Business

We sat on the patio of an industry analyst friend's home watching the sun set beyond the Golden Gate, talking about the difficulty of launching a company/product, getting them understood/accepted, helping them prepare for the next great breakthrough.

He said that a marketer/publicist couldn't be strategic, couldn't handle anything unless he/she understood what was going on well out at sea and could deal with the immediate sea conditions he/she was in.

"The here-and-now issues/questions/problems are the ones that separate these people from pros," he commented. "If you can't handle them, don't leave shore."

His disdain was a "little" apparent. He listed their shortcomings:

• He calls them handlers, gatekeepers who attempt to block access, control/manage meetings, escorting managers and media
• The handler barely contributes to a discussion of the technology, the applications, the future direction, has no clue as to the market/competition
• He recalled once asking about a product's return rate. The individual looked him straight in the face and said "almost nonexistent."

"Power is like being a lady... if you have to tell people you are, you aren't." – Margaret Thatcher, "The Iron Lady," Pathe International (2011)

A year ago, we were late in leaving for the office and noticed a lot of fathers were escorting their kids to the grade school.

Last week, it seemed as though the numbers hadn't changed much.

With the business community being cautiously optimistic, it made us wonder if we'll ever get back to the point where mom stays home handling the myriad of family/household activities and dad returns to the grind.

During the recession, men accounted for more than 71 percent of the job losses.

The latest unemployment figures stand at 9.8 percent for men 20 or over and 8 percent for their female counterparts, with women making up 47 percent of the total labor force.

Ellen Galinsky, president of the Families and Work Institute, said that their studies indicate that the man of the house isn't finding a job as quickly as he hoped and if/when he does, it is for a lower salary.

"Work isn't working very well for men," she noted.

In addition to having more women in the workforce worldwide, we're seeing a growing number of high-profile women running and influencing companies as well as very active mentoring organizations such as Women 2.0.Read more

Saving money is our motto, but occasionally we come across items worth spending a little more on. Yes, you can save money on these goods by waiting for a deal to come along, but generally speaking, these items are more of an investment where quality takes precedence over frugality. We've found that by spending a little more on items like computer systems, certain office gear, and yes, 500-thread count sheets, you actually wind up saving money in the long run because the higher quality of these items prolongs the need to replace them every year.

From desktop replacements to cosmetics, below is a list from dealnews of the top five items where - in their opinion - being too frugal doesn't pay.

1. Get a Laptop that Lasts: Invest in a Desktop Replacement
Buying a new computer is a major purchasing decision. Not only do you want a model that adheres to your budget, but you'll also want a machine that won't be obsolete in a year, nor one that requires constant upgrading or maintenance. Depending on your needs, you could opt for a budget laptop (you can even narrow your search to specific months for optimal savings). Or if you're a demanding computer user, why not invest in a desktop replacement?Read more

Business has been built on the foundation of selling stuff. Hopefully, lots of stuff – products, ideas, services – to lots of folks.

The latest tool new-marketing experts are promoting to management is social media. You know, putting your products, your ideas in front of the masses to buy.

Most social media efforts today – Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube video program – are implemented, tested and measured to push what your stuff to retail (brick and mortar or ecommerce) to keep the cash register ringing. If the bottomline is black, the people who recommended and ran the program say, "See, it works!" If the bottomline bleeds red, another social media team is brought in.

Social media, the internet, smartphones, ecommerce, mobile to in-store signage and friends digital coupons put you in front of the customer. If it's a bad product, bad process or the business-as-usual model hasn't changed to align with today's new environment; social media people and tools won't produce the results you want and need…a sustainable business.

Digital marketing and social media programs that are implemented on top of the same old business model to move the products/ideas are too obvious, too easy to see through. They’re about as transparent as Morgan Spurlock's recent documentary, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.

The business of yesterday was tough. The business of tomorrow is even tougher; and only a few will be willing to be sit there and be told what they want and must buy through psychological manipulation and repetition. Read more

"I wouldn't make a hasty decision. Nobody can make a snap decision. We've got to consider the pros and cons, make a list, and get advice." – Frank Stark, Rebel Without a Cause, Warner Bros (1955)

Since the mainframe days, people have complained that IT was slow to respond, slow to deliver, over budget.

Unisys' latest report that IT people are willing to ignore the consumerization of IT only reinforces this old saw. According to them, IT has its collective heads in the sand. That's a lot more newsworthy than saying IT has a helluva' job on its hands giving company people on-the-go what they want and need and keeping the company jewels safe, secure!

Sure, it reinforces all of the reasons folks have given for bringing in and using their own notebooks, smartphones, tablets. After all, work/home life had blurred so they might as well use the device(s) they use to take care of business when they're home to take care of home stuff at work.Read more

Social media, the internet, mobile phones, and e-commerce have permanently changed the way we all see our place in the world of buying and selling.

As we have seen around the globe, the democratization of media and social power is at the root of social media.

It has put bad governments, bad companies, and bad products under the microscope. It has helped good companies, good products tell their story.

Social media has made it harder and harder to tell people what they want and must buy through repetition and psychological manipulation.

Each social medium has its strengths and weaknesses; and if there was one right, one best solution for every company, every executive life would be so simple.

There isn't!Read more

Starting at $449, EX3210, EX5210 and EX7210 Deliver Rich Features at an Affordable Price

Aug. 31, 2011 – Epson, the number-one selling projector brand worldwide, today introduced three multimedia projectors designed to provide entrepreneurs and small businesses with exceptional image quality, convenience, and reliability at an affordable price point. Available at leading retail outlets, the Epson EX3210, EX5210 and EX7210 offer advanced connectivity options as well as easy-to-use features, including new Easy-Slide technology, an intuitive horizontal keystone adjustment slider.

"The new EX-series projectors redefine easy setup for entrepreneurs, small businesses and road warriors," said Jason Meyer, product manager, Epson America. "Automatic vertical keystone combined with our new Easy Slide technology makes it easy for presenters to quickly setup their presentation from anywhere in the room. In addition, advanced connectivity options deliver more bang for the buck."

The EX-series projectors provide businesses with high-brightness – all three models deliver 2,800 lumens of color and white light output. The EX3210 ($449*) offers SVGA resolution, the EX5210 ($549*) delivers XGA resolution, and the EX7210 ($649*) provides WXGA (1280 x 800) resolution for users looking to leverage widescreen notebooks and high-definition content. The EX-series also offer 3LCD technology for vibrant images and easy-to-use connectivity such as USB Plug ‘n Play and PC-Free slideshows. In addition, the EX5210 and EX7210 offer HDMI digital connection for high-definition video and audio.Read more