Your Business and Your Life

Domiciliary Care Businesses for Sale – Facts To Know

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:35:20 +0000

In many western countries, mainly UK and Canada, domiciliary care businesses have become very popular and profitable. If you do not know, domiciliary care means home care for the old and infirm who are alone and unable to look after the bodily and medical needs. The companies involved with home care provide care services for such individuals through healthcare assistants.

This care may be case specific and may range from a casual visit to ensure if the individual has taken his prescribed medication to a full time assistant to look after the needs of the person. If you are interested in starting a home care company or buying out an existing one to save on the infrastructure required for the company, there are many domiciliary care businesses for sale in the country.

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Mulroney returns to Venturex

Bella Lazenby — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:14:02 +0000

Argonaut executive director Michael Mulroney has made a comeback to the board of Venturex Resources, this time as managing director.

Mr Mulroney, a geologist by training, holds more than 32 years experience in the resources and finance sectors.

Venturex chairman Tony Kiernan was delighted to welcome Mr Mulroney back to the board.

Mr Mulroney was previously a non-executive director of Venturex, from June 2008 to October 2011.

“He is highly qualified to take over the role from Tim Sugden given his previous involvement as a director, together with his extensive resources and finance experience,” Mr Kiernan said in a statement.

At close of trade today Venturex shares were down 7.3 per cent, to trade at 6.3 cents.

12 Steps to Becoming a Natural at SEO – Part 2

Xavier Kopsen — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:05:23 +0000

Welcome to Part 2 of our 12 Steps to Becoming a Natural at SEO. In Part 1, I covered the basics of SEO such as the difference between SEO and PPC, writing title and meta tags, structuring your URLs and website efficiently, or how having great content can help with generating organic traffic. So let’s jump into #7-#12:

7. Get the Word (and Links) Out

If you’re reading this blog, you probably have one of your own, along with Facebook, Twitter and all sorts of other social media pages. So why not take advantage of these online properties to boost the SEO value of your main website? Not only can you link back to it from those pages, you can leverage your existing online community whenever they choose to repost any content that you share. So once again, having fresh, interesting content is a great way to climb the rankings.

Don’t forget about offline promotion either: list your website URL on your business cards, tradeshow booths, direct mail pieces, etc. Buil

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Memphis area gas prices hit $3.43 a gallon — and they’ll keep climbing

Rachel Sutton — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:33:12 +0000

LOS ANGELES — U.S. motorists have seen the national average for regular gasoline rise above $3.50 a gallon in just three different years, but it has never happened this early.

The average price for a gallon of gas was $3.51 Tuesday, up 12 cents from a month earlier, reported the online fuel price monitor of insurer AAA. The early price shocker is likely a sign that pain at the pump will rise to some of the highest levels ever this year.

In the Memphis area, the price of unleaded regular averaged $3.43 per gallon on Tuesday, up 6 cents in just one week, AAA reported. The peak, $3.90 per gallon, was reached in Memphis on July 17, 2008.

“This definitely sets the stage, potentially, for much higher prices later this year,” said Brian Milne, refined-fuels editor for Telvent DTN, a commodity information services firm. “There’s a chance that the U.S. average tops $4 a gallon by June, with some parts of the country approaching $5 a gallon.”

Even in 2008, the year that average gasoline prices hit records above $4 nationally, the U.S.

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Q&A with Ali Shirnia, VP and GM of Roambi EMEA

Rachel Sutton — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:49:40 +0000

CBR catches up with the EMEA boss of data visualisation company Roambi to talk about Apple, BI, and data quality

Can we get a bit of background on the company?Our CEO Santiago Becerra created the Xcelsius software, which was a great success. He sold it to BusinessObjects, which was later sold to SAP. That was the end of the adventure, around 2007/2008. Then Apple announced the iPhone. He got one of the first ones and thought: “Oh my goodness.” He saw the potential of the devices and started building the software right there.

In 2010 we went to the market with our software and since then have got 8 of the top ten pharmaceutical companies as customers, along with financial institutions and carriers. The traction has all been driven by iPad adoption in the enterprise. But we’re not exclusively on Apple, we run on BlackBerry as well.

What we do is really simple. Our proposition to the customer is: “Don’t touch the back-end.” You don’t need to, whatever back-end you have and have spent millions on, the issue you have is consumption of the reports. They are ugly, they are tabular, you cannot see them and distribute them to enough users.

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Online management courses: why take one, and where?

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:59:28 +0000

The word ‘management’ is an extremely generalised one that can refer to virtually any form of leadership or command, in all areas of business, industry or government. Furthermore degree qualifications in business management can range from associate degree courses, which are usually two years in duration, to doctoral degrees, which are more advanced and take longer to earn. The reasons why people take business management courses also vary – some wish to set themselves up in business, while others hope to gain a promotion to management level with their existing employer. Studying business management courses online is beneficial to people in both of these circumstances, due to flexibility of study it offers.

While securing a management degree, either online or via traditional study routes, is not necessarily essential in order to manage your own business or take on a management role in an existing one, it will be a major advantage. The b

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FBI file: Steve Jobs was considered for govt post

Bella Lazenby — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:09:27 +0000

WASHINGTON — FBI background interviews of some people who knew Apple co-founder Steve Jobs reveal a man driven by power and alienating some of the people who worked with him.

In the FBI documents released Thursday, many of those who knew Jobs praised him, speaking highly of Jobs character and integrity and asserting that he always conducted his business dealings in a reputable manner. They recommended him for a post during the George H.W. Bush administration.

The 1991 interviews were part of a background check for an appointment to the Presidents Export Council.

The Commerce Department confirmed Thursday that Jobs did serve on the council during the first Bush administration.

Export council members serve in an unpaid capacity and meet at least twice a year, advising the president on trade policy.

One person told FBI agents the Apple co-founders enormous power caused him to lose sight of honesty and integrity, leading him to distort the truth.

Another interview subject described Jobs to the FBI as a deceptive person — someone who was not totally forthright and honest and as having a tendency to distort reality in order to achieve his goals.

However, one former business associate who had a falling out with Jobs said that, while honest and trustworthy, Jobs nonetheless had questionable moral character.

The ex-business associate said he had not received stock that would have made him a wealthy man and that he felt bitter toward Jobs and felt alienated from him.

Mr. Job

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The Importance of Web Presence for Small Businesses

Xavier Kopsen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:14:32 +0000

Unless you’re living under a rock, you know that the internet is a very, very powerful tool for small businesses. If your business doesn’t have a webpage on the internet already, you’re way past overdue to get one. The majority of Americans use the internet daily, and consumers expect businesses to be familiar and utilize the web as well. The internet gives your consumers a window to your business and a way to reach you 24/7/365.Additionally, local search is becoming an important tool for businesses to be found on the internet. In fact, a mid-March 2010 survey by BIA/Kelsey and ConStat shows just how important the internet is for small business. “The most common online tool used for local research was search. Nearly one-half of respondents used Internet yellow pages and 42% checked comparison-shopping sites before heading to local businesses.” The survey also showed 90% of consumers searching online first to buy locally. Building a presence on the internet is imperative for small businesses.

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Peer engagement boosts confidence and optimism of SMB owners, according to recent survey

Rachel Sutton — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:04:02 +0000

In a recent survey by The Alternative Board (TAB), an organization that provides advisory boards and coaching for business owners, more than 70% of non-TAB members believe they could increase profitability by 10% or more through peer engagement and advisory board participation.

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International survey shows Irish house prices are back to normal (IrishCentral)

Xavier Kopsen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:32:15 +0000

According to a new international study, Irish house prices have returned to a normal affordability, while Vancouver has overtaken Sydney as the least affordable, after Hong Kong.

The Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey took a sample of 325 metropolitan areas around the globe. The survey based their findings on the median multiple, that is the average house price, divided by the gross annual average household income of specific urban markets, for the third quarter of the previous year.

Dublin and Limerick were the least affordable markets, while Waterford and Galway were rated as affordable. This is the first time that Ireland has no seriously unaffordable and unaffordable markets.

The survey states, “Historically, the Median Multiple has been remarkably similar in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States… being [on] the outer bound of affordability”.

Hong Kong is the most severely unaffordable housing while Australia, with its abundant land supply, has the most pervasive housing affordability problem. Overa

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Industrial relief site opens to serve as base

Bella Lazenby — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:11:31 +0000

The government has opened an industrial relief centre at Rong Kluea Market in the Pratunam Phra-in area of Ayutthaya’s Wang Noi district.

Flood-ravaged industrial operators can use the site as a temporary production and warehousing base while rehabilitating and restoring their production facilities.

The centre covers 20,000 square metres, 12,000 of which are outdoor. It is aimed at helping those enterprises in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani provinces that were hit by the devastating floods late last year.

Witoon Simachokedee, permanent secretary for the Industry Ministry, said the site cost 40 million baht and will offer a place to set up offices, make products and store raw materials and damaged equipment pending repair or demolition.

The site has a multi-purpose building and vacant space for 30 containers, which it will offer free for the first six months. Over 150 affected operators have expressed interest in using the relief centre.

Building a Business is Worth the Time

Rachel Sutton — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:51:49 +0000

Make no mistake. Creating your own small business is hard work. But as youll see, there are rewards. Here are some tips, tools and trends to think about while taking the time you need to build your small business.

Small Biz Success

It takes time to build a business! Rachel Strella can attest to that. Over the last 18 months, she admits to spending many 60 hour days building her social media marketing firm based in Camp Hill, PA, but she often finds that people still ask her, What do you do all day?

Living the dream after layoffs. Some people might think of a layoff as the ultimate bad news, but for Carolyn Higgins it was the first step on the path to helping small businesses think and market the way larger companies do. What can Carolyn teach you about marketing your business today?

Tips & Trends

Even celebrities want to be entrepreneurs. Nowadays becoming a small business owner is so popular, even the stars want to get into the act. Take Jessica Alba, star of TVs Dark Angel and The Fantastic Four movies, who recently announced a new e-commerce biz selling eco-friendly products. <

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Calling All Teen Entrepreneurs: Enter Our Next Teen Tycoon Contest and Win!

Xavier Kopsen — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:06:41 +0000

Bill Gates started his first company, TRAF-O-DATA, when he was sixteen.

Sir Richard Branson launched two business ventures by the time he was fifteen – one growing Christmas trees and another raising pet parakeets.

And I started my first business at fifteen as well – my babysitting service dominated the neighborhood.

If history is any indication, today’s entrepreneurial teens could very well become tomorrow’s transformational business leaders.

At VerticalResponse, we believe that you’re never too young to launch your own business. That’s why we’re excited to announce the VerticalResponse Next Teen Tycoon video contest – our search for America’s future business mogul!

Starting today, any teen between 13 and 18 years old can enter the contest by submitting a short 2-minute video explaining his/her business or business idea. Easy!

In add

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Using an Agency to Hire Employees

admin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:52:27 +0000

Image by senatorchriscoons at Flickr

Businesses are turning to staffing agencies to help find employees to fill positions. Whether they need multiple seasonal employees or have temp-to-hire positions available, companies don’t always have the time to collect resumes, interview potential employees and make a hiring decision.

This is why they turn to Adecco USA recruitment agency for help. Adecco USA will help make the hiring process go much smoother for you. Here is information on using an agency to hire employees.

Get in Contact with the Agency

Contact Adecco USA recruitment agency to get started. You will most likely meet with them in person to discuss the positions you’re looking to hire, what the requirements are and what type of employees you want to hire. In

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Brazil mandates overtime for after-hours calls

Bella Lazenby — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:09:50 +0000

In a bid to control work in the digital age, Brazil has introduced a new law requiring companies to pay overtime to employees who make or receive work phone calls or e-mails outside office hours.

The measure, which follows Volkswagen’s move to block after-hours e-mails to its unionized German staff, is generating fierce debate in a country that is seeking to boost productivity as its industries face increasing competition from cheap imports.

“The human resources departments of large companies will have to be very concerned with this law,” said Daniel Santiago Faria, country manager for Brazil at specialist recruitment firm Marks Sattin. He said making and receiving phone calls out of hours was a way of life in Brazil’s financial and industrial capital. “When it comes to Sao Paulo, people are very involved in their jobs. They are stuck in traffic until they get home and they never turn off their BlackBerrys. They dedi

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