Small Business Toolbox

A library of business management info


Travel
  • An Unlikely Motivator: The Pedometer
    08/01/2008
    Unlike nearly half of all the adults in America, many business owners get their fair share of exercise. By some estimates, entrepreneurs may walk the equivalent of roughly 15 miles on any given day simply taking care of matters related to the continued success of their business. One sure fire way to measure just how many steps you take a day is to invest in a pedometer. The palm-sized device, ranging from $10 to $50, will calculate your steps into miles on a daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly basis.
  • Organizing and Monitoring Telecommuting Employees
    07/11/2008
    In the coming months and years, the skyrocketing price of gas will encourage more and more small businesses to set up telecommuting programs for employees. When employees can work effectively from home and contribute to the overall profitability of the company, everyone benefits. The employees reduce gas costs, the company saves on utility costs and reduced need for office space, and reduced fuel emissions benefit the environment. Plus, when employees work from home, eliminating commutes to the office enables the company to keep up with the rising cost of gas without increasing salaries.
  • Eight Summertime Gas-Saving Tips
    05/09/2008
    The weather is warming up and gas prices are climbing. Put those two things together and you can get downright uncomfortable. But whether you drive a compact car to and from your small business every day or you keep a fleet of delivery trucks ready to go, there are a few simple steps you can take to get the most from every gas penny.
  • May Is Bike to Work Month
    05/01/2008
    Spring is in the air, and the League of American Bicyclists, the national organization of cyclists, is encouraging everyone to bike to work or try cycling for fun, fitness or transportation.
  • Tips for Staying Healthy While Traveling
    04/04/2008
    Whether you're gone for a day or a week, traveling for business can wreak havoc on your schedule--and your body. Staying healthy while you're on the road is important for both your physical and mental health, so keep the following tips in mind.
  • Saving Green
    03/11/2008
    Going green can save more than the environment--for small-business owners operating on a tight budget, it can save their bottom lines, too. With tax breaks available to green businesses, it is now cheaper than ever to make your enterprise eco-friendly. Check out these green ways that will keep you in the black come tax time.
  • Drive Responsibly This Thanksgiving (And Every Trip, Every Time)
    11/21/2007
    The Thanksgiving holiday is the busiest time of the year for family travel. AAA expects 31.2 million Americans to drive more than 50 miles for their Thanksgiving feast. That's up 1.3 percent from last year.
  • Healthy Eating Through the Holidays
    11/15/2007
    The next two months will be a busy time in your small business. Year-end purchases and benefits reviews, budget revisions for the coming year, employee vacations and holiday festivities will keep you busy and on your toes. You need to stay on top of your game— and that means you need to stay healthy.
  • Global Business Etiquette
    02/08/2007
    It's no secret that we live in a global economy. Even the most modest business will most likely have to meet or correspond via telephone or e-mail with businesspeople from around the world. While we may be well-versed in the etiquette of U.S. business, we may not fully appreciate what doing business is like in another part of the world.
  • Prepare for Roadside Emergencies
    12/12/2006
    In many long years of driving, I've had some interesting breakdowns. I've wired a muffler to the frame of a car with a coat hanger after the strap broke. I've tightened a loose and very hot sparkplug with a wood clothespin. I've had surprisingly few flats, but never at a good time and place of my choosing. An oil-change place once put on a new filter gasket, but neglected to remove the old one, causing a nearly catastrophic loss of oil on the interstate. Our famous ice storm here a couple years ago kept me on the interstate for nearly six hours, much of it in a 3-mile stretch.
  • Know Before You Go
    12/01/2006
    After British officials prevented a terrorist plan last August involving liquid explosives on planes traveling to the United States, security at the nation's airports ramped up--and screening lines slowed down. If you will be flying to your holiday destination, here are some tips to make your airport visit run a little more smoothly.
  • Five Tips for Getting the Most Out of a Conference
    11/28/2006
    You probably have a one or two business conferences you would like to attend this year. If you're like the typical conference-goer, you plan to select some lectures and workshops, maybe take some notes, learn something new, have lunch with colleagues, do a little networking and then go home.
  • Turn Your Vehicle Into Your Office
    10/27/2006
    With the cost of doing business along with gas prices steadily rising, equipping your vehicle with some sort of office equipment to avoid shuttling back and forth to the office is a practical move.
  • Traveling With Technology and Its Glitches
    10/18/2006
    Airline rules continue to change regarding carry-on toiletries as well as carry-on laptop computers. Some airlines banned the batteries of some laptops because of the risk that they might explode mid-air. As of this writing, rules for each were easing. But other perils threaten those who travel with electronics.
  • Buckle Up! Drive Safely Work Week Is Oct. 2-6
    09/29/2006
    We almost all drive somewhere almost every day. It's an activity that many of us take for granted. We have to get to work, pick the kids up from school, run errands and go home again. But with over 17,000 traffic crashes across the country each day, driving is a serious responsibility and deserves the full, undivided attention of every motorist.
  • Sleeping Well While Traveling
    08/11/2006
    If you're like many small-business owners today, you're not sitting still for long periods of time. You're busy. And you travel. And you may be tired. You might think of those three hours in a cramped plane as a time to catch a nap and get some rest, but how refreshed are you, really, when you emerge from the jetway?
  • Bag of Tricks: How to Prevent Airlines from Losing Your Luggage
    07/25/2006
    While airlines claim 98 percent of luggage lost are returned within a few hours, it's better to plan ahead so that you're not stuck without clean socks (or worse) on your next big business trip.
  • Finding Remote Employees for Your Business
    06/06/2006
    Corporate downsizing has left numerous responsible and motivated people looking for work. Many of them are middle-aged and tech savvy, some have MBAs, but most are looking for new ways to work. Even those who don't want to relocate their families can be great assets to your business as remote workers.
  • Pressure at the Pump: Five Easy Ways to Save on Gas
    05/31/2006
    One year ago, a gallon of gas was about 80 cents cheaper than it is today. With no signs of slowing down, gas prices are at near-record highs, and they’re starting to place a real burden on drivers. According to a recent study by the National Retail Federation, three out of four consumers plan to curb spending to help them manage the high prices at the pump—and small-business owners are no different.
  • In-flight Comfort
    05/25/2006
    A new Web site helps travelers find the best seat on the plane.
  • The Benefits of Carpooling
    05/23/2006
    Why should anyone carpool? Any one of several reasons might convince you to share your ride and encourage others to do the same.
  • Driving Stress From Your Daily Commute
    04/03/2006
    You've overslept! Now, it’s 7:30 a.m., and you’re trying to find a spot in the parking lot before your train pulls out. You park the car just in time, dash up the steps and jump on the train before it rolls away from the platform. What a way to start your morning!
  • Time to Take a Break?
    03/25/2005
    If you're like many small-business owners, you serve as the proverbial "chief cook and bottle washer" for your company. While it's honorable—and often necessary—to manage and execute every last detail of your company's endeavors, over time it can leave you exhausted, frustrated and ultimately unproductive. In other words, it can leave you in desperate need of a vacation.
  • Get Your Motor Runnin' for Drive Safely Work Week
    10/04/2004
    How was your drive into work this morning? Whether you drive along a congested highway, a small country road or a city street under construction, chances are you or your employees may have witnessed an accident this morning. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a crash occurs every five seconds, and every 10 seconds there is an injury from a traffic crash.
  • Get Away
    06/03/2003
    5 ways to enjoy time off.
  • Help for Windshield Warriors
    05/28/2003
    If you're a time-pressed "windshield warrior" who spends hours in the car, you may soon be able to gas up, get online and go.
  • Don't Leave Your Exercise Routine at Home
    05/28/2003
    Just because you're on the road doesn't mean that you have to stop your exercise program. Here are a few tips that will help you make time for working out when you're traveling.
  • Sweet Dreams
    05/28/2003
    If you find it hard to sleep well while traveling consider the following.
  • Shed Your Wings
    05/28/2003
    A recent survey from the National Business Travel Association (NBTA), found that 68 percent of companies will use more conference calls if safety components don't improve and if security processes continue to impede travelers.
  • Go for the Cheap Seats
    05/28/2003
    Ways to grow your business on a travel budget.
  • Family Business
    05/28/2003
    How to travel with tots.
  • Live Large for Little
    05/28/2003
    Get four-star services at budget prices.
  • Seven Cost Saving Tips for Business Travel
    10/22/2002
    One of the best ways to cut costs is to cut unnecessary travel. But what about trips that are vital to a company's overall business development?
  • Simplify Time on the Road
    09/10/2002
    What can you do to make your next business trip easier and more cost effective?
  • Seven Travel Deduction Tips
    09/10/2002
    You can save your company a substantial amount of money by being aware of the following rules governing tax-deductible travel expenses.
  • Seven Tips for Successful Road Warriors
    09/10/2002
    Today's business traveler has an array of electronic devices available that allow quick communication with the home office and outside associates, as well as easy storage and transferal of information obtained in meetings.
  • Score Big Points
    05/02/2002
    Make the most of frequent travel programs.
  • On the Go!
    04/30/2002
    Winning travel tips for small business owners.
  • Business Trips Aren't Over Just Because You're Back in the Office
    04/03/2002
    When you return to the office after being gone several days, e-mail, voicemails and memos await you, and leave little time to properly handle post-trip activities.
  • Distance Parenting
    03/22/2002
    In today's Workshop, Edith Helmich describes some ways to help your children deal with traveling parents.
  • Managing Illness While on a Business Trip
    03/14/2002
    No one plans to become ill when traveling for business (or pleasure, for that matter).
  • How the Pros Save Money on Air Travel
    03/14/2002
    Controlling travel costs is important and smart road warriors choose a number of strategies to contain them
  • The Entrepreneur's Summer Dilemma
    03/14/2002
    I've enjoyed taking "real" vacations. But it's not always easy, as most entrepreneurs and small business owners have learned.
  • How to Avoid Being the Target of Thieves When Traveling
    03/14/2002
    Travel these days is exhausting enough, without experiencing the emotional drain of having your luggage or other valuables stolen.
  • Health Precautions for Travelers
    03/14/2002
    Most people with medical problems know that they should follow certain health procedures before they travel, but even entirely healthy travelers should follow a few precautionary guidelines before hitting the road.