Business

Fear is dominant in today’s economy from the volatility of the stock market to unknown/unwanted rules and regulations pouring down from the federal government to oil prices unexpectedly plunging, to the possibility of yet another recession around the corner. Fear can be debilitating and makes running your business that much more challenging. The best thing to combat fear is education and positioning yourself to be smart and ahead of the curve with your business in 2016 and beyond. 1. Government Risk & Regulations Running a profitable small business is hard enough, now add the ever-increasing government regulations that are constantly ... Read More

“We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction.” – Bill Gates As a 20-year funder of the cable and telecom industry, Paragon Financial closely monitors changes within the industry.  This allows us to proactively help cable/telecom vendors, suppliers and contractors succeed.  We all are watching as talks continue of AT&T’s merger with DirectTV, Comcast with Time-Warner, and T-mobile with Sprint.  There are also new players like Google Fiber, Apple TV, and Netflix that are poised to further shake up ... Read More

Handgun/Firearm Manufacturers and Vendors: armalite.com auto-ordnance.com barrett.net browning.com bushmaster.com textronsystems.com calicolightweaponsystems.com cz-usa.com colt.com dillonaero.com cva.com dakotaarms.com franchiusa.com freedomarms.com glock.com hk-usa.com henryrepeating.com highstandard.com hi-pointfirearms.com ithacagun.com keltecweapons.com kimberamerica.com knightrifles.com marlinfirearms.com northamericanarms.com olyarms.com para-usa.com remington.com ruger.com sako.fi savagearms.com sigsauer.com smith-wesson.com springfield-armory.com stoegerindustries.com taurususa.com tcarms.com traditionsfirearms.com waltherarms.com weatherby.com winchesterguns.com magnumresearch.com Money When Your Business Needs It Most!

To grow your business successfully, you need all three of the following: A substantial number of prospective clients, who you can locate and connect with. These prospective clients need to have a problem, which your service provides the answer to. Finally, they need to be willing and able to pay you for solving their problem. The three items above are what most people strive for to have a successful business. However, if you want even more from your business, something exceptional, you need to do one thing differently. To be exceptional, you need to change number 2 on this list to: These prospective clients need to ... Read More

The Small Business Administration (SBA) and AARP are teaming up to host National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Month, targeting entrepreneurs over the age of 50. Building on last year’s successful strategic alliance, the two organizations provided nationwide mentoring and training to over 119,000 individuals. Throughout April, SBA district offices, state AARP offices and SBA resource partners will host more than 100 events (workshops, conferences, seminars, etc.) to help entrepreneurs 50+ start or grow a business. The following are valuable links to SBA and AARP entrepreneur online resources: Free Online Courses Encore Entrepreneurship for Women Encore Entrepreneurship Webinar Series Virtual Help Desk Money ... Read More

Anchorage Alaska’s Top 15 Employers 1. Providence Health & Services (hospital/medical center) 2. Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club (grocery/general merchandise) 3. Carrs/Safeway (grocery) 4. Fred Meyer (grocery/general merchandise) 5. ASRC Energy Services (oilfield services) 6. BP Exploration Alaska (oil and gas extraction) 7. NANA Management Services (catering/lodging/security) 8. CH2MHill (oilfield services) 9. Alaska Airlines (air carrier) 10. Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) (hospital/medical center) 11. GCI Communications (communications) 12. Southcentral Foundation (hospital/medical center) 13. FedEx (air freight/courier service) 14. ConocoPhillips (oil and gas extraction) 15. Alaska USA Federal Credit Union (financial services) Money When Your Business Needs It Most!

Every marketing plan needs to include an industry analysis. Why? Because it is of critical importance to understand the industry you operate in, and to identify and track your performance to key business success factors (KSFs) for your organization. Understanding your industry and identifying your KSFs will help in building a successful marketing plan; one that is based on measurable progress and results. A key success factor is an element of a whole that affects your business’ ability to do well in your market. Most businesses focus on between three and five of the most important (to their business) success ... Read More

When it comes to oil and gas in Louisiana political blue and red is blurred. The Louisiana Senate race is bringing in money from Oil and Gas interests from all sides.      This is all good news for Louisiana and its oil and gas suppliers. “I want to say both candidates are pro-oil and gas industry,” Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association Environmental Affairs Director Richard Metcalf said. “Mary(Landrieu) has been a very effective advocate, a very good vote for us. She is next in line to chair the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee when Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, becomes ambassador ... Read More

Is your small business ready to become a vendor or supplier for the top companies in the US?  We’ve put together links to each companies supplier page to make it easy for you to get started. Apple Amazon.com American International Group AmerisourceBergen Archer Daniels Midland AT&T Bank of America Corp. Boeing Caterpillar Cardinal Health Chevron Citigroup Comcast ConocoPhillips Costco Wholesale CVS Caremark Express Scripts Holding Exxon Mobil Fannie Mae Ford Motor Freddie Mac General Electric General Motors Hewlett-Packard Home Depot International Business Machines J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. Johnson & Johnson Kroger Marathon Petroleum McKesson MetLife Microsoft Phillips PepsiCo Pfizer ... Read More

Check out this very nice working database of state-by-state laws regarding the beer, wine and spirit industry http://sld.wswa.org   Money When Your Business Needs It Most!