The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 18, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. What is Small Business Infrastructure? How to be successful by focusing on your core business. How to be successful and eco-friendly. Making your small business carbon neutral. Outsourcing Options For Small Business Focus on your business, timeshare professionals. Benefits of Online Software for Small Business. Concentrate on your business, not your office.
Laughing all the Way to Work
OCTOBER 8, 2007
The Bring-Forward System (or sometimes referred to as a BF system) might be an old term for the younger assistant, but the principle is similar to using your Tasks in Outlook: You need to have some sort of system to bring forward items that need to be handled at a future date. I have already spoken about using Tasks in Outlook, but on a recent job interview I was specifically asked if I knew how to use a bring-forward system so I thought I would write about it here.
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Professional Assistant Blog
OCTOBER 31, 2007
Home About Me Advertise Tips on Handling Deadlines By The Professional Assistant on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 Filed Under: Organize , Prioritize , Productivity D o you hate deadlines? Do you feel jittery each time you receive a task that needs to be completed yesterday? There are times when people come up to me and expect things to be done right away.
On The Job
OCTOBER 31, 2007
I've written about hundreds of workplace issues over the years, but one of the subjects that brought in the most mail when I wrote about it more than a decade ago was a column on depression. In the story, I outlined some signs of depression that may be evident on the job. The mail flooded in -- not only from those who believed they recongized they were suffering from depression -- but from those who already had been diagnosed.
Speaker: Chester Santos
Forgetfulness is costing you time, money, and a ton of missed opportunities. In the age of automation, it’s easy to underestimate the power of a well-trained human mind. But memory isn’t just a parlor trick, it's a strategic edge. Human memory is one of the most underrated business skills. Whether you’re managing people, leading sessions, or having high-stakes conversations, remembering names, details, and concepts can be transformative in building trust, absorbing knowledge, and driving perform
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 2, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. Build your own network! Community for small business outsourcing and cost control. Small Business Bootstrapping How to start your own small business with no or little money. You ask a question, I answer! Ask me your small business questions, I will answer them ASAP. What is Small Business Infrastructure? How to be successful by focusing on your core business.
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 13, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. Build your own network! Community for small business outsourcing and cost control. Outsourcing Options For Small Business Focus on your business, timeshare professionals. Enhance Your Work-Life Balance Have it all your way – family, friends, work and most of all a life! What is Small Business Infrastructure? How to be successful by focusing on your core business.
Administrative Professionals Pulse brings together the best content for administrative professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 25, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. Effective Small Business Planning Strategy Planning your small business is the best way to avoid costly mistakes. Outsourcing Options For Small Business Focus on your business, timeshare professionals. Enhance Your Work-Life Balance Have it all your way – family, friends, work and most of all a life! Starting a Small Business?
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 18, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. You ask a question, I answer! Ask me your small business questions, I will answer them ASAP. Benefits of Online Software for Small Business. Concentrate on your business, not your office. What is Small Business Infrastructure? How to be successful by focusing on your core business. Small Business Bootstrapping How to start your own small business with no or little money.
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 17, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. Effective Small Business Planning Strategy Planning your small business is the best way to avoid costly mistakes. Outsourcing Options For Small Business Focus on your business, timeshare professionals. Small Business Bootstrapping How to start your own small business with no or little money. Starting a Small Business? On-Demand Small Business Infrastructure™ allows you to run your business online.
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 31, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. Outsourcing Options For Small Business Focus on your business, timeshare professionals. Starting a Small Business? On-Demand Small Business Infrastructure™ allows you to run your business online. What is Small Business Infrastructure? How to be successful by focusing on your core business. Build your own network! Community for small business outsourcing and cost control.
Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA
In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. If you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner—and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top (a concept first popularized by Marshall Goldsmith in his book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There ). What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level.
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 18, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. Effective Small Business Planning Strategy Planning your small business is the best way to avoid costly mistakes. How to be successful and eco-friendly. Making your small business carbon neutral. Enhance Your Work-Life Balance Have it all your way – family, friends, work and most of all a life! Starting a Small Business?
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 26, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. You ask a question, I answer! Ask me your small business questions, I will answer them ASAP. Outsourcing Options For Small Business Focus on your business, timeshare professionals. How to be successful and eco-friendly. Making your small business carbon neutral. Build your own network! Community for small business outsourcing and cost control.
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 10, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. Starting a Small Business? On-Demand Small Business Infrastructure™ allows you to run your business online. Small Business Bootstrapping How to start your own small business with no or little money. Benefits of Online Software for Small Business. Concentrate on your business, not your office. Outsourcing Options For Small Business Focus on your business, timeshare professionals.
Laughing all the Way to Work
OCTOBER 28, 2007
The office fridge can be a mess Something has spilt, something's been left That plastic container has been there a year No one will open it, out of fear Expiry dates have long been ignored Drinks are lined up on the door Is it yours or is it mine? I can't remember if I brought that kind Lots of lunches there to see That one's green though - should it be?
Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP
The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.
Laughing all the Way to Work
OCTOBER 13, 2007
Making travel arrangements for your boss can sometimes be stressful. It is important to ask the right questions to get them where they want to go. I remember making travel arrangements for a boss who was travelling to New York City for a meeting. I was not aware there were three main airports in New York City: JFK, LaGuardia and Newark International Airport, and I had him flying into LaGuardia but his hotel room and meeting were right across town (closer to JFK Airport)!
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 11, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. Small Business Bootstrapping How to start your own small business with no or little money. Starting a Small Business? On-Demand Small Business Infrastructure™ allows you to run your business online. Build your own network! Community for small business outsourcing and cost control. How to be successful and eco-friendly. Making your small business carbon neutral.
On The Job
OCTOBER 29, 2007
As the race heats up for the presidential nomination, it’s a good time to remember that politics isn't confined to just those running for office. In fact, some of the most sophisticated politicking takes place in the workplace. Who hasn’t been on the receiving end of some on-the-job political maneuvering that would put even the most savvy national campaign strategist to shame?
The Small Business Blog
OCTOBER 29, 2007
E-Mail me or follow me. Benefits of Online Software for Small Business. Concentrate on your business, not your office. You ask a question, I answer! Ask me your small business questions, I will answer them ASAP. Starting a Small Business? On-Demand Small Business Infrastructure™ allows you to run your business online. Build your own network! Community for small business outsourcing and cost control.
Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar
Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.
Laughing all the Way to Work
OCTOBER 27, 2007
A quick way to keep words together in a Word document is to use the Shortcut Keys. For example, I never like to split a name up in a letter i.e. Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Instead of pressing the Spacebar after ‘Mrs.’, press Shift Ctrl Spacebar and then type Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Smith will now stay together. Tags: splitting up names Keeping words together shortcut keys Administrative Assistant.
On The Job
OCTOBER 26, 2007
There are a lot of things I don’t know for sure in this life. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to grocery shop on the moon (my second grade teacher swore to my class that we would some day), I don’t know if I’ll ever figure out how to boogie board (I nearly drowned last time and made a lifeguard fall out of his chair he was laughing so hard), and I can’t say for sure if I’ll ever understand how Billy Mays got a job selling anything (why is he always yelling?
Laughing all the Way to Work
OCTOBER 26, 2007
I received some blank faxes and then got a phone call from an apologetic manager saying she was sorry for the faxes but she rarely had to send a fax and when she did she was never quite sure whether to feed the paper face up or face down. I suggested a simple solution would be to get her staff to put a label on the fax machine to indicate "Feed face up" or "Feed face down", whichever was appropriate.
Laughing all the Way to Work
OCTOBER 26, 2007
Outlook has a feature that when you type an email address in the To section it remembers it and when you go to type another email address it will bring up similar choices in a drop-down, assuming they might be the one you want to use. But sometimes these are email addresses that have come back undeliverable as you had a typo in the address, or it's an old email address for someone who has since moved to another company and you don't want these old addresses to pop up.
Speaker: Frank Taliano
Documents are the backbone of enterprise operations, but they are also a common source of inefficiency. From buried insights to manual handoffs, document-based workflows can quietly stall decision-making and drain resources. For large, complex organizations, legacy systems and siloed processes create friction that AI is uniquely positioned to resolve.
Laughing all the Way to Work
OCTOBER 26, 2007
I found this quick tip for locking your computer on Richard Rinyai's blogsite The Professional Assistant. "Hold down the "Windows" key (located between the CTRL and ALT keys) and hit the "L" key. Your account will be locked and only people that know your password as well as any Administrator can log into it. This function will only work with Windows Professional versions.
Laughing all the Way to Work
OCTOBER 26, 2007
When I am asked what I do for a living, I usually say I am an Administrative Assistant (or a Legal Assistant). As an old-timer, however, I still sometimes use the name Secretary when describing what I do. A friend of mine thinks that since our title change to Administrative Assistant our duties and workloads have increased and she longs for the day she could be a “Secretary” again.
Laughing all the Way to Work
OCTOBER 26, 2007
We all take holidays and when we are gone someone needs to fill in for us. One of my pet peeves when I have used a replacement assistant is when I come back nothing looks the same as before I left; my toolbars no longer look the same; my Outlook has a different look; documents are saved in a way I would never think to find them again and none of the filing is done.
On The Job
OCTOBER 24, 2007
I once interviewed a man who had written a book on how birth order affected the way a person behaved, the careers chosen and even how punctual that person would be. When I called him, he answered on the first ring and said: "You must be a first-born.probably an only child. You're calling right on time." "Uh, no.," I said. "I'm the youngest of three.
Speaker: Jennifer Hill
Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.
Professional Assistant Blog
OCTOBER 23, 2007
Home About Me Advertise Business Card Window Envelopes By The Professional Assistant on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 Filed Under: Networking , Productivity H eres an interesting envelope that I found on this website. Here are some of the benefits for it: You can place your own customized business cards in the clear window part to use as a mailer. Website hosting is to provide websites easily accessible online by World Wide Web to clients.
On The Job
OCTOBER 23, 2007
Welcome again to this latest installment of Tidbit Tuesday, where I've rounded up the latest in career news and put it in one convenient corral for you to take a look at. As always, you little doggies should feel free to herd any good workplace tips my way. (Can you tell I watched "High Noon" last night?) I'm so outta here: The Miami Herald reports: "Not long ago, workers considered midcareer sabbaticals perks for those who could afford time off to indulge in trips to Australia or backpacking th
On The Job
OCTOBER 22, 2007
I've spent two decades writing about career challenges and how to get ahead. I've interviewed hundreds of experts and read thousands of pages of research material, trying to find the best information I can to help others be successful in their careers. And here's the one thing I've come to realize: Some of you simply don't want to get ahead. That's right.
Laughing all the Way to Work
OCTOBER 21, 2007
Is there room for humour at the office? Can office humor help relieve stress in the workplace? I think so! I work in an office where laughter is the best medicine. We are extremely busy, but we have a sense of humour and that has gotten me through many stressful work situations. But I think there needs to be a balance and we need to know when to inject some humour and when to NOT.
Speaker: Chandra McCormack, CPA, MBA, NACD.DC
Technical degrees might open doors—but it’s the soft skills that keep them open. In the face of disruption, evolving workplace dynamics, and rising expectations of leadership, soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence, and presence have become core business essentials—not nice-to-haves. Inspired by stories from her father coupled with her own career journey, seasoned executive Chandra McCormack breaks down how to lead with impact, connect with purpose, and cultivate a workplace cult
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