Author: Track2Training

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Delegation Vital to a Business’ Growth

By Chemeketa SBDC

One of the harder chores that a business owner faces is delegation. While there may be immediate gratification when someone takes a task off your overwhelmingly full plate, the fact is that once you feel the relief, you may very well begin to question whether it has been done as well as you expected, as fast as you could do it, or even done right.
No one can do everything alone. We know that intellectually. But whether we can accept it personally is another step. Delegation is vital to the growth of a business. It is also important in developing the sills and abilities of your staff. It allows you to groom your staff for higher-level positions and to take increasing important roles in decision-making.
While delegation, the assignment of part of your work, is the reason you add staff, often we don’t fully understand that with delegation also must come authority and accountability. Three steps are generally needed for the delegation process to be successful.
First you must assign responsibility to someone. You must ask someone to do a job or perform a task.
Second, you must give that person the authority, the power, to accomplish the task or job. This may include the power to get specific information, order supplies, authorize expenditure and make some decisions.
Finally, you must create accountability, the obligation to accomplish the task. (Note that while you can create accountability – you cannot delegate it away. You remain accountable to your business. If your staff fails to complete the job – you are accountable.)
Communication, good communication, is the key to successful delegation. First you have to know what you want to accomplish and you need to clearly communicate the task or project. If there are any absolutes you also need to let you staff know what they are and how these absolutes must be accomplished. You need to think of the tools (including information) the person will need and let them know where they can access these tools. You should be very clear about the expected outcomes, deadlines and deliverables.
And then you need to get out of the way. And remember, it is always a learning process. If you cannot afford mistakes, you cannot avoid training. Set your staff up for success, not failure.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

EDGE Business Support Accelerator

Leveraging the power of business-to-business service companies

Join a cohort of other business owners in a supportive environment. Incubators are places to help empower the development of business enterprises. You and 9 other businesses owners will be surrounded by resources and expertise. Your business will thank you!

Here’s what we are offering to our 10 participants:

  • 10’x10′ Class A office space
  • Enrollment in business and entrepreneurship courses
  • Unlimited access to the SBDC’s in-house resources
  • Ongoing advising and your own personal board of advisors
  • Access to high-speed internet and copier
  • The support and encouragement of the SBDC staff and your fellow tenants
  • Business specific signage for your office
  • 24/7 card key entry
  • Day offices when you need extra space
  • On-site bistro
  • Networking opportunity with other business owners
All of this and more offered for $210 – $250 per month!

The EDGE Business Accelerator is ideal if you:

  • Currently operate a business-to-business service company
  • Work from home and work alone most of the time
  • Need to increase your bottom line
  • Motivated to learn something new
  • Want to improve yourself and your business

You’re a good fit for this program if:

You recognize that although you can do it all on your own, you’d prefer get support to make your work easier, more profitable, and more fun.

Interested? Here’s your next step:

Contact us by email for more information or complete an application
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

How To Build Your Learning Skills The Right Way

It’s never too late to learn. We learn things our whole life, but we don’t think about how we do that. Not surprisingly, only a small amount of everyday skills is turned into long-time habits. Is there a way to become a more efficient person? How to develop necessary learning skills and make them root?
Answers to those questions you can find in this article.
  1. Narrow your goal
Plans like “read more,” “get up early” or “learn something new” are too vague and uncertain. Specify what you want to achieve. Give your goal a form of concrete, measurable and controlled action. For example: “every month to attend a conference in an interesting to me field,” “read 50 books related to my occupation for a year” or “spend two hours every Thursday, reading articles that were kept in bookmarks during the week.” A defined goal will stimulate you to act.
  1. Take time to think big
In the constant chaos of everyday life, there is frequently no time to think about global life goals. Where do you see yourself in five years? How could you develop your skills to make your work more productive, and yourself – a valuable specialist? We are all different, someone is enough half an hour for such reflections, and someone prefers to think about problems of a global scale, having gone on a long bike trip. If you enjoy being alone, take this time to review your skills and aspirations. You may also go a completely different way and discuss everything with colleagues or with old friends, you trust.
  1. Ask yourself: Whom do you envy?
Envy is a negative emotion, but it can serve as an excellent stimulus for self-development. If you envy someone, then this person has something that you really want to have. To whom do you envy: your friend, who is constantly traveling, your dad who doesn’t miss any of the mornings runs or your colleague, who successfully passed the MBA program. You don’t envy people; you envy their achievements. Envy helps to choose the direction of personal growth if you treat this emotion wisely.
  1. Control your habits
Control has a strange power over us. Studies show that by simply controlling our behavior, we begin to perform tasks much faster. It does not matter what exactly it will be: counting the steps from the apartment to the nearest store or the number of phone calls made per day. The same can be applied to how frequently we look at teaching materials or devote time to practice a new skill. Watch how the new habit begins to develop, and it will help you to keep growing.
  1. Set up a learning schedule
The goal, formulated as “to study something of this sort,” will always be somewhere at the end of your to-do list. Of course, this task is essential, but there is no definite deadline for it, and we always can postpone it for another day. That’s why it’s helpful to create a plan for building new skills.
And, don’t forget that you have to form skills, which will bring you benefits: strengthen your temper, broaden the mind horizon, and train professional features. When we do something for our good, the chances of successfully forming a new skill are doubled.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Delegation Vital to a Business’ Growth

By Chemeketa SBDC

One of the harder chores that a business owner faces is delegation. While there may be immediate gratification when someone takes a task off your overwhelmingly full plate, the fact is that once you feel the relief, you may very well begin to question whether it has been done as well as you expected, as fast as you could do it, or even done right.
No one can do everything alone. We know that intellectually. But whether we can accept it personally is another step. Delegation is vital to the growth of a business. It is also important in developing the sills and abilities of your staff. It allows you to groom your staff for higher-level positions and to take increasing important roles in decision-making.
While delegation, the assignment of part of your work, is the reason you add staff, often we don’t fully understand that with delegation also must come authority and accountability. Three steps are generally needed for the delegation process to be successful.
First you must assign responsibility to someone. You must ask someone to do a job or perform a task.
Second, you must give that person the authority, the power, to accomplish the task or job. This may include the power to get specific information, order supplies, authorize expenditure and make some decisions.
Finally, you must create accountability, the obligation to accomplish the task. (Note that while you can create accountability – you cannot delegate it away. You remain accountable to your business. If your staff fails to complete the job – you are accountable.)
Communication, good communication, is the key to successful delegation. First you have to know what you want to accomplish and you need to clearly communicate the task or project. If there are any absolutes you also need to let you staff know what they are and how these absolutes must be accomplished. You need to think of the tools (including information) the person will need and let them know where they can access these tools. You should be very clear about the expected outcomes, deadlines and deliverables.
And then you need to get out of the way. And remember, it is always a learning process. If you cannot afford mistakes, you cannot avoid training. Set your staff up for success, not failure.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

MERIT Microenterprise Program

Have a business idea, but don’t know where to start?

You’ve been thinking about starting a business and you’d really like to work for yourself. You want more control over your work hours and environment and you’d like your work to fit into your life.
The problem is you’re not sure if your idea makes sense or if it will work.
If you haven’t done this before, you have nothing to compare it to. You may know people who think your idea is amazing. You might know others who think you’re crazy to start a business right now. You’re just not sure what to do next.

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone could tell you exactly how to proceed?

What you need to do is take the focus off of your business idea and focus on you. You may not yet have enough information to just jump in and go. However, information and resources are readily available that will help you make a great decision. You don’t need to feel so unprepared or anxious.

We can help.

We can help you figure out if your idea will work. In fact, we’ve helped over 500 people decide if starting a business was right for them. Many of them are in business today because they gained confidence in themselves and their business idea. They also took advantage of the tools and information that MERIT provides.

Would you like to know more?

MERIT provides you with practical steps to start a successful business.
The first step is to read more about the MERIT program and see if it’s right for you by going to MERIT’s website and watching the online orientation. To go to MERIT’s website, click here.
For more information, contact –
Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry
Small Business Development Center
626 High Street NE, Suite 210
Salem, OR 97301
503.399.5088
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

How to Protect your Startup from Crime

Protecting your business from crime is essential for all enterprises, no matter how long they have been operating or at what scale. With the rise of cyber crime alongside regular criminal activity, as well as white-collar crime, there is a lot to consider when setting up preventative measures for your new startup.
In addition to protecting your business interests – including stock, premises and business assets – staff welfare and safety must also be considered. Creating a successful strategy, therefore, requires planning, as well as execution, and this guide is designed to help protect your startup from the beginning.
Begin with a risk assessment
Risk assessments are common in business, and while they are usually completed most frequently in the field of health and safety, adopting this strategy when beginning your security setup is a useful and effective starting point.
Using the five steps to risk assessment within a security context is an extremely helpful way to first consider the potential risks your startup may be susceptible to. To some extent, risk assessment requires a little creative thinking – try to consider broadly the various forms of crime that are out there. Communicating with other businesses may be a good way to think outside the box, and get a clear idea of the various potential risks.
Protect your premises and assets
Having completed your risk assessment you can then start considering your security setup. An effective security strategy requires installing the right security systems for your specific requirements. While fanciful face recognition tech and Chamber of Secrets-style vaults might be preferable, they’re probably unaffordable (and maybe a little unrealistic) for a startup!
The security systems you do opt for need to be realistic and practical, as well as affordable. They should act as both a deterrent to potential criminals, and as a protective measure should crime occur. Selecting the right systems from the get-go is essential.
Effective staff policies
Having the most effective security equipment in the world is one thing, but not backing it up with a well-measured and carried out policy makes the investment somewhat redundant. A successful company policy should ensure consistent regulations and standards across the board.
Make sure that employees understand what is expected of them through a code of conduct, and what can happen should they commit white-collar crime against your startup. Consistency is the key!
Setting up for cyber crime
Cyber crime is an increasing concern for businesses – both more established, and startups – due to the convenience and anonymity afforded by the internet. When setting up a new business venture, particularly a digital company, it is increasingly important to be aware of the types of cyber crime that exist, in order to take effective preventative measures.
It is essential to be both aware of cyber crime yourself, and to educate your staff on how to prevent it occurring. This should begin through your staff policies and regulations – you need to include a social media policy, both to prevent poor conduct, as well as potential cyber crime.
As well as staff policies, you need to protect your startup from external threats. Police your internal networks thoroughly, conduct regular audits, and make sure portable devices (as well as desktop computers) are scanned. Checking out who you are working with, such as external partners and suppliers is also important in safeguarding your business from cyber crime.
Monitor your security measures as your business grows
As well as ensuring your security measures are effective from the beginning, it is essential to consistently assess and update your procedures as your business grows, in order to stay well protected from crime.
This can be done through regular risk assessments, external surveys and audits, and consistent reviews of your policies and systems. As your business grows, new crime threats can emerge, so regular reviews are an important part of ensuring ongoing protection for your startup against crime.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Tips to Help you Reach New Customers

By Chemeketa SBDC

Looking for some free and easy ways to reach customers?
These aren’t new, but probably worth revisiting. Incorporate a few of them into
your marketing and results will follow.
• Get a tagline if you don’t already have one (this is
a short phrase or sentence that captures what you do). And then use it all the
time. Print it on the back of your business cards. Put it on every piece of
marketing collateral. Use it until customers won’t hear your business’ name
without mentally reciting it.
• Remember the golden rule of marketing: repeat,
repeat, repeat. People simply don’t register a marketing message the first few
times. Or the first few dozen times. You must repeat your message to the same
audience in the same place, over and over again.
• Make sure people can find you on the web.
Learn about social media, and consider getting a Facebook page and Twitter feed.
Pay attention to your reviews on Yelp or other customer feedback sites. Set up
your free business pages in Google Places, Yahoo Local, Yelp, and others.
• Constantly think of filling your customer pipeline.
Make a list of your top 10 prospects or referral sources and keep it on your
desk, your mobile phone, or use it as the “wallpaper” on your computer. Contact
each of them no less than once a month.
• Get out there in person. People do business with
people they know, so build your business network. Attend industry conferences,
join community organizations. Be visible. Connect in person and not just
online.
• Establish a strong company brand and identity. Create
a distinct graphic image—logo, colors, typeface, etc.—that conveys what you’re
about and use them consistently and on everything. This includes your website,
business cards, packaging, newsletters, marketing materials, job ads.
• Tell people what they get (benefits), not what you
and your product/service do (features). All of your materials need to focus on
the benefits the buyer receives—rather than just long lists of features of your
products or descriptions of how you perform your services. Of course, customers
compare features and services, so you’ll need to include those, but always
emphasize the benefits those features bring.
• Get on the email newsletter bandwagon. An email
newsletter is one of the most effective and inexpensive ways to communicate with
customers, prospects, and referral sources. Make sure your newsletter provides
some value for the recipient, such as useful information, details on sales, or a
special offer.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Small Business Management (SBM) Program

If you are an established small business looking to experience increased efficiency, profitability, and support through interactive learning sessions and monthly one-on-one business coaching tailored to your individual needs, the Small Business Management (SBM) program could be right for you. SBM is ideal for small business owners (1-50 employees) who have been in business 2-35+ years. Service, retail, contractors, professionals, and manufacturing businesses throughout the Willamette Valley have all benefited from the SBM program and you can too! See what other business owners are saying.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Money Making Ideas – Convert Hobbies Into Business

Money making is the passion of every individual, but most of them only depend on Government jobs and only a few likes to do something extraordinary. The main purpose of writing this post is to familiarize you with some money making ideas in a simple way. After reading this post, you will say we are already doing the same for so many years but might not convert your hobbies into business yet. Yes, do convert your hobbies into money-making and profitable businesses. Let’s start the journey of converting hobbies into the business.

Money Making Ideas – Antique Re-decoration

Antiques are the famous items of their times, and many antique lovers like to purchase them at any cost. Therefore it is an ideal money making business for people who love antiquing. So perform the following steps to start a handsome money making business;
  • Take worn-out antique home with you
  • Invest the time to renovate those old antiques
  • Search online selling places
  • Share them on Amazon, eBay, etc
  • Share their snaps on Flickr
  • Resell them at a profit
Money making through antiques is very easy but need patience. It will take some time to reward you, but its reward will be beyond your imagination. Do try it.

Blogging

It is the best money making the idea for all, especially for ladies. If you are educated, have some knowledge of computer and internet, you must start blogging to earn more. What you need for blogging;
  • Writing skills
  • Topic you are passionate about
  • Internet facility
  • Patience
  • That’s it
Blogging is the best way to convert your writing abilities into the money making business. The key to success in blogging is consistency. Be consistent, and you will see the amazing results.

Candle making

Candle making is very easy, and you can use it as the money making an idea to excel the local and online market. There are so many events where candles are required in a big amount. It is a business with less investment but more profit. It is a great little technique to learn, and you can often easily sell the candles at local shops and also through online like Etsy.com.

Catering

Catering is another great money making the idea for those who love cooking and have administrative skills. If you are a good cook and only have the specialty in one or two dishes, do try this money making the idea. There are many mobile food vehicles in USA and UK, and people are earning from their cooking hobbies. The key factor in catering is planning to time and place to boost your income.

Cleaning services for Businesses

Cleaning services for businesses is another great money making idea because many businesses and public institutions need persons who will offer cleaning services at a low cost. Cleaning service is a great side business for those who can spare few hours late at night or on weekends.
Money making is an art, and only those are succeeded who learned it quickly. In next post we will discuss some more money making ideas you can apply to make your livings comfortable.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Getting Cutomers to Pay You and Continue Coming Back

By Chemeketa SBDC

Times still are tough out there for most business owners and their customers. You may have customers who never had problems paying you in the past, but who have developed slow-pay habits over the past couple of years, or worse, stopped paying you altogether. How can you help these formerly good payers continue to pay you?
If you don’t already offer payment plans, then you should consider it. Sometimes this is the only way you’ll get paid at all, although it will take longer. You want to keep your customers, so make it possible (and comfortable) for them to pay you, even in small amounts.
The first thing to consider is how you are going to approach a slow-paying or non-paying customer. Being polite, reasonable and fair is a good start. No one likes to be yelled at or intimidated, and taking a strong “take no prisoners” stance will just lead to your customers hiding from you, avoiding phone calls, and stalling.
Have a conversation with your customer that begins with asking questions about what’s going on with them. You will learn why they aren’t paying you, and what might be reasonable for them going forward. After this discovery process, make a clear request for specific amounts at specific times. Don’t make the mistake of asking the customer how much he can pay, keep control
of the conversation. Agree on a payment plan together.
Follow up the conversation with a letter that details the arrangement. You can start with a sentence like “Here’s a recap of our conversation today (date) regarding the (specific dollar amount) still owed from the previous (specific time period).
Then detail the terms agreed on, the number of payments and their dates, and any other details. Be very clear about everything, and include a stamped payment envelope for extra emphasis. Be sure to include a sentence or two about how much you appreciate this customer working to make this debt good, and how you look forward to working with them in the future.
Marcia Bagnall is Director of the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center and instructor of Small Business Management Program. The Small-Business Adviser column is produced by the center and appears each
Sunday. Questions can be submitted to SBDC@chemeketa.edu. Visit the SBDC at 626 High Street NE. in downtown Salem or call (503) 399-5088.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Current Classes and Events

November
11/2 Start Up Orientation- So, You Want to Start a Business?, No Cost (details)
11/20 Access to Capital, $129 (details)
11/21 Ready, Set, Start Your Business, $49 (details)
December
12/6 Access to Capital, $129 (details)
12/7 Start Up Orientation- So, You Want to Start a Business?, No Cost (details)
12/8 and 12/9 Construction Contractor Training, $355 (details)

2018

2/7 Access to Capital, $129 (details)
4/4 Access to Capital, $129 (details)
6/6 Access to Capital, $129 (details)
Ready to sign up? Call us at 503.399.5088 to register for any class. On weekends and after 5 pm, leave us your name, number, and email address and we’ll be sure to get back to you.
All classes are held at the Center for Business and Industry (corner of High and Union) 626 High Street NE (2nd floor), Salem unless otherwise noted.
Ongoing Programs and Business Resources
Business Advising – come and see one of our knowledgeable advisors, free of charge!
EDGE Business Accelerator – a supportive home for ten young businesses.
Entrepreneurship Classes Online – college credit for planning your business.
Small Business Management (SBM) Program – a 9-month program that assists established businesses experience increased efficiency, profitability, and support through monthly one-on-one business coaching and interactive learning sessions. SBM is a great way to start working on your business, not just in it!
Opportunity Knocks – business support from business owners
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Creating a Healthy Workplace Environment

As a recent grad, you have probably held jobs before, but nothing that you planned on doing permanently. Now, you are out there looking for a career, and you hope to settle into one workplace. Once you find that job, you need to take steps to create a healthy workplace environment that you are going to want to be in on a daily basis for the next several years, or even longer. Even if there aren’t a lot of practices in place at the workplace, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make your own workspace a healthy environment. Today we are going to discuss some of the things you can do in order to create a healthy workplace environment.

1. Get some Plants

Not only do plants make an office look more cheerful, they are very beneficial to your health. For starters, plants help to provide oxygen, and they keep the air clean. This is going to help you to avoid catching a lot of viruses. Also, having plants around can improve your overall mood, which is going to help you to be more energetic and productive. They also add color to what could be an otherwise plain and boring office. This is a great way to inject a bit of your own personality into your workspace. Encourage others in the office to bring in some plants as well for a healthier working environment.

2. Use Color

If you are allowed to decorate your office space, make sure that you bring in a lot of color. This doesn’t mean that you have to make your space look garish. But, there are certain colors that can affect your moods, and make you more productive. For instance, oranges and reds can help to increase your energy levels. Pale blue helps people to be focused and more productive. Brown evokes feelings of tranquility and peace. The more you know about how colors affect your moods, the better able you will be to plan the ideal color scheme for your workspace.

3. Minimize the Spread of Germs

Obviously, you can’t make everyone wash their hands all the time, but there are steps that you can take to help minimize the spread of germs and bacteria in your workplace. “Make sure that you wash your hands frequently, and that you use a hand sanitizer after touching items that many other people touch. Clean your desk regularly, and wipe down your computer, telephone handset, etc. to get rid of germs and prevent the spread of various illnesses, including viruses and stomach bacteria,” suggests Dr. Shawn Khodadadian from Manhattan Gastroenterology.

4. Eat Healthy

One way to avoid getting sick is to follow a healthy, well-balanced diet. This is going to help keep you healthy, and you won’t be as susceptible to germs and viruses because you will have a stronger immune system. Instead of eating at the cafeteria or a take-out, make your own healthy lunches and bring them to work with you. Don’t forget to bring healthy snacks, and make sure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day so you stay well hydrated. Don’t skip meals, eat lunch, and enjoy healthy, protein-rich snacks during the day to keep your energy levels up.

5. Exercise

If you have an office job, it is all too easy to end up sitting at your desk all day and getting no exercise at all. In order to stay healthy, you need to move around. Take short stretching breaks several times each day. Walk or cycle to work instead of driving or taking the bus. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Take an exercise class during your lunch break. There are plenty of ways that you can stay active, even when you have a desk job. See if you can get your coworkers to start taking walks on breaks with you, and everyone in the office will be a lot healthier and happier.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Customer Awareness is Vital to Success

By Chemeketa SBDC

If your business (bricks and mortar or virtual) is going to be successful in the long run, you must focus on serving your customer’s needs and desires. The essence of marketing rests on your clear understanding of your customer and delivering a unique product that he or she cannot get anywhere else.
A Customer Analysis helps you predict which items will appeal to your customers and make a dramatic impact on how you spend your advertising dollars. Do you have answers for the following checklist?
1. Who are your target customers and what are they seeking from you?
2. Have you profiled your customers by age, income, education, occupation, etc.?
3. Are you familiar with your customers’ lifestyles?
4. Should you try to appeal to the entire market or just a segment?
5. Are there new customer segments or special markets that deserve attention?
6. Do you know where your customers live?
7. Do you use census data from your city or state?
8. Are you aware of the reasons why customers shop with you? (Convenience, price, quality products, etc?)
9. Do you stress a special area of appeal such as lower prices, better quality, wider selection, convenient location or convenient hours?
10. Do you ask your customers for suggestions on ways to improve your operations?
11. Do you know what products your customers most prefer?
12. Do you know what seasons and holidays most influence your customers buying behavior?
13. Have you considered using customer questionnaires to help you in determining your customer’s needs?
14. Do you know at what other types of stores your customers shop?
15. Do you visit market shows and conventions to help anticipate customer wants?
And, finally, what do you do with this information? Just gathering data is not enough. The answers to the above questions will now give you the opportunity to make true management decisions about your business. You now need set your business goals based on the analysis of your customer. Reminder — make all goals SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, responsible (person), and with a timeline).
Marcia Bagnall is Director of the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center and instructor of Small Business Management Program . The Small-Business Adviser column is produced by the center and appears each Sunday. Questions can be submitted to SBDC@chemeketa.edu. Visit the SBDC at 626 High Street NE. in downtown Salem or call (503) 399-5088.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Advanced QuickBooks 2016

By Chemeketa SBDC

QuickBooks can be as simple or complex as you wish to make it.  The success of QuickBooks is essentially based on your ability to set up the system in the most effective way to help you derive the information you want.
Tuesday, October 10Understanding Cash Flow

Tuesday, October 17Writing a Budget

Tuesday, October 24Estimating, invoicing, and monitoring accounts receivables

Tuesday, October 31Designing accounting forms and reports
Date: Tuesdays, October 10 – October 31Time: 8:30 am to 11:30 am
Location: Chemeketa Center for Business & Industry, 626 High Street NE, Downtown Salem
Cost: $399
Registration and Information: 503.399.5088
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

8 Rules You Need to Follow when Dating a Co-Worker

It is true that you can’t always help who you fall in love with, but when it is a co-worker, things can often become pretty tricky. When it comes to dating a co-worker, there are different rules that need to be followed than if you were dating someone outside of the workplace. Not only do you need to be able to keep things discreet, you also need to know how to deal with a breakup. Today we are going to take a look at eight rules that must be followed in order to successfully date a co-worker.
  1. Always be Professional – When you are in a relationship with a co-worker, it can be hard to find that line between your personal and your professional life. You need to create boundaries for the workplace, and always stay within those boundaries in order to be professional. Avoid flirting around the office, sneaking kisses, holding hands, etc.
  2. No Open Displays of Affection – This goes back to being professional, but it is also important to not display your affection for one another in the office so as to not make others uncomfortable. You can be as passionate as you want outside of the workplace, but while you are at work, you need to make sure that you are not acting silly and annoying everyone that you work with.
  3. Consider Your Co-Workers – When you are dating a co-worker, you also need to have some consideration for your other co-workers. They probably don’t want to hear about your relationship all the time, nor do they want to end up being in the middle of any arguments you and your partner may be having. Again, keep your relationship separate from the workplace so you don’t make anyone uncomfortable.
  4. Don’t Show Preferential Treatment – “It is human nature to show preferential treatment to your significant other, but when you are dating in the workplace, this is something that you need to avoid doing. This is especially true if you are in a position of management. Other employees could end up becoming jealous if they think that your partner is moving ahead because of their relationship with you, or vice versa,” says an expert from Manhattan Women’s Health & Wellness.
  5. Corporate Email is for Business Only – Don’t send flirty messages or love notes online via company email or the corporate network. It is too easy for your employers to be able to check what you are doing online, and if you are using company emails to send messages to the co-worker you are dating, it is likely going to be frowned upon.
  6. Don’t Date Your Boss – No matter how nice or how good looking your boss may be, avoid the temptation to date them. This rarely tends to work out, and it can lead to a lot of issues in the workplace. Not only will your co-workers be jealous and feel that you are going to get preferential treatment, think about what will happen if you break up.
  7. Don’t Date for Workplace Advancement – It is never a good idea to date someone at work simply because you think it can help you to advance in your position. Not only is advancement unlikely, you are going to make enemies of your co-workers, because they will think that you are getting ahead because of who you are dating.
  8. Tell Your Boss – If you are dating a co-worker, and the relationship is becoming serious, you need to inform your employer about the relationship. It is better to be up front than end up in an awkward situation because the boss has found out before you had a chance to tell them. No matter how much you try to keep things quiet, there is always going to be someone who knows and blows the whistle on you.
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