Will You Add? - Business

Payroll Cards Improve Direct Deposit Participation
It has been estimated that 50 percent to 60 percent of employees paid in the United States participate in a direct deposit service offered by their employers for payroll funds. This is a growing trend as there are many benefits to employers and employees alike. Direct deposit involves a series of steps that culminates in the employee receiving wages electronically into their bank account, whether they are paid on an hourly basis or salaried.For the staffing industry in particular, this trend poses a significant potential for savings as the volume of payroll checks for external staff is far greater than that of internal staff. For example, a staffing firm with 20 staff members may employ as many as 500 to 1,000 temporary employees per pay period. The costs associated with paying this many employees is on par with much larger organizations outside the staffing industry who, like you, strive to provide superior service at a minimal cost. By providing direct deposit to your employees, you will experience dramatic savings as well as improve relations with your employees by providing this valuable benefit.Background on the Market Over the past eight to ten years, we have all had experiences with either p

ich classifications are most helpful in a business setting. For example, I found that the general purpose typologies of the Enneagram and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter

(very similar to the Meyers-Briggs instrument known by many) both have some basis in ancient wisdom and philosophy. However, while the Enneagram

can provide deep insights into the self, it can take months or even years to really settle on what your Enneagram Type is. The Keirsey Temperament Sorter provides an objective test in less than 1 hour which provides insights into a person's preferences for inter-personal interaction, conceptual style and receptivity to different types of work. As such, it can be very helpful to business.

Some other worthwhile types that I came across in my study were four types outlined by John B. Miner in his book "A Pscyhological Typology of Entrepreneurs"

Miner outlines the types:

The Personal Achiever: characterized as having a motivation for self achievement, Type A personality, desire for feedback on achievements, desire to plan and set goals for future achievement, strong personal initiative, strong personal commitment to their venture, desire to obtain information and learn, internal locus of control, high value placed on careers in which personal goals, individual accomplishments and demands of the work govern and low value placed on careers in which peer groups govern (anti-communal ethic).

The Real Manager: characterized by high supervisory ability, strong self-assurance, strong need for occupational advancement, strong need for self-actualization, weak need for job security, strong personal decisiveness, positive attitudes towards authority, desire to compete, desire to assert oneself, desire to exercise power, directive in cognit

Employment Law: Attendance Rewards - Legal Ramifications
If you were thinking of offering your employees special rewards as incentives for having good attendance records, then you must read on. In fact, employers that offer attendance bonuses may find themselves falling foul of the law.The Royal Mail introduced a rewards scheme for staff that did not to take time off sick. Under the Royal Mail's scheme, workers with full attendance records were entered into a prize draw to win Ford Focus cars or holiday vouchers worth ?2,000. As a staff incentive, it seemed to work. The Royal Mail says its overall sickness absence levels fell during a nine-month period (between August and April) by 11%.However, such schemes could have serious ramifications from a legal viewpoint, and leave employers vulnerable to a variety of legal claims.DiscriminationEmployees could bring discrimination claims on the grounds of disability or sex. The success of these claims would depend on each employee's particular circumstances and needs, whether in relation to their family, religion or health. Alternatively, qualifying employees could bring claims for being subjected to detriment treatment as a result of asserting their statutory rights, for example, for:-Time off for dependa

A few months ago a strategic planning exercise led me to ask about the kinds of technology entrepreneurs that I have encountered in the marketplace. Since then, I've done some research into typologies that help with understanding ourselves and others. After I describe my eight entrepreneurial types, I include some quick references into this type of research.

My work focuses on helping Entrepreneurs to build and grow their businesses, especially those dealing with software, internet or e-Commerce related businesses. If you were an entrepreneur I worked with, I'd first want to understand you from the perspective of your deepest motivations for your business. This knowledge helps me to answer important questions like:

* How do you define success?

* What are your business biases?

* How will others in the entrepreneurial eco-system perceive you?

* What are some prescriptions for filling gaps you may have?

Following is a quiz that highlights some of the key elements of the different "entrepreneur archetypes" that I've encountered. What kind are you?

Answer the questions under each type and see which one(s) resonate most deeply with why you would start a business. I include a brief commentary on each archetype. In the future, I'll publish some details on the implications of each type. Comments and suggestions are welcome!

1) Get Big Fast (Tagline: Scale)

Is your primary motivation financial gain by creating a global enterprise?

Do you want to change the world with your idea?

Are you a student or recent graduate?

Do you have limited experience with starting a business?

Do you have a healthy dose of enthusiasm and idealism?

Commentary: I've encountered a number of student entrepreneurs who fit this category. Their unbridled enthusiasm and optimism is a double-edged sword.

2) Freedom Builder - Industrialist (Tagline: Creating Value in Emerging Markets)

Is your primary motivation financial gain by creating “cool technology” stuff?

Are you an experienced business person coming out of a different, (maybe even non-technology) industry?

Do you feel that you have a good handle on how business operates?

Commentary: Often approaching their new venture with a been-there, done-that attitude about business, this entrepreneur brings business acumen but sometimes encounters a culture clash as they move from more traditional business settings to the fast-paced technology world.

3) Passion Mavens (Tagline: Change the World)

Do you have an area of expertise that can be leveraged to help a large number of people or organizations like businesses, schools, towns, governments?

Do you consider yourself an artist or artisan?

Would you describe yourself as more of a "Feeling person" than a "Thinking person"?

Are you relatively inexperienced on the business front?

Commentary: These are usually loving, caring people who are filled with optimism. Oftentimes they need to fill big business gaps like defining a clear value proposition, a go to market strategy or a business model.

4) Spice of Lifers (Tagline: Play for Synergy)

Is your primary motivation for starting a business to "set yourself up" for a potential second career - which initially is a part-time pursuit?

Do you plan to play the role of “strategist/idea generator” while having a virtual team that can help you achieve your goals?

Is your business concept a passion of yours which not received your full attention?

Are you hoping for cash-flow, passive income streams and enjoyment from your venture?

Are you an experienced business professional in an unrelated field from your business idea?

Commentary: This entrepreneur seeks a second-career and is often willing to invest evenings and weekends to research, detail and pursue their dream. Often bound by existing time constraints, they usually realize the need for and seek out a team that can help them reach their goal.

5) Solopreneur (Tagline: Independence)

Do you seek independence from organizational constraints and hierarchy?

Does the slogan, “Do what you love, love what you do” resonate with you?

Are you seeking a positive lifesytle and cash-flow from your business to support that lifestyle?

Commentary: Independence and balance form the cornerstone of the solopreneur. They enjoy working with teams, but will keep their distance as a "virtual team member". They often need help with infrastructure.

6) Expert Idea Generator (Tagline: Immortality through Ideas) Adopted from John B. Miner (1997) for this type - see below for more on Miner's types.

Do you have deep technical domain expertise that can be captured in a product or service?

Do have a deep desire to innovate?

Would you consider yourself to be a strong "conceptual" thinker and highly intelligent?

Do you believe in new product development as a key element of company strategy?

Commentary: The true inventors of the world are driven to create; create to improve; improve to help; help to be remembered. Aspiring to be the next Dean Kamen (Segway) or Thomas Edison they can work with relentless energy. Oftentimes communication skills present opportunties for optimizing.

7) Freedom Builder – Technologist (Tagline: Believable Growth)

Do you want to achieve independence so you can build/create “cool” stuff that adds value?

Do you desire growth for its excitement, high energy and personal validation?

Are you coming out of a corporate environment with a specific technology proficiency?

Did you find the corporate setting "stifling" to pursuing your dreams?

Commentary: These entrepreneurs have typically grown in the cocoon of a corporation until they realize that they have wings. Many times they will seek business degrees just before or immediately upon leaving the corporate world to round out their technical experience.

8) Serious Competitor (Tagline: Play to Win)

Is your primary motivation to create value through a deep understanding of market systems?

Do you enjoy competition through playing high stakes, winner-take-all “games”?

Do you have a business degree or MBA?

Do you consider yourself relatively business savvy?

Commentary: This group represents the entrepreneur most adored by Venture Capitalists. They are typically very conceptual, fast on their feet and go way deep on the markets they are pursuing. They see and ride waves - and as near as I can tell - they all have a formula for "businesses that work" (but not always the same one).

Take the Entrepreneurial Type Poll

Some points of reference:

As part of a recent course in Integral Theory, I pursued this question in my term paper. I researched a number of theories that others had used in thinking about "types" of entrepreneurs, CEOs and people in general.

The type systems that I found provided a pretty interesting introspection into the nature of people and which classifications are most helpful in a business setting. For example, I found that the general purpose typologies of the Enneagram and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter

(very similar to the Meyers-Briggs instrument known by many) both have some basis in ancient wisdom and philosophy. However, while the Enneagram

Some other worthwhile types that I came across in my study were four types outlined by John B. Miner in his book "A Pscyhological Typology of Entrepreneurs"

Miner outlines the types:

Sarbanes Oxley - The Resolution Or The Cause
Last year a 15 member commission was created by the US Chamber of Commerce to evaluate the effects of litigation & regulation on the US capital market. Tom Donohue, the CEO of the Chamber, is a powerful business lobbyist that has become critical of the implementation of Sarbanes Oxley (SarBox) especially section 404 which covers the assessment of internal controls. The question remains: Is the litigious US business environment driving away foreign investment in US public companies? Has the SarBox section 404 caused these declines and how could it be changed to build confidence but retain assurance of the efficiency of internal controls? Despite the criticisms in the report, the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) Christopher Cox has responded with an acknowledgement of the difficulties of SarBox but an emphasis on the new changes. The Complete Act of 2007 recommends a limitation of section 404 that only requires the internal control audit on a three year basis. Another change proposed attempts to reduce the costs of these 404 audits for smaller companies by making them voluntary. There is also a movement to rely more heavily on the internal audit function for an assessment

reneurs who fit this category. Their unbridled enthusiasm and optimism is a double-edged sword.

2) Freedom Builder - Industrialist (Tagline: Creating Value in Emerging Markets)

Is your primary motivation financial gain by creating “cool technology” stuff?

Are you an experienced business person coming out of a different, (maybe even non-technology) industry?

Do you feel that you have a good handle on how business operates?

3) Passion Mavens (Tagline: Change the World)

Do you have an area of expertise that can be leveraged to help a large number of people or organizations like businesses, schools, towns, governments?

Do you consider yourself an artist or artisan?

Would you describe yourself as more of a "Feeling person" than a "Thinking person"?

Are you relatively inexperienced on the business front?

4) Spice of Lifers (Tagline: Play for Synergy)

Is your primary motivation for starting a business to "set yourself up" for a potential second career - which initially is a part-time pursuit?

Do you plan to play the role of “strategist/idea generator” while having a virtual team that can help you achieve your goals?

Is your business concept a passion of yours which not received your full attention?

Are you hoping for cash-flow, passive income streams and enjoyment from your venture?

Are you an experienced business professional in an unrelated field from your business idea?

5) Solopreneur (Tagline: Independence)

Do you seek independence from organizational constraints and hierarchy?

Does the slogan, “Do what you love, love what you do” resonate with you?

Are you seeking a positive lifesytle and cash-flow from your business to support that lifestyle?

6) Expert Idea Generator (Tagline: Immortality through Ideas) Adopted from John B. Miner (1997) for this type - see below for more on Miner's types.

Do you have deep technical domain expertise that can be captured in a product or service?

Do have a deep desire to innovate?

Would you consider yourself to be a strong "conceptual" thinker and highly intelligent?

Do you believe in new product development as a key element of company strategy?

7) Freedom Builder – Technologist (Tagline: Believable Growth)

Do you want to achieve independence so you can build/create “cool” stuff that adds value?

Do you desire growth for its excitement, high energy and personal validation?

Are you coming out of a corporate environment with a specific technology proficiency?

Did you find the corporate setting "stifling" to pursuing your dreams?

8) Serious Competitor (Tagline: Play to Win)

Is your primary motivation to create value through a deep understanding of market systems?

Do you enjoy competition through playing high stakes, winner-take-all “games”?

Do you have a business degree or MBA?

Do you consider yourself relatively business savvy?

Take the Entrepreneurial Type Poll

Some points of reference:

(very similar to the Meyers-Briggs instrument known by many) both have some basis in ancient wisdom and philosophy. However, while the Enneagram

Some other worthwhile types that I came across in my study were four types outlined by John B. Miner in his book "A Pscyhological Typology of Entrepreneurs"

Miner outlines the types:

Blue Chip Company
Technical analysis will show the day to day charting or week to week charting of the share prices, and will help identify the share market tends to occur in patterns.Let’s look at technical analysis a little closer. We have talked about, in previous articles, basically finding out the high and low price of the share, also a little bit about fundamental analysis on what the share does, what the company does and whether it makes a profit. It’s handy to know if it’s making a profit and whether it’s a blue chip company (a blue chip company being one of the larger companies on the share market). I always stick to blue chip Company, large company’s that are usually making a profit. That reduces your risk significantly. You can then look at the low and high prices for the previous twelve months to gain an indication of whether you are paying too much for the share or are getting it at a much better value and price. That eliminates a lot of risk to start with, not all the risk but a lot of it. You can also paper trade the shares in the beginning to build up your confidence, pretend to buy – and see how much you would make a paper. A good full service broker can also help with fundamental analysis, giving you information on curre

you hoping for cash-flow, passive income streams and enjoyment from your venture?

Are you an experienced business professional in an unrelated field from your business idea?

5) Solopreneur (Tagline: Independence)

Do you seek independence from organizational constraints and hierarchy?

Does the slogan, “Do what you love, love what you do” resonate with you?

Are you seeking a positive lifesytle and cash-flow from your business to support that lifestyle?

6) Expert Idea Generator (Tagline: Immortality through Ideas) Adopted from John B. Miner (1997) for this type - see below for more on Miner's types.

Do you have deep technical domain expertise that can be captured in a product or service?

Do have a deep desire to innovate?

Would you consider yourself to be a strong "conceptual" thinker and highly intelligent?

Do you believe in new product development as a key element of company strategy?

7) Freedom Builder – Technologist (Tagline: Believable Growth)

Do you want to achieve independence so you can build/create “cool” stuff that adds value?

Do you desire growth for its excitement, high energy and personal validation?

Are you coming out of a corporate environment with a specific technology proficiency?

Did you find the corporate setting "stifling" to pursuing your dreams?

8) Serious Competitor (Tagline: Play to Win)

Is your primary motivation to create value through a deep understanding of market systems?

Do you enjoy competition through playing high stakes, winner-take-all “games”?

Do you have a business degree or MBA?

Do you consider yourself relatively business savvy?

Take the Entrepreneurial Type Poll

Some points of reference:

(very similar to the Meyers-Briggs instrument known by many) both have some basis in ancient wisdom and philosophy. However, while the Enneagram

Some other worthwhile types that I came across in my study were four types outlined by John B. Miner in his book "A Pscyhological Typology of Entrepreneurs"

Miner outlines the types:

Electrical Engineering Technology
In order to succeed in their jobs, electrical engineers have to be familiar with a variety of electrical engineering technology. To deal with various aspects of electrical engineering technology, electrical engineers must become familiar with various theories of communications, electricity, and electronics. Electrical engineers can use electrical engineering technology to help them develop new systems, test systems, and make older systems more effective and efficient. Electrical engineers learn the drafting, designing, and technical skills that they will need to put their ideas as an electrical engineer into action.One type of electrical engineering technology that electrical engineers must be very familiar with is the technology of circuits and how they work. In its simplest form, an electrical circuit is a connection of electrical elements that is in a closed loop to allow the current to pass through continuously. Electrical engineers learn how to predict where the current is in the circuit and the voltage that is in the circuit, as well. In today’s world, it is much easier to design circuits than ever before due to newer electrical engineering technology that has software called circuit simulation software, to design

(Tagline: Believable Growth)

Do you want to achieve independence so you can build/create “cool” stuff that adds value?

Do you desire growth for its excitement, high energy and personal validation?

Are you coming out of a corporate environment with a specific technology proficiency?

Did you find the corporate setting "stifling" to pursuing your dreams?

8) Serious Competitor (Tagline: Play to Win)

Is your primary motivation to create value through a deep understanding of market systems?

Do you enjoy competition through playing high stakes, winner-take-all “games”?

Do you have a business degree or MBA?

Do you consider yourself relatively business savvy?

Take the Entrepreneurial Type Poll

Some points of reference:

(very similar to the Meyers-Briggs instrument known by many) both have some basis in ancient wisdom and philosophy. However, while the Enneagram

Some other worthwhile types that I came across in my study were four types outlined by John B. Miner in his book "A Pscyhological Typology of Entrepreneurs"

Miner outlines the types:

The Keys to a Great Logo
Logo, graphic, icon, logotype, typogram, logoform, image…call it what you will, a logo by any other name is the group of letters and/or symbols used in a consistent and unique way to identify a company. It is the most prominent and stable element of marketing, and should be planned carefully to fully reflect your brand. Understanding the key aspects of a logo will help in developing a durable, on target identity.FormatThere are three common formats for a logo: Image & Type -- Includes a literal or symbolic graphic with the company name positioned close to but separate from the graphic.Type-based -- A specific font in a specific color is used for the company’s image. Creating a type-based logo or "logotype," requires more than selecting a font and typing a name. In these logos, letterforms are adjusted and spaced in a unique combination and treated as art.Integrated -- A one-piece logo, incorporating graphics and type together so the name and graphic become one unit. Companies that use only initials frequently employ this format. DirectionDesign development of the logo generally follows one of three directions: Graphic -- Literally describes

ich classifications are most helpful in a business setting. For example, I found that the general purpose typologies of the Enneagram and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter

(very similar to the Meyers-Briggs instrument known by many) both have some basis in ancient wisdom and philosophy. However, while the Enneagram

Some other worthwhile types that I came across in my study were four types outlined by John B. Miner in his book "A Pscyhological Typology of Entrepreneurs"

Miner outlines the types:

The Expert Idea Generator: characterized by desire to personally innovate, conceptual in cognitive style, belief in new product development as a key element of company strategy, high intelligence, desire to avoid taking risks

The Empathetic Supersalesperson is characterized by an empathic cognitive style, desire to help others, high value attached to social processes, strong need for harmonious social relationships and belief in the sales force as a key element of company strategy.

I also found a kindred system in Ed Schein's Career Anchors. This MIT professor outlines his Career Anchors http://www.solonline.org/res/wp/10009.html as types of work that people gravitate to. However, Dr. Schein is focused on all types of workers.

There is a lot to think about in starting a new venture. Maybe the first question an entrepreneur needs to ask is why am I REALLY doing this.

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Are business incubators a profitable option when preparing to start-up a business?

Need more ways to be productive and improve your connectivity with decision makers during a job search? Get smarter. Start with a more flexible way to reach them. Create in-demand hunger for your talents through Proposal Marketing, instead of linking with a traditional, snoresville resume.

The success of any business or organization depends largely on how effectively the members communicate. Successful businesses have employees who have mastered the art of effective communication.

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