Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom What Are Your Business Goals

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom What Are Your Business Goals Small-business activity is on the rise, according to theNational Federation of Independent Business’s chief economist William Dunkelberg. Not counting seasonal variations, 55 percent of owners have recently hired or are planning to hire new staff, 23 percent are raising worker compensation, and 11 percent plan to create new jobs. Iasked four small-business owners how they are takingtheir enterprises to the next level thisyear. Jeffrey Bowman, founder of business acceleratorREFRAME:in New York; Shirish Phatak, CEO of Talon Software in Mount Laurel, New Jersey; Alejandra Pikulski, president of accessories company Allie Orietta in Jacksonville, Florida; and Andrew Vines, co-founder of the law firm Johnson Vines in Little Rock, Arkansas, let us in on their plans. What would you like your business to achieve next year? Alejandra Pikulski: A new goal is to launch a new product, fee-for-service, that will create a steady cash flow into the company. We are a new company that makes fashion accessories, so our sales fluctuate depending on the season. We want to create a service that will provide monthly income. Andrew Vines: Our main goal this year is to better manage our cash flow and increase operational efficiencies. We have been experiencing high growth over the past few years, which has required us to increase our overhead expenses in terms of space, human resources, equipment and vendor services. In order to keep up our capacity, our spending has been more reactive than strategic. Shirish Phatak: Talon provides companies with centralized file collaboration. In 2016, we would like to double our revenue and global staff footprint. Since Talon’s inception, we have maintained a very aggressive growth trajectory driven by cloud adoption. How did you choose thisgoal? Jeffrey Bowman: Our overall mission is to educate about and enforce total market disruption for the marketing and communications industries, and to be a major voice of change. With that in mind, a main focus and goal for 2016 is to scale our U.S. business. Pikulski: We realized that new designs alone will not help with cash flow and the bottom line, so we decided to focus on creating a service that will complement our seasonal sales. Vines: We see our growth leveling out next year, so while doing our year-end planning, my partner and I decided to scrutinize expenses in all areas of our operation. We hope to eliminate any inefficiencies and redundancies that could impact cash flow. We feel that taking a more proactive approach to overhead in anticipation of slower growth is the way that we best serve the firm next year. For the rest of the interview, head over to the AMEX Open Forum.

Saving Money On Airfare - Flexibility is The Key

Saving Money On Airfare - Flexibility is The Key If you travel by air, even just occasionally, you know that the airfare for a given flight can vary drastically. On the same flight, its possible that the same class seat has sold for five to six times the lowest fare paid.   Thats why we all try to book ahead of time to obtain the advance ticketing discounts that airlines virtually always offer. But advance ticketing alone wont get you the best fares.   You can start saving money on airfare by being a little flexible on your travel dates.   This is partly because most carriers, such as United Airlines, often use other carriers to complete parts of your travel route, and the demands (think supply and demand) on individual route segments can vary greatly. Being Flexible Saves Money If youve been relying on advance ticketing as your primary way to save your travel funds, youre missing out on the discounts that can be had in other ways.   By far the largest savings are had by being flexible on travel dates.   You may have been ignoring that button on many travel sites that asks if you want to check fares on other dates.   Often, we get our mind set on a particular day, or even time, of departure.   And that is costing you money. If youre flying for business, unless there are specific stops in your overall itinerary that cannot be altered, you can easily move departure and return dates by a day or two. If youre flying for pleasure, think of it as an opportunity to see a few more friends or sights, or have a little more time with your loved ones. Be Flexible The more youre able to use alternative airlines and travel dates, the more youre going to save.   But it doesnt end there.   Here are some more ways being flexible when you travel will keep more money in your wallet. After booking, but before packing, check the air carriers rules on baggage.   Be willing to adjust your baggage. Youll avoid being dinged by fees for checked or carry-on bags that exceed limits. When traveling for pleasure, look for offers that might be initially outside of your consideration.   Even traveling with a travel buddy can sometimes lead to cheaper per-traveler costs.   Not sure where to find a travel buddy? Check out sites such as Thelma and Louise who specialize in connecting travelers with like interests. Even though you may love those business class seats, opt for coach.   Then add a little sugar-sweet politeness to the flight attendants.   A few smiles in, a polite request is more likely than you might think to get you a free upgrade.   If you dont get it, take heart you still saved on the fare by going coach. Check nearby cities.   Often, the secondary hub in a metropolitan area will have less traffic and youll be likely to find lower fares. When it comes to air travel, being flexible is sure way to save.   Try it!

5 Best Executive Career Coaches in New York City, NY

5 Best Executive Career Coaches in New York City, NY As an executive in New York City you may feel like a big fish ...in the middle of a massive ocean. Making yourself standout in a sea of well-qualified executives in an ultra-competitive city can be a daunting task.Professional development and career guidance can make all the difference!It will allow you to confidently take the next steps in your career.Our top 5 list of the best executive career coaches in New York City will help you find an executive career coach that will meet your personal needs.Make your next career move count!Your executive years are the highest-earning years of your career.It's what you have worked your whole life to achieve.An executive career coach can take you to the next level, enablingyou to make the most out of your prime earning years and accelerate your earning power.There are career coaches on every corner of New York City, but a great executive career coach is harder to find.Check out our list of the best executive career coaches in New York City and prepare to reap some serious professional benefits.Best Executive New York City Career CoachesIf you are in a hurry and don't want to read our detailed reviews below, here is a list of the Best Executive Career Coaches in New York:Find My Profession (that's us!) Mark Strong Coaching Training Maggie Mistal Executive Coaching Group John KalinowskiAnd now for the detailed reviews ...1. Find My ProfessionFind My Professiontops our list as the #1 executive career coaching service New York Cityhas to offer.While most career coaches will teach you how to job search, our career coaches job search for you.Think of it this way:when you need electrical work done, you don’t hire an electrician to teach you how to fix the problem. You hire an electrician todo the work.We feel the same logic should be applied to job searching.Find My Profession is the professional (electrician) who will actually do the work for you. We find you jobs, apply to those jobs with a tailored ATS-compatible resume, n etwork on your behalf to key decision-makers, and prep you for interviews.We will manage all of the time-consuming and challenging tasks associated with your job search.Pros:Find My Profession offers a unique approach to career coaching that goes above and beyond what most services offer. Your dedicated career coach can save you hundreds of hours of job searching, all while producing greater results.Cons:Find My Profession is a virtual/online company. While we provide services in your city, we don’t have a physical office to meet in person.Phone:(831) 888-0967Don't take our word for it, check out some of our 5-star reviews.Trustpilot2. Mark Strong Coaching TrainingMark Strong Coaching Training is a boutique executive career counseling and training service. Founded in 2004 by Mark Strong, their team has grown to six full-time career coaches.An interesting coaching service they offer is anxiety coaching. Many executives do not want to admit that they suffer from anxiety, but if yo u’re an anxious professional there is nothing to be ashamed of.This unique offering could teach you some useful tools to handle inevitable workplace stress.Pros: Mark Strong Coaching Training has over 15 years of experience.They have glowing online reviews and stellar client success stories. Your executive career will be in good hands if you go with Mark Strong and his team.Cons: Mark Strong Coaching Training has several coaches at their firm.They also offer a wide variety of training besides executive career coaching services. If you’re looking for highly specialized service, you may want to go with a firm that focuses solely on executive level employees.Phone: (212) 647-07503. Maggie MistalMaggie Mistal is one of the few executive job coaches to offer a 4-day retreat.This motivational speaker and executive career counselor has worked with the best of the best. Maggie hosted a radio show for 7 years called “Making a Living with Maggie” on SIRIUS XM, which is quite an indu stry accomplishment.Maggie Mistal also has a clip on YouTube of her discussing a job interview that has an astounding 5 million+ views.Pros: Maggie Mistal focuses exclusively on executives and career changes.That is a great sign if you are in need of professional career coaching services and want one-on-one direction. Maggie will ensure that the program she develops will work for you and your executive career.Cons: Maggie Mistal is the star of the show at her firm.As such, she is very busy and could potentially be too busy to take you on as a client. You also have to purchase a complete package that Maggie offers in order to take advantage of her executive coaching.Phone number: (917) 886-80294. Executive Coaching GroupExecutive Coaching Group is run by a group of four outstanding women.This executive career coaching service was founded by Trisha D. Scudder in 1987. They offer several different team workshops, such as breakthrough leadership, mission control, and performance kicksta rt.Your executive career will certainly grow and flourish with these fantastic executive job coaches.Pros: Executive Coaching Group ensures that you will always work directly with your career coach. Trisha has worked with over 600 top-level executives.All of the coaches at Executive Coaching Group are highly experienced and want to help you achieve your professional goals.Cons: Executive Coaching Group has 6- to 12-month long programs.That can be lengthy for executive career counseling, as many executives would rather have a shorter program â€" especially if they only desire coaching while they’re searching for their next job.Also, some of Executive Coaching Group’s coaches are located in Charlotte, which could be an issue if you want to work with a specific coach in-person.Phone number: (212) 877-34005. John KalinowskiJohn Kalinowski is a North Carolina native that grew up with a humble lifestyle. This outlook on life has given him a unique style of coaching that allows him to guide executives to prioritize what exactly they want most.John also offers life coaching and speaking/facilitating services. His experience will ensure that you grow not only your career but as a person.Pros: John Kalinowski has nothing but positive reviews online â€"a great sign.He runs a fantastic professional career coaching service that few executive career coaches can rival. He also provides potential clients with a free video consultation call so you can see if you’re a good fit for his services.Cons: John Kalinowski doesn’t have any prices listed on his website;you have to wait for John to give you a quote for his executive career counseling services.You also have to commit to at least 9 sessions, which could be daunting to some executives who want a more hands-off experience.Phone number: (707) 574-8522This List Serves The Following Areas Near New York City, New York:Buffalo,Long Island, Yonkers, Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Schenectady, Utic a, Troy, Newburgh, Plattsburgh, Trumbull, Jersey City, Newark, Bayonne, Stanford, Hartford, Morristown, Jamestown City, Poughkeepsie, TarrytownIf you are looking for a career coaching service not specifically for executives, take a look at our article on the Top 5 Career Coaching Services.

Party Planning Ideas Sign, Sealed, Delivered!

Party Planning Ideas Sign, Sealed, Delivered! Are you a party planner?  With all the great ideas out there on blogs and Pinterest, I sometimes feel like I could party plan any occasion.  I think the teacher in me loves the opportunity to theme and craft to my hearts delight.  But when it comes down to it, party planning takes a ton of time, effort, and organizational skill. If you are not inclined to themes, complimentary colors, and such, no worries!  I have some tips to help you stream-line your work, bachelorette, baby or birthday party.  Do not get me wrong, I love details.  Im just  suggesting  you pick your details carefully.  When party planning, it is important to keep your eye on the prize and not get too crazy or overwhelmed by details.  I like to focus on three guiding details to carry through the party.  It helps to create unity (and keeps you sane in the process). Three Things to Consider When Planning a Party 1. Color You can pick colors that compliment each other (like purple and orange), colors inspired by school or work, or colors that fall in the same category. I had a joint bachelorette party with Nicole  this summer and the theme was black, white, and diamonds.  She and I wore white and the other ladies in the party wore black.  The brides-to-be were obviously the ones wearing the diamonds. ?? Color theme: Black and White Bachelorette Party Color can also dictate how you select your party food.  Perhaps the mom-to-be you are celebrating is loving orange-flavored foods during her pregnancy.  You could serve all things orange: orange soda, sorbet, candy, cheddar popcorn, Dorittos, etc. It is great to use the color in both decor and food.  I will often get color inspiration in the scrapbook paper aisle at my local craft store.  I enjoy layering paper to see how various colors look together.  It is easy to frame a piece of paper in cheap frames.  You can write notes about food and drink or write names to place guests at tables. 2. Texture, pattern, or image Polka dots, plaid, monograms, oh my!  Like color, texture and pattern can help you to bring a sense of theme or cohesiveness to an event.  Perhaps your bride, boss, or new mom has a favorite shirt, necklace, skirt, or designer.  Use such items to inspire your party decor. This is a photo of my girlfriends bachelorette party Theme: Preppy and Plaid! 3. Signage I had been doing research for a one-stop-shop to order party signage and Nicole mentioned we were contacted by Signazon a company that has tons of options for all of this.  Perfect timing! Customizable wall signs are a  great way to (literally) spell out what your clients or guests need to know.  You can label cars, rooms, tables, and so much more!  Many events are in multiple locations, for example, progressive dinner parties, corporate training, bar crawls and surprise birthday parties.  These events always run smoother when your guests know where to go!  Dont hesitate to turn ordinary  business signs  into a live event  itinerary  to  keep your guests/clients informed.   Signs can tie in your information, invitations, color, and patterns into one tidy package. Some Pinspiration! Another party planning idea that I found on Pinterest was giving your guests an itinerary to go.  Using pretty  business cards  to do this is a thoughtful detail that allows your guests to bring all the party details in their pocket or purse.  This is especially helpful and appreciated for events where alcohol and surprises are involved! So, for the party planner in you, dont forget to consider color, texture and signage at your next event. No matter what  events you get to plan this year, I hope these suggestions make your life a little easier and your attendees a little happier! Now I want to hear from you! What have you done when planning showers, parties and events that has worked well?   What DIDNT work so well?   Please share!  

Different Types of Resumes

Different Types of ResumesThere are several different types of resumes. Some of them you should include and some you should skip. You should not skip the important information, but you should be aware of what type of resume you are getting.Most companies will have online versions of their resume letter. Some will have templates that you can use to make your own.The first thing to look for is all the information on the first page. This is where you will start if you want to be considered for the job, it is the first step to landing a job.Do you know how many years the company has been in business? Does anyone even know what they do? This is a critical question to ask yourself when you are trying to figure out what type of resume to send out. Do people really know what your employer does?When you answer these two questions, you can see the difference between people who have a variety of resumes, people who only have one resume, and people who just do not care enough to complete the job application. It is very important to be professional when filling out a resume as most people prefer to deal with someone who is professional.Always put a nice touch into your resume. It does not need to be detailed in any way. Just try to make it interesting and you will have an easier time filling it out.There are so many different kinds of resumes out there. Each one has something different to offer and you should use all of them at the same time when you are filling out the resume.Try and use all of the different types of resumes that are available to you and get the job that you want. This is a way that you will be able to help out people who are looking for work.

An inherent paradox - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

An inherent paradox - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog For most of us, work is not optional we have to make a living somehow. Finding work we enjoy given that, is a paradox we all must resolve. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

The Quest for Multiple Internships Is it Really Beneficial to Have More Than One - CareerAlley

The Quest for Multiple Internships Is it Really Beneficial to Have More Than One - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. A professional internshipprovides an invaluable opportunity for young professionals to gain insight into their industry of interest. Each internship brings vital exposure to new experiences and gives the intern the ability to learn from those experiences. With an extremely competitive workforce, many young people have discovered the need to set their sights high. It is important to create a resume that will stand out from the others. This brings to light the question that many young college graduates have asked, How many internships should one have? Deciding between one internship or multiple internships According to a study reported in SAM Advanced Management Journal in 2000, only 2 percent of university graduates in 1985 had participated in an internship program. This number increased dramatically to over 75 percent in 2000. Research performed by Experience Inc. described how the number of students that had at least three internships doubled from 2003 to 2004. As thecompetition in the industry increases, so too must the applicants experience and exposure if they plan on being considered for the position. Why have multiple internships? There are many reasons why having more than one internship could prove to be advantageous when seeking a position in your field of interest, including the following: Experience: Experience is key when seeking a job. Listing several internships on your resume will show employers that you have extensive experience in the field, and know how to get the job done. Exposure: Exposure to multiple areas in the industry can add diversity to a resume. Rather than master a single aspect of a career, why not gain experience in several areas? Youll show the employer that you are flexible and can be mobile within the company. Networking: It is crucial to meet as many influential people as possible. You never know when a simple connection could lead to an amazing position. The more internships you have, the more highly qualified professionals you are exposed to and have the chance to network with. Reputation: Working with several reputable and prestigious companies will show potential employers that you have learned from the best. Those who learn from professional masters can become experts in the field as well. Job Opportunities: With each new internship comes a possible job opportunity. Many companies hire interns that make a dramatic impression. Think of an internship as a long job interview. Show the company what you have to offer, and they may want to make you apermanent part of the team. Where to Find an Internship: There are many resources you can leverage to find an internship: College Career Office: Your college career office is a great resource when trying to find an internship. Leverage their resources and connections before looking online. Internships, Apprenticeships, Volunteer Opportunities This is Riley Guides internship resource page. There are lots of resources on this page. Internships.com Land the Perfect Internship is the tagline on this site. They have a very good search engine and this site was on Forbes top ten career websites. Book Corner [easyazon_link asin=B004W3FJ3Y locale=US new_window=default nofollow=default tag=caree07-20 add_to_cart=default cloaking=default localization=default popups=default]All Work, No Pay: Finding an Internship, Building Your Resume, Making Connections, and Gaining Job Experience[/easyazon_link] Where to draw the line While many graduates are anxiously trying to pack in as many internships as possible, it is important to never take more than you can handle. In order maximize the knowledge and experience you gain from each internship opportunity, make sure that you can give every task 100 percent. Keep in mind that you want to impress each employer. Becoming overwhelmed may cause you to ruin your internship and whatever job opportunity you may have had. You have invested a substantial amount of money and time into your education and degree. Make sure that you continue to strive for excellence by mastering multiple internships. Doing so will make you more marketable and attractive to potential employers. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ what where job title, keywords or company city, state or zip jobs by