Follow these practices for positive cash flow.  by Mark E. Battersby Cash flow is the lifeblood of every business. In fact, according to a recent U.S. Bank study, poor cash flow management causes 82 percent of U.S. business failures. Although seemingly counterintuitive, many experts advise putting cash flow management before profits. While profits are how [...]

Richard Seaman’s book offers a model for multigenerational success. by Rebecca Post An urgency runs through the pages of Richard Seaman’s book A Vibrant Vision: The Entrepreneurship of Multigenerational Family Business. That urgency stems from Seaman’s understanding that few family businesses survive beyond a third generation. Seaman, the chairman and former CEO of Wooster, Ohio-based [...]

Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has partnered with Alliance Funding Group to provide members of IFAI fast financing at competitive rates. “IFAI is enthusiastic about offering members access to one more resource when considering financing equipment or looking for working capital,” says Andrew Aho, IFAI’s vice president, new business development. “Alliance Funding Group has been [...]

Keep your tent rental clients satisfied—and returning—with these six tips for five-star customer service. by Sarah Crews Your company and your employees are the backbone of events from high-end weddings and corporate galas to backyard parties and festivals. And your image is on the line each time, from booking to takedown. Here are six strategies [...]

In her new book, tent and event industry leader Delores Crum offers her seven simple strategies for successful living. Sometimes the most practical success tips are like PEZ® candies. They’re delivered in appealing, bite-sized pieces. They’re refreshing. Above all, their impact lingers after the original tidbit is dispensed.  “Like PEZ candy, effective success tips are [...]

Tax laws can help or hurt new and expanding businesses. In today’s economy, it’s not unusual for an existing event business to branch out, or for an owner or self-employed professional to start another business in the same or a different field. Few realize, however, that Uncle Sam stands ready to become a partner in [...]

Fear of the boogeyman can change organizational behavior. Picture this: It’s bedtime and children are getting their goodnight kisses. The parents wish them sweet dreams, leave the room and close the door behind them. With their defenders gone, the children begin their nightly debate: Is the boogeyman here? And if so, what exactly are they [...]

The Outdoor Fabric Products Association of New Zealand (OFPANZ) will hold its 2019 Annual Conference at the Napier War Memorial Conference Center in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, on July 25-27. The conference will bring together a diverse range of speakers and workshops, offering a variety of educational, social and professional networking opportunities, including the annual [...]

Meeting planning expert Jeff O’Hara lost his home and his business in Hurricane Katrina. His new book details how entrepreneurs can come back from disaster. In his new memoir Have Fun, Fight Back, and Keep the Party Going: Lessons from a New Orleans Entrepreneur’s Journey to the Inc. 5000 (Greenleaf, December 2018), Jeff O’Hara, president [...]

Far too often, the process of making bad and/or unethical choices begins with a simple, almost thoughtless decision. How do I know this? Well, I’ve seen it happen far too often. Harassment is not a sexy subject, and ethics are more than words. “The times they are a changing,” and that’s more than just song [...]