Business Mentors

The solution to America’s biggest challenge is small. Small business, that is.  Most Americans know and understand that the only way to put the nation’s economy back on its feet is to put people back to work. However, that simple message has become muddled in the pandemonium that has engulfed candidates of both parties in […]

This article is part one of a three-part series. In this series, we will define occupational fraud, provide statistics of the incidence of fraud, identify red flags, and discuss types of fraud and the steps employers can take to help protect themselves against fraud. This first article in the series discusses facts of fraud and

Recently, our Republican Conference in the New York Assembly released its “revenue forecast” for the state. A revenue forecast is a lot like a weather forecast; it provides a snapshot of conditions today, analyzes developing patterns, and makes a projection as to what could happen in the near future. Just like a weather forecast, financial

Last year, Stephen Moore wrote an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal entitled “We’ve Become a Nation of Takers, Not Makers.” His point was that America had morphed from a nation that manufactured things to a nation of government workers. In 2011, the U.S. had about twice as many people working for government (22.5

It’s not often that small businesses look favorably upon the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Typically, the entrepreneurs of Main Street respond to any IRS directive with fearful uncertainty. Such was the reaction displayed upon learning that the nation’s tax collector had issued a new costly and time-consuming paperwork requirement.  It began as a new line

“Having the most talented people in each of our businesses is the most important thing. If we don’t, we lose.”  — Jack Welch while CEO of GE   “If you don’t invest the time to do it correctly today, you will spend more time and money in repairing mistakes tomorrow.”  — Don Paullin   Would you

Everybody hates Congress and its work. And, its sleazy, out-of-touch, and corrupt politicians.  Here is a remedy: increase the size of Congress— dramatically. Both houses. You know the politicians are out of touch. They treat themselves as royalty. Most are millionaires. Most know only politics their entire careers. Their votes are bought by big money

Nearly nine months ago, USA Today reported that about three quarters of the nation’s small- and mid-sized business leaders indicated they were anticipating higher revenues in the year ahead, and nearly 60 percent expected rising profits. Among those who expressed confidence in their future, 54 percent expected to hire more employees, and 50 percent were

“I was gratified to be able to answer promptly. I said I don’t know.”   —Mark Twain   There are less than 9 months before the 2012 presidential election. For the past six months, and the next nine, the answers to questions asked of the candidates will continue to be rhetorical and nebulous, at best.

On Feb. 3, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its monthly employment report, which was greeted as good news. The numbers showed a net increase of 243,000 jobs, 108,000 above the consensus forecast. As a consequence, the unemployment rate dropped from 8.5 percent to 8.3 percent. The BLS also revised its November and