
Polish that Message
10 strategies for creating a diversified ad campaign
Super Bowl ads aren’t for everyone. If you’re a multi-billion-dollar global brand, shelling out $4.5 million for 30 seconds of airtime may be perfectly reasonable. For the rest of us, there are a few, slightly more affordable options for spending those marketing dollars. And spend them you should. A solid advertising strategy is essential to growing your business.

Five Clues That Profit Sharing May Work for You
As wages rise, profit-sharing plans could help small businesses compete for workers.
Competing with big-league firms for employees is tough — average pay at small businesses runs about two-thirds that offered at other companies. Not keeping up with pay hikes elsewhere can create staff turnover, eating into morale and creating operational problems. Enter profit-sharing plans.

Is Your “Be Like Me” Mentality Hurting Your Team?
It takes both introverts and extroverts to keep the office humming
We are all born with preferences for introversion and extraversion. Some of us sit in the middle of the continuum (ambiverts), but people typically fall into one of these two categories. And you might be surprised by how the two different groups perceive one another.

Sick Leave Switches
How does the new law impact household employees?
I am a working single mom, and about six months ago I hired a nanny to help around the house on days I work late or the occasional weekend. Until now I’ve paid an hourly wage for hours worked, and I’m wondering how California’s new sick leave act will impact how I pay my nanny?

Office Style in the Triple Digits
Don’t let professionalism take a back seat in the summer heat
Trying to dress professionally in the blistering heat is a very real predicament. With air conditioning inside and blazing temperatures outside, you must dress smart: Smart layering and smart color choices are going to get you through the rest of summer.

Can I Be Written Up For This?
What to do when your conduct is questioned
Recently my boss went out of town. Upon her return, she called me and my co-worker into her office to tell us that our HR person emailed her while she was out and said someone in the office complained about us being too loud. Yes, we were joking and laughing, but no one came to me to complain or ask that we lower our voices. Still, my supervisor told me the incident is going on my record. I feel like I’m in kindergarten even asking for advice on this, but can I really be written up for talking loudly?

Book Review: The Business of Time, Money and Significance
‘Making Money Is Killing Your Business' asks us to rethink how we define success
Time, money and significance: These are the three desires that every entrepreneur strives for in a business. Unfortunately, most find themselves caught in the never-ending pursuit of money, squelching the essence of true business ownership and personal freedom. As a result, the enterprise never delivers time back for the things we enjoy doing or the opportunity to make a significant impact on the world around us.

Status Check: Bonney Plumbing
New CEO Laurie Johnson picks up where Jimmy Crabbé left off
Where Crabbé left off in the development of departmental training and service protocols, Johnson will be connecting the dots in the larger picture for the company.

How to Avoid Falling Asleep at Your Next Conference
3 ways to make business travel more fun — and more lucrative
While travel for business always sounds more exciting than it usually is, you still want the trip to be worthwhile. Whether you’re a seasoned business traveler or just an office escapee, making the most of your trips is not only good for the company but for you as well.