Work on active listening
 
Most people think they know what listening is—it is the act of hearing someone say something.  But there is a concept called active listening that can help improve your communication skills.
 
Active listening is based on the idea that when people look like they are listening, most of the time they are really doing something else or listening poorly at best.  What are we doing instead?
 
Any number of things from preparing our response before the person is even done talking to assuming what someone is going to say then letting our mind drift to other thoughts.
 
This kind of listening can hurt your communication because you miss key points and subtleties and your resulting answers will not be as powerful and personalized to what the speaker said.
 
You can improve your active listening by asking questions as the speaker goes along, without being rude of course, or training yourself to use verbal or non verbal queues every few moments to keep yourself focused and let the speaker know you are, truly, listening.
 
Opt for verbal or in person communication whenever possible
 
With today's technology, it can seem silly to ever have a meeting or strategy session in person. The advantage of in person meetings comes down largely to communications.  Virtual meetings can be inefficient as participants are distracted by other things on their computer or in their workplace.  Despite technological advances, there can still be hiccups in the virtual meeting such as poor audio quality or presentation materials not functioning.
 
Consider the cost of each meeting, especially regarding efficiency, time, and money. Decide if it is feasible to shift more meetings back to in person to improve communication.  These meetings have to be well planned, though, or they can be just as big a time sink as any other type of meeting. 
 
They are buying a relationship, not just a product or service
 
Amazon is great for buying all sorts of things from bicycles to toasters, but what it can't provide is personal, knowledgeable customer service and expertise on the items.  Nor can it provide a relationship that will extend forward to future purchases, as much as they try to spam you with personalized recommendation emails.
 
It is much the same in business.  Many businesses and customers don't just want to buy a product.  If they did, there are a hundred and one ways they could do that..  When they come to you, whatever your product or service, they are also seeking a relationship.
 
Remembering this is key to great communication and customer service.  If you forget to take the time to establish and nurture this relationship, that customer may buy whatever you are selling but you can be sure they are not coming back and won't be recommending you. 
Conclusion
 
Improving your communication is business starts with actively listening to what your customers and other stakeholders are actually saying, not what you think they are going to say.  Only then can you form a accurate and effective response. 
 
Once you have this mastered, your business relationships will flourish and with it many more clients and customers that come to you not only because you have a great product but because they know a great person is standing behind what they are purchasing and that you will be there when they need you.
 
 

Don't have the time or money to perform a complete overhaul of your furnace and heating system?  Has your building owner been slow to fix maintenance issues that are costing you more and more money on your monthly utility bills?
 
The life of business owners who rents or owns their own property is tough.  Not only do they have to run their business but also have to deal with issues related to the real estate or space they are occupying.
 
Here are a few quick and affordable ways to help you save money on energy costs to give you more cash flow to invest in your business.
 
Install a wireless thermostat with remote sensors
 
Many homeowners are reaping the benefits of advanced technology present in new thermostats.  They can control the thermostat from their smart phone when they are not home, adjust temperature in rooms separately, and some thermostats even learn how the homeowner uses their energy and suggests ways to save.
 
Business owners can benefit from this innovative technology too.  Depending on your type of business, you may have rooms or storage areas that need to be radically different temperatures.  Or maybe a particular area is only used once a week.  A modern thermostat with sensors spread across your building or work location can feed valuable information that can help the savvy business owner save huge on utility bills.
 
A few hours of caulking and weather stripping can save thousands
 
If your budget is tight and you are looking for quick ways to save money that have a high return from the start, this can be a great option. 
 
A simple handyman, some caulk, and a few hours of time can sweep an entire building and fix trouble areas that have simply worn away over time or were not caulked properly the first time.  This is especially helpful on older buildings that have not been recently renovated.
 
Seal of those pesky leaks and watch as the energy savings pile up as you are now heating or cooling only the inside and not the entire world outside your building.
 
Install LED bulbs, even if you think you replaced them already
 
By now, everyone has heard about replacing older bulbs with ones that are dramatically more energy efficient.  It is to the point where this advice is no longer taught, it is simply in the common conscience.
 
Yet, many businesses, buildings, houses, still have older bulbs that need to be replaced.  Perhaps the previous owners thought they had already been upgraded or maybe they missed more obscure bulbs like those in the garage or furnace room. 
 
A thorough scouring of every corner of the property that has a light will surely turn up a few rogue bulbs that need changing. 
 
Surprisingly, new bulbs like T8 fluorescents actually help with cooling bills too.  The amount of heat older model bulbs generate is not insignificant; all of those bulbs can add a few degrees to the overall heat in the building.  LED or high intensity discharge bulbs are cooler, helping reduce energy usage in more ways than one.
 
Encourage employees to fight zombie power suckers
 
Energy or power zombies are devices that consume a substantial amount of power while plugged in but turned off.
 
According to the IEA, devices still using power while switched off or in sleep mode waste up to $80 billion worth of electricity per year.  That is the equivalent of 133 coal-fueled power plants running full steam year round. 
 
Virtually all devices nowadays do this such as televisions, computers, printers, cell phone charges, etc.  Encouraging employees to combat zombie power draining can put a big dent in the monthly utility bill.
 
A great way to make this process less of a hassle is to utilize power strips.  Hooking all devices that don't need to be constantly on during the workday can be on the same strip.  A simple button can then turn off all the zombies in one fell swoop. 
 
Consider solar panels or encourage your landlord to do so
 
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the cost of installed solar electricity has fallen 73 percent in the past nine years.  This combined with the decreasing cost of installing the panels and infrastructure upfront along with tax credits from the government now make solar a viable option for more and more businesses and buildings than ever before.
 
How much you can take advantage of this trend will of course depend upon your situation.  If you are renting, there is not much you can do other than encourage your building owner to consider solar panels. 
 
If you own your own office, however, there is little reason not to have some solar panels installed or at least get a quote.  Virtually all buildings have empty, unused space on the roof just staring at the sun waiting to capture its free energy. 
 
 

One of the ways to protect the viability of your business is to take advantage of all tax deductions available. They can mean a significant difference in what you pay in taxes and small business owners should be familiar with the options open to them. Finding out and applying for a Home Office Tax Deduction can be complex; also, there are strict criteria that must be met. Here we make getting your home office as easy and simple as possible.

What can be claimed as Deductible Expenses?

Tax deductible expenses include mortgage interest, insurance, utilities, repairs, depreciation and more. Direct expenses like renovations for the office (and only the office) that includes costs like paint, remodeling, carpets, and similar items can be deducted in full. Non-direct expense like utilities must be calculated as a proportion of the office space in relation to the home, because such expenses are not only for your office space and separating the two is crucial.
What are the Criteria I must meet?
The IRS has clearly defined criteria that must be met. All expenses must pertain to costs relating to your business activity that are demonstrably separate from personal activity. This means that your home office must consist of a separate room/s in the house used exclusively for business purposes. Alternatively, it can be within a room used for personal purposes but in a clearly designated part of the room used exclusively for business. The type of home does not matter (duplex/apartment etc.) and there are no restrictions on numbers of inhabitants.

Two Ways to Claim your Home Office Tax Deduction

There are two different options to claim for your Home Office Tax Deduction, “The Regular Method” and the “Simplified Option”. You should choose whichever is easier and more cost effective for your circumstances. The Regular Method involves calculating expenses incurred such as heating, internet, rent etc. and submitting a total of the expenses as a proportion of the office space in relation to the home. Therefore, if your home is 200 square feet and your office is 50 square feet, you claim for 25% of your costs incurred.

The Simplified Option is designed to be more straightforward, allowing you to calculate the amount by simply multiplying the square footage of your office space by a figure given by the IRS. It is up to you to decide which will be more beneficial to you. The far easier option however, is the “Simplified Option.”

Choose the Simplified Option If…

Choose the Simplified Option if your home office is less than 300 square feet. This allows you to claim $5 per square foot of office space. For small businesses run from home in a spare room, this is ideal. Most experts recommend that if you have small home office of less than 100 square feet, you are better off using the simplified option.

Choose the Regular Method If…

If you have an office space of more than 100 square feet, can accurately record and present your expenses, are willing to have them scrutinized by the IRS and are able to wait longer to receive the tax deduction then choose the regular method. For office spaces of more than 100 square feet, you will usually receive a greater reduction than with the simplified method.

Be Careful when Claiming for Depreciation

If you choose the Regular Method and claim for tax reductions for office depreciation, then this has implications on capital gains tax. In short, the amount you claim in tax deduction for depreciation is liable for tax when you sell your home. This is something important to consider. Read more here
 

By looking to find the next generation of software developers, Google is changing the face of education
The problem with many courses is that they will inevitably have a hard time gaining a reputation amidst traditional degrees. In order to achieve parity in terms of credibility, they need differentiating factors. Online courses have to be somehow better in some regard or fill a basic need that is currently not serviced.
Training the Next Generation

That need has just been revealed. Google has blown open the concept of online courses with its Android development nanodegree. It is designed specifically to fulfil Google’s own need for Android developers, with the industry facing a critical shortage. The program’s creator, Sebastian Thrun says there are hundreds of thousands of coding jobs going unfilled.

Google’s nanodegree takes between 6-9 months to complete and is fully online. It differentiates itself from other courses through mentors, project grading, and guidance from Google’s experts in app development. It costs $200 a month, a tiny amount compared to conventional degrees but that’s not why this program is special. The real value lies in the expert tuition from Google’s own developers. If it wasn’t enough that the student can learn from Google experts, the degree may lead to a job with Google itself. Indeed, Google’s partnership with Udacity to deliver their nanodegree is primarily to fulfil their own developer shortages, with Google planning to hire the brightest and best.

Building Careers

Even those who do not get hired can expect a fantastic career in app development for other firms writing Android code. Thrun said, “If you do what we tell you to do with this program, you can get $100,000, $180,000 as an entry-level salary in Silicon Valley.”
This is staggering and its importance for app developers and the wider concept of nanodegrees cannot be understated. Online degrees needed a differentiator to come of age, and it has found it in the most spectacular and relevant way possible – they have been validated by arguably the world’s most relevant company.

Are there Alternative’s to Google’s nanodegree?

There are other nanodegrees offered by Udacity in tandem with software and tech companies. Those comparable to Google’s Android development degree are listed and are known to result in jobs in app development (or similar) shortly after graduation.
AT&T: IOS Developer Nanodegree, Front-End Web Developer Nanodegree
Amazon Services, AT&T, GitHub, Google: Full Stack Web Developer Nanodegree
Facebook, mongoDB, Zipfian Academy: Data Analyst Nanodegree

The bottom line

You don’t need a Google nanodegree to learn how to code. You can learn it yourself for free and display your talents on sites like http://insightdatascience.com. If your coding is good enough, you will be found. However, what the Google nanodegree and others are doing is formalizing the process, making it accredited and providing a more structured pathway to jobs in IT and app development. Combine that with expert tuition from leading developers looking to hire the students they teach and it is a win-win.

More people are looking to earn an extra income all the time. Some want to have more money to pay off debts, while others are looking to save up for a vacation. The internet has given rise to hundreds of websites that allow anyone to make a few extra dollars a day or even replace their full time income. 
 
Here are a few of the best and legitimate ways you can increase your income by doing work online. 
 
 
Amazon Associates
 
One of the best-kept secrets on the internet is Amazons referral program.  This program, which goes by the name Amazon Associates, allows anyone to use a customize link to send people to Amazon to purchase from their enormous selection.  Anything they buy within a 24-hour window will earn you a commission.  This commission could be between 4-10% depending on the type of item purchased. The price of the item costs the same whether the buyer used a referral link or not!  This program is a great way for a person with a large social media following or an active platform, such as a website, to make some extra income. 
 
Swagbucks
 
While less lucrative then some other options on this list, Swagbucks is a quick way to get started earning money on the internet.  Simply sign up and in seconds you will begin earning virtual currency for doing things you already do online.  Watching movies, taking surveys, and searching the web can all earn you Swagbucks.  These can then be traded in for gift cards, technology, clothing, and experiences.
 
Upwork
 
Upwork is the one of the largest freelance bidding sites.  Many jobs can be found here ranging from writing to programming to data entry. 
 
Making an account is easy and the site has multiple tests that help you prove you have the skills to complete a job.  Payment is quick and the company’s built in escrow and time tracking apps help protect both freelancer and client from abuse of the system. 
 
If you have a skill that involves a computer chances are there are people all over the world looking for help with that right now!
 
Slice The Pie
 
Slice The Pie is a website with a simple premise – you listen to a minute and a half of a song and write a short review, and you get paid. 
 
More than that, Slice The Pie is a site that allows up and coming artists or record labels to get instant feedback on tracks for a wide variety of people.  This affordable solution allows artists and bands to know what they need to improve and can provide them credibility when discussing signing with a record label.
 
Slice The Pie will not replace your full time job—not by any means.  Payouts per song review range from 6 to 15 cents and the review has to be well written and specific.  Participants will struggle to carve out anything close to a living wage so this site is best used as a fun distraction that you can do for a couple minutes a day to earn a few bucks over time.