the entrepreneur's guidebook

Free to roam

Wireless devices enable small businesses to compete with the big boys
Small businesses are becoming more mobile, and their locations extend beyond the traditional brick-and-mortar offices of the past, according to a survey conducted by the American Small Business Travelers Alliance (ASBTA). “The future for small business is in the concept of the extended office,” said ASBTA president Chuck Sharp. Most small-business owners and employees (80 percent) rely on wireless devices to stay connected to their business, while 67 percent say they believe wireless technology has significantly improved their ability to communicate. More than half (55 percent) rely on a wireless laptop to check email, and 66 percent claim a wireless laptop or PDA allows them to be more productive outside the office. Perhaps most importantly, 35 percent say laptop computers help them stay competitive with larger companies, while more than a third (36 percent) reported that laptops are their top technology spending priority in the next year. In addition to laptops, survey respondents said mobile phones, smart phones and PDAs play a key role in small business success.

Going solo

Home-based sole proprietors earn less, keep more
U.S. home-based sole proprietors generate $102 billion in annual revenue, according to a study released by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy. Among the findings: The average home-based sole proprietor earned $22,569 in net income, while their non-home-based counterparts earned $38,243. But due to lower expenses, particularly in rent and labor costs, the average home-based sole proprietor consistently gained a higher return on gross revenues at 36 percent, versus 21 percent for the non-home-based.

Can’t we all just get along?

Survey cites employee stress, difficult coworkers
Squeezing productivity out of America’s workforce is taking a toll on employees, according to a nationwide survey by CareerBuilder.com. More than half of workers said they are under a great deal of stress, while 77 percent said they feel job burnout. Who’s to blame? Sixteen percent of workers point the finger at others, citing difficult coworkers as their primary cause of stress at work. Other top workplace stressors: unrealistic workloads (15 percent), tight deadlines (11 percent), last-minute projects (10 percent) and overbearing or interfering bosses (9 percent).

Talking the talk

Book exposes boardroom language
What do the phrases “going after the low-hanging fruit” or “fast-tracking the project” mean to you? If you’re confused by America’s corporate-speak, there’s a book that can translate it for you. BusiBUZZ: Business Buzzwords for Survivin’ and Thrivin’ in the Big City (BookSurge Publishing, booksurge.com, $19.95) lists more than 5,000 buzzwords, catch phrases, euphemisms and general business-speak for the uninitiated. Author J. Randy Gordon walks you through negotiation terminology to such daily vernacular as “podcasts,” “traction,” “going nano,” “hotspots,” “blogging” and “mash-ups,” among thousands more. “Boardroom chatter is not necessarily a secret code, but it’s easy to feel as though your colleagues are speaking an unfamiliar language,” says Gordon, who has held positions at The Coca-Cola Company, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Universal McCann and Ubisoft Entertainment. Gordon said he recorded more than 15 years of executive daily dialogue and interaction via meetings, conferences and interviews.

When only the best will do

Top-notch professionals attracted by more than salary and title
This year’s “Best Cities for Relocating Families” are Louisville, Ky.; Evansville, Ind.; and Athens, Ga.; according to Worldwide ERC, the association for global employee relocation, and Primacy Relocation. The two organizations worked with Bert Sperling of Sperling’s Best Places to rate cities and determine the likelihood of a successful relocation. The study considered a number of measurable factors, such as commuting times, tax rates and average home cost and appreciation; in combination with cost of living and quality of life variables, such as the ability to qualify for in-state college tuition, auto taxes and per-capita volunteerism.

Another survey echoes these findings, concluding that it takes more than a plush office and an impressive job title to successfully recruit top executives. Thirty-one percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) polled recently said the quality of life in a new city would most influence their decision to relocate for a job opportunity—that compares with 27 percent who cited compensation as the foremost consideration.

“Taking a job in a new town is not just a career decision—it is a lifestyle choice,” says Max Messmer, CEO of Robert Half International, the employee staffing service that developed the survey. “Companies that highlight the qualities that distinguish their city, such as a reputation for safety, highly regarded school system or cultural events, increase their chances of attracting top professionals,” Messmer notes. “The distance of the move is less important than such factors as compensation and the new city’s cost of living.” He adds, “Employers enhance their ability to secure commitments from prospects by taking steps to ensure a smooth transition for employees, including providing information about housing and assisting with job placement for spouses, if appropriate.”

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karen goodwin is a freelance writer in Colorado. Email Karen at editor@executivetravelmag.com.