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Fall Is Tree Planting Time: Choosing the Best Trees for Your Yard

With fall tree planting season soon arriving, it’s time to choose some new additions for your landscape. The next few weeks are the ideal time to plant trees in your yard.

“September and October are the best planting months for trees,” says Tammy Sons of the Tree Nursery Company. “Autumn has mild planting days with fewer pests, which allows trees to more easily establish themselves,” says Sons. “Get your trees in the ground now, and they’ll put down a strong root system prior to the winter months, resulting in healthy, vibrant growth come spring.” The options are many when it comes to deciding what trees to plant in your yard. Here are three general categories to get you started on planning an attractive landscape full of robust trees. Shade trees. With their fluid, sweeping forms and ability to provide coverage to humans and wildlife, shade trees are a must have in every yard. Well-placed shade trees are an environmentally responsible choice, as they can substantially reduce the need for air-conditioning in nearby buildings. The best location for planting shade trees is the west side of the home or yard, as this receives the harshest and hottest of the sun’s rays. Some popular shade trees to consider include maple, willow, black gum, green ash, sycamore, beech, box elder, oak, cottonwood, sourwood, sweetgum, hackberry, poplar, locust, paw paw, birch, aspen and planetree. Flowering trees. Blooms in the yard are always a welcome sight, and they’re especially striking when they cover the expanse of a tree’s canopy. Many flowering trees provide a stunning display of blooms for a month or longer each year. For maximum impact, locate blooming trees where you can see them from either inside your house or from the street. Eye-catching flowering trees to include in your yard include dogwood, crepe myrtle, tulip poplar, Cleveland pear, redbud, red buckeye, serviceberry, mimosa, cherry, cassia and crabapple. Conifers. Easy to maintain and generally evergreen, conifers give a woodsy feel to any yard. They also offer a chance to create a fast-growing privacy hedge or screen, and they’re great at buffering noise. Some are also excellent candidates for topiary. Locate these trees anywhere you wish to create a forest feel. Various conifers that make good additions to the yard include pine, hemlock, cedar, fir, spruce, cypress, yew and juniper. Before choosing a tree for your yard, keep a few things in mind. First, make certain you have the space for whatever tree you choose. Trees are like puppies. They look cute and small when they are young, but they do grow and will take up more and more room. Consider the eventual size of the tree in relation to your property. Also make certain that the tree is the right one for your climate. Evergreen or deciduous? As their name suggests, evergreen trees stay green throughout the year. This is a bonus if the area in which you want the tree requires year-round coverage and shade. (Note that evergreen isn’t synonymous with no leaf litter. Evergreen trees drop leaves all year). Deciduous trees, on the other hand, shed most of their leaves once a year—generally in the fall. They remain bare throughout the late fall and winter months. A deciduous tree is an ideal choice for an area that you want shaded in summer and warmed by the sun’s rays in winter, such as near your home. Many deciduous trees are also show-stoppers with their eye-catching displays of colorful fall foliage

How to Save Seeds of Favorite Summer Veggie Crops

Enraptured with veggies you grew this spring and summer and want to preserve the magic? Try saving seed from your favorites. When you save your own seed, you have a much better chance of repeating the same harvest next season. Saving seed allows you to create your own dependable crops for years to come.

Seed packets didn’t exist years ago. Our ancestors saved seed and passed it on from generation to generation. Today, organizations like Native Seeds/SEARCH and Seed Savers Exchange continue the tradition of saving heirloom seeds so that various plants don’t become extinct and can be preserved indefinitely, creating a living legacy. You can also save seed if you keep a few tips in mind. Before you start saving seed, it’s important that you understand the difference between hybrid and open-pollinated plants and their seed. Hybridized plants are those that breeders have created by crossing two different plant parents. They do this to use desirable traits from each plant to create an even better plant. Don’t bother saving seed from such plants, though, as the results when you sprout the seed won’t be like the plant in your garden. The resulting plant may even look or taste odd. (I once saved the seed from a hybrid tomato and grew a tomato plant the following season. I ended up with a tomato plant bursting with yummy-looking fruit that actually tasted like I think used motor oil would.) Only save seed from what are known as heirloom or open-pollinated plants, which produce seed that becomes viable when it is pollinated by insects or wind. Such seed, which is what organizations like those named above are saving, grow true to form every time. Some indicators of hybrid plants are when they are labeled as F-1 or hybrid, either on the plant label or seed packet. If the seed description says that the plant is an heirloom, then there’s a good chance you have an open-pollinated variety that can be successfully saved. Some veggies that tend to generally be heirloom include beans, lettuce and peppers. Almost all corn varieties are hybrid. Other veggies, like tomatoes, tend to come in both types. Saving seed will vary according to the type of veggie or fruit, but there are a few constants to keep in mind. Wait. In order for seed to be viable, it must be mature. That means it’s necessary to leave the seed in the veggie or fruit until it dries or rots on the vine. Wait until cucumbers are yellow and lightweight, squash is overgrown and yellowed and tomatoes are beginning to rot. Bean and pea pods should be brown and dry. For root crops like lettuce, parsley and carrots, wait until they flower above ground and their seed heads brown and dry. Harvest. Once the veggie is ready, remove and dry the seeds. For plants like tomatoes, cucumbers and squash, cut out the seeds and separate them from their pulp by washing them clean with cold water. Pat the seeds dry and then lay them on paper towels to air dry at room temperature away from bright light. For seed grown in pods, like peas and beans, open the pods and pull out the seeds. To save small seed grown in seed heads, like lettuce, shake the heads into a paper sack. Store. Once seed is completely dry, keep it viable by storing it away from moisture and heat. Place the seed in a labeled envelope and put it in a screw top jar in a cool, dry location, such as the back of a pantry. Use the seed the following season, if possible, as seed viability drops after a year.

Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, The American Gardener, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story Series, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.

Back to school for employees: calculating the benefits and challenges

AUGUST 21, 2015 As students across the nation make their way back to school, some of them may be your employees. If anyone in your company is hitting the books this fall, consider that a positive—homework and all. “In many businesses today, it’s important that employees continue going to school and learning their trade,” says Greg Davis, owner ofSouth Coast Computers, a full-service, external IT firm. “There are always new certificates and certifications needed—no matter your business. We usually have a few employees in school each semester.”

Back-to-School Benefits for Small Businesses

The advantages of continuing education for your employees are many. “For most businesses today, the hardware and software changes so fast that it’s imperative your employees keep up,” Davis says. “Trends and new ways of conducting business also constantly appear, especially as we continue to globalize. Any new information that your employees absorb helps your company become more knowledgeable, innovative and proactive.”

You and your employees must actively work to find better ways to solve new problems that arise. Those employees who go back to school can learn new techniques and broaden their horizons.

In addition to providing employees nuts-and-bolts information needed to do their jobs efficiently and effectively, continuing education can offer valuable lessons in problem solving.

“To be competitive as a small business today, you and your employees must actively work to find better ways to solve new problems that arise,” Davis says. “Those employees who go back to school can learn new techniques and broaden their horizons by learning from instructors and the coursework and by working with other students, who often have different ideas and solutions than their coworkers.” Offering your employees the opportunity to go back to school can also make them feel valued, which leads to more job satisfaction and a desire to use their newfound knowledge to better their work environment and improve their performance.

Back-to-School Challenges

Of course, having employees hit the books isn’t without challenges for small-business owners. Whether yours is a service- or product-based business, the time employees are away from the office or client site can strain your infrastructure, which for many small businesses is already limited. “Like many small businesses, we provide service, and as such our clients require their problems solved quickly,” says Davis. “A customer generally can’t wait for IT assistance from an employee who needs to go to class, or if the employee is onsite, he or she can’t leave to attend school until the customer’s IT problem is solved. Our clients also generally require our services during extended business hours, so unless employees can find classes they need at night, the schooling cuts into their working hours, which can lead to reduced paychecks and affect the company’s productivity.” Davis has also found that going back to school can stretch some employees a bit thin—especially if they have substantial priorities in addition to work. This can negatively affect work performance.

Making School Work

If your employees have expressed the desire to go back to school, or you wish to encourage continuing education, keep the following tips in mind.

Be flexible. “Look at the big picture, and you will realize that having trained, A-level employees is better for any company,” Davis says. “Spend extra time being creative with work schedules to give those employees who go back to school first priority on weekend or after-hours work to keep them busy. Make sure the employees understand that you are being flexible in order to benefit them and the company.”
Guide coursework. If possible, sit down with your employees and assist them in choosing courses that are mutually beneficial for them and the company.
Offer educational expense reimbursement. Pay for a portion of books, supplies and even tuition, which can encourage employees to pursue continuing education and may make it more likely that they continue working for you once they finish the classes or graduate with degrees.
Keep an eye on performance and priorities. While you want to encourage employees to improve themselves and thrive in their positions, it’s not feasible or advisable to let their absence from the company affect your bottom line. If it becomes apparent that an employee’s performance is slipping, it may be necessary for him or her to cut back on the number of classes being taken, or if that isn’t possible, you may need to hire someone to pick up the slack.
Consider online learning. Depending on your business and the classes required, it may be possible for employees to obtain some or all of their educational training online. Many virtual classroom programs allow employees to complete coursework during off hours. Even if your employees do need to attend class during work time, it will most likely only require taking an hour or so out of the day to log on, rather than having to leave the premises.

Read more articles about motivating employees.

Photo: iStock

The ABCs of an effective business pivot

AUGUST 13, 2015 This week, Google did some major restructuring. While the company is known for making changes—its constantly shifting algorithm being one of them—this current structural shift represents a major pivot. Company founders decided to turn Google into a subsidiary of a parent company known as Alphabet. Of course, Google’s not the first company to pivot, notes Zach Szukala, the executive creative director of the digital design firm A Hundred Years. “Alphabet feels a dash too childish, yet in-tune with clever pivots of the moment like European telecom Orange shifting to Salt, and the recent evolution of Airbnb from house-sharing tech startup to a community-driven lifestyle brand.” Other effective business pivots include PayPal, which started as a payment system through Palm Pilots; Starbucks, which once only sold coffee machines and beans; and Twitter, which actually began as the site Odeo, a podcast network the owners felt would fail because of iTunes, so they made the switch to what is now a social media giant.

Take a close look at that core story that deep down embodies you, your organization and your product or service. That core story is your differentiator.

These big-company pivots raise the question: Should you consider making a major pivot with your small business? There can definitely be benefits to making major changes, according to Szukala. “A well-timed pivot can be the precise move necessary to capture market attention for a product, service or personality that has been waiting for attitudes, technology or a generational shift to be fully realized and embraced,” he says. In other words, if your company is in the right place at the right time with a new and/or improved way of doing business or presenting itself, you could end up with increased recognition and a substantial jump in business.

Time for a Pivot?

So how do you know when it’s time for a change? “When the time comes, you’ll know it,” Szukala says. “The essence of your work will no longer match your name or identity, or your business will be fulfilling goals that are now different from when you started. Pay careful attention when you constantly find yourself having to explain your name in some fledgling effort to substantiate it with the obvious mismatch between your work and its status quo.” Other signs it might be time for a change:

You find yourself clinging to the way you’ve always done things and are getting sick of hearing yourself say, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” Just because your business isn’t failing or even faltering now doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make some changes.
You’ve discovered a better way of doing things, and these superior methods could potentially make your company more successful.
Your customers let you know that they’re in the mood for changes. If you begin to hear the same or similar suggestions for changes from clients, sit up and listen.

Mastering Pivots While Maintaining Your Brand

Pivots are a normal part of doing business, so don’t think you’ve done anything wrong if you find it’s time to do a 180. The key is to not be afraid to make changes that can eventually lead to more success. Here are some additional steps to mastering pivots, suggested by Szukala.

Focus on your business. “Take a close look at that core story that deep down embodies you, your organization and your product or service,” he says. “That core story is your differentiator.” It’s embracing that differentiator that can mean the difference between wild success and dismal failure.
Don’t mistake a new logo for a new brand. A logo and a brand must work together, but they are completely different entities. Whereas a logo is an easily recognizable design element, such as a symbol or your name written in a certain script, it’s only a tool that can enable you to communicate your brand. Your brand encompasses your message and mission and is essentially how the public perceives and interacts with your company. Without the brand behind it, the logo is simply a design. Together, a good brand and logo can drive a company’s success.
How your brand speaks is as important as how it looks. “You’ll get an initial reaction with the visuals, but longevity in voice, tone and, more importantly, experience are the keys,” Szukala says.
Strong opinions in both directions can point toward a more vibrant brand. “Gut check your updated approach with trusted partners, clients and new business acquaintances,” Szukala says. “If you don’t find folks riled up in both directions, you may need to alter your approach.”

Read more articles about pivoting.

Photo: iStock

Beardless Irises: Backyard Beauties for Your Garden

Looking for a flowering plant that is easy to grow, versatile and stop-you-in-your-tracks gorgeous? May I introduce you to beardless iris? If you haven’t heard much about these blooming beauties, you are bound to soon.

Hybridizer Kevin C. Vaughn, who was introduced to beardless iris at age 9 and by 18 had hybridized his first of many, is author of the new book, Beardless Irises: A Plant for Every Garden Situation. Vaughn worked for the USDA in plant genetics for 30 years. His extensive iris hybridizing work includes a wide variety of iris favorites, including “Red Velvet Elvis,” which won the prestigious DeBaillon Medal. He retired in September 2010 in order to devote his time to plant breeding projects. While bearded irises, which feature a ruffled “beard,” have lit up gardens for many years, their beardless cousins weren’t as well known, says Vaughn. “Beardless irises have gone through a revolution that occurred just in my lifetime,” he says. “Sixty years ago they were much more limited in colors and forms. Hybridizers have literally transformed them into a whole new plant, while keeping the good plant characteristics of their ancestors. When people see these improved flowers, they go crazy!” When asked which beardless irises are his favorites, Vaughn is hard-pressed to answer. “I like so many of them; my yard is filled with the flower, and they each have their niche,” says Vaughn, who notes that there are five categories of beardless irises: Siberian, Japanese, Pacific Coast native, spuria and Louisiana. “My first love is the Siberian irises, because they performed so well in my childhood garden in Massachusetts. When I lived in Mississippi, the Louisiana iris reigned supreme, and now that I’m in Oregon, I’m really enjoying the spuria and Pacific Coast native irises. Each has their place in the garden and they fulfill different landscape requirements.” The versatility and variability of the beardless iris is extensive. You’ll find these irises in a wide variety of single and mixed colors, including yellow, purple, pink, white, blue, brown and gold. The plants range in size, as well, from four-inch-tall dwarfs sporting tiny flowers to 5-foot-tall giants with dinner plate-size blooms. Even better, there is a beardless iris for just about any garden situation—from dry shade to standing water to dappled light and full sun. Growing beardless iris is simple, says Vaughn. “Adequate water and sun for the iris varieties that require it are about all you need to make them grow.” You might even be able to hybridize your own. Chapter 8 in Vaughn’s book discusses hybridizing beardless irises.

Christmas in August? ‘Tis the season to plan for holiday sales

AUGUST 07, 2015 Despite the summer weather, this week, Selfridges, a major department store in London, transformed 3,000 square feet of its fourth floor into a Winter Wonderland. While its Yuletide sales approach may seem like the epitome of the “holiday creep” that has over time pushed the season from post-Thanksgiving to post-Halloween, it does bring up a valid question for small-business owners: Is it already time to plan for the holiday season? Though it might seem early to start thinking about the holidays when the weather is hot enough to melt Frosty in five minutes, the fact is that “U.S. consumers have shown interest in early holiday shopping, and this has resulted in early holiday advertising campaigns being launched by a number of large companies and small businesses,” says Jake Dacillo, marketing director for Balboa Capital. “It is not uncommon to see pre-holiday advertising in late August or early September,” Dacillo says. “This is done to meet consumer demand and gain a competitive advantage.”

Small-business owners should start planning their holiday marketing efforts several months in advance so they can remain focused on their day-to-day responsibilities when their holiday campaigns roll out.

Time to Plan for the Holiday Sales

You might not want to pull out your Santa decor just yet, but it is a good idea to prepare for fourth quarter sales as soon as possible. “Small-business owners should start planning their holiday marketing efforts several months in advance so they can remain focused on their day-to-day responsibilities when their holiday campaigns roll out,” Dacillo says. “Savvy business owners who do this understand that the final months of the year are extremely busy and often involve extended work hours to meet the needs of shoppers.” Early planning is best, agrees business optimization strategist Darnyelle Jervey, CEO of Incredible One Enterprises and author of Market Like a R.O.C.K. Star. “Using a seasonal approach to marketing and advertising can be a very sound strategy,” she says. “Start planning in August/September and then launch just after Halloween. Sometimes a soft launch earlier in October also works, because most holiday clubs pay out the savings the first weekend in October, and people start spending right away.”

Benefits to Early Holiday Season Marketing

“Although December is the most lucrative time of the year for many small businesses, the months leading up to it can be great for the bottom line,” Dacillo says. “Small businesses that begin their holiday efforts early, perhaps in late summer, can get a jumpstart on their holiday sale’s revenue and begin the final months of the year on a positive note. In addition, acting early can positively affect a company’s bottom line if they are inventory-driven. They might be able to secure inventory at a discounted cost by buying early.” Of course, it’s essential that you’re completely ready before you start offering holiday sales around Labor Day. “An ill-prepared early holiday campaign can spell disaster for small-business owners who end up running out of inventory or marketing dollars before the holidays are in full swing,” Dacillo says. “Watch your competition to see when they start their holiday marketing campaigns and what they offer, but don’t rush to launch a last-minute campaign. It’s easier and more beneficial to modify already prepared and well-designed holiday marketing efforts.” When developing your early holiday campaign, ask these questions:

What products and/or services will you offer discounts on?
Will you have enough inventory to meet shopper demand?
Will you advertise a loss leader to help drive sales of more profitable products and/or services?
What are your holiday revenue goals, and do they differ from last year’s results?
What is your holiday advertising budget, and what marketing channels will you be using to maximize sales?
If your company can’t compete on pricing during the holidays, can you develop a winning strategy that focuses on quality and highly personalized customer service?

Unsure About Customer Reaction to Early Holiday Marketing?

If you’re not convinced that your customers want to start holiday shopping early, then ask. Use an in-store, online or email survey or social media outreach to ask your clients about their holiday shopping needs and expectations. “Asking customers when they usually begin holiday shopping and how early they’d like to be able to get started gives you valuable insight into their holiday buying habits,” Dacillo says. “Even better, asking makes your customers feel honored to take part in a holiday survey from a small business they trust.” Read more articles about customer feedback.

Photo: iStock

Grow Moth Orchids in Your Indoor Garden

Graceful and elegant, orchids create stunning focal points in the home. If you want to try growing them in your indoor garden, your best choice is Phalaenopsis. Commonly known as moth orchid, because its flowers perch along its stems and look like moths in flight, Phalaenopsis come in a variety of colors, including yellow, pink, lavender and white.

Moth orchids tend to bloom spring through fall as houseplants, and their flowers last for two to three months at a time. To experience a long-lasting orchid show in your indoor garden, keep the following growing tips in mind. Watch temperatures. Originating in the jungles of the Philippines, moth orchids do best in temperatures ranging from 62 to 85 degrees F. Keep them away from cold, drafty areas of the home during the winter months. Provide bright light. In their natural habitat, moth orchids grow in trees in the jungle where they receive bright light but no direct sunlight. To replicate these conditions indoors, keep moth orchids in a bright area of the home, such as an eastern or southern window, or under full-spectrum lighting. Determine if a moth orchid is receiving the correct amount of light by examining the leaf color. Light yellow leaves mean too much light and deep green leaves signify too little light. Yellow-green leaves indicate that the plant is receiving just the right amount of light.

Check for crown rot. Moth orchids are epiphytic plants that grow upside down suspended from trees in the jungle. When grown as houseplants, you cultivate them in bark, which keeps them erect. Growing them in this way causes them to become susceptible to deadly crown rot. Prevent this by not overwatering. Water correctly. Moth orchids are accustomed to moist conditions, so keep the bark on the moist side. How often to water depends on the season and temperatures in your home. The bark will dry out more quickly in hot, dry weather. You know it’s time to rewater when the plan becomes lightweight. Provide humid conditions. Moth orchids require moist air like found in the jungle. Create a humidity tray for your orchid by filling a waterproof tray with gravel or marbles and adding water to just below the surface. Place the phalaenopsis container on top of this. Evaporation from the water creates humid conditions surrounding the plant. Fertilize orchids regularly. Feed moth orchids a ¼-strength solution of orchid food on a weekly basis when you water. Under-fertilizing results in poor flowering, whereas too much food can burn orchid roots. Prune spent orchid blooms. Once a flower stalk stops blooming, the plant will bud up and bloom in about three months if you cut the stalk off between the third and fourth node up from the base of the plant. The nodes are bumps on the stalk where new branches and buds will form. Keep repeating this process and the plant will continue to re-bloom. Repot orchids periodically. Repot moth orchids in new bark every one to two years when the bark has started to break down and decompose. Put the plant in a new pot when it isn’t in bloom, because repotting during flowering can cause the blooms to fall off prematurely. Between repotting, let the spongy moth orchid roots grow out over the edge of the pot. In their native habitat they use the roots to crawl throughout trees and to absorb water. Keep an eye out for orchid pests. Mealybugs tend to infest orchids. Treat by spraying with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. Let the alcohol dry and then rinse the dried up pests off with water.

Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.

How your business can benefit from Google+ changes

JULY 31, 2015 If you’ve used Google+ for your marketing but have had some difficulty with the platform, changes are currently brewing that may alter how you use the social media network. Google recently announced that users will no longer be required to have a Google+ profile in order to use all the connected features run by Google, including YouTube. Until now, it was necessary to have a Google+ profile to take advantage of all Google services. With the new changes, you now only need a Google account. The only reason you would need Google+ is to use the platform to share with other Google+ users. Google’s original intention had been to streamline things and give Google+ users the opportunity to have one identity for all its services. Many users balked at this mandatory integration, so Google’s launch into social didn’t seem to catch on as planned.

Google+ also offers a pretty easy place to post content, and that helps with search. Those posts tend to make their way to the top of the search engine pages.

YouTube and Google+

Separating things at Google will start with YouTube. When Google set it up so YouTube users had to have a Google+ account, many users protested—in particular because it removed the ability to be anonymous when commenting on videos and sharing content. The new changes should make it easier to share videos with your customers and to encourage them to also share them.

Other Notable Google+ Changes

Google+ users tend to gather and engage around specific shared interests. For this reason, Google will continue to develop the new Google+ Collections, which allows you to share posts organized by topics. The site’s photo sharing capability has been moved onto the Google Photos app.

Benefits of Google+ Changes

Although there may be a lot of rejoicing going on about the detachment of Google+ from YouTube, it doesn’t mean the network is being “dismantled,” as has been indicated, believes Bonnie Harris of Wax Marketing, Inc

“You’ve got a focused network of people who are really active and engaged,” Harris says. “That’s hard to find with so many mature social networks out there. Google+ also offers a pretty easy place to post content, and that helps with search. Those posts tend to make their way to the top of the search engine pages.”

An upcoming change that may be useful for small-business owners is the addition of location services to Google Hangouts. Hangouts are communication platforms developed by Google that include video chat, VoIP, SMS and instant messaging. The hangouts tend to be focused on various areas of interest and include live streams and live conversations. “This change to Google Hangouts could be really, really helpful for hyper local marketing,” Harris says.

Using Google+ Effectively

To make the most of Google+ for your business marketing efforts, in addition to checking out the new changes, keep the following in mind:

Pay attention to your profile and cover photo. Make sure your Google+ profile page reflects your company accurately. Include eye-catching and recognizable photos for your profile and cover photos, such as your company logo.
Write an engaging “About” section. This is your chance to shine and show the world what your business is all about and why people would want to check out your offerings.
Create circles. Consider the main goal of having your company Google+ profile, such as enticing new customers, and then build your circles based on your goal. You should build relationships with people who are regularly engaging with you, as they’ll be the ones to share with others about your company. Take advantage of the fact that you can add anyone to your circles.
Share. Click share to public when posting, which will maximize your exposure and fuel engagement. When you share a post from your blog or website, comment on the post and why you’re sharing it. Avoid always sharing your own products. When possible, do some cross promoting.
Comment. Click on the “Explore” tab and see what everyone is talking about and also add your own comments. This shows you’re engaged and may entice people to go to your profile page.
Try hangouts. Put your personality behind your brand by hosting hangouts for events like product demonstrations and to answer customer questions.
Join communities. Find other hangouts to join and then participate and comment regularly. Share your expertise when possible, which can increase your exposure.

Read more articles about social media.

Photo: Getty Images

How to Save Money and Propagate Your Own Plants

By nature, many gardeners are the thrifty sort. They enjoy conserving and creating sustainable environments, and propagating plants offers the ultimate in sustainability. Starting new plants from old ones is rewarding and an inexpensive way to add to your plant collection. Perhaps best of all, propagating allows you to include hard-to-find plants in your garden.

Some plants are easier to propagate than others. Many tropical plants readily reproduce, such as a wide variety of houseplants. Some plants make the process really easy by providing you with small plantlets. Several ways to propagate exist. These four methods are the most successful. Cuttings. The most popular way to create new plants is to take cuttings and create conditions where they produce roots. You can do this by rooting stems or leaves. For stem cuttings, remove a plant stem which has several leaves. Strip off the lower leaves, exposing two to three leaf nodes (the point where the leaf attaches to the stem). Also remove any flowers or buds. Root the cutting in water, vermiculite or sphagnum moss. You’ll get roots in about a month. Propagating by stem cuttings works best with those plants that have soft stems, such as tropical plants often grown indoors like arrowhead plant, begonia, coleus, lipstick plant, philodendron and pothos. Some hard-stemmed plants can also be rooted in this way, such as rose.

For leaf cuttings, which works well with plants such as African violet and sansevieria, insert the leaf or stem 1/3 of the way into the rooting medium.

Air layering. This process works best with tall, single-stemmed plants that tend to get lanky, like dracaena and ficus. Air layering also offers an excellent way to prune plants that have become too tall. Partially cut the stem of the plant where you would like to prune it. Apply rooting hormone inside the cut and then insert a small amount of moistened sphagnum moss. Seal the cut area with plastic wrap. Keep the moss moist. Within one to two months, roots will form where you made the cut. Once you have a healthy root system, cut off the rooted section and plant. Dividing roots. Plants that grow in clumps or form multiple crowns (growing centers) can be easily divided. Use a sharp knife to cut the plant clump into equal sections that each contain roots and replant them. This is a great way to thin out a crowded planting. Plants commonly divided include many perennials, such as aster, iris, campanula, ferns, gaillardia, dicentra, canna, daylily, peony, phlox, hosta, ornamental grass, Echinacea, sedum and yarrow. Plantlets. Some plants set out handy readymade plantlets (runners) that generally appear as an appendage of a mother plant. These tiny plants may have aerial roots that grow at the end of long shoots, like spider plant and strawberry, or they may be rooted close to the mother plant, like sedum. For those plants with aerial root nodes, secure them into surrounding soil so that they can form roots. Once the plantlets have a healthy root system, cut them off of the mother plant and replant. To have the best luck propagating plants, make smooth cuts and avoid damaging stems by first creating a hole in the rooting medium with a pencil prior to inserting. Also always use clean tools. Sterilize pruners with a one-part bleach to 9-parts water solution. Avoid touching the surface of cuts, as this will spread bacteria and can cause the cutting to decay before rooting. To increase your chances of success, use a rooting hormone, and keep the cutting moist but not soggy while roots form. Certain plants require that their cut end dry out for at least 48 hours prior to propagating. Succulents and cacti fall into this group.

5 easy, cheap home decorating ideas

If cabin fever has you tired of staring at the same walls, it’s time to make some refreshing changes and redecorate. With a little imagination, creativity, and minimal spending, you can transform your space into a cozy, stylish refuge. Try these simple, budget-friendly decorating ideas to breathe new life into your home.

1. Reconfigure Your Furniture Layout

Simply moving furniture around can instantly add new energy to a room. Reconfiguring your layout not only enhances the look of your space but can also improve its functionality.

To get started, measure your room and transfer the dimensions onto graph paper (or use a room-planning app). Mark permanent features like outlets, switches, windows, and doors. Then, cut out scaled representations of your furniture pieces and experiment with different arrangements until you find the perfect layout.

2. Create Eye-Catching Focal Points

Instead of redecorating an entire room, focus on creating one stunning focal point to draw the eye and anchor the space. This could be a vibrant painting above the fireplace, a decorative baker’s rack in the kitchen, or a luxurious set of throw pillows on your bed. A single, well-placed item can make a big impact.

3. Use Paint to Transform Your Space

Paint is one of the most affordable ways to completely change the look and feel of a room. For just a few dollars per can, you can revamp walls with a fresh coat of color. Try using two or three complementary shades for added depth, or experiment with faux painting techniques to create a custom, high-end effect on a budget.

4. Add Indoor Plants for a Natural Touch

Adding greenery is an inexpensive and effective way to bring color and life into your home. A tall floor plant can brighten up a dull corner in the dining room, while a trailing vine in a hanging basket can make a bedroom feel more spacious and vibrant. Plants are a simple, beautiful way to elevate any space.

5. Repurpose Used Furniture

Look for hidden gems in your attic, basement, or at local garage sales and thrift stores. With a little elbow grease, you can clean, repair, and repaint or stain used furniture to match your current décor. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box—old pieces can be repurposed for new uses with a bit of creativity.

What low-cost redecorating tricks have made a difference in your home? Share your ideas and inspire others to decorate on a dime!

5 easy home repairs that save money

In addition to protecting your home, many simple maintenance tasks can also benefit your wallet. Addressing seemingly small issues—like drippy faucets or peeling paint—can help you avoid costly repairs down the road. These five easy home repairs are quick, inexpensive, and highly effective at saving money over time.

1. Repair Worn-Out Caulking

Old or damaged caulking around sinks, bathtubs, and showers can allow water to seep into walls and floors. Over time, this moisture leads to mold, mildew, and rot—resulting in costly structural repairs.

Re-caulking is a simple, budget-friendly fix that protects against water damage. As a general rule, you should replace caulk every three to five years to maintain a watertight seal.

2. Touch Up Peeling Paint

Peeling paint may seem like a cosmetic issue, but it actually exposes wood surfaces to sun, moisture, and pests. Left untreated, exposed wood can warp, split, or rot—leading to expensive repairs.

Touching up peeling areas with fresh paint protects your home’s exterior and extends the life of wood siding or trim. Use leftover paint if available, or bring a one-inch-square sample to your local hardware store for a color match.

3. Fix Leaky Faucets

Dripping faucets waste more water—and money—than you might think. According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Science School, two faucets dripping at 30 drips per minute waste about 5 gallons of water a day, totaling more than 2,000 gallons a year.

Stop the waste by replacing worn-out rubber seals and washers. This simple fix costs just a few dollars and can significantly reduce your water bill.

4. Unclog Gutters and Downspouts

Clogged gutters prevent rainwater from draining properly, leading to roof damage, leaks, and foundation issues. To protect your home, clean gutters and downspouts at least twice a year—especially after fall and spring seasons.

This small maintenance task ensures water flows safely away from your home, reducing the risk of costly structural damage.

5. Replace Dirty HVAC Filters

Clean HVAC filters help your heating and cooling systems run more efficiently, extending their lifespan and improving air quality. Dirty filters force your system to work harder, leading to higher energy bills and increased wear and tear.

Change your furnace and air conditioner filters every four to six months to keep the air fresh and your system running smoothly. It’s a quick, easy task with big long-term benefits.

What easy home maintenance chores have helped you save money? Share your tips and help others make smart, cost-saving home improvements!

The Essential Garden Tool Guide

Like a master chef or a skilled mechanic, gardeners require high-quality tools to work their magic in the landscape. Sturdy, well-designed tools, like shovels, rakes, trowels and pruners, allow you to garden efficiently and comfortably.

“When working in the garden or around the yard, having the right tool for the job is critical,” says Rick Meinzer, founder of RedHed Tools, which are modular and can be configured for the task at hand. The owner of Platinum Landscape, Meinzer became frustrated over the years with the fact that many garden tools soon fall apart from the rigors of yard work, so he created his tool line guaranteed to last a lifetime. “You want to rely on your garden tools as trusted friends that stand up to use. Tools that are appropriate for the task and built well are an essential element for any gardener,” says Meinzer, who shares his tips for having the best garden tool experience possible. Choose quality. Poorly built, inferior tools deteriorate. It’s aggravating to be in the middle of double digging your garden and have the shovel break or become loose. Look for metal tools that have been forged, and check that any screws are tight and secure.

Use correctly. “Understand the purpose of the tool and use accordingly,” says Meinzer. “Don’t use a shovel as a pry bar to remove large rocks or tree stumps. You are going to break it no matter how well it is built.” Using tools as they’re designed also protects you physically. “Leverage the power of the tool and protect your back,” advises Meinzer. “When digging a trench, for instance, stand above the trench and bend over and dig. To lift out the dirt, put one foot down in the trench and the other foot on top and use your legs to lift and move the dirt. Hand placement is also important. Place one hand down low by the tool head when lifting dirt or heavy loads with a shovel, which gives you leverage. Then use your legs to lift up and move the dirt. When raking, move one hand down lower on the handle to get more leverage and create more force.” Compile a complete tool chest. Being able to use the correct tool requires that you have a variety from which to choose. A versatile garden tool chest includes a shovel, spade, rake, pitchfork, hoe, pick, trowel, weeder, lopper, pole pruner, shears and scissors. Maintain. Proper maintenance is the key to tools that work well and stand the test of time. “The most important thing you can do is to clean them after use,” says Meinzer. “A simple wash with water is all you need to do. Also dry them—otherwise non-powder coated tool heads and many wooden handles will deteriorate more quickly.” Further protect your tools by storing them away from sun and moisture, and always put them in the same location every time so you can find them when you need them. Keep them sharp. Many gardening tools—hoes, scissors, pruners, shovels, shears—need sharpening periodically. Wipe blades down with a metal lubricant/protectant and then use a 10-inch flat mill file to sharpen. File at a 20 to 25 degree angle, following the original bevel. To create a fine edge, finish the job with a whetstone.

A small-business guide to HSAs: is high-deductible health insurance right for you?

JULY 16, 2015 Despite their advantages, Health Savings Accounts are underused, according to a recent study by employee benefits consulting firm HelloWallet. Informally known as HSAs, these tax-advantaged savings accounts tied to high-deductible health insurance plans (HDHPs) are increasing in popularity among employers attempting to provide affordable healthcare coverage to employees. HSAs allow holders to save tax-free money for medical expenses not covered by insurance. Contributions are made into such accounts by employees and/or employers, and unused funds roll over from year to year. The contributions are invested, earning returns over time, thanks to the power of compound interest. Funds can be removed tax-free to pay for qualified medical expenses, including vision and dental.

Despite the fact that HSA accounts are tax deductible for employers and employees, grow tax-free and feature tax-free withdrawals, they aren’t as widely used as you might think. Part of the reason for that is “due to the market driving premiums up on HSA qualified plans,” says health insurance agent and registered employee benefits consultant Paula Wilson. “It used to be a great idea for every small-business owner to offer HDHPs/HSAs, but now knowing whether to do so requires examining on a case-by case-basis. Sometimes it’s an excellent idea, and sometimes it’s not.”

If you want to attract high-caliber employees, an HSA offers a way to do so without busting your budget.

When an HSA Makes Sense

For small-business owners wishing to lure specialized, in-demand employees, an HSA plan can be a big draw. “If you want to attract high-caliber employees, an HSA offers a way to do so without busting your budget,” says Wilson, a former board member of the National Association of Health Underwriters. “If you fully fund your employee’s healthcare premiums and contribute to their health savings accounts, you provide them with affordable healthcare that is also a tax deduction for your company.” The perks are many for the employees and small-business owners themselves, who can use the tax-free money in the HSA account for a wide variety of health-related expenses, including co-pays, dental and orthodontic care, prescriptions, eyeglasses, contacts, corrective vision surgery, acupuncture, chiropractic, smoking cessation, hearing aids, physical therapy, mental health, nursing home care and COBRA payments. If a person remains fairly healthy and doesn’t need to withdraw money, it rolls over from year to year and can grow into a substantial tax-free, medical care nest egg, Wilson adds: “The original idea of HSAs was for people to continue to contribute to them tax-free so that they would have funds later on for more serious health conditions or long-term care expenses.” If a person remains well into advanced age and doesn’t use the funds, the money can be removed and taxed at his or her income level after age 65 without penalty.

HSA Requirements

For your small business to qualify for a high-deductible health insurance plan, you must have at least two employees, including yourself and someone who’s not a spouse. Your company must also pay at least 50 percent of the health insurance premium. (An 80/20 split between the employer and employee is common.) As an added perk for your employees, you can choose to contribute to their health savings accounts, but that’s not a requirement. There’s an annual out-of-pocket deductible for HSAs that must be met each year before insurance begins to pay. For 2015, it’s $1,300 for individuals and $2,600 for families. The annual maximum out-of-pocket liability is $6,450 for individuals and $12,900 for families—at which point insurance pays 100 percent of costs. And annual contributions are up to $3,350 for singles and $6,650 for families, with individuals 55 and older allowed to make an extra $1,000 catch-up contribution.

Educate Your Employees About HSA Benefits

Vivian Ciampi, a professional certified coach who worked for a large employer for 20 years prior to opening her own business two years ago, believes that HSAs/HDHPs are underused because of a lack of awareness about their many benefits. “Health Savings Accounts were offered by my former employer, but you typically had to sift through manuals to really understand the benefits,” says Ciampi, who has an HSA plan for her company. “It behooves employers to hold seminars on this subject so that employees truly understand the benefits of what they could be saving by opening and optimizing an account like this. In today’s age of information overload, benefits such as these really need to be highlighted and made easy for people to understand and use.” To see if a HSA plan is right for your company and employees, consult with a health insurance agent for an assessment. Read more articles about healthcare.

Photo: iStock

Why You Need to Mulch Your Summer Garden

As your plants struggle to stay hydrated in the heat of summer, there is one simple thing you can do for them now that will help in many ways over the long run—mulch. When you mulch your garden and even your houseplants, you mimic Mother Nature, who mulches forest floors with fallen leaves, pine needles and branches.

The benefits of mulch for your summer garden are many. Mulch greatly conserves soil moisture by cutting down on surface evaporation and cooling soil temperatures. This reduces the need for watering by 35-45 percent. The protective layer from mulch shields and feeds the good bacteria in the soil that increase disease and pest resistance and lead to prolific plant growth. Mulch also cuts down on weeds and prevents compaction and erosion. Follow these steps for mulching your summer garden. Choose your mulch. A variety of mulch options exist. What you choose will depend on the look you want and what’s available. Some common mulches include bark, either chipped, ground or shredded. Bark makes an attractive addition to the garden and breaks down slowly. Other choices include leaf mold (decomposed leaves), aged grass clippings and compost, all of which feed and condition the soil over time. Peat moss works well for mulching acid-loving plants like blueberry, azalea and hydrangea. Hay, straw, gravel and crushed stones are other options. The latter are best used in rock gardens, as they don’t conserve much water.

Remove weeds. Mulch cuts down on the germination of weeds, but it won’t get rid of existing weeds. Prior to mulching, weed the area, making sure to take out even the smallest of weeds by the roots. At this time also remove any debris. Soak the area. Before putting down the mulch, thoroughly water the area to be mulched. This will lead to the soil retaining moisture once you add the mulch. Apply the mulch. Add a 2-4-inch-thick layer of mulch to conserve water and inhibit weed growth. The type of mulch you use will dictate how thick you’ll be able to apply it. Bark tends to go on thick, whereas compost and gravel produce thinner layers. It’s also possible to combine mulch types. For instance, apply a 1-inch layer of compost followed by a 2-inch layer of bark. Water again. Once the mulch is all down, seal in moisture and prevent erosion by thoroughly watering the surface of the mulch. Water will weigh down the mulch so it makes good contact with the soil. Keep the surface of the mulch moist. Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.

Boost Ssales by Creating a Company Holiday

JULY 09, 2015 In a marketplace overflowing with constant sales and deals, it takes something special—like a holiday—to get the attention of today’s customers. But you don’t have to necessarily wait for Black Friday or Christmas to attract holiday shoppers. You can rev up sales by staking your claim to a company holiday all your own. For example, Amazon recently announced Amazon Prime Day, to occur on July 15, when it plans to offer discounts to customers who hold Prime memberships. Likewise, in 2009, the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba created a big shopping holiday on China’s Singles’ Day, November 11. In 2014, Alibaba recorded more than $9 billion in sales on Singles’ Day. “Creating a company holiday offers you an ideal marketing opportunity to stay one step ahead of your competition,” says Ted Mayeda, co-owner ofM & M Nursery/Fairy Garden Expert. The home and garden center, which specializes in miniature (fairy) gardens popular among gardening hobbyists, holds an annual day that celebrates its gardening techniques and features a free seminar open to customers.

Creating a company holiday offers you an ideal marketing opportunity to stay one step ahead of your competition.

“The day encourages customer loyalty, and all of the attention to miniature gardens helps with sales,” Mayeda says. “Customers come to the free seminar and purchase a lot of plants and supplies.” Creating a company holiday is a great way to increase business, agrees Olga Mizrahi, owner of ohso! Design and author of Sell Local, Think Global: 50 Innovative Ways to Make a Chunk of Change and Grow Your Business. “Your first annual ‘Lemonade Holiday’ can be a hit if you wrap it in a festive atmosphere, give doorbuster savings to the first X number of customers and free lemonade on a hot day for all.” Mizrahi and Mayeda offer these tips for creating your own company holiday.

Consider Your Customers

“Creating your own successful promotion takes a true identification with the wants and needs of your customers, loosely tied to your company’s culture or an anniversary of your own,” Mizrahi says. Think about what theme for your holiday would best serve your clients and fit nicely with your company offerings. Since Mayeda’s customers tend to want to build their own miniature gardens, it was a natural to create a day just for that. “Customers look forward to the event, which we hold every spring, and many come every year for the seminar and day of special sales,” he says.

Look to Your Community

To come up with a holiday that means something to your target audience, take a look at what’s going on in your city or, if you run a virtual company, in the larger marketplace, advises Mizrahi. “Is your town celebrating its founding or is there a new trend out there buzzing around online?” she says. “Take advantage of the euphoria of a season or general consensus and package it up into your business’s annual ‘Hoopla Day.’” Make sure whatever holiday you come up with in some way supports and promotes one or more aspects of your business.

Hold Live Events When Possible

“Local storefront businesses have the advantage of putting on live events, which supplements the party atmosphere of holidays,” Mizrahi says. Personal interaction with your customers can generate even more interest in your products and build loyalty. Having face-to-face interaction beats virtual communication any day.

Make It Meaningful

Use your holiday as an opportunity to highlight what makes your business unique and relevant to your community, suggests Mizrahi. “Also make sure that the holiday is equally meaningful to you, because you are committing to an annual day, or possibly weekend at the same time each year.”

Be Clear About Benefits and Create a Call to Action

Clearly spell out the advantages of the holiday to customers, such as discounts, freebies and festive fun being offered. Customers should know that if they come to a local event or check in online that they will receive certain perks for participating in your company holiday. Read more articles about events.

Photo Courtesy of M & M Nursery

Check Out the Top Floral Wedding Trends of 2015

With wedding bells in the air during this season of tying the knot, in addition to the bride herself, flowers are taking center stage. Like all fashion, wedding floral trends change over time. This wedding season is no different.

“Styles go in cycles,” says Mark Held, florist on BloomNation and co-owner of Mark’s Garden in Sherman Oaks, California. His company creates floral designs for all types of weddings, including that of celebrities, such as Pink, Fergie and Josh Duhamel, Gwen Stefani and Jessica Simpson. “We’ve been through a long period of over-the-top weddings, but for this summer and fall the look is now cleaner and more elegant.”

(BloomNation)

Among brides—celebrity and otherwise—refined design is now more important than an abundance of flowers. “Today’s brides seek quality of flowers and design over sheer volume,” says Held. “We are doing a lot of green hedges and arbors, floral pathways and formal stylized gardens—indoors and out. There is more attention to the overall event design so that all elements are integrated and flow from ceremony to cocktails to reception.” Popular flower colors are white, ivory and blush, and flowers you’re likely to see at weddings this summer and fall include dahlias, such as the variety ‘Café au Lait,’ peonies, hydrangeas and pale tone roses like ‘Sahara’ and ‘Quicksand.’ When it comes to celebrity weddings, Held finds that many Hollywood stars are busy, so they have event planners and florists gain insight about what they want and then make those desires a reality. “Many celebrities are conscious of their images, and it is important to present them properly, because they know their photos will become public,” he says. “They also want their privacy. We sometimes do weddings for celebrities without our crew even knowing the identity of the bride or groom. We keep in mind that we’re often designing for unique photo opportunities, such as a cover for People Magazine. The dress, bouquet and backdrop for the ceremony take careful thought and planning.” Considering that flowers are the heart of the big day, it pays for every bride-to-be to pay careful attention to her floral choices. Held offers advice for filling your day with beautiful blooms: Incorporate your personality into your wedding décor. “Do it your own way and don’t copy everyone else,” advises Held. “Gain ideas from Instagram and Pinterest, but do what you want. You know what you like, so trust your instincts and go with them.” Carefully select your florist. A good florist will listen to you and understand your likes and dislikes, helping you develop your own signature look, says Held. Look for the best people to perform the look and feel that you wish to create. Don’t be afraid to be different. If you truly like something in the area of floral design and flower choices, then go for it, says Held. “Today the sky truly is the limit. You can do a red theme wedding or have the reception in a movie theatre. It’s all up to you.” Consider wedding/reception location. Keep in mind that outdoor weddings are weather sensitive. “Do your research and consider heat and rain patterns. Choose flowers that will withstand those conditions for several hours,” says Held. “I like to use roses outdoors for an opulent look, and they also hold up in direct sunlight and heat. Indoor weddings are climate controlled, so you have greater leeway on the flowers you choose.”

(Bloom Nation)

How Obama’s proposed overtime changes could affect your business

JULY 02, 2015 In a landmark executive order, President Obama recently proposed substantially increasing the number of salaried workers who receive overtime pay. Currently, only salaried workers who earn $23,660 or less receive overtime pay, but Obama’s plan would require employers to pay salaried workers earning less than $50,440 time-and-a-half pay when they work more than 40 hours per week, according to the White House Office of the Press Secretary. This order, which would affect nearly 50 million workers, follows on the heels of the president’s recent executive order that raised the minimum wage. As a small-business owner doing your best to pay your employees fairly, the proposed overtime changes may bring some concern—and it should, claims communications strategist Sheila Stewart, CEO of Sonic Seven Communications. “Incentivizing more than 5 million workers with overtime is going to have a broader and more far reaching impact than many may understand,” Stewart says.

A mentorship program allows for more of a hands-on approach to managing and identifying potential inefficiencies and ways to reduce overall overtime while increasing overall camaraderie.

“Like the minimum wage hike, the bottom line impact of the overtime pay will be on consumers and businesses, who will end up paying more for services and products, because no business can afford to cut profit margins in an already competitive market and economic recession,” says Stewart, who offers an example. “A manager making $50,000 calculated at a 40-hour week is making $39.66 per hour. That means for every extra hour over 40 hours, there will be almost an extra $18 per hour paid to the employee.” While many small-business owners strive to pay their employees fairly, there can be a lot of gray areas and special circumstances. “I don’t believe that anyone will dispute the fact that employees should be paid adequately,” Stewart says. “Rather, the issue is when an emergency happens, such as a late night email or the need for a red-eye flight, such instances will be considered overtime and subject to the additional hourly rate, the cost of which has to be passed along.”

Unintended Consequences

As with any sweeping change, the overtime pay decision may bring unplanned consequences that can affect employees and owners, according to Stewart. “In regards to company culture and internal morale, the change creates a divide between those making less than $50,400 and those making more,” Stewart says. “This divide could cause those making less to actually make more. Businesses may also raise the pay of existing salaried employees to more than the threshold in order to avoid paying overtime, which could cause employees to leave and work for competitors that pay the overtime.” Other possible results of Obama’s decision announced by Randy Johnson, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President of Labor, Immigration, and Employee Benefits, include reclassified employees potentially losing opportunities for advancement, benefits, status and flexibility. Johnson feels it’s possible that small-business owners may find it necessary to cut workers to part time and hire more independent contractors. The consequences can be far reaching, Stewart agrees. “With this new law, every hour and every minute will need to be tracked, documented and then compensated for by the business,” she explains. “This means the person is not really salary anymore, but technically hourly. Most businesses will likely reduce the ‘hourly’ rates of employees from what they were making in their salary in order to compensate for the additional monies that will need to be spent tracking hours, monitoring emails, cell phones, etc.” Another wrinkle may occur in the area of training. Currently, when an employee is getting up to speed on new information, extra work hours are involved. “This new system actually punishes business owners by having them pay to educate and provide experience to workers,” Stewart says.

8 traits great leaders have in common

JUNE 29, 2015 Truly effective leaders possess more than drive, ambition and charisma. While those traits are important, it’s leaders who’ve reached the pinnacle of self-fulfillment and acceptance who are the most dynamic and successful. Great leaders also have a high degree of emotional intelligence, which comes from being self-actualized. Self-actualization, the final stage of noted American psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, refers to the point when you realize your true potential and seek personal growth and self-fulfillment. While not all great leaders have learned to be self-aware, many of the most recognized are those who’ve achieved self-actualization, says Jill Salzman, co-host of the Breaking Down Your Business podcast and founder of The Founding Moms, a collective for entrepreneurial moms. As Salzman points out, “Self-actualizing business owners are much more successful in the long-term.”

Self-actualized small-business owners know they can accomplish just about anything.

Wondering just how self-aware you are? There’s a good chance you’re there if you possess many of the following eight attributes:

1. Accepting

Self-actualized leaders accept themselves, as well as their employees, colleagues, vendors and customers, as they are rather than hoping for something different. This approach allows them to have realistic expectations, which facilitates a positive, productive work environment and helps prevent resentment and disappointment.

2. Humble

Leaders who are self-actualized don’t announce it. “It’s easy to spot self-actualized leaders,” Salzman says. “They’re the ones who don’t act like they’re great leaders, but employees and others in their orbit look up to them as though they are. In other words, self-actualized leaders will never tell you that they’re leaders, but everyone knows they are.”

3. Willing to Seek Assistance

Self-aware leaders have no problem reaching out to their customers and clients or membership bases and asking questions that reveal their lack of knowledge or skills in certain areas. “The interesting thing is that by sharing with the business world that they’re aware of their need for help, they receive more empathy and support,” Salzman says.

4. Able to Solve Problems

“Self-actualized small-business owners know they can accomplish just about anything,” says Gregg Weisstein, co-founder and COO of BloomNation, a company that works with local artisan florists to hand deliver flowers in more than 3,000 cities nationwide. “Self-aware leaders know they can be and do anything, and they realize that no problem is too big as long as they’re willing to put in the hard work to solve it.”

5. Realistic

Self-actualized leaders are fully aware of their personal faults and the weaknesses of their businesses. “Because of this, they can address those faults far faster than leaders who choose to overlook the tough stuff,” Salzman says. “They have no problem revealing issues about their businesses, and this attitude results in creating better businesses.”

6. Spontaneous

When an interesting idea or suggestion is made, self-actualized leaders aren’t afraid to put tradition and schedules aside to try something new. They know that some of the world’s most groundbreaking discoveries came out of trying something unique and even unheard of.

7. Independent

While self-aware leaders work well with others and aren’t afraid to ask for assistance, they’re also more likely to be autonomous. This means they’ll gather the opinions and ideas of their employees and associates, then retreat in order to process and synthesize the information into a useable and workable format.

8. Grateful

Self-actualized leaders view the world with a perpetual sense of wonder and appreciation. They enjoy simple experiences and are thankful for employees and others who help them run their businesses. And they freely share their appreciation with acknowledgements, thank-yous and rewards for jobs well done. If you think you still need to work on developing some of the attributes mentioned above before you can say you’re a self-actualized leader, Salzman has some tips. “Becoming self-actualized is similar to a recovery program [for addiction],” she says. “First, you have to admit you’re in need of improving yourself as a leader and your business overall. Then, and only then, can you believe that the power to become a better leader lies in understanding that the issue is not you but that it lies within your business sphere. “Once you delegate to the appropriate people,” Salzman adds, “you can improve your awareness of which things need work and let that evolve over time into a deep understanding of the kind of businessperson you are.” If you’re hoping to become a more effective leader, examine your leadership style and see if there’s some room for self-actualization. Read more articles on leadership. This article was originally published on August 29, 2014.

The huge effect Instagram ads could have on small businesses

JUNE 05, 2015 Instagram’s recent announcement that it’ll soon open its photo feed to all advertisers has many small-business owners celebrating. Until now, Facebook, which bought Instagram in 2012, kept the social media site nearly ad-free,but that will change. Small-business owners can soon target ads to the social media platform’s 300 million users. “The onset of ads inside of the Instagram feed is an overdue and very welcome addition,” says Amanda Vega, founder and CEO of Amanda Vega Consulting Inc. and 3 Peas Baby Product Marketing. “The reality is that a brand’s audience spans multiple networks, and the ability to reach them via Instagram has been nearly impossible unless you were already a well-established brand. This recent change opens up the playing field.” Previously, the only way to get exposure on Instagram was to find individuals with a huge following to promote your product or service, adds Courtlandt McQuire, president and executive creative director of Green Advertising & Vidpop Productions.“This was a lengthy and expensive process that usually didn’t pan out. Now, however, with Facebook’s data and platform injected into the tight knit Instagram network, I think we can expect higher conversions yielding higher advertising earnings.”

Brands don’t always have the same demographics of following on Facebook as they do on Instagram, and no, they don’t necessarily align with the overall demographics of the network either.

Vega agrees. “Instagram will give small businesses an opportunity to capture market share in areas where they can’t compete in the traditional space due to budget constraints,” she says. “In Instagram, much like with all social networks, the agility that small businesses have that larger brands don’t gives them a huge advantage. For instance, whereas a large company would have to get 10 layers of approval on one photo and its message before posting it to Instagram, small-business owners can move much more quickly, because their ad creation process has less constraints.”

Big Advertising Profits Expected

Marketers and investors anticipate lucrative profits from the ads directed at Instagram’s users, who are a young group that likes to share, click and comment. “If you are a small business looking to benefit from Instagram advertising, you’re in luck,” McQuire says. “Instagram users are an ardent culture of creators and influencers. These users generate their own content, rather than propagating others. They’re individuals with opinions and key influencers in millions of micro cultures within society. This is exactly what advertisers want: people who create consumer change.” Instagram plans to launch ads later this year, including testing ones that allow viewers to click on an advertised product or app, rather than the current route they must take that involves pasting a product into a website browser or searching the site. Such click-to-buy advertising will allow small-business owners to track how ads are performing, a convenience that could increase the click-through rate.

How to Take Advantage of Instagram Ads

Considering the changes are coming soon, you should consider developing ad strategies now so you can proceed quickly once the platform is open to advertising. Keep these tips in mind.

Do a dive of your audience specific to Instagram. “Brands don’t always have the same demographics of following on Facebook as they do on Instagram, and no, they don’t necessarily align with the overall demographics of the network either. So use tools that dive deeper for real data,” Vega says. “This will help you better target you audience in your ads.”
Create varied messages that are aligned with traditional Instagram posts. “Do not take an ad you use in print or on Facebook and throw it up on Instagram,” Vega says. “The cadence and voice on Instagram is vastly different in many ways than other social outlets.”
Test multiple ads in content and imagery. And test different delivery times. Start with small campaigns of $50 to $100 to test the waters. The results you gather from such attempts will give you valuable information on how to make larger campaigns pay big dividends. “Whatever you do, don’t wait for your competitor to test it for you,” Vega says. “Be brave and be first.”
Don’t feel pressured to stay with Instagram ads if they aren’t working for you, even if they are working for a competitor. Do your due diligence, but stop if after a while you’re not seeing results.
Be patient. The rollout of ad availability on Instagram will probably be slow, so take advantage of the downtime to make sure your ad strategy is ready to attract new business.

Read more articles about social media.

Photo: iStock

Why You Should Protect the Insects in Your Garden

The next time you’re outdoors and notice an odd or scary looking insect, resist the urge to squash it “just in case” it’s a pest. Chances are it’s a good guy for your garden, or at the very least will provide sustenance for local wildlife. The fact is that insects are integral to the survival of our planet.

Many people are unaware that insects are absolutely essential to our world, says entomologist Doug Tallamy, professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. He urges home gardeners to lay off the insecticides and instead care for insects. “Just about every living thing on this planet relies on insects in one way or another,” says the author of The Living Landscape and Bringing Nature Home.

Of the approximately 4 million insect species in the world, less than 1 percent are actual pests that negatively affect agriculture or are nuisances. The majority of insects perform vital tasks such as pollination, aerating the soil and breaking down dead animals and returning them to the earth. According to Tallamy, if we lost our pollinators, we’d lose most of our plants and experience the collapse of our ecosystems. Insects play a variety of roles in the garden, says horticulturist Jessica Walliser, author of Good Bug Bad Bug: Who’s Who, What They Do and How to Manage Them Organically and Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden. “In addition to pollinating, some insects consume other insects to keep the ecosystem balanced, while others decompose dead materials so we aren’t up to our necks in waste.” Bees and butterflies get the most attention, but there are numerous other insects that quietly go about their work, including moths, which pollinate the night garden, parasitic wasps, which keep a variety of pests under control and ladybugs and lacewings, both of which eat troublemakers like aphids.

“Lacewings are an amazing group of insects,” says Walliser, who notes that some species of the bug sing a low frequency, haunting song to attract a mate.

Unfortunately, the loss of habitat has put many insects in jeopardy. You can do your part in protecting these often-delicate creatures by keeping the following tips in mind. Provide refuge. Plant layered landscapes in your garden that include a diverse mix of plant species and types, such as trees, shrubs, vines and groundcover. Doing this will provide insects with food and places to breed. Grow native plants. Most insects have co-evolved with native plants in their geographic regions and can only dine and live on such plants. Avoid spraying pesticides and insecticides. Don’t give in to the “yuck factor” and spray before you’ve positively identified an insect. Chances are you’ll discover that the little fellow is a good addition to your garden. This is often the case with the larvae and nymphs of insects, which tend to look a bit frightening but can do good things for your landscape. A lacewing larva, for instance, eats hundreds of aphids a week, so you’ll want to keep this helpful garden resident. Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com

5 new ways to help protect your business from cyberattacks

MAY 28, 2015 In yet another alarming cyberattack affecting more than 100,000 people, hackers recently netted nearly $50 million in fraudulent IRS refunds. The fact that a mammoth organization like the IRS could be hacked illustrates the growing danger that small businesses could fall prey to cyber intrusion. “The average small business is unaware that it’s being hit with more than 10,000 attempted intrusions a day, and the number of these attacks are growing. When a data breach does occur, it can take months to discover it,” says Erik Knight, CEO of SimpleWan, a defense system for businesses that allows for tracking real-time statistics and responding to threats immediately. “The days of small businesses not taking data breaches seriously are over. If a small business has an ‘it can’t happen to me approach,’ I guarantee they are a target for a cyberthreat.” In addition to an increase in the volume of hacking, “the scams are becoming much more sophisticated, and the landscape is changing regarding culpability,” Knight says. “Organizations and governments are starting to hold businesses responsible for protecting customer privacy.”

The average small business is unaware that it’s being hit with more than 10,000 attempted intrusions a day, and the number of these attacks are growing. When a data breach does occur, it can take months to discover it.

Without ample security resources and the finances to survive a catastrophic occurrence brought on by data theft, small businesses can be especially vulnerable, notes Robert Neivert, COO of Private.me, a secure hub of online privacy tools, including Private.me API that protects user data. Data theft can be disastrous to a small business, adds Michael Kaiser, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance. “Customers expect the businesses they patronize to protect their personal information. Cyber intrusions lead to a loss of trust in your business and can damage your brand.” How can you protect your small business from cyberattacks? It can help to follow these five security measures.

1. Be Proactive

“Prevention is the key to preventing all attacks,” Knight says. “There are technologies available that provide a monitored security product much like an alarm system for your Internet connection. If you have an alarm system for your office and don’t have one for your firewall, you’re missing your biggest wide open window.” Knight advises ensuring that your computer system is monitored, audited and tested for security holes monthly—not when there is a breach. “The small-business owners who don’t do this are easy targets and will most likely be hacked,” he says. “Hire a professional IT vendor that knows about proper procedure and threat assessment.” All businesses should take the time to do risk management evaluations to determine vulnerabilities, Kaiser adds. “Follow basic best practices, such as keeping software up-to-date, and look into new ways to make your business more secure, including adding multi-factor authentication to work networks or email accounts.” Don’t delay in updating your system, advises James Pooley, a lawyer and author of Secrets: Managing Information Assets in the Age of Cyber Espionage. “Always update your software as soon as patches are available. Many breaches happen because companies wait too long, and hackers know this.”

2. Follow Industry Compliance and Rules

It used to be that you could appear to be making an effort and you would be okay, but the Home Depot breach in 2014 changed all that. “A number of vendors are being named in the ongoing lawsuits, and all of them are at risk for a part of those expenses related to the breach,” says Knight. “A single event like this could be a business ender. The cost of an average breach in 2014 was $3.5 million.”

3. Purchase Data Breach Insurance

Insurance to protect your business in the case of cyberattacks is becoming a necessity. “A few years ago you couldn’t even buy such a thing, but by 2020, research by insurance groups indicates that almost 90 percent of all businesses will be required to have data breach insurance,” Knight says. “It may sound silly, but it may also save your business and is well worth the investment. Even if you’re not the cause of a breach, you may have to defend your actions in court. Many of these policies cover such a defense.”

4. Opt for Cloud Services

A stand-alone computer device you purchased even just a year ago that hasn’t been updated or monitored may already be breached, and you wouldn’t even know it. “With a cloud service, you pay a service fee, and it’s someone else’s job to keep everything current and secure,” Knight says. Consider this tactic for everything from ecommerce to computers, firewalls, phones, email systems and servers.

5. Don’t Forget the Human Element

According to Neivert, employees are a small-business owner’s biggest security threat. “We often focus on tech, but people create many of the issues,” he says. “Often passwords are shared among employees, are simple and reused. Every employee should have a unique password, and it should be of reasonable strength. Train employees to be careful about opening emails from unknown sources, have an anti-virus scanner on computers, keep access to sensitive information like banking to only a few people, and most of all, pay attention to employees that might have malicious intent. They can do a lot of damage.” Also keep an eye on individuals from outside your company allowed into your system, Pooley advises. “The big Target hack of 2014 came in through its heating contractor, who had trusted access, but whose own system was more vulnerable than Target’s,” he says. “Even a restaurant’s website can be used to hack into a company whose employees often eat there and might click on the menu, exposing their own systems to malicious software.” Cyberthreats are here to stay. Have a plan in place to thwart hacker attacks, and you should be well on your way to protecting sensitive company and customer data. Read more articles on cybersecurity.

Photo: iStock

Expert Tips for Growing a Crevice Garden

Allowed to grow where they please, many plants pop up in the smallest of spaces. Take a look around the garden and you’re likely to see green growing from unexpected locations such as cracks in stone and concrete walls and pavement.

Peeking out of cracks and crevices, such plants add a touch of magical charm to the garden. Such plantings also soften hardscape and hide damaged concrete, and you don’t need many crevice plantings to make a statement. While plants are certainly happy when they pop up in crevices and cracks, and many gardeners find the volunteer greenery welcome, you don’t have to wait for nature to do its thing. It’s possible to successfully plant in tight spaces, providing you do a little prep work and choose the right plants. Locate/create cracks. Look around the yard for weeds in your concrete and stone surfaces, as many thrive in such tight quarters. If you don’t have any cracks in your concrete, use a Rota hammer to selectively remove square chunks of concrete. When working with brick and stone, take out individual pieces. Consult a landscape contractor if you are uncertain as to how to make cracks and crevices in your hardscape. Inspect available root room. Insert a wooden or metal skewer into a crack to see how far it reaches. You want water to seep into the crevice and not drain away from it. If the skewer fails to go any farther than 1 inch, see if you can dig down a little further and break up the soil so a plant can take root. Ensure good drainage. Plants that do well in crevices tend to like fast drainage, so it’s important that the spot drains well. If necessary, improve drainage by removing the soil and replacing with a mix of 50 percent planter’s mix and 50 percent pumice. Choose small plants or seed. Limited root room requires that you start with tiny plants, such as the 1 1/2- to 2-inch starter plants found in nursery four- or six-packs. Seeding is ideal, as it allows the plants to develop roots to adapt to the crevice. Sprinkle seeds in the crack and apply a thin layer of vermiculite to help keep the area moist while the seeds germinate. Plant with care. Minimize root damage by easing the plant roots into the crevice. Ensure that the roots make contact with soil and fill in with planter’s mix. Water well. Soak the crevice after planting and keep the plants moist until they become established, which will be indicated by new growth. Expect dieback. Forcing roots into tight spots and warm concrete or stone may cause some parts of the plants to die. Prune off the dieback. The healthy areas of the plants will eventually take over the crevice, and the plants will soon be thriving. Maintenance. Once established, many crevice plants require very little care. Simply water them two or three times a week during the spring and summer months and apply a liquid fertilizer every one to two months. Plant possibilities. Plants that do well in tight spots tend to be shallow rooted and drought tolerant. Good selections include plants suited to rock gardens and alpine-type plants native to high elevations. Choose from the following plants: Alyssum Baby’s tears Basket-of-Gold Blue star creeper California poppy Campanula poscharskyana Chamomile Corsican mint Creeping/elfin thyme Dichondra Feverfew Four o’clock Hens and chicks Erodium Lobelia Moneywort Moss (Irish/Scotch) Moss pink Oxalis Pennyroyal (dwarf) Sea thrift Stonecrop sedum Valerian Viola Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com

Master Gardener’s Hour

Join Kate and her guest Julie Bawden-Davis as they talk about house plants as well as taking your plants outside in summer.

What you should understand about mobile advertising now 4.1-mini

MAY 14, 2015 You might think we’ve turned over every possible stone when it comes to online marketing, but Verizon’s recent bid to purchase AOL in order to obtain its mobile video and advertising technology illustrates that the world of mobile advertising may still be the “Wild West” of Internet marketing. “In many ways, 2015 for mobile advertising is like 1995 for the Web itself,” says Jeff Sauro, author of Customer Analytics for Dummies and founder of MeasuringU, which measures the ease-of-use of websites and the mobile experience. “Back then, while some companies started shifting ad dollars to online advertising, others dismissed Internet advertising as a passing fad,” Sauro says. “Of course, the latter companies missed out or were late to the party.”

Good Reasons to Try Mobile Advertising

Mobile usage among millennials and consumers in general is rising, notes Terry Murphy, president of SmartLink Internet Strategies, Inc. “Reaching for a smartphone and tablet before a desktop computer to look for something online has become commonplace across all age bands,” he says. “Google recently announced that mobile search has for the first time surpassed desktop searches.”

In many ways, 2015 for mobile advertising is like 1995 for the Web itself. Back then, while some companies started shifting ad dollars to online advertising, others dismissed Internet advertising as a passing fad. Of course, the latter companies missed out or were late to the party.

Give it five more years, and “mobile search” will simply be referred to as “search,” adds Kirill Storch, CEO of Electric Web, which specializes in mobile app and website development and online revenue generation through e-commerce. “Approximately 64 percent of Americans own a smartphone, and this number is only predicted to grow,” Storch says. “The conversion rates from mobile campaigns far exceed the paltry ROIs that desktop advertisers have become accustomed to. According to a study by Google, mobile-only searches are [about six times] more likely to result in a phone call to the business than [PC-only] searches, and 73 percent of all mobile searches result in a commercially relevant action. The typical costs for running the ads are far lower and there is less competition.”

Businesses That Should Consider Mobile Advertising

Not every small-business owner needs to take the mobile advertising plunge, but if you’re targeting consumers under 50, Murphy believes you should try it. “With geofencing, an advertiser can solicit customers right out from under its competitors,” he says. “This underscores the need for most companies to have a robust mobile presence.” Any small business that has experienced even marginal success with desktop ads should jump into the mobile ad space to realize a significant increase in ROI, adds Storch. “If you are a new business that hasn’t done any online advertising, you should absolutely try it.”

Tips for Effective Mobile Advertising

Keep these tips in mind when taking the mobile ad plunge.

Develop an eye-catching, highly functional website. “Gone are the days when you could set up a cheap mobile template and expect high ROIs,” Storch says. “Think of a new customer walking into your front office. You want the person to see an elegant, visually impressive landing page. In addition to looking incredible, the landing page should also be highly mobile optimized.” Also make your mobile site easy to read, adds Murphy: “Think of it as a mini-billboard where an economy of words is of the utmost importance. Use a clean, legible font.”
Don’t be flashy. People also use their phones to call and text, so avoid being intrusive. “While you want to present your message at the right time in their decision process, you don’t want to interfere with their tasks and goals,” Sauro says. “If ads take over the screen and get in the way of finding information or making a reservation, you’ll gain detractors rather than customers.”
Make the process frictionless and seamless. “Ensure you have prominent clicks to call, email, map and purchase,” Murphy says. “Nothing is more annoying than scrolling and clicking all over a website to find the Contact Us page. Millennials expect a certain level of interactive functionality and user experience and will move on to your competitor if they don’t get connectivity.”
Engage and personalize the experience. Jaanuu, Inc., which creates fashionable medical apparel, is “laser focused on mobile advertising that is not only engaging but personalized,” says Shaan Sethi, the company’s co-founder and CEO. “This type of mobile advertising has become a critical enabler in achieving top of the funnel awareness while driving attractive order level economics.”
Try to test ads regularly. “For text-based ads, such as those on Google’s mobile search, write the ads fairly restrictively so you don’t run into the problem of getting too many clicks from folks who are not interested in actually purchasing your product or service,” Storch says. “On a more complex ad platform, test numerous ‘creatives’ or image-based ads. Generally, animated GIFs convert better, but even this is not a cardinal rule. Retest ads often. Even experienced marketers can take up to a year to unlock the perfect combination that maximizes ROI.” Sethi agrees: “Use a portfolio of tactics to reach the customer via multiple touch points; test and learn with sophisticated analytics and never ignore data.”

Don’t Wait

Customers aren’t yet making a great number of purchases online, but they do a lot of pre-shopping on their smartphones, so you want to be there to make a good first impression when they browse while standing in line at the supermarket. Once they hit their desktop to make a purchase, it’s often too late. “Mobile is an exciting new area of advertising, and ad revenues are practically doubling year-over-year,” Storch says. “The uptrend won’t last forever, though. The smartphone market already shows signs of cooling in mature markets like Europe and North America. The next few years represent a massive opportunity for small businesses to advertise in this space, but the opportunity is time limited. Once mobile search becomes more accepted as the norm, ad ROIs will stabilize and begin to look like their desktop predecessors, so take the chance while it’s available.” Read more articles about digital tools.

Photo: iStock

How to keep employees happy in the age of longer workweeks

MAY 07, 2015 As a small-business owner, you’re probably no stranger to longer workweeks. According to a recent study by the consulting and tax firm EY, the rest of the world may be just as overworked. The global survey found that almost half of managers around the world work more than 40 hours a week, and their workweeks have lengthened over the last five years.“The workweek has continued to lengthen in the same way the cheeseburger has continued to get bigger,” says Scott L. Girard, Jr. of Expert Business Advice and co-author of the Crash Course for Entrepreneurs series. “Competition drives everything, and when one person works 40 hours a week, the next guy works 41 hours a week to get ahead of the first guy. Then another guy works 42 hours a week to get ahead of that guy, and so on. The extra work clearly drives results, and getting results is what earns business and wins industries.”

At a certain point, even with overtime, people just want to go home. This is where the science of management meets the art of leadership. Foster a positive environment where your employees want to stay, or find some way to cross-train or develop rotational schedules.

Extended workweeks might be common and produce results, but they can also stress and strain employees, notes Jeff Wolf, president of Wolf Management Consultants and author of Seven Disciplines of a Leader. “Employees exposed to excessive hours make mistakes on the job that can be potentially dangerous in manual labor settings. Longer hours also take their toll on owners. It’s difficult to devise plans, analyze opportunities and solve problems when you’re walking around in a fog.”So how can you strike a balance and stay competitive without burning out your employees? Consider these tactics.

1. Be Clear About Your Expectations

You may be motivated to push your own hours because the returns are going into your pocket, but the quickest way to foster a miserable team is to push them as hard as you push yourself, Girard notes. “At a certain point, even with overtime, people just want to go home. This is where the science of management meets the art of leadership. Foster a positive environment where your employees want to stay, or find some way to cross-train or develop rotational schedules.” Be clear about how much you expect employees to work, advises Nancy D. O’Reilly, a clinical psychologist, founder of Women Connect4Good Inc. and author of Leading Women: 20 Influential Women Share Their Secrets to Leadership, Business, and Life. “Make sure employees realize you don’t expect them to put in the kind of hours that you put in,” she says. “If you don’t spell this out, they might assume you do expect it. They may comply resentfully—which will harm their happiness and thus their productivity—or more likely just quit.”

2. Minimize Stress When Longer Workweeks Are Necessary

Burnout from extended hours may not come so much from the work itself as from the stressful environment in which your employees find themselves working. “Long work hours can be energizing and exciting, if you and your employees like what you’re doing,” O’Reilly says. “If those hours are unnecessarily stressful, however, burnout and high turnover are likely.” To decrease stress, O’Reilly suggests holding an end-of-the-week debriefing. “Ask employees what stressful problems came up that could have been avoided, and put systems in place to prevent those problems from happening again,” she says. Flexibility can be equally important. “As a small business, you may not be able to offer the same kinds of benefits a big corporation can provide, but you can offer flexibility, and that is worth a lot to employees,” O’Reilly says. “Most likely, the work ebbs and flows at your business, so use that to your advantage. Take time off when it makes sense for you to do so and urge your employees to do the same. Look for opportunities to say, ‘You worked really hard last week finishing up that big project, so why don’t you take this Friday off?’” Flexibility can be one of the greatest mitigators of fatigue and burnout, Pound agrees. “People have lives and they need to have the time to go to doctors’ appointments and make time for their families,” he says. “The best team members will enjoy that flexibility without impacting their output or letting other team members or clients down.”

3. Be Fair and Appreciative

If you want to keep talented employees, you should treat and pay them fairly, Wolf warns. “Overworked employees are understandably sensitive to an imbalanced workload where some employees work longer hours or on more complex tasks than others. This is a surefire way to upset your best workers, so be sensitive to this issue.” When employees do an exceptional job, acknowledge that, Girard urges. “The appreciation may come in the form of a monetary bonus or simply stopping by the employee’s desk to say, ‘I know things haven’t been easy lately, but I just want to tell you that I really appreciate the hard work you’ve been doing.’” Read more articles on productivity.

Photos: iStock

Talk of The Towne Farm Fest

When Amber Buzzard applies to colleges next year, her experience will look similar to many other high school students — with one major difference. The junior at Orange High School holds a leadership position, does an extracurricular activity and even works with kids. Amber, however, does it all surrounded by pigs. As president of Future Farmers of America, Amber has the responsibility of raising animals and leading a committee to organize Orange High School’s 16th Annual Farm Fest, which will take place on May 9th. “When you see all the little kids come in and see the different animals, their faces light up with excitement,” says Amber, of Farm Fest’s youngest attendees. “The kids’ reactions make all of the planning worth it.” The event is a culmination of the students’ hours of work raising pigs, sheep and cattle before they take the animals to the Orange County Fair this year. For the students involved, Farm Fest is an opportunity to gain real world experience that other “city dwellers” may never get the chance to learn. In addition to shearing sheep and growing vegetables, the students learn how to take on large responsibilities through FFA. “Working on Farm Fest has been an amazing experience. Taking on this leadership position has been a great way to learn how to plan events and make tough decisions,” says Amber. While most extracurricular activities require a few hours a week after school, students in FFA spend time at the farm caring for the animals every morning and afternoon of the year, including Christmas and New Year’s Day. “They work their tails off,” says Patti Williams, the agriculture teacher and adviser to FFA. “This is our big community service and fundraiser for the year. Our goal is simply that people come out and have fun.” Amber’s sister, Katlynn, held the position of FFA president when she attended Orange High, and she says that Farm Fest not only shaped her future, but is a value to the community as well. “Most people don’t really know what goes into running a farm,” says Katlynn, who is currently studying veterinary science at Mt. San Antonio College. “I was spending 35 to 50 hours a week toward the end, right before the Orange County Fair. Many think that animals on a farm are dirty and smelly, but Farm Fest is a good example that pigs are actually really clean animals.” Visitors of FarmFest will get to play barnyard bowling, visit animals in pens and pastures, view vegetable gardens and see a green house where the students grow flowers. The event is growing every year, and Williams plans to add an aquaponic program with tilapia fish in the future. The fish farm will have two 1,000 gallon tanks plus two above-ground planters that will be watered from the fish pond to capture fertilizing nutrients. Last year, Farm Fest raised $2,200, which is used to help pay their way into the Orange County Fair July 17 to Aug. 16 and pays for the student awards banquet at the end of the year — a much-deserved celebration after hours of work. Farm Fest runs from noon to 4 pm on May 9th. Admission is $3 or $5 with a hot dog lunch. Orange High School Farm Fest: On Harwood St, north of Walnut Ave.

Published in the May/Jun 2015 edition of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review

Written by Elana Katz, Art provided by Orange High School FFA

Expert Tips for Picking the Best Floral Arrangement for Mother’s Day

This Mother’s Day, florists around the nation would like you to think outside the vase when you choose a floral arrangement for mom.

“Your mother is special and unique, and her floral arrangement should reflect that,” says Kate Owsley, a florist on BloomNation and lead floral designer at Back Bay Florist in Boston. “Many people ask florists for a typical ‘Mother’s Day’ arrangement, but there isn’t such a thing. Every mom has her own tastes, and it’s her style that the arrangement should reflect.” Rather than ordering a generic arrangement, think about your mom’s favorite colors, the style of her home, the way she dresses and her personality. Here are a few different styles to give you some ideas.

Traditional: If mom tends to like a classic look, a traditional arrangement is the perfect gift. Such designs are usually created in tall vases and include flowers such as rose, lily, daisy, stock, iris, tulip, gladiola and baby’s breath.

Cottage: Moms who have cottage-style décor in their homes and like to garden are often delighted with arrangements that sport blue hydrangea, sunflower, lilac, snapdragon, anemone, poppy pod, hyacinth and daffodil. If your cottage-style mom is also a gardener, get ideas about her favorite flowers by what she grows.

Modern: Sleek, monochromatic designs are what moms with a contemporary style like. Good choices in flowers for such dynamic floral arrangements include cala lily, flowering branches, white hydrangea, green trick dianthus, orchid, ginger, succulents and ti leaves. Eclectic: The mom who marches to her own drum and sports a unique, quirky style tends to gravitate toward unusual, flowing arrangements on the wild side containing flower and filler selections such as peony, jasmine, silver brunia, veronica, hellebore, scabiosa pods, ranunculus and berries.

Feminine: If your mom is still a girl at heart, then an ultra-feminine design is sure to make her smile. Choose flowers in blush and soft pink tones, such as rose, peony, hydrangea, dusty miller and lilac. Everlasting: Those moms who prefer something more enduring than a bouquet of cut flowers enjoy containers of planted items, such as houseplants. Other good long-lasting options include dried flower bouquets that can be displayed indefinitely and succulent gardens.

Choose containers carefully. Whatever type of floral arrangement you get for mom, pay equal attention to the vase, which pulls the whole arrangement together, says Owsley. “Vases run the gamut, from wooden or vintage pedestal glass to concrete or metal. Also keep in mind that the dimensions of the opening in the vase will dictate the style of arrangement that can be made.”

Mother’s Day vies with Valentine’s Day as the busiest for florists, so order as early as possible, says Owsley. “And don’t forget the note. Take the opportunity to let mom know how much you care.” If you order through the online floral marketplace, BloomNation, you can get a handcrafted design from one of the country’s top florists. They send you a photo of the arrangement before it’s delivered to mom. Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com

How to Create a Carefree Living Wall

If you think you don’t have sufficient garden space or you wish to hide unattractive vertical surfaces in your garden, Shawna Coronado wants to talk to you. The author of Grow a Living Wall has a solution to limited garden space—installing a vertical garden. By growing on elements like walls, fences and gates, you increase your growing space exponentially.

The desire to grow more plants led Coronado to vertical growing. After buying a window box and determining that it gave her added growing space, she did the math regarding stacking five such window boxes on top of one another and ended up with the ability to grow 35-40 plants in those boxes, which is more than many full-sized gardens. Since that revelation, Coronado has devised a system for planting a wide variety of living walls, including succulents, vegetables, herbs and aromatherapy gardens, all of which and more she shares in her book. “It is very easy to grow herbs, flowers, vegetables and perennials in a vertical system,” she says. “Plants can be grown in shade to full sun.”

(Shawna Coronado)

When Coronado talks about a living wall, she isn’t referring to plants rooted in the ground and growing up a wall. A living wall consists of a self-contained vertical garden with a soil- or water-based medium that is fastened to a vertical surface. Some living wall systems also have the ability to automate watering. In addition to increasing your growing space, living walls have a wide variety of benefits. They are the antidote to small space gardens, provide those with limited mobility an easier way to garden, and they make otherwise boring vertical spaces green and gorgeous. “Growing a living wall can also sometimes extend the growing season if a gardener plans well. For instance, putting a wall up in a warm, protected niche might enable seasonal plants a few extra days— or even weeks—of growth,” says Coronado, who hosts the Good Green Home Show, a radio show focused on social good and organic living. “Living walls can also function as an added layer of insulation on a home by reducing the heat effect for a homeowner and simultaneously saving money.”

Better yet, living walls don’t require weeding. “No weeds means incredible time-saving advantages for an urban family,” says Coronado. “Additionally, if you set up a container garden watering system on your living wall unit, you will not have to water the plants either. No weeds and no watering means a super easy gardening experience.” To have the best luck with a living garden it’s important to use the best soil mix. “For example, if you have drought conditions, it might be a good idea to plant your living wall garden in moisture retentive soil,” says Coronado. “One of my favorite recipes for a moisture retentive mix is one-third rotted manure, one-third traditional potting soil, and one-third compost. Also make sure to feed your vertical garden with a well-balanced fertilizer every 4-8 weeks.

How recent Twitter changes can benefit your business

APRIL 23, 2015 Twitter recently revamped some features and policies that may help you improve your social media strategy. Those changes include the ability to direct message anyone, even without following one another, and the prohibition of any posts that promote violence.

Here are some of the most sweeping recent Twitter changes that could affect how you use this social media platform to build business and beef up customer service, with tips for making the most of these changes.

Direct Message Anyone on Twitter

It used to be that you needed to follow Twitter users if you wanted to direct message them. That method may have proved cumbersome and confusing and discouraged communication in the past, notes Tyler Sminkey, social media specialist and account executive for Insider Media Management.

It’s important to monitor your Twitter account and hop on engagement opportunities ASAP. Answer questions and react to comments and complaints within 20 minutes of the initial posting. If someone was in your store, you wouldn’t wait to answer a question. Virtual customer service is no different.

“Now you can direct message anyone on Twitter, and that’s good news for small-business owners,” Sminkey says. “This change will encourage a more open form of direct communication for small-business owners. Direct messaging also enables small-business owners to connect and communicate with customers without sharing that information with the public. For example, we often request to obtain contact information from customers if they felt they could have had a better experience.” Though private direct messaging could provide benefits, for the sake of managing your company’s reputation in the face of complaints, it may be a good idea to do that managing on Twitter where everyone can see, suggests J.P. Hervis, president of Insider Media Management. “In most cases, management of an upset client on Twitter is still best done in front of everyone so other followers can see you are reacting to a potential issue and care about making it right,” Hervis says. “Those conversations can get into heavy detail and fill up a feed, though, so many times there is a point where moving to direct messaging is ideal—especially when obtaining the client’s personal information for a ‘make-good.’”

Retweet With a Comment

Click the retweet icon when you spot a tweet you want to broadcast, and you’ll notice a new “add a comment” link. Also known as quote tweet, this feature can make retweeting easier and offers the potential to share your insights about a tweet in a more meaningful manner. Prior to this change, you could either simply hit retweet, which essentially reposted the tweet for your followers, or if you wanted to make a comment, you had to do a manual retweet that required you to cram your information in with the original tweet, with a 140-character limit. Now the original tweet is embedded and your comment can be up to 116 characters. The new feature encourages you to add your own insight and voice to the tweet, which can be ideal for increasing customer engagement. By personalizing the tweet, you can also help build your reputation as a thought leader on certain topics.

Ban on Tweets that Promote Violence

This new policy, suspending any users that promote violence against others, may create a less contentious Twitter landscape for conducting business. And while you probably haven’t threatened anyone on Twitter, it can still be a good idea to protect your company’s reputation by reviewing your Twitter behavior protocol on a regular basis and making sure all employees abide by certain standards, Sminkey claims. He suggests asking the following questions before tweeting:

Does this tweet fit your brand?
Is it appropriate for your audience and the date/time it will be sent?
Have you left any questions unanswered?
Does the tweet negatively affect a customer or another business? “The first thought when sharing something on social media should be that you aren’t harming anyone or saying something that could be thought of as mean or negative,” Sminkey says. “This is a public forum, and your posts can live forever online.”
Are you abiding by Twitter’s best practices? Have you used shortened links and/or hashtags and tagged other profiles appropriately?

“For many small-business customers, Twitter is the fastest and best form to ask simple questions,” Hervis says. “That being said, it’s important to monitor your Twitter account and hop on engagement opportunities ASAP. Answer questions and react to comments and complaints within 20 minutes of the initial posting. If someone was in your store, you wouldn’t wait to answer a question. Virtual customer service is no different.” Read more articles about social media. Photo: Getty Images

Create a Welcoming Butterfly Garden in Your Yard

The warm, sunny days of spring bring butterflies back to the garden. Luring these lofty beauties to stay in your landscape is well worth the effort. Butterflies add an unmatched ethereal sense of movement to the garden.

Plant a butterfly garden and you can enjoy a confetti display of multi-colored, winged visitors floating about your yard throughout the spring and summer. Even better, you’ll be doing good things for the planet. These graceful beauties might seem like pretty “airheads,” but they’re actually environmentalists. Butterflies are one of the world’s top pollinators. They pollinate many species of flowering plants, and without them many crops wouldn’t get fertilized. These winged beauties aren’t as productive as bees, but they are often the main insect flying around flowers, and that means they do a lot of pollinating. In their adult and larval stages, butterflies also make a good food source for other animals—especially birds. As a matter of fact, mother birds must feed their nestlings a steady supply of hundreds of caterpillars in their first weeks of life.

(Julie Bawden-Davis)

Lure butterflies to your garden with these tips:

Create a place for butterflies to lay eggs that shields the resulting chrysalis from predators and provides food for the adults and larvae. Good choices for this include what are known as host plants. For instance, shrubs like spiraea and trees like ash. Other good host plants include aster, birch, broccoli, cassia, dill, elm, lupine, mallow, milkweed, mustard, parsley, passion vine and Southern Magnolia. Provide a basking area. Sunning is the key to butterfly flight. The insects must keep their body temperatures above 70 degrees or they can’t fly. Sunny spots with flat stones or stone walls make good places for butterflies to get warmed up for flying. Offer shallow water. Butterflies require puddles of mud or sand in which to draw out water, salt and nutrients. This behavior is known as puddling. Place the puddles in sunny areas. Serve up nectar plants. The more items you have on the menu for butterflies to sample, the better your chances for attracting them to your yard. Some good nectar plants include sunflower, columbine, butterfly bush, Mexican plum, coreopsis, black-eyed Susan, lantana, yarrow, milkweed, purple coneflower, daylily, honeysuckle, petunia, salvia, marigold and zinnia. Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of seven books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com.

Archives: Portfolio

Back-to-School Benefits for Small Businesses

Back-to-School Challenges

Making School Work

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Time for a Pivot?

Mastering Pivots While Maintaining Your Brand

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Time to Plan for the Holiday Sales

Benefits to Early Holiday Season Marketing

Unsure About Customer Reaction to Early Holiday Marketing?

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YouTube and Google+

Other Notable Google+ Changes

Benefits of Google+ Changes

Using Google+ Effectively

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1. Reconfigure Your Furniture Layout

2. Create Eye-Catching Focal Points

3. Use Paint to Transform Your Space

4. Add Indoor Plants for a Natural Touch

5. Repurpose Used Furniture

1. Repair Worn-Out Caulking

2. Touch Up Peeling Paint

3. Fix Leaky Faucets

4. Unclog Gutters and Downspouts

5. Replace Dirty HVAC Filters

When an HSA Makes Sense

HSA Requirements

Educate Your Employees About HSA Benefits

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Consider Your Customers

Look to Your Community

Hold Live Events When Possible

Make It Meaningful

Be Clear About Benefits and Create a Call to Action

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Unintended Consequences

Suggested Solutions

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1. Accepting

2. Humble

3. Willing to Seek Assistance

4. Able to Solve Problems

5. Realistic

6. Spontaneous

7. Independent

8. Grateful

Big Advertising Profits Expected

How to Take Advantage of Instagram Ads

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1. Be Proactive

2. Follow Industry Compliance and Rules

3. Purchase Data Breach Insurance

4. Opt for Cloud Services

5. Don’t Forget the Human Element

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Good Reasons to Try Mobile Advertising

Businesses That Should Consider Mobile Advertising

Tips for Effective Mobile Advertising

Don’t Wait

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1. Be Clear About Your Expectations

2. Minimize Stress When Longer Workweeks Are Necessary

3. Be Fair and Appreciative

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Direct Message Anyone on Twitter

Retweet With a Comment

Ban on Tweets that Promote Violence

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