When working on a large project, there are generally two ways to bill for the project – by the hour, or by the project. In an earlier article, I discussed the system I use to determine a price for a project. My hourly rate is determined based on how much I want to earn, and [...]
In a previous article, I wrote that most people work for small businesses, and that such businesses are the source of most new jobs in pretty much any economy. As such, it is amazing how short-sighted some governments can be when it comes to spending stimulus dollars. I’ll illustrate this with an example that I [...]
In businesses of all size, keeping your customers happy is important, but measuring that can be quite difficult for some businesses. In past articles, I’ve discussed the handling of negative image incidents, such as how the Toronto Transit Commission handled the picture of a sleeping collector agent, and how Toyota handled the safety flaw in [...]
I was introduced yesterday to a group of people who are looking to assist in reforms to the US Immigration Legislation – to make it easier for people to immigrate to the US and start companies. For my Canadian readers, I’m not sure what the situation is here, but it’s definitely something worth considering as [...]
I came to a realization last night that my various commitments will eventually cause time to run out if I’m not careful, and I suspect that I am not alone in this situation. In fact, anyone who is working a full-time job alongside some moon-lighting, factor in a family, and some time for friends, not [...]
As I’ve mentioned a few times in the past, I spend a significant amount of time on various Q & A sites, mostly on either LinkedIn, or on Answers on Startups. Recently, I’ve noticed a few questions come up where the answers all came down to a very simple point – what is the ideal [...]
When you’re in an employment situation where striking is not an option, what can you do to force negotiations with your employers? If you’re working with a contract, then you can play by the rules, and drive your employer crazy. Just follow the rules. Many rules are defined as part of any work agreement, but [...]
Elie Kochman is the author of Advice for Small Business Owners and the founder of Optimal Upgrade Consulting. Using his experience working in the corporate world along with his exposure to the world of small businesses, he writes these articles to assist others avoiding common pitfalls of growing a business. His experience in the corporate world, building his own business, and working directly with other growing businesses has given him some perspective on the trials and pains of running a business.
