When Groupon first hit the scene it put the spotlight on a massive new market and inspired countless copycats. But many local businesses lost money with the Groupon deals model, which often requires losing money on the initial offer in hopes of making it up on additional sales and return visits. more

For many small businesses, survival depends increasingly on finding the ever-elusive “right price” for whatever goods or services are being sold. But there’s no magic formula. No matter what you’re selling, the “right” price to ask is never clearly defined. more

Commercial landlords and tenants, similar to other parties transacting in a particular business area, have a language all their own when negotiating leases. more

Though many home shoppers who assume they are still in a buyer’s market find it hard to believe, one of the sobering fundamentals shaping real estate this summer is shrinking inventory: The supply of houses for sale is down significantly in most areas compared with a year ago, sometimes dramatically so. And that is having important side impacts – raising prices and homeowners’ equity stakes, and reducing total sales. more

I’ll be spending the month of August in Paris with my family. I can’t describe how wonderful it will be. My goal is to finish a book, take in the culture, enjoy my family and think. more

It has been a controversial question in the home real estate market for years: Is there extra green when you buy green? Do houses with lots of energy-saving and sustainability features sell for more than houses without them? If so, by how much? more

With high unemployment rates, employers are receiving more applications than ever before in an attempt to fill what limited job openings they have with the most qualified candidates. When reviewing applications, employers should be aware of the new federal protections in place for criminal ex-offenders. more

As online video gets cheaper and easier to produce, and its effectiveness as a marketing method grows, more and more small businesses are jumping in. Business owners who’ve stuck largely to text-based marketing channels such as search ads, blogs and social networks are discovering that video can be a compelling addition to a marketing mix. more

In case you haven’t noticed, the book-publishing industry is about half of what it used to be. There is now a mad scramble by publishers to discover what tomorrow will look like. more

Lawsuits filed by disgruntled employees or independent contractors against small businesses are one of the most vexing problems that business owners continue to face. Many are constantly on edge, fearing frivolous legal actions that can ruin the business even if the complaint has no merit. more