COSE Member Networks

By Varju Luceno, Global Office Partners Many of us dream of a paperless office, where everything is organized, clutter is gone, and it takes only seconds to find the right file. Several companies are making efforts to step closer to fulfilling this dream. Striving for a paperless office will...

An "elevator pitch" is a concise, exciting snapshot of your business that leaves potential clients with a good understanding of your products and services and a desire to learn more. It should take just 30 seconds and be crafted to address the unique needs of prospects. Creating and...

If you are a home-based business, there are many tax deductions available to you. If you are a sole proprietor, meaning you have no employees and your business is not incorporated, the IRS offers you even more tax deductions. Knowing what these tax deductions are and claiming these deductions...

Not every proprietary program can drive a person crazy, right? Some, like Norton Ghost, are superb tools for anyone to use. But, the fact that these tools are proprietary can drive open source fanatics up a wall. It's not the price of the software that makes the real difference (although...

Being a small business owner is a challenge in many instances - you are forced to wear many hats in order to manage and run your business efficiently and profitably. As a small business owner, you should challenge yourself to think big like larger corporations. Even though your budget...

COSE's done it again. Just when it seemed there was nothing more COSE could do for small business owners, we were surprised by yet another offering which adds value to our membership -- the Home-based Business Network. I have been home-based for six of my 22 years in business and before...

As I thought about the friendly sounds of the words "representation" and "advocate," words connected to the jobs of literary, dramatic, and talent agents, I opened the dictionary to look up the root meaning of "agent." Middle English, Latin, and Greek have it as...

I should get a tattoo of my favorite quote by anthropologist Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." The more public relations and marketing work I do (especially with my dear...

Often think of this as the "should I incorporate?" discussion because invariably that seems to be the opening volley on this topic. The artist will generally have talked to a colleague or family member and that individual will tell them how they must incorporate immediately for whatever...

What business are you in? It's a deceptively simple question. And it isn't a rhetorical one, either. At last June's Dance/USA Roundtable in Miami, opening keynote speaker Alberto Ibargüen, editor of The Miami Herald, urged every attendee to consider the question seriously. Are...

Article written by Susie Frazier Mueller: It was nine years ago when the mechanics of the for-profit arts industry began to make sense to me. Up until then, I had only sold my art to local galleries and through weekend art festivals. I had never tested my vision for an art business beyond...

This past weekend, like most weekends, I found myself in a variety of my favorite big-box retailers to purchase my standard electronic gadgets, household items, tools, and landscaping products. Of course I'm never alone in this endeavor, and I'm reminded of this as I navigate through the...

Cleveland technology leaders lament the dearth of highly trained local employees. While most efforts focus on college students through curriculum, recruitment and retention efforts, an equally important task is to engage our current high school students. According to The Council of...

"Do your homework and know your customer." "Offer something of business or educational value, to attract our attention." "Differentiate yourself from your competition - why is your company/product better, faster or cheaper?" These are just a few nuggets of...

Local search is one of the hottest trends in the online world today. Here's a Q & A tutorial on what it is and why it is important. Search - What Is It? Local search is when people search in Google or some other search engine using geographical parameters. For instance,...

Over the past several years, Hyland Software has been hiring at a rapid pace. Even though the hiring is spread across all departments within Hyland, there is still a single challenge: how do we get people assimilated and productive in the least amount of time? Not an easy challenge for sure....