Common Chemicals in Toiletries May Lead to Early Puberty | Live Science

December 5, 2018December 4, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Since the early 2000s, researchers have noticed a troubling new trend in female development: Girls are entering puberty — developing breasts, pubic hair and getting their period — at younger ages.

So, what’s driving the trend? Some researchers have long suspected that hormone-manipulating chemicals are the culprit. But these chemicals aren’t necessarily coming from contaminated water or dangerous environments. Instead, they’re found in products we use every day, including shampoo, makeup and nearly every kind of toiletry.

How and Why to Audit Your Company Bookkeeper | Business News Daily

December 5, 2018December 4, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As a small business owner, you have many responsibilities to juggle. It can be tempting to remove yourself from your business’s finances just to take something off your plate – especially if bookkeeping and accounting aren’t your strong suits. However, you should stay involved in your business’s finances.

If you do hire someone to help with finances, should you audit your bookkeeper? The short answer is yes. Theoretically, if you keep yourself involved in your bookkeeper’s processes, you should be fully aware of the state of your finances, but it’s always a good idea conduct random audits to ensure all of your books are balanced and your bookkeeper is following proper protocol.

10 Ways to Build Positive Work Relationships and Work as a Team | Life Hack

December 4, 2018December 3, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Behind the corporate veil, the actual members who work towards achieving the company goals are the ultimate assets.

It is very important for every team member to maintain focused goals on a professional front, at their individual level and at the organizational level. With even the slightest discord between two employees, the entire team might suffer and have to adjust with the downsize in organizational success that they realize ultimately.

California’s high rents undermine tenants’ retirement chances | Fast Company

December 4, 2018December 3, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

One of Bill Ware’s various jobs in recent years was as a part-time insurance salesman. In that role, he has helped people prepare for unexpected hardships—burglaries, falling trees, car accidents, medical emergencies, and even death. But Ware recently faced the unexpected himself when his income took a dive.

Early this year a tax consultancy that works to resolve problems with the IRS and state agencies hit a trough and, in April, he says, the consultancy suddenly cut his income by 60%. Soon after, as the credit card bills piled up, he realized he needed to take action.

How to Manage Your Business Cash Flow During the Slow Season | AllBusiness.com

December 3, 2018December 2, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

1st in a series of articles exploring how to make 2019 your business’s best year yet.

Getting your business in shape for a successful 2019 starts with cash flow. If your business is a seasonal one, such as a landscaping company, or a home remodeling or construction business in which work slows down during the winter months, year-end cash flow planning is especially important.

Without positive cash flow, you won’t have the working capital you need to finance your operations, pay your vendors, or meet payroll during the slow season.

The Problems With Working For A Consulting Agency (Do This Instead) | Management Consulting Connection

November 30, 2018November 29, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

You might be losing a lot of money right now.

I’ve worked with hundreds of consultants in many industries all around the world and often I hear about situations where people are losing a lot of money, they’re losing a lot of opportunities. In some cases, they’re aware of it. In other cases, they’re not.

What am I talking about? I’m talking about working with other agencies. I’m talking about you working as a consultant and not a consulting business owner. There’s a very big difference. So let’s look at these. I’ll put it all into play for you.

Cracking the Code on Heating and Cooling Costs for Your Business | Small Business Trends

November 30, 2018November 29, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Small businesses across the United States spend a staggering $60 billion on energy every year, most of which is consumed in electricity. Keeping work premises warm in the winter and cool in the summer is a necessary part of running any business but is also energy intensive, equating to one of the biggest energy costs.

Heating and Cooling Costs

Taking steps to reduce heating and cooling costs will significantly help reduce your business’s electricity consumption and therefore energy bills.

If you’re determined to cut back on heating and cooling expenses, take a look at the following ways you might be able to do it.

What to Include in Your Freelance Contract | Business.com

November 29, 2018November 28, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Considering freelancing? Here’s everything you need to know about freelance contracts, from what to include in the contract to handling breaches.

When you pursue freelancing, you are choosing an independent career path that requires you to look after yourself. In other words, you’re your own boss, and you need to secure your finances, insurance, retirement savings, etc., on your own terms.

One major responsibility freelancers must prioritize is creating a contract to establish a legal agreement between you and your clients.

“A freelancer needs a contract,” said Drew DuBoff, blogger and chief career coach. “Because they are not full-time employees, they are acting as independent contractors, so this document is an independent contractor agreement.”

If you’re considering taking the freelance route, here’s everything you need to know about freelance contracts.

Holiday Shopping? Watch Out for This Costly Credit Card Trap | The Simple Dollar

November 27, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As the holiday season gets into full swing, so too do the credit card promotions from retail stores far and wide.

This is prime season for enticing shoppers to sign onto the dotted line for cards that offer a discount on your first purchase or a special 0% introductory APR — which to many cash-strapped consumers can sound like an ideal way to finance a holiday extravaganza.

The reality of these deferred-interest retail credit cards however, is that they may not be as helpful as they sound at first blush. In fact, in many cases, signing on for one can cost far more than expected if you’re not clear on how the deferred interest proposition works.

How Teflon Went From Wartime to Dinner Time | WIRED

November 26, 2018November 25, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE WILL NOT dissolve in acetone or ether or concentrated sulfuric acid. When Roy Plunkett first found it coating some storage canisters in 1938, he tried to destroy the substance with just about every technique known to science. A young employee at DuPont, Plunkett had been hired to develop a new refrigerant. But when he cooled and compressed a gas he was testing, a waxy white powder unexpectedly formed—that stuff he couldn’t eradicate. The material was brought to the attention of US Army general Leslie Groves, director of the Manhattan Project, who commissioned DuPont to design a plant that used polytetrafluoroethylene seals and gaskets.