How to decipher hospital billing to better control health care costs
As the health care system becomes more transparent, it’s important for consumers to take more ownership of their health care costs. One way to start that shift is to closely scrutinize hospital bills. The way the system is structured, it’s too confusing and unclear, so patients don’t even take the time to try to figure […]
Ellen Burts-Cooper: Showing the heart of your business through philanthropy
Philanthropy has been defined in a broad sense as goodwill to fellow members of the human race in an active effort to promote overall human welfare. As it pertains to individuals and enterprises of all sizes, philanthropy is described as the practice of giving resources and time to help make life better for other people. […]
A look at how ERISA affects benefits today — and how a wrap product can help
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) was originally designed for the protection of individuals enrolled in pension plans. In fact, ERISA actually has a pretty interesting history. Back in the ’60s pension reform gained some momentum after the Studebaker Corporation (the automotive manufacturer) closed its plant and due to a poorly funded […]
Bill Treasurer: A good eye — Leadership coach pitches advice to the Pirates
At this year’s Pittsburgh Pirates spring training in Bradenton, Fla., I was asked to lead motivational leadership sessions for the baseball players and management. The invitation came after Manager Clint Hurdle read my latest book, “Leaders Open Doors.” But what I didn’t realize was that I would learn as much about leadership from the Pirates […]
Dennis Seeds: What happens when you share an idea or vision from your imagination
Sometimes when a dream occurs, it vanishes almost immediately, or it evolves into something more. What brings this to mind are recent efforts to update aspects of Cleveland’s Group Plan of 1903, an iconic vision that helped shape the heart of downtown Cleveland. While it took the next 30 years or more to see it […]
What you can do now to avoid outliving your retirement savings
America is facing a crisis, as the baby boomer generation heads into retirement and realizes — too late — it may not have set aside enough assets. Most Americans have an average savings of only $3,000 to $10,000, and the Social Security Administration says 34 percent of the workforce has no retirement savings. A reasonable […]
Phil Hoyt: Four reasons every company needs a mobile-responsive website
Once a term reserved for the most innovative of digital companies, “mobile friendly” has become an outdated way of thinking about mobile communication. Consider this: By the end of 2013, there were more mobile devices on Earth than people, according to a new report. With the universal adoption of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, […]
A book can be an effective way to get your message out to your peers, customers and employees
Being able to tell your story is critical in today’s fast-paced world. Media options fight for attention, making it imperative to identify new channels where you can stand out. We launched Smart Business Books to provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to tell their stories in greater detail and share lessons learned. Over the past few years, […]
Jean Bourgeois: Using employee-led teams to advance business initiatives can bring impressive results
Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” It is also true that a small group of thoughtful, committed employees can change your company for the better. Every business has myriad initiatives it would like […]
At the top of his game: Pat Riley defied the odds to build a championship team
Many organizations can point to one defining moment behind their success. For President Pat Riley and the Miami Heat, that came in 2010 when LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade signed as free agents. That trio led the Heat to the NBA finals three years in a row, winning championships the last two seasons. […]