Small Business Labs

FEBRUARY 7, 2019

  For those interested in modern homesteading, there are a number of events you can attend to learn more. We also think that much like the digital nomad movement , most followers are "armchair homesteaders" who will never become real ones.

Lifestyle 214

Lifestyle Clothes Retirement Forms 214

Small Business Labs

OCTOBER 25, 2018

Key quote: According to pre-event survey data, respondents gave the selected drivers of business agility. .  In case you think increasing agility is easy, Catalant's report The Obstacles to Agility disagrees.    According to this report everyone agrees agility is important. an average importance rating of 9/10.

AT&T 157

AT&T 157

Small Business Labs

MAY 19, 2015

First, most coworking members reported learning new skills and improving existing skills from events and educational programs hosted at their coworking space. 67% of the respondents reported attending events and/or educational programs often (21%) or occasionally (45%).

Skills 100

Skills Learning 100

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 10, 2015

Busy week in DC related to the new economy: The Hamilton Project at Brookings hosted a gig economy event yesterday. The DOL is not a fan of independent work in general and gig economy work in particular, so expect a lot hand wringing and complaints about the gig economy from this event. The main topic was potential labor law changes.

Policies 100

Policies AT&T 100

Small Business Labs

JUNE 29, 2015

The American Institute of CPA's just released the results of an interesting survey looking at major life event decision making by Americans.  The survey chart below shows that for many life events twice as many Americans are delaying decisions for financial reasons than in 2007. This up from 31% in 2007.

2007 100

2007 UPS 100

Small Business Labs

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

  So even in the unlikely event that WeWork fails, there are plenty of coworking firms ready to pick up the pieces. It's also important to point that while WeWork is the industry's largest firm, it is only 1 of over 700 coworking and flexible office space companies operating the U.S. 

UPS 168

UPS 168

Small Business Labs

JUNE 11, 2018

from Forbes, covers the coworking/social club/event space  Spring Place. The segment points out that most gyms are cheaper than coworking spaces and in addition to working, you can also work out and socialize. The Business Meets Members Club: Is This The Future Of Co-Working?

2019 159

2019 2016 Restaurants Environment 159

Small Business Labs

OCTOBER 7, 2019

Last week Uber announced Uber Works , a platform that connects workers with businesses that need to fill available shifts in hourly jobs such as cooks, warehouse workers, commercial cleaners and events staffing.    Uber's chart below (click to enlarge) provides their quick description of the service.

Temping 124

Temping 2018 Agencies Legal 124

Small Business Labs

JUNE 17, 2014

The CloudVo site provides an excellent summary of the event, including links to the conference presentations. I'm looking forward to next year's event. The 1st Annual Local-Mobile Workspace-as-an-Industry conference was recently held in San Jose. Coworking'

2013 100

2013 Environment 100

Small Business Labs

OCTOBER 1, 2014

According to  Fueling the Experience Economy , a research report released by the events company Eventbrite, the average millennial (aged 18-34 in their study) prefers live experiences over material things.   78% say they would choose to spend money on a desirable experience or event over buying something desirable.

Learning 100

Learning 100

Small Business Labs

FEBRUARY 26, 2014

million corporate and business meetings, trade shows, conventions, congresses, incentive events and other meetings in the U.S."   Futurists have long predicted the end of this these types of events due to replacement by virtual meetings and trade shows.   I have no idea how they track this data.

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Small Business Labs

NOVEMBER 3, 2011

 Close to 300 people from all over the world are expected to be at the event.   The event starts tomorrow at Club Office , an impressive facility with 3 separate coworking spaces, a community kitchen, hotel rooms, a restaurant and traditional all housed in a 9 story building.

Restaurants 100

Restaurants 100

Small Business Labs

MAY 12, 2015

67% reported they attend events at their coworking space occasionally (45%) or often (21%); only 4% said they never attend events. Learning related: 69% reported they learned new skills. 68% reported they improved their existing skill set. 79% said coworking has expanded their social networks.

Networking 100

Networking Skills Learning 100

Small Business Labs

OCTOBER 6, 2011

  A large asteroid strike is the ultimate Black Swan, which is an event that has a low probability of happening, but has a big impact if it happens.    Recent events - the Arab spring, Japan's tsunami, earthquakes, the global recession - make it seem like they are happening more often. 

2007 100

2007 AT&T Learning 100

Small Business Labs

JUNE 5, 2017

As the Bumble chart below shows, the planned activities at The Hive blend professional and social events. .  It's part of Bumble's plan to expand beyond dating and help users in their professional lives.      This trend towards work/life integration  is very apparent in our coworking research.

2013 145

2013 Travel Promotion AT&T 145

Small Business Labs

MARCH 6, 2013

It was serving lunch at an event at our town's Veterans Hall. In addition to the folks at the event, the Hall is on a popular walking and biking route. I was out riding my bike today and ran across the Twister Food Truck.   The location was a good one for a food truck.

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Small Business Labs

SEPTEMBER 24, 2015

At the event it was announced that there will be a coworking conference this December in Shanghai.  .  There are about (or, as they say up north "aboot") 100 coworking spaces in Canada and this conference was about the same size as the first global coworking conference, which was held back in 2009. 

2007 100

2007 2009 UPS 100

Small Business Labs

OCTOBER 24, 2017

Rent, overhead, staff, events, programming all add up quickly. As the co-founder of the well known DC coworking space 1776 point out in her essay What's up with 1776 and Benjamin's Desk , coworking is not easy. Key quote: Running a coworking business is hard work.

UPS 175

UPS 2017 175

Small Business Labs

OCTOBER 31, 2017

Upwork talked about the same issues at their corporate event last August. As the report chart below shows, the desire to be more agile and the need to find, engage and source talent are the top challenges. These are not new or surprising. And the need to increase business agility and flexibility is a topic we've covered for years.

Skills 160

Skills 2018 2017 International 160

Small Business Labs

FEBRUARY 11, 2013

One reason is food trucks are expanding into new businesses, with catering and special events being particularly fertile areas for food truck growth. They host all types of events, private parties, corporate functions, weddings, etc.   But even we were surprised to see a food truck renting itself out as a meeting space. 

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100

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 3, 2014

It promotes its members and their products through media and marketing support, public education, promotional events and retail sales. The Portland Made Collective is an association of Portland-based Makers, artisans and manufacturers.   They recently conducted a membership survey  which yielded a lot of interesting results.

Promotion 100

Promotion Skills 100

Small Business Labs

JUNE 22, 2017

Millennials’ anxiety about world events and increasing automation may be partially responsible for them wanting to remain in their jobs, but the allure of flexible working options might be just as influential." " Our research finds the same thing, except we hear this from everyone and not just Millennials.

2017 133

2017 Payroll Stress AT&T 133

Small Business Labs

NOVEMBER 8, 2013

  Over 800 people attended the event which focused on improving business processes through the use of mobile, cloud and connected services and technologies. My biggest take away from the event was the impact cloud technologies are having on accounting firm business models.

Collaborate 100

Collaborate AT&T Skills Email 100

Small Business Labs

NOVEMBER 9, 2015

The coworking space is intended for both locals and hotel guests as an interface for local and global collaboration, so we want to facilitate networking and offer regular events for community building.”. Providing connections, networking opportunities and access to like minded people is becoming increasingly common.

Travel 100

Travel Networking Phones Collaborate 100

Small Business Labs

MAY 2, 2017

They also kept track of life events to help explain the undulating cash flows that characterized almost every household they studied. The 12 person research team visited each household on a weekly basis and attempted to track every dollar earned, spent, saved, borrowed, loaned out or given away. They are very expensive and very hard to do. 

2014 124

2014 2013 2012 Expenses 124

Small Business Labs

NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Betahaus is housed in a 4 story building and has a cafe, several floors of open coworking space and a big events space on the top floor.    It's a 9 story building with over 80,000 square feet housing multiple coworking spaces, a restaurant, events spaces, traditional office space and even hotel rooms. 

Restaurants 100

Restaurants AT&T 100

Small Business Labs

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

  It is a free online event designed to inform small and mid-sized business about cloud computing.   And if you can't make it tomorrow, no worries - the event is virtual so you can watch it later.    We write a lot about the importance of cloud computing.    Click here to learn more and register. 

2010 100

2010 Retirement 2020 2005 100

Small Business Labs

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

  Key quote from the conference website on the question they hope to answer at this event: How do mission driven values, authenticity, connections, and facilitated social interactions drive productivity, collaboration, innovation, and employee wellbeing? Other management theorists have also been looking at this topic.

Collaborate 100

Collaborate Environment Goals Management 100

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 15, 2016

I specialize in communications around crisis and issue-driven events; this is an area of communications that not everyone does and it is less price sensitive than other communications specialties.  5) The gig economy seems to work best for those who have a valuable niche.

Negotiating 100

Negotiating Agenda Health Expenses 100

Small Business Labs

SEPTEMBER 26, 2013

Creative Conference Focuses on Southwest Virginia Assets  covers an event focused on artisans in Virginia. .  Key quote: Some came to sell their wool or finished products, but most came to share their joy of spinning with like-minded people.  The state's Round The Mountain artisan network has over 400 members.

Restaurants 100

Restaurants Networking UPS 100

Small Business Labs

JULY 14, 2016

" From a trend watching standpoint, Pokemon Go is one of the most fascinating events in recent history. . Other gig-economy workers taking advantage of the game’s popularity are pitching themselves as Pokémon Go egg hunters, security providers, and hackers." It covers so much ground: 1.

Twitter 100

Twitter AT&T Networking Training 100

Small Business Labs

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

Key quote from ThinkKora's homepage: Join a growing entrepreneurial community, connecting with Kora and Regus members and partners from the world's of business and learning.Find the inspiration, knowledge, skills, services and people you need through our learning and network events and our local Kora directors and connectors.

Environment 100

Environment Networking Skills Learning 100

Small Business Labs

OCTOBER 28, 2010

  The Twitter hashtag for the event is: #More$$inPurse. Intuit is hosting a Tweet Chat today at 1:00pm Eastern, 10:00am Pacific on the She-conomy. The Tweet Chat will focus on financial and small business tips and advice for women.  Dawn Brolin: Partner at Premier Business Services , a certified public accounting firm.

Payroll 100

Payroll Twitter Management 100

Small Business Labs

FEBRUARY 22, 2011

Like most small business owners, we don't have a lot of time to devote to keeping up with the events in the Middle East.    Because of this we've turned to Stratfor - a leading geopolitical risk firm - for this information.    Stratfor has both free and paid content. 

UPS 100

UPS 100

Small Business Labs

FEBRUARY 25, 2013

New business areas - Food trucks are becoming popular for special events and catering. Any geographic area that can support a few fast food places can potentially support food trucks.  These areas provide new business opportunities for the industry.   Compared to 2007, fast food visits by this group are down 15%.

Restaurants 100

Restaurants 2007 100

Small Business Labs

APRIL 4, 2012

I learned about the Longevity Economy at the recent  Boomer Summit , an annual event that "brings together the country's top businesses and organizations that are focused on the baby boomer and beyond marketplace."

Agencies 100

Agencies Learning 100

Small Business Labs

DECEMBER 2, 2010

I was at HR.com's Contract Workforce and Talent Exchange event yesterday.    It was an excellent conference that continues today.    Not surprisingly, there was a lot of discussion on the changing nature of work.    I thought one of the best talks on this topic came from Gene Zaino, CEO of MBO Partners. 

Email 100

Email 100