Little or no good news.
Alter
The numbers may vary, but SurePayroll and Intuit seem to agree that the state of the economy for small businesses and small business workers is, at best, weak.
“Small business hiring continued at the same rate as June, giving us two consecutive months of 0.2 percent nationwide hiring growth,” says SurePayroll Inc. president Michael Alter.
“The average paycheck, however, has leveled off,” he added. So far this year, small business hiring is up 4.1 percent — a 0.2 percent increase over June — while year-to-date pay decreased of 0.4 percent.
According to Intuit, small business employment grew slightly in July, but at a slower rate than in the past, while wages and hours worked by employees increased at a much faster pace, according to Intuit’s online payroll index.
The monthly report finds small business employment grew by 0.2 percent in July, equating to a 2.4 percent annual growth rate. The Index is based on figures from the country’s smallest businesses that use Intuit .
READ MORE →
To follow the debate intelligently, you need to ask the right questions.
There are a lot of numbers being thrown around in regards to the issue of to what extent Congress should extend the so-called “Bush” tax cuts that were passed between 2001 and 2006 and scheduled to sunset on December 31.
One of the key figures is how much extending the tax cuts (or various parts) would cost.
According to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, a few things should be kept in mind when considering such a figure:
READ MORE →
Studies show 97% of what we communicate by phone is by vocal tone.
That means only 3% of your message is understood from the actual words.
Voice coach Karen Lyu suggests: Imagine you’re at a meeting, and you hear someone say “Hello” with a nervous, giggly nasal voice — or a muffled, monotone mumble. What messages are you getting?
Now imagine a radio announcer saying “Hello” with a clear, warm and projected voice.
Did you notice your body reacting in a different way? How did it make you feel?
So what are some simple things you can do right now improve your voice — and make people sit up and listen?
- 1. Keep your throat and mouth relaxed (exercise by yawning or saying “Wow” before a meeting)
- 2. Speak clearly at medium speed
- 3. Smile while you talk, and people will hear the difference (for phone conversations, a mirror nearby can help to remind yourself)
- 4. Sit up at the edge of your seat to keep your body aligned (or stand and walk)
- 5. Drink water or tea with lemon and honey (soda, alcohol, and coffee will dehydrate your throat)
These quick tips could help you to speak with a healthy, understandable, warm and resonant voice so that people stay focused and interested in what you have to say.
