The Undiluted Genius of Dr. Bronner’s | Inc.com

April 6, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There’s a common narrative that unfolds the first time you buy Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap. It starts in the store, where the bottles, with their brightly colored, text-heavy labels, line up like cure-alls from some deranged medicine man. You pick one up. Later, in the shower, there comes a curious tingling sensation after you’ve lathered up your nether regions. That’s when you reach for the bottle again to give it a closer read.

There are quotes from Mao, Jesus, Hillel, Einstein, and George Washington, among others. There’s something called the Moral ABC, which appears to be a philosophy for uniting all humans on Spaceship Earth. There’s a lot of religious ranting, a liberal dose of exclamation points, and instructions for cleansing your “mind-body-soul-spirit instantly.”

Now you’re more curious than ever. And if you read enough of the label and happen to Google Dr. Bronner after you’ve toweled off, you’ll discover the story of the late Emanuel Bronner, which reads like bizarro fiction. (We’ll get to it shortly.) That story is just the beginning.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Android apps | Business Insider

April 3, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Samsung’s newest phone, the Galaxy S6, is without question one of the best phones you can buy.

I’ve tested several Samsung phones over the years, and the Galaxy S6 is the company’s biggest leap forward in design and hardware. It has the best camera, the best screen, and it looks and feels nice thanks to its metal and glass construction.

But there’s still one thing holding me back from recommending the Galaxy S6 over the iPhone, and it’s not entirely Samsung’s fault.

The problem is Android.

4 Things You Need to Know to Market to Millennials | Adweek

April 3, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ 1 Comment

If anyone understands the millennial mind (or that of Gen Z, coming up right behind it), it’s Kevin Lyman. Since founding the live music event and brand strategy firm 4Fini in 1995, Lyman hasn’t just immersed himself in youth culture—he has helped brands like Truth, Ernie Ball and Journeys stay connected to it. The Vans Warped Tour—his cornerstone event, which jams up to 100 bands into 10 hours of portable, mud-filled mayhem—is now the longest-running festival tour in North America. In his more than two decades as a marketer and promoter, Lyman has learned a thing or two about reaching teens and young adults. Here, he shares some of his best practices.

Is Education Technology Where Women Are Starting To Buck The Tech World’s Sexist Trends? | Co.Exist

April 2, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The landmark San Francisco trial between iconic venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins and Ellen Pao, the woman who did not become partner, may be over. But its repercussions—and the quest to fix sexism in Silicon Valley and, by extension, the technology industry—are ongoing.

Venture capital may be one of the toughest areas to be either female or a minority—and at the technology high-fliers that are their favorite investments, it isn’t much better. Women made up only 11% of founders in the most recent class of lauded tech incubator Y Combinator.

But in the geeky boys’ club of tech, education tech may be one of the few slightly more bright spots where female founders and CEOs are showing up—and staying the course—in greater numbers.

Here’s America’s New Minimum Wage Map | Bloomberg Business

April 1, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Seattle’s new minimum wage law takes effect today, the first stage of an extended ramp-up that will see all business in the city paying $15 an hour by 2021. Workers at large businesses will see an increase today to $11, from Washington’s state minimum wage of $9.47, already the highest in the nation.

This map shows the up-to-date status of the minimum wage across the country.

See Map.

Paving Your Own Path to Success | BusinessTips.com

April 1, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When something amazing happens to someone, one of the first things we want to say is, “You’re so lucky.” This is an appropriate reaction to someone finding $20 on the floor or winning concert tickets, but when it comes to operating a business, is success really a result of luck? It may seem that way when your business is struggling despite all of the hours of hard work you’ve invested in it, but there are strategies you can implement that will slowly but surely help you pave your own path to great success.

Paying Yourself Too Much? Too Little? Be Ready for an IRS Challenge | Biz Action

March 31, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It is generally more tax-efficient to be paid a salary than to receive dividends, given that salary expense is deductible and dividends are paid on an after-tax basis. If the IRS thinks some portion of your salary really should be treated as a distribution of profit, that portion would be added to the pool of corporate revenue subject to tax.

It all comes down to the meaning of the word “reasonable.”

It all comes down to the IRS definition of “reasonable.”

“Whether the pay is reasonable depends on the circumstances that existed when you contracted for the services, not those that exist when the reasonableness is questioned,” according to the IRS.

Suppose, for example, you paid yourself a $250,000 salary at a time when your company was small, with gross revenue of $500,000, two employees besides yourself, and you were not working around the clock. Suppose further that after five years your business has tripled in size and you are still paying yourself $250,000.

Buying a home at auction vs. regular sale | Mashable

March 30, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

For first-time home buyers, sticking to a budget is crucial. Though it’s tempting to splurge on a dream house, eager buyers need to remember that much more goes into a housing budget than a home’s asking price. Buyers also need to consider mortgage payments, property taxes, maintenance costs and even optional projects such as renovations and landscaping.

Because budgeting and saving for the future are central components of home ownership, greenhorn buyers should examine a variety of home acquisition methods to see which one best fits their budget and goals.

One option that appeals to many buyers with pinched pockets is buying a home — foreclosed or non-distressed — at auction, where bidders decide how much the home is worth and can leave with a title the day of the auction.

Mobile Payments: Which Businesses Need Them? | Business News Daily

March 30, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In October 2014, Apple launched its highly anticipated mobile wallet solution, Apple Pay. Although the ability to make purchases through a smartphone app was not a brand-new concept, the business world viewed Apple Pay as the product that would finally push near-field communication (NFC) and contactless payment technology to the forefront of retail.

“Apple raised visibility [of payments as] something you can and should be able to do with a mobile device,” said Gregory Mann, chief marketing officer of mobile wallet solution LoopPay. “It took the conversation out of B2B partners … and brought it to consumers’ dining room tables. The average person out there [now knows] this is something you can do with your phone.”