Successful Businessman

For survival, the objective of every business should be to bring in revenues which exceed their costs. Even non-profits have to do this to cover overhead costs, unless they rely totally on donations.

Yet I continue to see business plans, or even talk to founders, and can’t find the specifics of the business model anywhere.

As Guy Kawasaki says in his book “The Art of the Start,” if you can’t describe your business model in ten words or less, you don’t have a business model. Avoid whatever business jargon is currently hip, like strategic, mission-critical, world-class, synergistic, first-mover, or scalable. Try somet

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Oil group elects president

An Abilene native has been elected president of the Petroleum Equipment Institute.

Joey Cheek, president of JMP Solutions Inc., of Tampa, Fla., was recently elected to the post at PEI’s 61st annual convention and trade show in Chicago. He will take office Jan. 1. He has most recently served as PEI’s vice president.

Cheek has been president of JMP Solutions since 2003.

New boat dealer announced

Tigé Boats Inc., based in Abilene, recently announced that Airport Marine in Alabaster, Ala., has become an authorized Tigé dealership.

Airport Marine serves counties in mid-Alabama, covering Lewis Smith Lake, Neely Henry Lake, Jordan Lake, Mitchell Lake, Lay Lake and Martin Lake.

Are you looking for something cool, but inexpensive to buy and give as a gift to get the word out about your business? If so, why not try computer items? The reason being is that the majority of the population has a computer or working on getting one. Even if they do not have a computer, they know someone who does.

There are various corporations making marketing items that offer computer products. With just a simple search online, you can find exactly what you are looking for. Mouse pads are perfect for giving someone a gift they can use in their very own place of business. It says that you want more than their business, but that you care about them.

While there are many different organizations creating promotional products, there are not many that offer the same variety and quality in computer accessories and items. Laptop bags are also a great way to catch the interest of potential customers. Not only did you just give them a nice gift, but you gave them something that they could actually use. Read full article…

Norfolk Southern Corp. said Thursday it wants to hire about 24 conductors and machinists in the Roanoke area before the end of the year.

They are among 500 positions the company hopes to fill in eight states. More workers are needed to move increased freight and replace employees who are retiring.

Systemwide, Norfolk Southern has hired more than 3,500 employees so far this year and anticipates adding 2,600 employees in 2012, Cindy Earhart, vice president of human resources, said in a news release.

Applicants can apply online at .

The Irish Government is splashing out €10 million to encourage more entrepreneurs to start up Cloud Computing and online gaming firms in the Republic. 

click here to register

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one sellers good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.” Brand is lofty term that means a lot for you and your small business. Developing a brand is a challenge for any business, small or large. It brings up key questions – How do you generate awareness? How do you create a strong reputation? What does your business stand for? What differentiates you?

A brand is more than a logo or a tagline; it’s the impression someone gets when they see your business name in print or they hear it from a friend. First impressions go a long way, and it’s very difficult to change a brand’s image once it has been created. Some businesses find that they can’t quite find a good fit and change the key elements of their brand – often altering the first thing that people see.

Companies also go through various stages of re-branding – a recent example is Overstock.com to O.co. When you’re just starting out, invest the time to really think about what you want your business to convey. Continually chang

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