If dinner-time talk is focused on whether you should cash out stock options, reallocate IRA funds, or save for your child’s education, it may be time to get some financial planning help. Yet, if you’re like many people, finding the right financial planner — and one who fits within your budget — sometimes seems more daunting than the task of doing your own financial … [Read more...] about How to Select and Work with a Financial Planner: Qualifications, cost, personality, availability are just a few factors one must consider

The Business: A flamingo Glass & Engraving Co. The operation, which is based in Las Vegas at 2504 Chandler Ave. in the Park 2000 office center near McCarran International Airport, makes a variety of decorative items using stained and etched glass and engravings on a number of surfaces. The firm makes trophies, plaques and other displays for corporate and government … [Read more...] about A Part of the Community: Business owner boosts success through community involvement

Partnerships, acquisitions and expansions take place in Nevada’s telecommunications industry Nevada Bell expands services In Reno, Nevada Bell’s DSL service is expanding almost as quickly as the service itself operates. DSL — digital subscriber line — allows users to surf the Internet at speeds up to 200 times faster than a standard dial-up modem, and the always-on feature … [Read more...] about Teleconnections: Coming Together

Library and supportive staff help allay fears Knowledge is power. People fear what they don’t understand, especially when it comes to their own bodies. A patient hears the diagnosis, cancer, and goes numb. Then, when the shock wears off, he or she dives into the often frustrating and exhausting task of researching the disease. What the patient finds could mean peace of mind, a … [Read more...] about Vital Signs: Carson-Tahoe Cancer Resource Center

The teachers union tax initiative would create a state bureaucracy that would share personal between the state and the IRS. If there’s one thing our state doesn’t need, it’s a state Internal Revenue Service. And Nevada businesses certainly don’t need more paperwork and additional taxes. But, if the teachers union has its way, business operating in Nevada will be burdened with … [Read more...] about Nevada Doesn’t Need Another IRS

The retirement plans our parents used are a thing of the past:’ says Rick Laspaluto, a registered representative with Tri-Star Management, Inc., in Las Vegas. "One third of your retirement needs will come from Social Security," adds Phillip Leathers, an investment representative for Edward Jones Investments. "One third from Social Security. Do you figure it will still be … [Read more...] about Looking Ahead to the Future: Retirement Planning for Small Business & the Self-Employed

The retirement plans our parents used are a thing of the past:’ says Rick Laspaluto, a registered representative with Tri-Star Management, Inc., in Las Vegas. "One third of your retirement needs will come from Social Security," adds Phillip Leathers, an investment representative for Edward Jones Investments. "One third from Social Security. Do you figure it will still be … [Read more...] about Looking Ahead to the Future: Retirement Planning for Small Business & the Self-Employed

Business isn’t like baseball. Just because you build it doesn’t mean they’ll come. There’s research to do, campaigns to create, experts to hire. The tools of the game are discipline, analysis and information. won’t ever happen overnight. John Graham, owner of Graham Communications, a national marketing and consulting firm, says marketing is as vital to the life of a business as … [Read more...] about Marketing 101: Hitting a Hime Run for Your Business

A Recent Decision by the Nevada Supreme Court, Dillard Department Stores v. Beckwith, highlights the importance of a clear policy regarding employee leaves of absence. In particular, after Beckwith, employers should carefully consider and enforce rules regarding an employee’s treatment upon return to duty after a leave of absence. The Beckwith decision comes dangerously close … [Read more...] about Leave of Absense policies must be clear and enforced fairly

Narrow your focus When you decide to invest in the stock market, how do you refine the huge list of available equities down to just the most promising candidates? First, you keep in mind something that professional analysts must remember: Investing always requires weighing potential risk against potential reward. Analysts use certain criteria in an effort to focus their stock … [Read more...] about Picking Stocks

A lawsuit against the Hawaii Tourism Authority seeks to block the agency from proceeding with a three-year, $114 million marketing program until it does an assessment of potential environmental impact of more tourists and "alien species." The outcome of the lawsuit, filed by the Sierra Club in January, ultimately could prohibit tourism promotion in Nevada and at least 38 … [Read more...] about Lawsuit in Hawaii casts long ominous shadow on Nevada’s primary industry

Putting your money where their mouth is can be an intimidating proposition, and many are afraid to rely in money managers to monitor their financial investments. Some fear they’ll have to pay exorbitant fees. Others worry they won’t know what is happening with their money, or that they might actually lose money in the transaction. In such situations people are willing to … [Read more...] about Paragon Asset Management: Changing the way Las Vegas views investing

Who hasn’t been there? You buy a new home, choosing it for that amazing 20-foot ceiling, only to find your new furniture looks like Barbie Dream House accessories once inside. Or you begin moving in that custom-built cabinet only to find it won’t fit through the door. What about that dark corner you didn’t notice? Or the carpet that looked so great in the showroom, but now … [Read more...] about Interior Design Mistakes: Avoiding the most common pitfalls

Everyone, including myself has a complaint or criticism of our current and past Presidents. The complaints include things they have, and haven’t done. Thinking through the process I have tried to incorporate in my company(s) philosophy in dealing with problems in business. I advise my staff that identifying a problem is the easy part. They must think it through and offer … [Read more...] about If I Were President: Part Two of a Series

For the past 14 years Nevada has been the fastest growing state in the nation. Experiencing a healthy and robust economy, a number of start-up firms have subsequently migrated toward Nevada’s promise of wealth, hoping to take advantage of the state’s many tax benefits and opportunities. Naturally, as more firms make their way into the state, competition for consumer dollars … [Read more...] about Top M&As: Ten Deals that Changed Nevada