3-18-2016, NY Times -- THE ROAD TAKENThe History and Future of America’s InfrastructureBy Henry PetroskiIllustrated. 322 pp. Bloomsbury. $28. Henry Petroski’s “The Road Taken: The History and Future of America’s Infrastructure” is really two books in one. It is, first, a history of infrastructure from the Appian Way to the present. It also promises to be a guide for the present, helping us “better understand what is involved in making key choices that we are faced with today.” The book intermittently succeeds in both guises, though it takes some detours along the way. Petroski, a professor of both engineering and history at Duke and the author of such books as “The Pencil” and “The Evolution of Useful Things,” brings an eye for the little things: what kinds of guardrails are best, how roads can be made safer through better signage, which paving materials last longest. One of his key lessons is that small thinking can be a virtue, because the history of infrastructure is a series of experimental and incremental improvements. Local governments tried endless variations of asphalt and concrete before developing paving surfaces that didn’t produce excess dust or deteriorate quickly under rain and snow. They gradually built longer bridges, learning…
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3/21/2016, Entrepreneur -- Want to have more customers, opt-ins on your website and clicks on your “Buy Now” button? Do what Hollywood does -- use stories to sell your products and services. This makes sense: At some point, you've probably gone to a meeting featuring a PowerPoint presentation with charts and graphs . . . and wanted to poke your eyes out with a pencil. The reason: Stories, not data, are what inspire people. Stories, not bullet points, create customer loyalty, build social media platforms and increase sales. Stories create an emotional bond between your business and your customers. And today's technology helps us tell those stories in the many different ways it's given us to offer our message to millions of potential customers -- instantly. Yet, many businesses are losing customers because their methods of reaching them are outdated. Want to get people to buy your product? Then get them to listen. Here are three essential stories you need on your website to do just that: 1: Your customer’s story In my book, The Message Of You, I call this your “credibility story.” It goes like this: Customer X came to you with a huge mess (describe it). Customer X took advantage of your products or services. Now, Customer X's life is so much better! He or she can now…
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March Issue Feature: Retail Acid Test - Improving Store Efficiency Words by Rosa Sophia 3/16/2016 -- How does a business become more efficient? The first step is organization. Benjamin Franklin once said, “A place for everything, everything in its place.” Retailers can take this advice to heart and remember that disorganization in the workplace leads to time and money lost. Carlos Ramirez of NVS Audio in Linden, N.J. noted that this kind of problem is something he will not abide by. “If a tech spends half an hour looking for something, I just lost 50 dollars,” he said. Efficiency and organization is important in any business. Retailers who work to increase efficiency in their shops will begin to see benefits and positive change, resulting in higher sales and improved success. So how can 12-volt retailers become more efficient, thereby avoiding unfortunate mishaps? “It’s all trial and error,” Ramirez said. “It takes a long time to find out what works. Whatever doesn’t work, you have to change it. So then the other problem is once you get a system that works really well, as you make more money and start changing lines, you change customers, and then your efficiency changes again.”…
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7 Tips To Build A Business While Working A Day Job
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3-15-2016, Entrepreneur -- Many people dream of leaving their nine-to-five jobs to start their own businesses. Many successful entrepreneurs had to keep their day jobs until they reached a point in their businesses when it was feasible to quit. This transition time can be stressful and difficult, especially when you don’t enjoy your job, but it doesn’t have to be. While ambition is important, it is not always enough to move you forward. Maintaining your motivation and drive during your transition from employee to entrepreneur is crucial. It’s easy to veer off course and get discouraged during this transitional phase. Here are some actions you can start taking immediately while you’re still at your day job that will keep you on track and moving forward. 1. Get crystal clear on your reason for starting your business. Connecting with your “why” is the most important first step you can take. Maybe you are motivated by being your own boss, financial independence, time freedom, creative expression, being home with your kids or helping others. Whatever your reason, knowing what motivates and drives you is what will keep you focused and committed to your dream when times get difficult. Related: The 8 Biggest Challenges for New Entrepreneurs 2. Commit yourself to your…
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Dancing With Giants By Jamie Sorcher The glitter and glory of CES has come and gone, but there’s nothing like a look in the rearview mirror to assess the big trends and to gain some perspective. This year’s CES was its most massive yet with a near capacity crowd of more than 170,000 attendees, 3,800 companies and, of course, the expanding venues (East, West and South Halls) with 24.7 million net square feet of exhibit space. For someone wanting to see it all, it would require visiting 95 exhibitors each day of the show from the moment it opened until it closed. Also new this year was the recent name change by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) that hosts the show to the broader title of Consumer Technology Association. “Innovation and expansion are hallmarks of the consumer technology industry and our association—and as our industry changes, so must we,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association. “Our membership and the consumer technology sector have grown and evolved to engage almost every major industry segment and America’s burgeoning startup economy, touching almost every part of consumers’ lives. Our new name—the Consumer Technology Association—more accurately represents this growth and…
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2/2/2016, Entrepreneur -- Your morning affects your entire day. What you do or don’t do each day will influence how productive you are, how energetic you feel, what you accomplish and, ultimately, how successful you are as an entrepreneur. If you’re an entrepreneur with a satisfying and motivating morning routine, you’re in good company. If not, don’t despair; take some inspiration from the morning routines of fellow entrepreneurs. 1. Wake up early. Many world-famous entrepreneurs that you follow on Twitter, read about in Entrepreneur and admire have one thing in common: They wake up early. When you wake up early, you have a greater sense of control over the day. For one thing, you get to decide what to do first, second and third. By waking early, you also tend to have your greatest burst of energy, creativity and activity right from the start. This is the perfect time to slay some of the day’s bigger and brain-demanding tasks. “Early” for you could be 9 a.m. or 10 a.m.. That’s okay. We all have our times of peak productivity. 2. Drink water. It’s really simple. Just drink water. Adding a chug of water to your morning routine does several important things: It boosts your metabolism, cleans things up, gives…
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