Weblogic

I recently came to the stark realization that I am guilty of not practicing what I have advised others over the past several decades — the value of promoting a corporate brand from the perspective of short- and long-term benefits.

According to UNICEF, more than 1 billion  people around the world have no access to clean drinking water. An additional 2.6 billion people lack proper sanitation. Employees of American Water, the largest investor-owner water and wastewater utility company in the United States, are working to change that by donating to Water for People. With operations in Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras, India and Malawi, Water for People — formed in 1991 by leaders of the American Water Works Association who saw the cause as a social responsibility — helps to provide clean drinking water and sanitary facilities that cut down on disease.

Steve Evans thinks building a legacy for the greater good is a great place for a business person to start when planning the next tax break.

Gov. Crist answers head-on questions about workforce innovation, bringing in the automotive industry and beach-front construction issues.

An increasing number of businesses have moved from just having someone store their backup data tapes to using the Internet to download their records to a server located at another site. Businesses that want to have a constant presence on the Internet also seek to maintain a level of redundancy so that a system failure or power problem doesn’t knock down their Web site. There also is the growing trend of “cloud computing,” in which a business pays to utilize computer applications provided over the Internet by another entity. “With this economy, (having off-site data storage) is usually last on the ‘to do’ list, but it’s a must,” said Gina Smith, a former Silicon Valley technology analyst turned venture capitalist. “Storage on hard disks must be carefully monitored. There must be backups of backups, because hard disks are so prone to mechanical failure, as anyone who’s cracked their hard disk knows. Centralizing storage so it is easier to maintain and manage is paramount and worth every penny it costs.”

One of the most important decisions you’ll make regarding any new employee deals with whether to compensate him or her hourly — or put that person on salary. It’s not as cut-and-dried as you might think, and a little knowledge goes a long way toward making the best choice for your business.

One of the best business decisions I have made was to embrace the strategic planning process and make a commitment to do it every five years. So far, we have done it twice in the past decade and continually use the results to guide us through every major decision. I have had the good fortune of having a wonderful facilitator, a close friend of 30 years, a retired member of senior management for the Caterpillar Corporation and a mentor who offered advice throughout my professional career. He has been there to share insight and motivation at the many forks in the road one experiences in the development and operation of a business.

Bottom Line: Taking a Bite Out of Taxes

Your 2009 tax returns are now in the mail, unless you’ve filed an extension. Think you can rest on your laurels? Hardly. Taxes don’t file themselves, and procrastination almost always costs money. People in a rush tend to forget things, so get a grip and get a plan. Gather up and process all of your records in a timely manner and meet your filing deadlines. “It seems like just getting a handle on this year’s taxes is enough work, but if you start thinking ahead for next year now, you’ll have a whole heck of an easier time when next April rolls around,” says Mike Peterson, co-founder of the American Credit Foundation, a nonprofit consumer-credit counseling organization. In an article for DebtGuru.com, American Credit Foundation’s Web site, he points out that thinking about your taxes doesn’t end when you sign on the dotted line. Decisions made throughout the year have an effect on your business’s taxes.

“The state has a variety of economic stimulus measures in place to encourage economic recovery. I recommended several stimulus measures designed to help businesses and families in my 2010–11 budget recommendations. The focus of my administration’s agenda is job creation and tax relief through a variety of measures."

Taste Maker

Bourbon’s popularity in the 1970s meant wine was an untapped sales niche for Chan Cox, who decided to take full advantage. Today, he is the go-to guru for all things wine in Northwest Florida, with five retail stores open (Destin, Sandestin, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City Beach and Miramar Beach) and three more planned. Cox has taught wine classes, penned wine columns, hosted wine tastings and even advises customers on building wine cellars.