Entrepreneur back issues from April 2004:
Makeover mania.(Editor's Note)
Apr 01, 2004; ... TURN ON THE TV MOST NIGHTS AND YOU'RE LIKELY to see someone or something undergoing a transformation. Whether it's an individual, an entire home (or just a room in a home), a backyard or merely a flower bed, it seems nearly everyone or everything is in need of a redo. Obviously, makeover ...
Good comp, bad comp.(Feedback)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Your article on the workers' compensation crisis ("Staying Alive," January) made a lot of dangerous generalizations. First, you seemed to be giving legal advice about workers' comp, when the rules in every state are different. For example, you stated that some small-business owners don't ...
Little train that could.(Feedback)(leadership training programs)(Letter to the Editor)
Apr 01, 2004; ... I enjoyed the article "Beyond Basic Training" in the February issue. I believe that all business owners, of all companies small to large, should attend leadership training programs. An ongoing commitment to developing [yourself] is essential to being a successful leader and business owner ....
New world order: the European Union will soon be a bigger cash cow.(Smarts)
Apr 01, 2004; ... IN RECENT MONTHS, most American companies have focused on china, now the world's biggest recipient of foreign investment. Those looking elsewhere have considered Southeast Asia and Iraq, where U.S. firms will be rebuilding the country. But these entrepreneurs are overlooking a potentially ...
Ear and far.(Tech Toy)(Digisette FM-Xtra Mobile )(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... EAR AND FAR: Waiting for flights or standing in line doesn't have to be boring. FM-Xtra Mobile from Digisette combines the functionality of a hands-free cell phone headset with an FM radio tuner. Listen to music or news over its quality ear-pieces, and press the button near its ...
High and dry? A new federal contract program may not be an oasis after all.(Control Issues)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... THE FEDERAL CONTRACT FIELDS HAVE BEEN DRY THESE past few years, except for defense and now the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has made an uneven effort to entice small business. Charles McQueary, DHS undersecretary for science and technology, put out a Small Business ...
Game on! Game-makers are definitely not sleeping in Seattle.(Smarts)
Apr 01, 2004; ... SEATTLE, LONG THE COFFEE-house hometown of the ultrahip, is also home to some of the hottest board games. Entrepreneurs have picked up the torch lit by Seattle-based games like Pictionary and Trivial Pursuit. Is there something in the air that inspires game creativity? "Seattle is a magnet ...
Leo Rivera.(Snapshot)(Bishops Barbershop, Portland, Oregon)(Brief Article)(Biography)
Apr 01, 2004; ... 33, FOUNDER OF BISHOPS BARBERSHOP IN PORTLAND, OREGON DESCRIPTION: Rock 'n' roll-themed barbershops STARTUP: $40,000 in 2001 2004 PROJECTED SALES: $1.6 million in combined sales for the four Portland locations A STYLING BUSINESS: This former ...
Status woe: contractors' illegal workers could put you in a legal pickle.(Smarts)
Apr 01, 2004; ... IT WAS BIG NEWS WHEN FEDERAL agents swept through 60 Wal-Mart stores last October to arrest about 250 illegal immigrants contracted to work on Wal-Mart's cleaning crews. Wal-Mart--which reties on at least 100 vendors to supply cleaning crews for more than 700 stores across the ...
Stress city.(Smarts)(environment and mental health)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
Apr 01, 2004 ... IS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH a product of your environment? Here's a list of the most and least stressful locations in the United States: <Pre> MOST STRESSFUL LEAST STRESSFUL 1. Tacoma, WA 1. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, ...
Living large: want to expand your business? Then make the most of what you've got, one step at a time.(Profitable Growth in Everyone's Business: 10 Tools You Can Use Monday Morning)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
Apr 01, 2004; ... "BACK TO BASICS" IS THE THEME OF PROFITABLE Growth Is Everyone's Business: 10 Tools You Can Use Monday Morning (Crown Business, $22) by management consultant Ram Charan. His latest offering since co-writing 2002's Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done (Crown Business $27.50), ...
All fired up.(Books)(First In, Last Out: Leadership Lessons From the New York Fire Department )(Book Review)(Brief Review)
Apr 01, 2004; ... FEW LEADERS EXPECT TO GUIDE THEIR PEOPLE INTO a burning buildinq, but it's all in a day's work for John Salka. In First In, Last Out: Leadership Lessons From the New York Fire Deportment (Portfolio, $25.95), the 25-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department explains how you can ...
Age rage: younger employees are crying age discrimination.(Smarts)(General Dynamics Land Systems Inc. v. Dennis Cline et al)
Apr 01, 2004; ... WHEN MOST PEOPLE THINK of age discrimination in the workplace, they think of older employees getting angry over preferential treatment given to twentysomethings. But now, fortysomething employees are up in arms over how companies treat workers in their 50s and 60s. This ...
Winner's circle: kudos to these Web sites for offering terrific travel tips.(Biz Travel)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... EVEN THE MOST SEASONED BUSINESS TRAVELER CAN use a little advice every now and then. Check out these savvy sites for some pearls of wisdom: * Joe Sent (www.zyworld.com/brancatelli): Joe Brancateni has covered the business travel beat for decades, and there's no better place for ...
Tuning in? The used-digital-music market could be fertile ground for pioneering entrepreneurs.(Smarts)
Apr 01, 2004; ... THE USED-MUSIC MARKET'S sales are estimated at more than $250 million a year, says the National Association of Recording Merchandisers. The used-digital-music market is worth a mere 50 cents. That's how much George Hotelling, a Web developer in Ann Arbor, Michigan, charged a friend for a ...
Let's do launch: Ford and Mercury debut new and upgraded business-friendly vehicles.(Wheels)
Apr 01, 2004; ... LOOKING FOR NEW DEALS ON WHEELS? FORD AND Mercury have launched their most ambitious program yet of new and upgraded vehicles. All but one are 2005 models on sale this year. The best news for entrepreneurs is the array of passenger cars. In early 2005, Ford is scheduled to ...
Quick fix: do SBA express loans really shortchange entrepreneurs?(Smarts)(Small Business Administration)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... IN WHAT COULD BE CONSIDERED the lending equivalent of a drive-thru window, the SBA Express program has guaranteed loans to thousands of entrepreneurs attracted by the program's fast application process. But it may shortchange some businesses: Despite the $250,000 lending cap, Express loans ...
Do we have lift-off? VoIP is a bottle rocket, but red tape could ground it.(Smarts)(Voice over Internet Protocol)
Apr 01, 2004; ... AS INTERNET TELEPHONY diverts an ever greater share of the nation's phone calls from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), state and national regulatory bodies are wondering how to ensure adequate security and law enforcement protections for voice over IP (VoIP). They also fear the ...
Carb your enthusiasm: here's the skinny on how to tap into the hot low-carb market.(Smarts)
Apr 01, 2004; ... NO QUESTION ABOUT IT, low-carb diets have taken over the collective consciousness and the U.S. food industry. Whether it's Atkins or carbohydrate-restrictive diets that boast an effective weight-loss alternative to traditional low-fat, carb-rich plans, consumers eager to shed fat are ...
Trends from the recent L.A. Mart Gift Show.(Flash)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Trends from the recent LA. Mart Gift Show in Los Angeles: * Forget stripes, dots and other traditional patterns sealed on dishware--what's in now are tangible images such as wine bottles and pineapples, and picturesque scenes such as beaches. Products made of bamboo, such as ...
Just woo it: it's possible to flirt with success after all.(Smarts)(marketing strategies for your business)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... BOOKS ON HOW TO CATCH Mr. or Ms. Right using marketing strategies may have hearts skipping a beat, but they do little to ease the qualms of an entrepreneur. For those who have much more at stake than a broken heart, help is on the way. Jay B. Lipe, author of The Marketing Toolkit for ...
Fridge wars: employees duking it out in the kitchen? Stop the madness!(Smarts)
Apr 01, 2004; ... DIRTY DISHES IN THE SINK. Long lines at the microwave. If you have employees, you've seen the brutality and the madness. With less money in our wallets and trendy diets dictating our menus, people have been returning to the company lunchroom--meaning the refrigerator can get pretty ...
Let's talk about sexism: do sexiest attitudes still exist in business? Women sound off.(Women)
Apr 01, 2004; ... IS SEXISM A DIRTY LITTLE secret in the business world today, or has the problem diminished over time? We spoke with some women entrepreneurs who started their companies over the past four decades to get their take on sexism and how they've dealt with it. THE 1970s ...
Secure horizons: are worries about spam, viruses and hackers keeping you up at night? Our Internet security guide will help you protect the future of your business so you can sleep soundly.(Internet Security)
Apr 01, 2004; ... SOMETHING IS LURKING IN YOUR INBOX. A WAR DRIVER is sniffing around your Wi-Fi. That e-mail attachment has bad intentions. Your passwords may be compromised. Hackers are salivating over your Web site. Sometimes, it feels like your business is under a constant security siege. Well, it's ...
Putting the heat on spam.(Internet Security)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Spam isn't just annoying--it also costs your business money. It may be hard to quantify in dollars, but all that time you and your employees spend picking out the e-mail chaff from the e-mail wheat adds up to lost productivity and lost cash. Market and technology research firm Ferris ...
Walled in.(Cool Tools)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... WALLED IN: For offices that need to secure a network with broadband Internet access, the Firebox 700 from WatchGuard Technologies is an affordable firewall and VPN security appliance. One box provides firewall ...
Spy games.(Internet Security)(employee espionage)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Employee espionage: It sounds like something out of a spy movie, and you can almost imagine an employee dangling from ropes and sliding under laser beams. The reality isn't as breathtaking, but it's still dangerous for your business. It can manifest in stolen customer lists, proprietary ...
Bug control.(Internet Security)
Apr 01, 2004; ... With Internet onslaughts such as last year's SQL Slammer and Blaster, "The threats have changed," says Vincent Weafer, senior director of Symantec's Security Response group in Cupertino, California. You can be attacked directly over the Internet or by e-mail, rogue Web sites, IM, wireless ...
Slamming spam ... and more.(Cool Tools)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... SLAMMING SPAM ... AND MORE: You can get your anti-spam, antivirus, URL blocking, e-mail security and malicious code defense all in one convenient package with Computer Associates' eTrust Secure Content Manager. Prices start at $55 per user; volume pricing is ...
Playing it safe: what can you do to protect your e-Commerce site from fraud?(Internet Security)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... FORGET ABOUT THE DOTCOM BUST--e-COMMERCE IS ACTUALLY looking pretty healthy these days. Entrepreneurs who are either starting their own e-commerce projects or looking to add e-commerce capabilities to an existing site will have to deal with accepting credit cards. But on]the shoppers are ...
The Great Wall.(Internet Security)
Apr 01, 2004; ... In the mind-bogglingly complex world of Internet security, a firewall's role seems straightforward: It's software and/or hardware that sits between your computers and the Internet, keeping the nasty stuff out. But firewalls come in many guises, playing a more complex role as threats ...
Hands down.(Cool Tools)(USB fingerprint identifier)
Apr 01, 2004; ... HANDS DOWN: Biometrics made easy: This USB fingerprint identifier lets you say goodbye to passwords. It's small enough for you to take along in your notebook case and also includes a two-port USB hub. A ...
Hacked!(Internet Security)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Hackers know where your public Web site lives. And it can be a mighty juicy target, particularly if it's running an e-commerce operation or is hooked into other critical databases. That means you need to be extremely rigorous about enforcing standard security practices for your ...
Box of tricks.(Cool Tools)(network security tool)
Apr 01, 2004; ... BOX OF TRICKS: Check Point Software Technologies' Safe@Office, a managed services appliance, takes care of many of your security needs. It's loaded with Network Associates' McAfee VirusScan ASaP online solution. Firewall, VPN and content-filtering ...
Performing triage: protecting companies against hackers and other security threats is big business for entrepreneurs like this one.(Internet Security)(Conqwest Inc.)(Company Profile)
Apr 01, 2004; ... CONQWEST INC.'S TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IS TESTED ON AN ALMOST daily basis. A specialist in fighting viruses and spam, the firm distributes computer security alerts to more than 2,000 subscribers. Conqwest founder and CEO Michelle Drolet, 42, thrives on the busy pace at the Holliston, ...
Air raid.(Internet Security)(Wi-Fi technology in town)
Apr 01, 2004; ... In the world of Internet security, experts say, one of the greatest astonishments is the number of Wi-Fi networks completely open to the world. "You've got to know something about Wi-Fi to protect yourself," says David Perry, global director of education at Trend Micro ....
To tell the truth.(Internet Security)(hoax)(e-mail messages pose real problems)
Apr 01, 2004; ... "If you receive an e-mail from one of your friends about a virus, it is almost always a hoax," says Perry. "If you're asked to send it to a friend, it is 100 percent a hoax. We have never found an e-mail chain letter, ever, that was anything real at all." Of course, there are ...
It's all about trust: no matter how high-tech the business, success still comes down to great customer service--and that's exactly what to look for if you outsource security.(Internet Security)(NETWORK COMPUTING ARCHITECTS INC)
Apr 01, 2004; ... NETWORK COMPUTING ARCHITECTS (NCA) INC. IS PROOF THAT CULTURE is a potent ingredient in the recipe for success. Founded in 1992 by Internet whiz Craig Suhadolnik, 46, the 40-person firm has emerged like a phoenix from a December 200l fire that destroyed its Washington state ...
Zone of defense.(Cool Tools)
Apr 01, 2004; ... ZONE OF DEFENSE: When you need a firewall for your home office or very small office, ZoneAlarm Pro leads the pack. It offers protection from everything from worms to spyware. ZoneAlarm Pro's ad-blocking and cookie-control ...
When words fail.(Internet Security)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Passwords are a pain--and they often foul up their jobs. We pick passwords that are easily guessed. We use the same passwords over and over again--in places where they are absolutely critical and in other places where we don't even bother to guard them. We share passwords ...
Flying high: when it comes to offering the most bang for your buck, the winners of this year's 11th Annual Business Travel Awards soar above the rest.(Travel Awards)
Apr 01, 2004; ... AS WE ENTER OUR SECOND DECADE OF Entrepreneur's Annual Business Travel Awards, there's one thing that remains unchanged: As an entrepreneur, you almost always pay for business trips right out of your own wallet--not out of some cushy corporate expense account. And that means your focus ...
Best car-rental company: Enterprise Rent-a-Car Co.(Best Car Rental)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Enterprise was started in 1957 by entrepreneur Jack Taylor, whose family still runs the show--managing a rental fleet of 500,000-plus vehicles and motivating thousands of employees at its 5,500 company-owned locations in five countries. What's best about Enterprise is that it ...
Best upscale hotel chain: Marriott Hotels & Resorts.(Best Hotels)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Ubiquity and consistency are what make Marriott the leader of the pack when it comes to upscale lodging for value-driven business travelers. You will almost always find a centrally located Marriott Hotel in every major business destination in the world. It's comforting to know a ...
Best midpriced hotel chain: Wingate Inns.(Best Hotels)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... In an era when nickel-and-diming hotel guests seems to be standard practice, Wingate Inns' all-inclusive price is a refreshing value. There are now more than 130 Wingate Inns across the country with an average rate of about $99, which includes high-speed Internet access (wireless and/ or ...
Best budget hotel chain: Microtel Inns & Suites.(Best Hotels)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Microtel has only been around for eight years, but based on the success of its value proposition (average rates run in the $49 range), it has grown to more than 250 properties in the United States and a handful of other countries. For the past two years, it has ranked as the number-one ...
All's quiet.(Must-Haves)(Plane Quiet)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Plane Quiet noise-canceling headphones help shut out the drone of airliner jet engines (as well as those less-than-quiet fellow passengers), and keep you focused on what's playing on your CD or DVD player, or on the airline's entertainment system. (The headset ...
Speedier screening.(Must-Haves)(AccessWallet)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Tired of digging through your pocket, carry-on or purse for your ID and boarding pass at airport security checkpoints? The AccessWallet can help you speed through the irritating process. This pocket-size case has a clear plastic sleeve to display your ID and boarding pass, so you have them ...
Crank callers.(Must-Haves)(SideWinder)(Advertisement)
Apr 01, 2004 ... When your mobile phone battery needs recharging, and you're nowhere near a conventional power source, plug it in to the SideWinder charger, and crank your way to extra minutes of talk time. You'll get about six minutes of talk time for every two minutes of cranking. The SideWinder comes ...
Soothing scents.(Must-Haves)(AromaZone's Travel Candle Tins)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Ever arrived at your hotel after a long day of business travel and longed for the comforts of home? With AromaZone's Travel Candle Tins, you can relax all evening--or 15 to 20 hours--thanks to the therapeutic, long-lasting scents of eucalyptus, juniper and ylang-ylang, among others ....
Best travel Web site: Hotwire.com.(Best Web Site)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... In the past, last-minute travel usually meant paying through the nose. But the Internet has changed all that. Now, sites like Hotwire.com help value-conscious business travelers make smart last-minute decisions that help keep travel budgets in check. Hotwire partners with major airlines, ...
Best low-fare airline: AirTran Airways.(Best Airlines)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... Since AirTran walked away with the Best Low-Fare Airline award two years ago, it has continued on a slow and deliberate path to success, winning over the hearts and wallets of value-conscious business travelers fed up with major airlines. From its main hub in Atlanta, AirTran now flies ...
Best major airline: America West Airlines.(Best Airlines)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... If you're paying less than $300 for a roundtrip, coast-to-coast ticket this year, you can thank America West. Based in Tempe, Arizona, the carrier--which took this category last year--continues its remarkable turnaround this year as one of the few profitable, growing major airlines. ...
Lock out.(Must-Haves)(Travel Sentry)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004 ... The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently gave the nod to a new luggage lock from Travel Sentry, allowing you to secure your checked luggage without worrying that screeners will break your locks to search your bags. TSA personnel are trained to recognize the ...
Clean freak?(Must-Haves)
Apr 01, 2004 ... In the age of SARS, travelers are increasingly worried about picking up germs from public phones, drinking fountains or even--yuck!--toilets. Zap those bugs with a pocketsize, 0.5- or 1-ounce bottle of antibacterial, antiviral Virofree disinfectant spray. This odorless, nontoxic, ...
You've got mail ...: Too much mail, that is. Tame your inbox--and get more from messaging--with an integrated system.(Digital Edge)
Apr 01, 2004; ... ARE THERE DAYS WHEN IT FEELS LIKE all you do is read and answer e-mail? That's not surprising: Researchers figure we each spend three or more hours doing it every day. The Radicati Group, a consulting and market research firm, reports that the average knowledge worker now ...
Two birds: you can have your Wi-Fi and extra memory, too.(Wireless)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Wireless technologies are supposed to make business life easier, and new wireless-equipped storage gadgets are designed to do just that. The $119 (all prices street) Soyo (www.soyousa.com) Wireless Flash Combo is a small USB device that combines 802.11b Wi-Fi with 128MB of flash memory ....
Making a pass: credit card purchases without the swiping?(Wireless)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... After a successful trial run in Orlando, Florida, MasterCard will start incorporating its wireless radio frequency PayPass feature into new cards across the nation. Consumers just wave their cards in front of a PayPass-equipped reader. There's no swiping and no signing for most purchases ...
Take note.(Hot Disks)(Microsoft Onenote)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Take Note: Microsoft OneNote (www.microsoft.com/ office/onenote) lets you record notes in a free-form fashion and edit them with Microsoft Office authoring tools. When used on a desktop or notebook, you can use the built-in software-based pen feature to draw charts and pictures ....
Grow up.(Hot Disks)(Intuit Quickbooks Enterprise Solutions)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Grow Up: Your business doesn't have to outgrow your accounting system. Intuit's QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions (wwvw.quickbooks.com) let multiple users in enterprises of 20 to 250 employees access the books simultaneously with more record capacity and faster performance. All six ...
Multi-tasking.(Hot Disks)(Lotus Notes 6.5)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Multi-Tasking: Lotus Notes 6.5 (www.lotus.com/notes) integrates IM features, lets you see if your contacts are online, and allows you to contact one or several of them by IM--without having to exit the application. Also new in ...
Public image? With internet companies back on the IPO map and VCs becoming interested again, should you follow the pack?(Net Profits; initial public offering)(venture capital)
Apr 01, 2004; ... FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS, STOCK IPOs for Internet-related companies languished, but last year, several of these companies went public, including RedEnvelope (www.redenvelope.com), a gift e-tailer; Provide-Commerce (www. providecommerce.com), which operates Proflowers.com; the popular travel ...
Feeling insecure? If so, wireless surveillance cameras could help you make your business environment safer.(Buyer's Guide)(Buyers Guide)
Apr 01, 2004; ... MAYBE YOU DON'T FEEL SAFE ABOUT leaving your office or warehouse alone at night. Maybe items are disappearing off the shelves in your store. Maybe boxes of pens have been walking away from the supply cabinet. Or maybe you need to keep an eye on the parking lot but don't have room for a ...
Slim down.(Gear)(Visioneer Communications Inc. introduces OneTouch 7300 USB 2.0)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Visioneer's OneTouch 7300 USB 2.0 bus-powered flatbed scanner is a slim solution for thick stacks of paperwork. At 1.4 inches thick, the OneTouch 7300 is designed for mobility and simplicity, with a single cord and five buttons to scan, e-marl, copy, or perform OCR (optical character ...
PC killer.(Gear)(Apple Computers Inc. introduces Apple's Mac G5)(Brief Article)
Apr 01, 2004; ... Apple's Power Mac G5 is a beast. Configurable with dual 1.8GHz or 2GHz G5 processors and Apple's newest Mac OS X Version 10.3 (or "Panther"), the Power Mac G5 is an ideal workstation for creative professionals or anyone engaged in serious computational work. Each 64-bit G5 processor is ...
Shopping list: what to keep an eye out for when selecting a wireless surveillance camera? Think features--motion detection, audio and resolution.(Tech)(Buyers Guide)
Apr 01, 2004 ... <Pre> Shopping List WHAT TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR WHEN SELECTING A WIRELESS SURVEILLANCE CAMERA? THINK FEATURES--MOTION DETECTION, AUDIO AND RESOLUTION. MANUFACTURER/ CONTACT CONNECTION FEATURES STREET MODEL...