Julie Rains's blog

Surefire Ways to Save on Summer Camp Costs

Your kids can have a blast at summer camp. Even better, you can send them there without also saying goodbye to loads of cash. Learn how.

9 Simple Steps To A Productive Meeting

Keep your next meeting short and to the point.

How To Eat Well And Stay Healthy Despite Long Work Hours

Long hours at the office are no excuse for an unhealthful diet.

How to Get a Groupon Refund When a Company Closes

I had a Groupon for a company that just went out of business. Yikes! Here's how I got my money back.

Career Advice for Those With Vanishing Professions

From manufacturing to travel agents, certain jobs and industries seem to be heading the way of the dodo. Here's what to do if your profession is vanishing.

The Art of the Reminder

Don't just remind vendors, clients, and employees of their obligations. Remind them why they agreed to those obligations in the first place.

Party Like It's 19.99: The Psychology of Pricing

Does the store you're shopping at want to be seen as a bargain? A purveyor of luxury goods? A renegade? The answer is in the last two digits of the price.

Unconventional Measures of Customer Service Excellence

Your customer service surveys and questionnaires may not be telling you what you need to know.

8 Simple Ways to Trigger Your Creativity

Success is 90 percent perspiration. Make the most of the remaining ten percent without breaking a sweat.

An Unplugged Weekend: 7 Tips To Make It Happen

These days, getting away from work doesn't really get you away from work.

7 Easy Ways to Motivate Anyone

Motivation comes from within. Here are seven ways to help your people find theirs.

How to Fix a Bike Flat

The open road, miles away from home (and cell coverage), is no place to discover that you don’t know how to repair a flat tire. Learn now.

Best Ways to Count (and Cash in) Your Change

Try these free, fast, and easy options to turn coins into cash.

How to Solve Common Business Problems

Hoping for a better run organization won't lead to one. Take a hard look at your business and start making improvements, one by one.

6 Ways to Raise the Bar on Employee Performance

Help your employees reach their potential and they'll help your business reach its potential.

Avoiding Social Media Slip-Ups at Work

Yes, you can get fired for complaining about work on Facebook, and even the smartest, savviest people can stumble. Follow these suggestions to stay safe.

Use Teachable Moments to Train Your Employees

Everyone makes mistakes, even your employees. Turn those errors into valuable employee training tools.

Book Clubs as Therapy

Regrets and conflict rarely surface during normal conversation, but a good book club can be a forum for the unexpressed, unexplored, and unresolved.

16 Simple Ways to Keep Customers

Getting customers is great, but keeping them is even better. Here's how to hang on to the most important part of your business.

5 Workplace Situations That Just Won't Wait

Small business owners face challenges to overcome everyday. Some can wait until tomorrow or next week. Others need to be tackled, head-on as soon as they arise.