By PatSullivan
While the official unemployment fluctuates around 10%, the real rate is much higher considering those who are no longer counted (e.g., benefits having run out) and people struggling with part-time work. Many economists feel there will not be a significant surge in jobs before 2012.
What to do? Perhaps its time to take a closer look at starting your own business. Continue reading this post »
By PatSullivan
Small business loans used to be fairly easy to get. All my first business planning client in 1994 needed to get an SBA-backed loan was a well-thought-out idea and credit worthiness (she supplied that), writing skills (I supplied that) and some market research (we figured that out together). She got her loan, quit her day job, then turned her passionate hobby and part-time business of photography into a successful full-time business.
Today, the best most new businesses get from the bank is not a loan but the advice to start a business by bootstrapping. But what if your bootstraps are kind of puny? If just can’t get enough from your credit cards, your savings, your family, friends or any payout you got when you were laid off? Continue reading this post »
By PatSullivan
In a week where the news was dominated by yet another terrorist attempt and by a study showing widespread employee unhappiness, it was a treat to discover a world-wide sing-out of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s “All You Need is Love.” Sponsored by Starbucks, this expertly sliced video montage from singers around the world offers an instant lift for any dreary day.
Imagine, to use another John Lennon pet phrase, that it’s true. Love IS all you need to bring more integrity, more purpose, more joy, more peace in the world through the ways we work and deal with money. Actually, I’m far from the first person to pose this idea. One of the best discussions of love, business and money was Tim Sanders’ wonderful article, “Love is the Killer App” in Fast Company Magazine. Continue reading this post »
By PatSullivan
Only a really nasty person would deliberately plan to create a business that’s unethical or harmful to employees, the earth and other stakeholders. Yet, following the wisdom of the old adage, “failing to plan is planning to fail,” then failing to structure our vision and values into our businesses or jobs is planning to leave out those values — at least as measured by too many sorry results.
“Can you give me more tips and resources for how to put more of my values into my business?” asked a participant in a class I taught on business planning at the San Francisco Small Business Administration www.sba.gov/localresources/index.html). That led to the following list, which I’ll use in tomorrow night’s class. Links are kept visible, in case you want to print out the list and share it. Continue reading this post »
By PatSullivan
You wouldn’t know it from the major media, but more compassionate, more sustainable and way more ethical capitalism is thriving. Or, as many call it, “Conscious Capitalism.” Now there are some very easy ways to bring yourself up to speed in how the conscious capitalism movement can impact your individual work, your business and/or your finances.
Just What is Conscious Capitalism and Why Is It So Beneficial to Us All?
The conveners of last summer’s conference on conscious capitalism at Bentley University offered these three key elements of conscious capitalism:
- companies have a purpose that transcends profit maximization;
- companies are managed for the benefit of all stakeholders in their ecosystem, not just shareholders; and
- companies are led by spiritually evolved, self-effacing servant leaders. Continue reading this post »
