November 2013 Features

  • AAA: 43.4M Americans to Travel for Thanksgiving, a Slight Decline from Last Year

    November 22, 2013

    AAA projects 43.4 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a decrease of 1.5 percent from the 44 million people who traveled last year. This decrease falls just shy of last Thanksgiving's four-year peak since the recession-driven declines in 2008-2009 when Thanksgiving travel fell by 25 percent. The Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, Nov. 27 to Sunday, Dec. 1.

  • Government Shutdown Causes Small Business Loan Approval Rates to Fall in October

    November 20, 2013

    The U.S. government shutdown in October had a significant negative impact on small business lending, according to the Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index. Meanwhile, alternative lenders seized the opportunity and picked up the slack in small business lending.

  • 2014 Salary Increases to Reach Highest Levels Since 2008

    November 19, 2013

    Research from Aon Hewitt, the global talent, retirement and health solutions business of Aon plc, reveals salary increases for U.S. workers in 2014 are expected to reach their highest levels in six years. Still, average increases are projected to remain modest, as employers strive to reserve the majority of their compensation budgets for merit increases and performance-based awards for high-performing workers.

  • Do Men and Women Have Different Small Business Outlooks?

    November 18, 2013

    How are men and women entrepreneurs feeling about their businesses’ prospects for the coming year? The 5th in a series of studies by Hiscox Small Business, the DNA of an Entrepreneur (PDF), found that while both men and women small business owners are optimistic about their futures, there are some important differences in how they run their businesses.

  • Second Georgia Gives Day Yields Big Wins for State's Nonprofits

    November 15, 2013

    As the clock struck midnight, the tally stood at $1,448,233. Today, nonprofits across Georgia celebrate the virtual outpouring of support from 11,257 Georgians who came together for the second annual Georgia Gives Day to show their support for 1,720 participating organizations across the state.

  • Doug Robinson Asks: “What Do You Do?”

    November 14, 2013

    As you make the daily rounds in your profession I’m sure you are used to hearing this question regularly. You really ought to think about how you should respond, knowing that you will only have a very narrow time window to highlight your business to others.

  • How to Protect Your Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights in Overseas Markets

    November 13, 2013

    Are you thinking of taking your business global this year? Whether you are a service-based business or hoping to export your products, it’s critical that you take steps to protect your trademarks, copyrights and patents overseas.

  • Keep Your Best Employees With Better Benefits

    November 12, 2013

    To maintain the best employees for your business, it’s imperative for business owners to take necessary steps to keep current top-tier employees satisfied in today’s economy. So what can small businesses do to make sure their key players stick around instead of window shopping for new opportunities? One way to retain current personnel and attract superior applicants is by offering strong benefits packages.

  • Study Suggests That Privately Owned Companies are Better Innovators

    November 07, 2013

    It’s easy to believe that large publicly funded companies are more innovative than their privately owned counterparts, including small businesses. But one study from researchers at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and international business school INSEAD suggests this may not always be so.

  • 10 Creative Ways Businesses Can Give Back

    November 06, 2013

    Being part of the startup community means giving back — not only to other entrepreneurs, but to causes you feel strongly about supporting.

  • Georgia Named #1 State in U.S. for Business

    November 05, 2013

    Gov. Nathan Deal announced that Georgia’s business climate has been named No. 1 in the nation by Site Selection magazine, one of the nation’s top economic development trade publications.

  • Mobile Payments are Exploding: What You Need to Know

    November 04, 2013

    Accepting payments via mobile device is becoming more and more mainstream. Right now, we are in the midst of a growth spurt that will see mobile payments in the U.S. hit $90 billion by 2017, according to a Forrester Research report released earlier this year. That’s up from $12.8 billion spent in 2012, the report states. It’s also easier than ever to join the party, and retailers have an almost overwhelming number of options.

  • UGA, DOJ to Study How Much Consumers Will Pay for Internet

    November 01, 2013

    Researchers from the University of Georgia and the U.S. Department of Justice were awarded $530,000 over three years by the National Science Foundation and CableLabs to study demand for residential Internet service.