certain young and ambitious entrepreneurs, college presents the perfect setting to learn critical management and leadership skills. A college education offers so many opportunities to students who want to learn more about how to start, run, and succeed with a business. And I’m not just talking about business-centric classes; I think nearly everything about the college experience can teach someone about how to be a better manager or entrepreneur.

What specifically makes college such an ideal setting for young managers and entrepreneurs to thrive? In a few words, I think it’s the collegiate atmosphere that encourages free thinking and independence that makes such an impact on business-minded students. But let’s go into more detail about how college teaches smart management and entrepreneurial skills to students.

Learn to succeed in group activities

In the professional world you have to work with other people—that’s true no matter what field you work in. And it’s an unfortunate truth that far too few people know how to work well in a group setting. Some people don’t know how to handle abrasive personalities, others aren’t accustomed to sharing their opinions, other still would rather do all the work themselves than share tactics with their peers.

College classes teach you early on about the importance of working well with others. Classes in just about every subject—from French language to electrical engineering—are bound to feature at least one group project requiring students to work together to earn a major grade. It’s in these group projects that the budding manager or entrepreneur should learn how to develop their leadership and communication skills. If you learn how to work well with your classmates, then you can surely refine those skills further to be used when you start your own business and hire your own employees to work with.

Foster a sense of self-reliance and personal confidence

Just as group exercises teach you to work with other people, solo assignments will teach you to rely on your own talent and abilities to succeed. College is the ultimate hands-off experience: with little input from your professors and instructors, you’re expected to read, comprehend, and utilize books and books worth of learning material over the course of a few months. For most people, college is the most intellectually rigorous and challenging time of their lives so far.</p>

Sure, you can study with classmates and ask for pointers from your professors, but you’re responsible for the bulk of the work that you produce in your classes. If you can perform well under pressure, and produce great work all by yourself, then you certainly have what it takes to succeed in the business world as a manager or an entrepreneur.

Develop the ambition to do great things

Perhaps the most compelling way that college teaches you to be a great manager is through the ambition that you can develop from studying a subject that really ignites your passion. Not everyone who goes through college figures out what career path they want to pursue, but those who do get the rare opportunity to make the most of their college education. What I mean by that is that college students with a solid career goal in mind (i.e. running a small business, becoming a manager of a tech startup, etc.) have a better idea of what classes would benefit them the most, and which professors they should learn from.

Better yet, having a clear direction in college helps students transform their professional ambitions into very real and viable career opportunities after they graduate. So an aspiring manager or entrepreneur would do well to figure out exactly what it is they want to do before they graduate so they can seize the full potential of the college experience!

Nancy Wood is a freelance education and business blogger writing for onlinecollegeclasses.com. Nancy is keenly interested in how business schools and MBA programs are shaping the CEOs and revolutionary businesspersons of tomorrow. Feel free to send her a comment!

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How College Teaches us to be Exemplary Managers originally appeared on The Daily MBA on November 7, 2012.

So you’re in the process of getting your MBA, and you can’t wait to get out there into the business world. You’ve probably heard before that building or working for a successful business is all about networking. There’s definitely plenty of truth to that, but what many MBA students don’t realize is that the best time to start networking is NOW, not after you leave school. As MBA holder Adam Janikowski notes in an article in the Globe and Mail, “Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the greatest value to me of my MBA is the network I gained.” So how does an MBA student make the most of his network in school? Here are a few solid tips:

#1 Choose networking and recruiting events wisely

Your business school will likely hold many recruiting events throughout the year, especially during recruiting season. It can be tempting to desperately go to every single event, thinking that you’ll maybe miss out on something. In reality, it’s better to be prepared for and attend happy hours and recruiting events selectively. Going to every event can be exhausting. In the case of networking in B-school, the quality of your networking experiences definitely trumps quantity.

#2 Tap into your alumni database

Alumni databases are one of the most helpful yet inexplicably underused resources in both graduate school and college. Especially in business school, alumni of your school very much want to help you and establish a connection through community. Check out your alumni database and find professionals who are doing now what you want to do in the future. Call or send a polite email asking if you can meet with them for an informal, informational interview. Be respectful of their time and don’t be too pushy. Contacting alumni is a great way to find a life-long mentor and grow your network.

#3 Don’t be overbearing or a brownnoser

When you read advice about networking, you’re often instructed to be assertive. This, of course, is great advice, but it can often be misinterpreted such that you come across as desperate and annoying. When you’re in the process of networking, don’t be obvious about sucking up to a recruiter. Your classmates will resent you. What’s more, the recruiter can really tell the difference between genuine interest in the company and forced brownnosing. Just be yourself. Don’t overdo it.

#4 Don’t always talk business

Paradoxically, one of the easiest ways to widen your network effectively in business school is to stop talking about business all the time! Networking is just as much about informally socializing as it is about having professional conversations. When you’re trying to network with certain individuals, go for the personal connection first, whether it’s a shared hobby, interest, or passion. Then talk about business. You’ll become much more memorable in the eyes of the recruiter or professional when you’ve first established a close personal connection.

There’s no doubt about it—networking is tough. But it’s really never too early to start building your network, even if you are still in school. Good luck!

Melissa Miller is a freelance writer and budding entrepreneur. She enjoys writing about education, small business trends, and personal finance. Check out more of her writing at www.associatedegreeonline.com. Melissa welcomes your comments below!

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A Guide to Networking in Business School originally appeared on The Daily MBA on October 22, 2012.

So, you want to return to college, it has been years since you originally graduated and your responsibilities have since piled up. In this situation, pursuing an online education is likely the best option for you to earn your advanced degree, or even to complete one that was never finished. It is no surprise that focusing on school work while attending college solely online is often more challenging than doing so while attending a traditional school. These tips can help you stay focused and make sure that you are successful in your quest to get that degree.

Find the Time

Being busy is an inevitability of adulthood, whether due to kids, a spouse, a full-time job or all of the above. Finding time during the week to focus on school work can be difficult, but it is possible if earning your advanced degree is important to you. Some lucky individuals are born with the ability to focus on all their responsibilities at once. Their minds can switch modes from parent to employee to student at a moment’s notice. Most people, however, require some time, and some physical distance, between each obligation.

For that reason, you should allocate a set time to focus on school work. This can be whenever you know you will have some consistent, convenient free time available to work. Setting aside a designated time slot or a certain day of the week that is dedicated solely to school helps you focus on your priorities and get your work done in a more timely fashion. Of course, not all people will necessarily be able to allot the exact same time every day or every week, but you should at least strive for as much consistency as is possible. You might actually have more free time available than you think. Look for a spare few minutes during your lunch break or the train ride home, before you pick up your kids from school or before they wake up in the morning.

Get Good At Focusing

Naturally, this tip ties into time management, which is a critical skill for any adult – especially one trying to earn an advanced degree online. In order to work effectively and to reduce the total amount of time you must spend on your course work, you must be able to focus. When you sit down to work, you must be free of any distractions; allotting specific times for your school work can make this significantly more feasible. However, you must also remove any potential distractions from your work environment during these time periods, and few things are distracting as the internet.

It can take a surprising amount of self-discipline to stay off Facebook, to not surf the web and to not get distracted in general while you are studying. Even telling yourself that you will just quickly check your status, or just look at one funny picture, can be fatal to your efficiency. It is much better to save that for after you are done studying. For many this is the hardest part of earning a degree online, and it should not be taken lightly. Buckle down, focus and discipline yourself to get the work done. In the long run, it will be worth it.

Sarah Rawson is an independent researcher and freelance writer. She extensively researches online education programs, such as mba executive programs and open education resources. Her articles mainly appear on higher education blogs.

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What You Need to Know About Online Learning originally appeared on The Daily MBA on October 15, 2012.

The pace, type and style of work has changed. It’s becoming rarer and rarer to still work in the same building or even the same country as your boss.

Even if you do work in the same building, chances are, most of your interactions feel virtual since email, chat, wiki’s, communities and bug tracking are so engrained in our work lives.

That’s why #MANAGING YOUR VIRTUAL BOSS tweet — 140 Ways to Make the Virtual Organization Work For You by Carmela Southers is a must read for any one that uses these new technologies.

Now, more than ever, all of us need to be able to use all of the latest and greatest technologies to be an effective member of a team.

This technology push has allowed knowledge workers to pretty much work anywhere in the world. This means that the traditional boss/employee relationship has significantly changed.

In order to thrive in this new relationship, we need to understand the dynamics of having a virtual boss, a long distance boss or a busy boss down the hall.

Technology was supposed to make our work life easier but in reality it’s changed how we need to interact with our boss.

Virtual Does Not Mean Absent

One major misnomer about a virtual boss is that they will be absent.

They may be physically absent but they are always going to be present in your one-on-one interactions (via email or IM or phone) and in your work product.

This presence is something that you need to understand and appreciate since your work product is a direct reflection of how good your boss gives guidance and instruction.

It’s also how your organization and your boss with ultimately judge you.

Sound Advice We Can All Use

We all know how hard it is to communicate face to face let along over email, IM or over the phone.

That’s why #MANAGING YOUR VIRTUAL BOSS is such an important resource for your relationship with your boss. It gives you a framework in which to be successful.

The book is full of great tips that are easily digestible and actionable — something that is sorely needed in our 24/7 fully connected world.

Three of my favorite are:

• Aha #13 — Approach managing your boss as a challenge to your creativity not your ego.

• Aha #114 — Remember that if your boss does not succeed, you will not succeed.

• Aha #135 — Feeling isolated is normal. Staying isolated is a choice.

At some point in our careers, we will have a virtual boss or a boss that’s as good as virtual. It’s an inevitable part of working in the 21st century. By learning to effectively and productively manage your boss, you will be a more valuable asset to your company and/or clients.

Start down the road to virtual (and present) boss success by picking up a copy of #MANAGING YOUR VIRTUAL BOSS tweet today!

The Premise Behind THiNKaha! Books

Bit size, easily digestible nuggets of information.

That’s how I define books from THiNKaha!

It’s refreshing to see an imprint explore a new and creative way of helping us achieve more Aha! moments.

They truly get that the pace of our lives warrants an approach that’s more of a coach yelling at us from the sidelines than the professor lecturing us on the finer points of whatever.

Can you tell I drank the Kool-Aid ?

I Drank More Than the Kool-Aid

I really like the THiNkaha! concept. So much so that I’m writing a book for them that will be out soon. Yeah, I not only drank the Kool-Aid — now I’m making it!

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Virtual Does Not Mean Absent — #MANAGING YOUR VIRTUAL BOSS tweet originally appeared on The Daily MBA on October 5, 2012.

The Daily MBA has before written about financing when it comes to business. Today Juliana Davies intersects this issue with government policy, explaining how tax breaks work and why startups need more of them if they’re going to ultimately be successful as a whole. Juliana writes for http://www.mbaonline.com, an Internet magazine that seeks to be an educational resource for those interested in MBA education.

For the last four years some startup firms have struggled immensely. The economic recession has crippled annual profits for small businesses, while the American government has been unable to create policies that properly aid these companies. But experts say that successful startup companies are the key to stabilizing the high national unemployment rate and enabling the economy to properly recover — and if the government will not assist small business owners, then they must adopt a more proactive strategy for generating profits.

According to US News & World Report, the poor economy has not curtailed entrepreneurial activities; in 2010, two years after the recession was first reported, an average of 558,000 startup businesses were launched each month (a significant increase over the two previous years). And as big companies have foregone new hiring in order to invest in other resources, such as more advanced technology, small businesses have accounted for roughly two-thirds of U.S. employment. However, half of these startups eventually fail (often within the first year). “And if many of the recent startups are simply filling a void until corporate hiring picks up,” wrote USNWR contributor Rick Newman, “the surge in entrepreneurship could be fleeting.”

Startup firms are disadvantaged in other ways. As Jay S. Fishman of Bloomberg Report recently noted, government regulations require most small businesses to acquire costly permits and licenses in order to get started. To cover these expenses, most entrepreneurs raise funds via venture capital. However, once they have opened for business, these firms must compete with foreign entities that operate under much looser corporate guidelines. And if company owners are unable to recuperate their debts in a timely manner, then the startup is not likely to sustain itself for very long. Fishman argues that an “incubation period”, during which new companies would face fewer taxes and more lenient regulations, would benefit startups and the American economy as a whole. However, in lieu of any major changes to the current system, he warns that the success of a company rests on the practices and habits of its owner(s).

Many of today’s business leaders also offer tips to aid struggling startup enterprises. A recent article in YFS Magazine noted that 70% of small businesses are financed through personal savings or monetary assets, a practice known as ‘bootstrapping,’ but many of them fail because of costly fiscal miscalculations. To mitigate these risks, owners should allow their companies to grow gradually and organically. An emergency fund should be set aside to sustain steady cash flow and reduce the need for moneylenders and credit lines. Owners should not only create a business plan that realistically reflects time and money commitments, but also be willing to adapt to shifting industry trends. Finally, in order to advance, entrepreneurs must practice tight recordkeeping and accurate tax reporting; as Deep Sky Co CEO Michael Hsu writes, “Too many great entrepreneurs with great ideas fail because they simply were not financially feasible.”

In terms of fundraising, Indiegogo CEO Slava Rubin recently told Forbes that venture capitalism is not the only option, thanks to the recent advent of ‘crowdsourcing’. Sites like Odesk, CloudCrowd and Poptent allow entrepreneurs to attract investors, as well as reach out to potential customers. Rubin also urges company owners to avoid wasting time on a thorough business plan; due to the dynamic nature of today’s market, “scenario planning and detailed financial projections” can no longer serve as accurate gauges of business viability. Instead, entrepreneurs should focus on building their brand and delivering products to customers. And once the company is established, owners must continually work to promote it. “Keep marketing your product, and always make sure your customers, friends and communities are updated on your progress,” Slavin writes.

The link between successful startup firms and a thriving national economy has been well established for years. In the absence of amendment to government policies that impact these firms, the key to restoring a healthy market lies in the responsible fiscal practices of small business owners and CEOs.

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Startups Need More Consideration and Tax Breaks originally appeared on The Daily MBA on October 1, 2012.