Amanda Blackwood took charge of the Sacramento Metro Chamber on May 1, and immediately embarked on a 100-day plan to assess and redefine strategy.

I am the CFO for a 90-plus person firm and the head of human resources reports to me. Several employees have told me they feel uncomfortable going to the HR manager with complaints or concerns, because she’s really good friends with some of the people here and they’re afraid she’ll be biased. What do you think?

We are a small business with a staff of three: myself, my husband and one employee. As a seasonal business, we are sometimes very busy and sometimes have hardly any business at all. Recently, our employee asked to convert from a salary to hourly pay. He made this request during our busy season. My question is: Do we have to pay him during a month when we have no business at all?

Businesses in California now have a new centralized directory with which to find information about relevant state and local incentives.

Franchise success rates are often touted online as being wildly successful, but further examination has shown attaining reliable data is difficult. The franchise arrangement is inherently risky for both parties — but some Sacramento-based small businesses are going for it regardless.

So how do managers keep their offices running as well-oiled machines when the various parts may frequently not be in the same place at the same time? It hinges on clear metrics for success, ongoing communication and regular feedback on performance.

You might say Dr. Charles Lee created a synthetic bone graft substitute by accident.

We are a 30-agent real estate brokerage company with one administrative assistant, our lone employee. However, her professional abilities have not kept pace with the times. She has no technical skills and can’t keep up with her other tasks. She is 75 years old and we are at a loss regarding how to handle easing her into retirement.

This year’s tax-filing deadline of April 17 will arrive whether or not your business is ready. What’s at stake? Comstock’s spoke with experts in the Capital Region to learn how your business can avoid tax audit triggers and abide by the rules.

In his 2005 book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking,” Malcolm Gladwell polled Fortune 500 companies and found that 30 percent of CEOs were 6 feet 2 inches or taller. In comparison, only 3.9 percent of the U.S. population are of that height.

Why? Unconscious bias.