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1. Making charitable donations by Dec. 31, can help charities as well as the tax situation of individuals and businesses that are donating. The state of Michigan offered special tax credits to donations made to certified organizations providing overnight accommodations, food or meals to indigents. This Michigan tax credit, which will be eliminated in 2012, is 50 percent of the contribution — or up to $100 on a single return and up to $200 on a joint return. These credits also can be combined with any federal tax deduction. Food banks are at www.gcfb.org or www.forgottenharvest.org . 2. Donations of unwanted furniture and clothing, should be made to the Salvation Army or other thrift stores by Dec. 31. 3. Homeowners should pay property taxes and mortgage payments so that the funds are  received by Friday, Dec. 30. 4. Homeowners in need of a new appliance such as a refrigerator, dishwasher, washer or dryer should purchase it by Dec. 31, before the tax breaks expire. 5. Self-employed and

During research for a recently released book, Let Go to Grow; why some businesses thrive and others fail to reach their potential (Palari Publishing, 2011), the authors spoke with more than 100 small and midsize business owners. They discovered that it is possible to have a profitable, growing business in this economy, but you need to be willing to take a close look at how you are managing your business.   1. Adventure is just bad planning. Have you had enough of the rollercoaster, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants method?  Try planning instead, there is a simple three-step process.  First, you have to set written goals. What do you want to achieve in 2012?  It seems like such a simple question, but many business people go year after year without ever deciding exactly what they want to achieve.  Amazingly, these business owners are often surprised when results are disappointing. What are your revenue goals?  What profit percentages do you want and need to make?  Do you want to expand ope

Hoboken, NJ (December 2011)— “If a business is earning a profit, many business managers simply assume that cash flow is satisfactory. But even if profit is good, cash flow can be bad.” Cash flows pose an unending challenge to business owners and managers because they have to be carefully managed. Here are 11 things to do to for good cash flow: 1. Respect and understand financial statements. According to some surveys, 25 percent of businesses don’t even maintain accounting records (let alone produce financial statements). “The bottom line for small business owners is simple,” says Tracy. “If you don’t make an effort to prepare, review, and completely understand your financial statements, then you need to ask yourself why you’re in business in the first place. And this especially holds true for the statement of cash flows, because an abundance of invaluable information is available from this most commonly overlooked and mismanaged financial statement.” 2. Plan, do projections, and plan

With the National Transportation Safety Board urging all 50 states and Washington D.C. to ban the use of all cellphones while driving, including hands-free devices, what implications does this have for employers?  Six Reasons It’s Not Just About Talking Behind the Wheel Anymore When the BlackBerry was introduced in 2002, people began conducting business from anywhere. That led to an increase of lawsuits in which employers incurred significant liability for accidents caused by employees talking on a cell phone while driving. To avoid that liability, employers began implementing and enforcing policies defining when and how employees may use a cell phone for work while they are driving. Pepper Hamilton LLP labor and employment attorney Robert C. Ludolph notes, “If an employee had a car accident while talking on a cell phone, those policies helped employers establish that they were not vicariously liable, because the employee was not carrying out their job duties by talking on the phone, a

Southfield chamber hosts brunch Wednesday Southfield Area Chamber of Commerce will host its 1st Annual Holiday Brunch 9 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 14, Regency Manor, 25228 West 12 Mile Road, Southfield. It will feature Colin McConnell, president of BizMatch Connect. The cost is $10 for chamber members and $15 for non members. Visit www.southfieldchamber.com/brunch or call 248-557-6661 or email info@southfieldchamber.com Social Media is a Party in Detroit on Thursday Social Media is a Party is hosting a panel discussion, “How We Can Create a Thriving Future for Detroit.” It starts with registration at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 15 at The Red Grape Lounge in The Kresge Building, 1201 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Featured panelists include: Karen Dumas, Former Chief of Communications & External Affairs for the City of Detroit; Toby Barlow, Executive Creative Director at Team Detroit; Rabbi Jason Miller, Rabbi at Congregation T’chiyah and Phillip Cooley, Owner of Slows Bar BQ.

 Reuters announced the global expansion of its prestigious Journalism Trainee Program, an initiative designed to support the future of journalism by providing opportunities for aspiring journalists around the world. For more than fifty years, this program has brought Reuters first-rate journalists, some of whom are running its newsrooms today. Beginning in 2012, Reuters will expand its nine-month London-based training program to include New York and Asia. University graduates, working journalists and other professionals wanting to move into journalism can apply for the highly competitive program that involves hands-on training in the classroom and on the newsroom floor. Trainees who meet Reuters rigorous standards will be placed in staff jobs and assigned mentors to guide their careers at the company. ”We are reinvesting in journalism through this highly competitive training program and, at the same time, strengthening our position as an industry leader,” said Stephen Adler, Reuters ed

Expert Reveals Secrets of ‘Extreme Telecommuting’ You don’t have to tell Barry Frangipane that the Internet has made the world a little smaller. Frangipane, a software engineer, was used to telecommuting from his home in Tampa Bay, but he didn’t realize how far telecommuting could reach until he read Under the Tuscan Sun, a book about an American who chucked it all to live in Italy. “The key about Under the Tuscan Sun was that they had a ton of money,” said Frangipane, author of The Venice Experiment (www.veniceexperiment.com), a memoir that chronicles their year living in Europe while he telecommuted to his software job in the states. “Shoot, anyone could move to a foreign country with a ton of money. We wanted to see if a typical middle-class couple could do it, with a job. We looked at the realities of it, and theorized it could work. On the downside, my wife Debbie wouldn’t be able to keep her job, as she did not telecommute. On the upside, we could sell both cars and eliminate the

Real Property Management North Metro is at 2265 Livernois, Suite 900, Troy. For information, call 248-808-6550 or visit rpmnorthmetro.com. Serving Oakland and Macomb counties.

Exchange information with other investors, contractors and other professionals. Sponsored by Real Estate Investors Assoc. of Oakland, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday Dec.8 at Club Venetian, 29310 John R. Road, north of 12 Mile Rd on John R., Madison Heights. Seminar is free to members. $20 nonmembers. Visit www.REIAofOAKLAND.com or call 800-747-6742.

The Murphy House Bed & Breakfast is hosting a Holiday Trunk Show 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, featuring Gaylotta P. Murray from Stella & dot. Light refreshments, beautiful fashion accessories, and tour of The Murphy House B&B, located at 28 Franklin Blvd., Pontiac. For questions, email Murphyhouse28@gmail.com or call Pat at 248-318-9795.

The Inventors Council of Mid-Michigan, (ICMMP) Meeting is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday Dec. 8 at The Town Office in Flushing, Michigan. (Directions below)  The evening features a tour of the facilities and programs offered to start inventors and entrepreneurs at the Town Office locations. There will be a presentation by Chris Moultrup and Heather Fortin of the Mid Michigan Innovation Center and Blue Water Angels (Investment Group) from Midland. There will be a holiday get together following the regular meeting with pizza, salads, soft drinks, and dessert. For information, contact Michael Ball, president of Inventors Council of Mid-Michigan at 810-245-5599 or michaelball@TurboUSA.com.   Directions to The Town Office in Flushing From Flint & North:  Take the Pierson road exit west  off I-75. Go west on Pierson (apx 2 1/2 miles) to where it ends at Flushing Road. Take a right on Flushing road and follow it into the city (aprox. 2 miles). When you get into town, drive through the f

by Doug Brown of ASTI Environmental of Brighton. I would like to share  some helpful tips on how to attend a Business Holiday Party and what pitfalls to avoid.  I am a bit of an expert as I have broken just about every rule I will cite: Notice the first word in Business Holiday Party is Business. Your goal is to get a business opportunity not "win the party." 1. Leave the cellphone/Droid/iPad/Blackberry/iPad/iPhone/iMac/. 2. Bring your own name badge. Yes this sounds a little weird, but if the adhesive or clamp on the back of your name badge has ever ruined your clothes you know what I mean. Your name sloppily handwritten with a heavy black sharpie does not make a good first impression either. 3. My mom always said to stay away from religion, cars and politics when trying to be a good conversationalist and my mother was always right.  Quoting Rush Limbaugh or Rachel Maddow will not win you many friends. 4. Watch the drinks — no one does business with the life of the party

Plante Moran Director of Recruiting notes uptick in hiring trends for its professional practices               “The Holidays are Not a Slow Time for Job Offers” Southfield - Plante Moran, the nation’s 12 th largest public accounting and business advisory firm, is seeing an uptick in hiring, according to Paula Frerichs, the firm’s director of recruiting. “We are seeing increased hiring needs at Plante Moran and hearing about growing employment demands from peer firms as well. This corresponds with recent national statistics pegging unemployment among accounting professionals at only 3.5 percent,” notes Frerichs. Plante Moran has 135 firm-wide accounting, tax and management consulting interns and entry-level staff, hired from on-campus spring and fall recruiting, scheduled to begin in January 2012. This is not a record number according to Frerichs but is closer to peak recruitment levels than recent years. From an experienced hire perspective, the firm openings are at a thr

  If you're over 50 and job hunting, you know that it can be particularly tough sledding, and you need a thick hide. Here are five key steps for snagging a potential employer's interest and landing an interview. They come from Tucker Mays and Bob Sloane, who are the principals of OptiMarket, an executive job search coaching firm. They also are co-authors of the book, Fired at 50: How to Overcome the Greatest Executive Job Search Challenge.    1. Address the age issue and don't be defensive. Offer examples in your career history that reinforce your “agelessness" by offering examples of your ability to solve problems, manage people, exercise good judgment and offer leadership.    2. Show you are flexible. Describe how you have modified your approach to fit different challenges and varied business cultures. Talk about the times you've had to adjust to changing priorities, make quick decisions with limited information, produce with fewer resources, and manage individ

Foxboro, MA—In a perfect world, we’d all be looking forward to the holiday season without anxiety. Unfortunately, for most employees, that isn’t even close to being the case. Times have been tough, and for several years, workers have been stretched thin as they try to do more with less. They’re feeling discouraged, tired, and perpetually stressed, and to make matters worse, many individuals are worried about the higher-than-usual personal expenses associated with the upcoming holiday season. As an employer, you might want to thank and reward your people for their hard work with a raise or holiday bonus…if only you had the funds. While you can’t distribute money you don’t have, according to Todd Patkin, you can take decisive steps to make your employees feel happier and more appreciated. And all you have to do is tap into the Thanksgiving spirit.  “People will never admit it, but money is not the thing they desire most from their work. Instead, showing appreciation, respect, and, yes, e

The Troy Chamber of Commerce is hosting a county-wide chamber networking event, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Tre Monti Ristorante, 1695 E. Big Beaver Road in Troy. The event, sponsored by Paesano Akkashian, P.C., includes appetizers/cash bar. The cost is $10 for members of Oakland County chambers and $25 for non-members. For reservations, call 248-641-8151, email theteam@troychamber.com or www.troychamber.com/cal .

by Darian Rodriguez Heyman, former executive director of the Craigslist Foundation. He will speak at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at Nonprofit Enterprise at Work Inc. ( NEW), Get Connected event in Detroit.  1. How to get your board involved in fundraising:  Stage a board member thank-a-thon. Tons of nonprofits experience frustration with getting their boards to fundraise; in  fact, it’s the second biggest reasons why executive directors  leave their posts according to CompassPoint’s “Daring to Lead” study. Any easy way to give board members a chance to dip their toes in the waters of donor engagement is staging a thank-athon. The key is to make it easy for board members to participate, and to help them understand that fundraising is much more than making an ask. This will also help to improve relationships with your donors, who will be delighted to receive a thank you call without an attached ask. 2.  How to increase your chances of getting a grant: Never apply for a grant without contact

The Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce will join with local business leaders to celebrate 20 years of community engagement with an awards dinner at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Lake Orion 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1. As a part of this event, the Auburn Hills Chamber is currently accepting nominations for six awards including: Blue Cross Blue Shield Business of the Year Award- Honoring a business of any size that has demonstrated substantial growth, prosperity, distinctiveness or leadership this year. Employee of the Year Award- Celebrating the best and brightest in the community; demonstrated through hard work, accomplishment and contribution. OU INC and the School of Engineering and Computer Science Innovator of the Year Award- Provide the best example of innovation among the membership as expressed through cutting-edge technology or creative processes, systems or products. Crittenton Hospital Best in Community Award- Recognize the organization that has contributed the most to t

Association for Corporate Growth Detroit Chapter will host a meeting on the pros and cons of joint ventures, 7 to 9 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 8 at Glen Oaks Golf Club, 30500 W. Thirteen Mile Road, Farmington Hills. A panel of experts, including Bob Coury, managing director, Deloitte Corporate Finance, LLC. will provide real world experiences in organizing domestic and international joint ventures. The cost is $25 for Corporate Growth members and $45 for guests. The cost includes a hot breakfast. To register, contact Sharon Kimble at 877-894-2754 or visit www.acg.org/detroit. Building customer loyalty A seminar titled “How to Measure & Build Customer Loyalty” will be presented by Robert Carlstedt, President of Birch International Ltd. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 8 at Rochester First Assembly of God, 4435 North Rochester Road, Rochester. The seminar is free and includes a pizza and soft drink meal. For information, call 248 652-3353 ext 322. Visit RochesterFirst.org.

Nov. 8: Sales seminar Automation Alley hosts a sales seminar called "Fill your pipeline, feed your success," 8:30 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 at Automation Alley Headquarters, 2675 Bellingham, Troy. The cost is $20 in advance and $30 at the door $30 for members. It is $40 in advance and $50 at the door for nonmembers. Call 800-427-5100 or visit automationalley.com . Nov. 16: Writing press releases A workshop on writing effective press releases presented by Matt Friedman of Tanner Friedman Strategic Communications is 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 at Automation Alley Headquarters, 2675 Bellingham, Troy. Call 800-427-5100 or visit automationalley.com .

ROYAL OAK Nov. 2: Social media A workshop to help businesses, nonprofit organizations and individuals develop social media programs is 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Nov. 2 at Vogel Social Media, 1500 N. Stephenson Highway, Suite 235, Royal Oak. Eric Vogel, president of Vogel Social Media, and Colin McConnell, president of Biz Match Connect will conduct the workshop's three sessions. The first will be an overview of social media, including Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. It will be followed by two detailed sessions on how to use Facebook and LinkedIn. Refreshments will be served. The fee for the workshop is $60. Register in advance at socialmediatrainingworkshop.eventbrite.com or call 248-562-7685 or at the door. BIRMINGHAM Nov. 2: Walsh College president to speak at Influential Women   Stephanie Bergeron President and CEO, Walsh College will be the featured guest speaker for the Influential Women Series is 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 2, at The Community House, 380 South

 Downers Grove, IL—More than 14 million Americans are looking for work, yet 3.1 million jobs remain unfilled because hiring managers at top U.S. companies are unable to find qualified candidates, according to a recent study by the Career Advisory Board, established in 2010 by DeVry University of New York, There will be a live blog chat on new research and actionable advice for job seekers on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 10:00 AM CST. Career Advisory Board member, author and speaker, Jason Seiden, will offer insights on the Job Preparedness Indicator and its implications for succeeding in the job search. Visit CareerAdvisoryBoard.com to participate.  The Job Preparedness Indicator assessed the value of key skills to determine what attributes employers consider most important but are least common among job seekers. Nearly 550 hiring managers at top U.S. companies and more than 730 job seekers were surveyed. Key findings include: Many job seekers are overconfident and do not displa

Most laymen believe that greed is at the heart of family blood fights over an inheritance, but attorney and author P. Mark Accettura – expert on inheritance conflict resolution and elder abuse – says it is a myth that selfish motives are the driving force behind family blood baths after a parent has died.“The fight for money and things, such as Dad’s watch or Mom’s wedding ring, is not about the object or money itself, but is really about what the money or object symbolizes – importance, love, security, self-esteem, connectedness and immortality,” says Accettura whose conclusions are based on three decades in the legal trenches aided by five years of research in social psychology, evolutionary psychology, psychiatry, gerontology, and neuropsychology. That life experience and research culminated with the August 2011 release of Blood & Money: Why Families Fight Over Inheritance and What to Do About It (ISBN 978-0-9669278-4-9, Collinwood Press, Farmington Hills, MI, 2011, www.BloodAnd

JobFairGiant.com is sponsoring the Empowering Michigan Job Fair, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, October 27 at the Holiday Inn Hotel, 17123 North Laurel Park Drive in Livonia. The following local companies will be ready to interview and discuss hiring opportunities: Delta Connection - Hiring Flight Attendants Hallite Seals Rainbow Rehabilitation Harvey Industries JP Morgan Chase Mortgage Citigroup Mortgage Harley-Davidson - Hiring Engineers George Johnson & Company Proper Group International Trinity Transportation Sears Home Improvement AT&T The Livonia Michigan Job Fair event is free to the public and will offer attendees an opportunity to visit with business representatives about job openings. Businesses interested in registering for a booth should contact JobFairGiant.com at 734-956-4550. Additional expo information is available at www.JobFairGiant.com or call 734-956-4550.

CLAWSON Oct. 25: Women seminar Women, Money & Power Seminar is 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 25 at Leon & Lulu Lifestyle Shop, 96 W. 14 Mile Road, Clawson. An opportunity to shop and learn your financial personality. The event is free, light refreshments will be served. To register, email trisia.e.gotham@flagstar.com or call 248-312-5815. BIRMINGHAM Oct. 25: Marketing & Sales Executives of Detroit gala Scott Monty, manager of global and multimedia communications for Ford Motor Company, will be the first recipient of the Marketing & Sales Executives of Detroit’s (MSED) new Trailblazer award at the organization’s annual Black-Tie Gala to be held  Oct. 25 at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. Proceeds from this event benefit scholarships, educational seminars and charitable contributions. Tickets for the black-tie event cost $150 for MSED members, $195 for non-members. The price includes an elegant cocktail reception, dinner and afterglow reception. For information, call 248-643-6590

Engineering jobseekers can attend the Engineering Society of Detroit’s 2011 Fall Engineering and Technology Job Fair, 2 to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24 at Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave. in Novi. Visit http://ww2.esd.org/EVENTS/2011/2011-10-24-JobFair.htm. The Empowering Michigan Job Fair, is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Livonia. It will feature careers from the following fields: retail, engineering, information technology, healthcare, sales, automotive, manufacturing, technical, banking/finance, machining, robotics, wireless technology, management, call center and customer service. The Economic Development Authority of St. Clair County is hosting a Regional Job Fair is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4 at the M-TEC Building in Port Huron. Visit http://www.stclairjobhub.myevent.com/index.php

TROY Oct. 19: Social media strategies Automation Alley is hosting “Case Studies: Integrating Social Media with Your Business Strategies,” from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19 at Automation Alley Headquarters, at 2675 Bellingham, in Troy. Presented by Automation Alley’s Business Growth Committee, this event will feature presentations by Janet Tyler, president of Airfoil Public Relations, and Microsoft Senior Public Relations Manager Amy Messano. The event begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by the presentation at noon and question and answer. The cost for members is $20 with pre-registration or $30 at the door. The cost for non-members is $40 with pre-registration or $50 at the door. There is no cost for foundation members. Call 1-800-427-5100 or email info@ automationalley.com . BIRMINGHAM Oct. 20: Social media for business The Social Media Navigation Guide For Small Business owners and individuals is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at the Community House, 380 South Bates Street, Bir

The Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Clarkston, Auburn Hills and Pontiac Regional Chamber will host the 5th Annual Bulls Eye! Right on Target Small Business Conference, 8:15 a.m. to noon Oct. 27 at Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. The speaker line-up includes Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, Gerard van Grinsven - President & CEO of Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, Tim Green - President of the Referral Institute and Terry Bean - Author and founder of Motor City Connect. Patterson will present the welcome address. van Grinsven will share how his philosophy of employee and customer engagement helps outperform the competition. He has opened 20 Ritz-Carlton hotels worldwide.  The half-day conference, sponsored by HAP, Comcast, Safety Technology, YourSource Management Group and The Oakland Press, will include the speakers, breakfast and networking. Table exhibit space is available. Call 248-666-8600. Attendees can r

 Oct. 17: Inforum panel Inforum and Inforum Center for Leadership will host a panel to boost the number of women on Michigan’s corporate boards to create a competitive edge. The event, “Claiming Corporate Leadership: Michigan Women’s Leadership Index and the Future of Our State,” is noon to 1:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17. at the Westin Hotel, 1500 Town Center, Southfield. Tickets for Inforum members is $50; and for nonmembers, it is $65. To register, visit www.InforumMichigan.org. Oct. 18: Insurance coverage “Crash Course in Insurance Coverage” will be presented by Instructor Jody Lipton, a personal injury attorney, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18. There is no charge, RSVP requested. To register, contact The Community House, 380 South Bates Street, Birmingham. Call 248-644-5832 or visit www.communityhouse.com. Oct. 18: Sales workshop Sales Mastery from the Top Down is 8:30 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Automation Alley, 2675 Bellingham Dr., Troy. This workshop is for owners, managers and t

The Inventors Council of Mid-Michigan is holding its monthly meeting, Thursday Oct. 13 at Walli's Restaurant & Banquet Center,in the upper level, 1341 S. Center Road in Burton. The speaker will be Dave Allen of Wow Products USA of Caro, Mich., a company that provides manufacturing, marketing, and consulting for inventors and small businesses. The council will be continuing the development of the “Cubicle Cop,” group project. They are now ready to make the tools and get ready for production. The cost to attend the meeting is $5. For information, call Mike Ball at 810-245-5599.

ROCHESTER Oct. 11: Marketing Plan Design “Designing a Marketing Plan to Grow Your Business” is a seminar presented by Andrew Reyntjes, General Motors Alternate Energy Fleet Sales Manager. It will be held 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11 at Rochester First Assembly of God, 4435 N. Rochester Road. The seminar is free and pizza and soft drinks are provided. For information, call 248-652-3353 ext 322. Visit www.RochesterFirst.org . KEEGO HARBOR Oct. 11: Bloomfield North Rise & Shine Bloomfield North Area Chamber Monthly Rise & Shine is 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11 at Back to Wellness, 2920 Pridham St., Keego Harbor. The cost is $3 for members and $5 for nonmembers. SOUTHFIELD Oct. 12: Global Market’s Impact John Augustine, CFA and Chief Investment Strategist for Fifth Third Private Bank will share his views on the global economy, 8:30 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12 at The Skyline Club, 2000 Town Center, 28th floor, Southfield. Call 248-603-0304 for information. LAKE ORION Oct. 12: Chamber networking