Commentary
Virgin on Business: Contemplating Utah
In its faraway corner of the American map, Washington tends to look at the other 49 members of our national federation with varying degrees of puzzlement, wonderment, envy and dismissal. California qualifies for multiple emotions. Washington regards itself as a high-tech rival to California, which amuses the latter (when it notices at all, a larger…
Editor’s Note: A Vision from the 13th Century
Imagine a great REGION that rises to power and prosperity thanks to its varied industry and a flourishing trade with the East. Surrounded by water, this region attracts talented people from all over the world. They are drawn here by the regions beauty, its dynamism and its cultural diversity. The regions entrepreneurs accumulate great wealth…
Final Analysis: Be Careful, Bertha
Have you met Bertha, the worlds largest cordless drill? Shes on Twitter (@BerthaDigsSR99). Her cutter head has more teeth than a denture museum. She arrives soon to start digging under the city. Some people think shes an allusion to Germanys Big Bertha, a menacing World War I howitzer. But Seattles Bertha is Japanese, and shes…
CEO Adviser: Spark Creativity by Connecting the Dots
In every industry, the company with the next great idea wins. That means, of course, that in your industry, the company with the next great idea wins. The only question is, will that be you, or will it be your competition? And that brings us to our second question. (I know I said the above…
Commentary: Talking Finance With the Kids
If you want to make people uncomfortable, suggest they start talking finances with their family. Many accomplished people dont want to reveal their assets and expenses to their children. But not communicating to them about wealth can lead to those hard-earned assets fading away. Today, new wealth is being accumulated at younger ages, thanks to…
Commentary: Intangible Rewards
There has been a remarkable expansion in the relationship between design and business, as design has moved beyond that which we can touch and feel to increasingly intangible contributions. Brand development is a core practice area for many design firms and todays smart brand designers define this work not as a collection of graphically aligned…
CEO Adviser: Take Five
Its no secret our corner of the country has cultivated some outstanding leadersin business as well as in other sectors of society. For the past 30 years, Leadership Tomorrow has been cultivating leadership development for the benefit of the Puget Sound region. During the program, participants expand their leadership skills while gaining a greater commitment…
Virgin on Business: Ballot Initiative
In Blaze, the 1989 biopic of Blaze Starr, the stripper turned consort to Bayou State politician Earl Long seeks a future for the irascible and bored former governor. So she asks two visiting reporters, Whens the next election in Louisiana? Answers one, Well, hell, theres always an election in Louisiana. Increasingly, it seems theres always…
Editor’s Note: Management and Leadership
Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. Peter Drucker Effective managers understand the nature of the challenges they face and respond effectively with all the tools at their disposal. They communicate their priorities, mobilize their employees and making the necessary investments for long-term success. For companies like Expeditors International, Expedia, Amazon.com…
Seattle Area Wages Grow 4.8% in 2012 for Nation’s Strongest Increase
Seattle topped the nation in wage growth, tying Houston, but beating Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Wages in Seattle in the fourth quarter of 2012 were up 4.8 percent from the same period in 2011, compared to just 1.6 percent in Washington D.C., another area where the economy has been relatively strong….
Want to Raise Money for a Good Cause: Organize a snowball fight and a snow-fort building competition.
Neil Bergquist, Director at Surf Incubator, a Seattle based community-supported space for digital entrepreneurs, noticed the need for young professionals to get involved with innovative forms of fundraising. After organizing a successful benefit last year for Seattle Public Librarys Homework Help program, he now hopes to raise money for the Boys and Girls club of…
Virgin on Business: Group Dynamics
The deindustrialization of Seattle was a trend, and an issue, long before the proposed hoops-and-hockey arena gave it renewed attention. As offices, retail developments, apartments and condos crowded in, manufacturers figured life would be less expensive and bring fewer hassles by going somewhere else. So where, for Washington, is that somewhere else? Does it matter…
Final Analysis: Do Microsoft’s Celebrity Endorsements Work?
Do celebrities influence you? More specifically, do their endorsements make you buy stuff? Are you more likely to shell out a few hundred bucks on a Windows Phone 8 because Gwen Stefani says it allows her to stay creative and never miss a thing in her busy life? Will it make a difference to you…