AdvantEdge Workspaces Blog

It may be hard to believe, but in a matter of days many of us will rise out of our turkey comas only to setup camp outside of Target or Best Buy in anticipation of Black Friday deals. 'Tis the season of giving and who better to give to than clients who gave all year long. Repaying their business, referrals, or contributions to your reputation with some holiday giving is a must.

Whether your business is product or service oriented, you shouldn't hesitate to take advantage of the holiday shopping season. Some businesses report that as much as 40 percent of their annual sales come from holiday sales and Cyber Monday 2010 was the first billion dollar online shopping day. That's a revenue boost no business wants to miss. Having a Cyber Monday online sale is one of the simplest ways to jump-start holiday sales. Here are a few tips on getting started.

Carefully composing note cards and organizing agendas are two strategies for a productive business meeting, but often times it's the simple things that are overlooked. Consider these common lapses in business meeting logistics to ensure you aren't forgetting anything.

Public Relations nightmares come in an assortment of shapes and sizes. From something as small as an errant tweet to something along the scale of the Bernie Madoff ponzi scheme, there is no "one size fits all" solution. When it comes to bad press, it's best to prepared for anything.

You probably have a first aid kit and a smoke detector in your office, but does your business have a plan to handle inclement weather and natural disasters? The recent, rare  October snow storm that hit the Northeast illustrates how businesses must be ready for emergency situations at all times. Faced with developing your own emergency preparedness plan you may not know where to start, but here are some ideas to help you get started.

Blogging began as a form of expression, an outlet for the online community to release their frustrations and joy into the universe. Channeling our thoughts and feelings via the written word has long been used to produce a cathartic effect, and blogging began as a public platform to do so. Since its inception, however, blogging has grown into something much bigger. Blogs are no longer merely an expression of thoughts; they now play an important role in business in terms of building, branding and promoting your company.

Most professionals understand when to present their business card and the limits of casual Fridays, but the digital world has its own set of norms that may differ from traditional business etiquette. Here are some tips for impressing your colleagues with your digital prowess while minding your P's and Q's:

Starting over is hard to do, and in the world of business it can be nerve wracking even in the best of times. Despite reading headlines touting “the worst recession since the Great Depression,” “unemployment on the rise” and “another crash may be on the way,” we don't necessarily have to postpone our dreams.

Whether it's quibbling over poached office supplies or serious harassment, tension and disagreements in the office are inevitable. Experts say managers spend around 25 percent of their time resolving conflict, making avoiding and diffusing it a necessary skill for every manager and business owner. Combating conflict can be a complex conundrum, but here are some tools that will help.

Becoming a successful entrepreneur is often a tiring game of trial and error. Late nights, early mornings and lots of coffee in between. Feeling stressed is inevitable, but there are a few ways to help cut down on the headaches. Here are a few tips to guide you along your way when starting a start-up.