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May, 17
Thank goodness the weather is great in Tampa, because the business climate could use a little help. But that’s no surprise – given the state of the entire nation’s economy. Seems some entrepreneurs are scared of setting up shop there, mostly because it can be pricey.
Since Florida is a right-to-work state, its residents enjoy a pro-business environment whose leadership is stable. Many businesses appreciate its low corporate tax rates and the fact that there is no personal income tax – another factor that attracts a lot of people. All of this combined makes Tampa a really hot destination for tourists, companies, and residents.
But Tampa does welcome businesses, with performance based capital incentives available at state and local levels. All of this does well to defray the cost of starting and conducting business there. But the costs for businesses are, nonetheless, quite high. Even if you’re one of the lucky businesses to qualify for the state’s customized business incentive programs – which so many smaller firms aren’t. Read more...
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May, 15
For the most part, keeping one’s head in the clouds is not considered a good thing. But with the advent of cloud technology services, things have changed. The cloud has opened avenues for businesses most people never realized could ever happen. In fact, there are even advancements that are not commonly known.
For example, the virtual office has made it possible for businesses, entrepreneurs, and all kinds of other people and professionals to live the life of their dreams. It’s no irony that dream life tends to involve the clouds, so it is only fitting that the word was coined to refer to Internet or cyberspace services.
Cloud services for businesses run the gamut. This includes every type of essential advanced telephone system to impressive networked business applications. You know, those ones we all wonder how we ever lived without. Read more...
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May, 13
I love Maryland, but in Baltimore, businesses are finding it more and more difficult to do business there. Unfortunately, many companies have been entertaining leaving the region over the unreasonable tax structure.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can’t get away with not paying your taxes. Well, most people can’t. But there is another way around the high cost of doing business in Maryland. Rather than pay high commercial rents, why not get a virtual office?
The virtual office has really taken off these days as a viable alternative to costly overhead for businesses of all kinds. For around $95 a month it costs you far less than any rent. You can have a prestigious business address in Baltimore with everything you need to present a professional business image. Read more...
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May, 10
Boston is a great town to work and live. Like many communities, the last 20 years has seen a shift from traditional labor jobs toward technology and service. So much so that its economy depends more upon finance, business, professional, and technology services.
This shift has made it more possible for start-ups to succeed. The Chamber of Commerce has programs to help entrepreneurs get off the ground, but the snag always seems to be with funding. Don’t believe me? Just try to get a business loan!
Because of this, many businesses are starting from home. That works well for a lot of people. But if you expect anyone to take your business seriously, you have to walk the walk. How do you do that without any money? A great suit and flashy smile is only going to get you so far. Read more...
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May, 8
Web businesses are springing up faster than flowers in May. Part of the reason for this is just because they can. Another reason is that in a down economy, industrious people are more motivated to make a job rather than trying to find one.
It is incredibly simple these days to start a website. While starting the website is easy — setting it up right is another thing. Just ask all those do- it-yourselfers who get no web traffic. For some reason, they thought all they had to do was get that baby up and running and voila! Business! But they were sadly mistaken. In fact, it is shocking to me just how many people still believe that to be true.
But even if you have a snazzy website that is optimized for traffic and everything, local marketing is the buzzword today. And that holds true even for primarily web-based businesses. Read more...
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May, 6
Those who are not particularly fond of cold weather often choose Phoenix as a west coast alternative. It is just less costly to live and do business there. But despite the business growth in Phoenix, with more anticipated, it is not considered likely that they will exactly be hiring droves of people.
That’s probably a good thing for the entrepreneur and here’s why. First, smaller businesses will be more attractive to the existing work force. It won’t take scads of benefits to get people to consider working with a smaller shop. It’s kind of like the real estate meltdown in that without banks lending – landlords have seen an influx in tenants. Sad, but true. You gotta live somewhere! Read more...
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May, 3
Most people love to visit Sin City – at least once. There is so much to do there – so even if you’re not into gambling, you can enjoy the food and lively entertainment. It is also a great place to do business. Maybe since it can be such a fun environment.
But make no mistake. It takes a lot of money to keep those hotels, casinos, and other entertainment venues going. One of the great things about Vegas is that its progressive, rather loose attitude makes it easier for new businesses to get started.
Well, sort of. Now that I think about it, commercial rent is incredibly high. Gone are the days when you could get an entire vacation to Vegas for about what it costs for a nice dinner in L.A. Now that corporate America has gotten hold of it, there is nothing cheap about it. Read more...
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May, 1
Long before saving the environment became a crusade for many, corporate responsibility was a concept companies of all sizes were embracing. When it comes to being socially responsible, the ecology has become a cause celebre wagon citizens across the world have jumped on. And not just because it’s cool.
Sure, being socially responsible is hip in today’s society. But before anyone gets altruistic, it is also a great way to save a lot of money. For real. Just ask the firms who put money into developing their eco-friendly personas. No one should be naive enough to think that the only reason companies – particularly large ones – become socially responsible is because it is the right thing to do.
For instance, adopting virtual office systems not only saves on costs, but it can be used as ripe marketing fodder. Just like the Pied Piper – many people will follow a firm that touts and promotes social causes. Companies know this, so they do good and then they promote it. Read more...
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April, 29
Los Angeles has always been known as one of the more progressive work environments in the nation. Neighboring Silicon Valley with all of its tech start-ups did a lot to boost this image.
Communication is the one key factor to any business success. For small businesses, regardless of their industry, they really must make the most of every technological advancement possible. This is not only true to compete, but also necessary just to survive.
As legend has it, many tech start-ups began in an upstart’s garage. Since the start of the virtual world was actually being invented back in those days, it’s no surprise. College dorms became another haven for what turned into the behemoths that became Microsoft, Apple, most recently, Facebook, and countless others. Read more...
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April, 26
Anyone thinking to start a business or even to expand into the Orlando area should think about having a virtual office. Rather than managing a traditional office, you can get full featured office services at a fraction of the cost. In fact, fraction is an understatement. Especially when you consider the cost of doing business in Florida.
Orlando is one of those towns that appeals to many types of people. The snow birds love it to get away from old man winter. Tourists flock there year round for vacations. This makes it great for business, too, because someone needs to service all those tourists.
But there are serious businesses there, too. Okay, serving tourists is just as serious, but you know what I mean. At least, I hope you do. Those serious businesses cost a lot to manage. In fact, any business costs a lot to manage, even those just trying to be serious. In fact, those cost even more, since there are no loss leaders to fall back on. Read more...
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Thank goodness the weather is great in Tampa, because the business climate could use a little help. But that’s no surprise – given the state of the entire nation’s economy. Seems some entrepreneurs are scared of setting up shop there, mostly because it can be pricey.
