Before we even start, let me be clear about this one thing: the earthquake in Haiti and the resulting devastation was a terrible, terrible thing. We Americans, individually and collectively, should do what we can to help the people of Haiti recover from this disaster. I am not in the Rush Limbaugh, "Let 'em take care of themselves" camp. Having said that, this is a business blog, not a humanitarian aid blog or a general current events blog. So, it is appropriate that we take a look at the long term impact that this disaster may have on business, divorced from...

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There's an old adage that says when life hands you lemons, you should make lemonade. Well, the current job market is a bunch of lemons, if I've ever seen one.  But if you plan carefully and take a long term view, you can position yourself to come out of this better off than your competitors. If you've got a job, hold onto it.  For nearly every skill set and every industry, this is not a good time to be looking for a new job.  There's virtually no one doing any hiring, and those few that are looking are being swamped...

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Recently, sources have revealed investors are dumping large amounts of money into Twitter.  There has been much speculation and rumors that Twitter.com could be prepping for an IPO.  Why else would companies dump $100 million into a company with zero revenue? According to Bloomberg.com, the company is believed to be valued at $1 billion.  The only rationale for valuing the company this high is if they are ready to unleash a massive revenue plan or if they are going public.  Either strategy would require some type of plan to make some money for this social media company.  The traffic is there...

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What to do when there's nothing else to do? That is the question facing many unemployed workers right now.  Whether 'tis nobler to continue plugging away seeking traditional job opportunities or to move beyond the norm and look for more out of the box money making opportunities?  It's risk versus reward on a very personal scale. A friend of mine, we'll call him "Chris", has been unemployed for 8 months.  Unemployment benefits are running out, and he's reaching the end of his options.  He's a smart guy with a lot of experience, but that just isn't enough to land a...

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It's the Law of Unintended Consequences. Whenever the government intervenes in the market, no matter how pure their motives, there is an unplanned result.  This unplanned result, which may be instead of or in addition to the intended result, is almost always negative. Enter the Cash for Clunkers program.  Your Uncle Sam is gravely concerned about your gas guzzling old automobile.  He wants you to buy a new, fuel efficient car.  Uncle Sam is so concerned that he's willing to give you $4500 toward the purchase of a new car in exchange for your worthless old junker. That's good, right?  Good for you,...

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