If you want to mark yourself as a person that doesnt waste time, take the advice of entrepreneur Mark Suster and just ask if you can drop by your acquaintances office to talk for half an hour. For bonus points you can offer to pick up coffees on the way over.

After it was revealed that his computer science degree was fabricated, all eyes were on Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson.

By putting a little more effort into your preparation, you can set yourself up to enjoy success at every event you attend.

When building your company, you cannot forget about the image and vision that your business exudes.

For many companies, determining a target audience is a key factor in what type of products and services they invest in, as well as who their advertising and marketing campaigns revolve around.

As a business owner, youve probably heard about some of the issues with the U. S. Postal Service over the past few months. But, how will this affect your business?

As a business owner, you may not have been too familiar with the mobile photography app, Instagram, until yesterday, when it made national headlines by agreeing to be bought by Facebook for $1 billion.

When it comes to keeping existing business, there are a number of avenues business owners take to better serve their existing clientele.

For many businesses, holding on to the contact information of valued customers and partners is crucial to sustaining the company as a whole, particularly in the beginning.

Social media can attract more clients than youd think - according to a new survey by Relevation Research, more than 52 percent of online consumers in the U.S. have "liked, followed or subscribed" to a company.

Some large companies have multiple blogs, and - in an ideal world - yours could, too.

One of the biggest critiques of online shopping is that it lacks the personal experience of in-store shopping. As a result, businesses that use an e-commerce website have to try to make up for these issues in other ways.

As a business owner, you have probably realized that YouTube can be very useful for your company - and we dont just mean for sending funny viral videos around the office (but yes, that too).

As a business owner, its almost impossible to separate the internet from your companys advertising and marketing strategies these days. But, does that mean you should give up on print advertising and marketing?

Today is Employee Appreciation Day (it always falls on the first Friday in March), and many business owners internationally try to do something a little special in honor of the day.

Great social media management is a huge part of running a successful business, and as a business owner, you want you to make sure that your social media accounts are in the hands of a person you trust.

If you dont train your employees to know about your business and how to represent themselves accordingly, then you arent setting your company up for future success.

Mistakes are natural, and youll certainly learn from every one of them, but by learning from others not-so-wise decisions, hopefully you and your business will create a business model that works great for everyone.

Deliveries to local businesses are expected to spike tomorrow, as many individuals across the U.S. plan to send their significant other flowers (usually red roses) in celebration of Valentines Day.

If your business doesnt already use a quick-response (QR) code, youve probably seen them popping up everywhere on print advertisements, receipts, coffee cups and even pizza boxes.

A new project or initiative allows you to distract yourself from other outside factors and focus on whats really important: cultivating the growth of your business.

Thanks to the internet and social media, the traditional concepts of marketing, advertising and public relations are being abandoned more and more.

Whether youre a business owner anticipating an increase in scheduled delivery orders or a consumer looking to purchase a gift for your significant other, its time to start planning.

According to experts at Business Insider, there are several more big name companies that are expected to file for bankruptcy in 2012. But, business owners can learn a few things from their mistakes.

If you are looking to cut back on some costs for your business, think about what purpose your office actually serves, and if having one is necessary to the success of your company.

While supporters of the bills argue that their intention is to curb online piracy, the aggressiveness of the legislation has many online companies concerned that if passed, these bills can affect the freedom of the Web.

There is another important factor that customers these days respond to more than ever - knowledge.

Whether its selecting a business partner, asking for a loan or engaging in another type of business transaction, many people say that your number one rule should be to avoid doing business with your family, or even your friend.

As as business owner, how often do you brainstorm ways to retain and attract great and loyal employees? Jay Love, CEO of Slingshot, has a suggestion: a four-day work week.

Forget the typical New Years resolutions - lose 10 pounds, be more positive, etc. - what if 2012 was the year that you actually went for it and decided to start a new company?

One mistake that many owners make is taking loyalty for granted - because at the days end, its still just business.

Some experts suggest that providing perks can anger other employees and clients, creating a tense environment that could lead to animosity between staff and customers that find out about others special treatment feeling unappreciated.

Faced with sky-high debt, layoffs and shuttering post offices and mail processing centers across the country, the USPS has been forced to reassess its current business model.

If you find yourself overwhelmed, unsure and even unable to make a decision on behalf of your company, you need to learn to decide.

Just because we are in an economic recession, doesnt mean that your business needs to act desperate just yet - in fact, in the long run, it could hurt your company more.

Whether you or your business are mailing out a last minute scheduled delivery, or expecting packages in the next few days, it certainly tis the season for one thing in particular: package theft.

No, Im not talking about niche products, energy or even paper towels. The biggest - and most expensive - waste that occurs in small businesses is none other than time.

A recent video on YouTube that shows the mishandling of a package has caused quite a stir among consumers and businesses across the country.

If youre interested in trying to measure how well your companys social media campaign is working, you might want to check out your businesss Klout score.

2011 is coming to an end, and its been quite a year - for better or for worse. So, whats on the table next year for you and your business?

Its easy - and important - to get caught up in the holiday rush from a business standpoint, but the holidays arent just about buying and selling, theyre also about giving.

One of the most important things for a business to remember is that every new year brings promise, good intent and, as always, taxes.

Santa Claus wasnt always the jolly man in a red suit making a scheduled delivery to the home of each child on Christmas Eve.

December is one of the busiest times of the year for many businesses, with holiday parties, additional advertising and marketing campaign strategies and of course, dealing with wrapping up the end of the year.

The USPS has decided to delay some of its cutbacks until May of 2012, in the hopes that Congress will pass legislation to help the agency.

Now is the perfect time to make sure your businesss e-commerce website is attracting consumers, not sending them away.

Today is the second Monday in December, which has been known to be one of the busiest days for shipping packages all year.

During the holiday season, many employers give their staff some sort of present as a token of gratitude for all their hard work the past year.

The USPSs semiannual report discusses 29 different cases of employee violations, including fraud, theft and drug use.

One of the things they found was that consumers are more willing to buy items online if the purchase includes free shipping for their scheduled delivery.

Theres a reason why people go to the same hair dresser, tailor or neighborhood restaurant for years.

In a move that will save the the federal agency billions while eliminating services such as next day delivery, the USPS has decided to make serious cuts to first-class mail.

Beginning early next year, the United States Postal Service will increase the rates for all shipping services by an average of 4.6 percent.

Its possible to get just about anything delivered to your doorstep, but reproductively-challenged couples in Seattle can now opt for a bike messenger service that brings - you guessed it - sperm.

The holiday season is the perfect time for you and your business to take advantage and boost company revenue before the years end.

When youre passing around the turkey and all its fixings this Thanksgiving, you might pause for a moment to give thanks for all that you have.

The postal service has been in financial trouble for years now, rounding up 2011 with over $5 billion in debt.

The holiday season has arrived, and its one of the busiest times of the year for mailing and delivering packages.

The Christmas season can be one of the busiest times for a business, and if you think it feels like the holidays come faster and faster each year, youre not just imagining it.

If history actually does repeat itself, the closing of the United States Postal Service would mean only one thing for businesses: a return of the Pony Express.

Whats more preferable - working with a New York courier service that continually asks what it can do to improve service, or working with one that knows how to keep customers satisfied without calling in a focus group?

Its been nearly a week since a surprise October snowstorm hit Massachusetts, but as of Friday afternoon, more than 86,000 customers remained without power, according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Association (MEMA).

Starting a new business may, on its face, seem like an easy process. Many times, these ventures begin when a creative mind identifies a challenge, conceptualizes a solution and decides to bring it to market in a profitable way.

The recession pushed many full-time workers into unemployment and out on the untamed frontier of entrepreneurships. Those who succeeded were the ones who were prepared for the unexpected and partnered with cost-cutting service providers, according to a recent piece in Entrepreneur Magazine.

A new report shows how successful Apple remains in the business world despite rising competition on all fronts.

A new report shows more and more small business owners are pessimistic regarding the overall economy, and as a result very few plan to expand their hiring initiatives in the months ahead in an effort to reign in expenses.

Owners at both large and small businesses are frequently looking for effective ways to manage their time. A number of strategies can offer solutions, but one business icon says he relies on delegation to keep his enterprise running smoothly.