Work Is Not A Place: Why Flexible Work Options Work

When Yahoo! decided to axe their work-from-home options for their employees, we talked about best practices for making work-from-home work. But we didn’t talk about the benefits of flexible work options for your employees.

Citrix Senior Vice President, Brett Caine, recently noted in a blog post that “today’s workplace is increasingly not about a specific place and time - it is about the work we do.” Doesn’t it make sense to pay employees for the work they actually do, not the amount of time they spent in your offices

I work from home and I’m a big fan of the flexibility it offers me. I’m given tasks and as long as I complete them before deadline, it doesn’t matter when I do the work or where. I can work from a cafe in the morning, or from my kitchen table at night. If it had an internet connection, I could work from Mars. It’s the best work setup I’ve ever had. Citrix’s research says 83% of companies will use a mobile workstyle strategy by 2014. So what’s so great about flexible workstyles Citrix crunched the numbers:

  • Flexible work programs reduce unscheduled absences by 63%
  • Stress is twice as high for employees without flex work options
  • Flex employees are 55% more likely to go the extra mile for employers
  • Turnover is double the rate for no-flex workers versus flex workers
  • 72% of job candidates pick the job with the most flexibility

As we’ve covered on this site before, having happy employees often directly correlates to higher profits. With flexible work options, employers can reduce costs related to:

  • work space  (less is needed);
  • sick time  (less is used);
  • productivity  (employees are more productive);
  • resources  (less computer space and access are needed, for example);
  • increased hours of customer service;
  • employee safety  (fewer accidents at the job site and commuting);
  • environmental requirements  (reducing the number of commuters);
  • relocation of employees  (teleworking may avoid relocating workers).

Do you allow your employees flexibility How has it worked out for you Let us know in the comments!



SXSW 2013: Video Interview with Andre Woolery, Entrepreneur and Visual Artist

SXSW had a conference track, “Blacks in Technology”, where we met with Andre Woolery, an entrepreneur and visual artist. He left an advertising career to take up art and specializes in creating digital art experiences.

In this video you will see art created by Andre Woolery with 7633 push pins, a representation in art of Facebook, Angry birds and more.

His technique to engage his community as a a small Business :

  1. Website
  2. Newsletter 
  3. Connecting on Social Networks . Having a social page on your website is a great idea
  4. Shows and Press Page . If you don’t have this on your website you should consider it now.


Don’t Miss These Small Business Events, Contests and Awards

Welcome to our latest curated list of events, contests and awards for small businesses, solo entrepreneurs and growing companies. To see a full list or to submit your own event, contest or award listing, visit the Small Business Events Calendar.

Featured Events, Contests and Awards

BlogHer Entrepreneurs 2013BlogHer Entrepreneurs 2013
March 21, 2013, Mountain View, CA

BlogHer Entrepreneurs is BlogHer’s third annual event designed for women who want to start something, whether their goal is to strike out on their own with a brilliant idea, or to bring an entrepreneurial approach to innovation within a company.

InfusionCon 2013InfusionCon 2013
March 27, 2013, Scottsdale, AZ

InfusionCon is a must-attend event for all Infusionsoft customers. There are a variety of sessions geared towards business owners, marketing and sales strategists, developers, administrators and more. Session topics cover topics relevant to small businesses, including Infusionsoft training, marketing strategy, social media, company culture, business management, automation, branding, copywriting, affiliate marketing and more. Twitter hashtag: #ICON13

Affiliate Management DaysAffiliate Management Days
April 16, 2013, San Francisco, CA

Discount Code:  SBTAM250   (Get $250 off)

Whether your company already offers an affiliate program, or you are considering offering an affiliate program, Affiliate Management Days offers insights into how other online retailers are successfully implementing and managing their affiliate programs. Learn about: affiliate recruitment techniques, communication with affiliates, affiliate marketing analytics, landing page and conversion optimization, legislative issues, mobile and affiliate marketing, and more. Twitter hashtag: #AMDays

More Events

More Contests and Awards

This weekly listing of small business events, contests and awards is provided as a community service by Small Business Trends and SmallBizTechnology.




App Developers Get Paid to Create Apps on App.net

App.net recently announced some changes to its Developer Incentive Program, including an increase in the amount it pays out to developers each month. The amount, which used to be $20,000 per month, is now being increased to $30,000 monthly.

The goal of the program, which was first introduced about five months ago, is to give developers an incentive to create quality applications for users. To do this, App.net will divvy up $30,000 per month and award it to  participating developers who create apps for the site.  The amount each participating developer gets is based on usage,  adoption of each app, and monthly feedback from users.   The apps can be found in App.net’s app directory.

app development

According to an article on the company’s blog, the change in amount is due to more developers participating in the program and more users paying for App.net accounts.  The home page says there are 100 third-party apps currently and the number is growing. The change is effective March 1, 2013.

While this means more money going to developers overall, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be easier for an individual developer to obtain a higher payout.  With more developers participating, the pie, while bigger, will also potentially be divided up into smaller slices.

Developers must apply and be accepted into App.net’s program.  If you are a developer you do not have to participate. While you can get paid to create apps, the company emphasized, “Developers are free to monetize their applications through their own mechanisms; this program should be thought of as a “bonus” ….”

App.net apps for Web, mobile, and desktop are all available from third-party providers within its app directory. The screenshot above shows a selection of Android apps available within the directory, where users can search by type of app and sort by popularity or by how long the apps have been available.  On the site, App.net says it “is an ad-free, subscription-based social feed and API.”  It launched in August of 2012 and is owned by Mixed Media Labs.

Much has been written about entrepreneurs making money by developing apps. The Four Hour Workweek author Tim Ferriss even featured an article on his site that gives a name to those who create apps:  appreneurs.

Yet according to the New York Times, only a small minority of developers and entrepreneurs actually make a living developing apps.   Techcrunch has a piece on business models for app developers.  This other piece on Techcrunch also offers monetization strategies for apps.




SXSW 2013: Video Interview with Andre Woolery, Entrepreneur and Visual Artist

SXSW had a conference track, “Blacks in Technology”, where we met with Andre Woolery, an entrepreneur and visual artist. He left an advertising career to take up art and specializes in creating digital art experiences.

In this video you will see art created by Andre Woolery with 7633 push pins, a representation in art of Facebook, Angry birds and more.

His technique to engage his community as a a small Business :

  1. Website
  2. Newsletter 
  3. Connecting on Social Networks . Having a social page on your website is a great idea
  4. Shows and Press Page . If you don’t have this on your website you should consider it now.


SXSW 2013: Video Interview with Andre Woolery, Entrepreneur and Visual Artist

SXSW had a conference track, “Blacks in Technology”, where we met with Andre Woolery, an entrepreneur and visual artist. He left an advertising career to take up art and specializes in creating digital art experiences.

In this video you will see art created by Andre Woolery with 7633 push pins, a representation in art of Facebook, Angry birds and more.

His technique to engage his community as a a small Business :

  1. Website
  2. Newsletter 
  3. Connecting on Social Networks . Having a social page on your website is a great idea
  4. Shows and Press Page . If you don’t have this on your website you should consider it now.


Work Is Not A Place: Why Flexible Work Options Work

When Yahoo! decided to axe their work-from-home options for their employees, we talked about best practices for making work-from-home work. But we didn’t talk about the benefits of flexible work options for your employees.

Citrix Senior Vice President, Brett Caine, recently noted in a blog post that “today’s workplace is increasingly not about a specific place and time - it is about the work we do.” And doesn’t it make sense to pay employees for the work they actually do, not the amount of time they spent in your offices

I work from home and I’m a big fan of the flexibility it offers me. I’m given tasks and as long as I complete them before deadline, it doesn’t matter when I do the work or where. I can work from a cafe in the morning, or from my kitchen table at night. If it had an internet connection, I could work from Mars. It’s the best work setup I’ve ever had. Citrix’s researchsays 83% of companies will use a mobile workstyle strategy by 2014. So what’s go great about flexible workstyles Citrix crunched the numbers:

  • Flexible work programs reduce unscheduled absences by 63%
  • Stress is twice as high for employees without flex work options
  • Flex employees are 55% more likely to go the extra mile for employers
  • Turnover is double the rate for no-flex workers versus flex workers
  • 72% of job candidates pick the job with the most flexibility

As we’ve covered on this site before, having happy employees often directly correlates to higher profits. With flexible work options, employers can reduce costs related to:

  • work space  (less is needed);
  • sick time  (less is used);
  • productivity  (employees are more productive);
  • resources  (less computer space and access are needed, for example);
  • increased hours of customer service;
  • employee safety  (fewer accidents at the job site and commuting);
  • environmental requirements  (reducing the number of commuters);
  • relocation of employees  (teleworking may avoid relocating workers).

Do you allow your employees flexibility How has it worked out for you Let us know in the comments!



How to Finance Your First Business Book #BizBookAwards

You’ve finished that first business book. Whether to establish your expertise in a specific niche, build a brand for a new or existing business, or bring in additional revenue, your new book now needs to be published and placed in the hands of your target audience. You’ve decided to go it alone as a self-publisher, but there’s just one problem.

How do you fund your first book before making even a single sale

In a Twitter chat on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, we examined some of the approaches for raising money to fund your first self-publishing projects. Guests included Nancy Spooner Bsharah (@SurfDateBook) Co-author of Everything I Know About Dating I Learned Through Surfing and Susan Payton (@EggMarketing), Author of 101 Enrepreneur Tips and Internet Marketing Strategies for Entrepreneurs.

Leading the discussion were Ivana Taylor (@DIYMarketers), Publisher of DIYMarketers and Book Review Editor for Small Business Trends and Anita Campbell (@SmallBizTrends), Founder of the Small Business Book Awards, and the Co-author of Visual Marketing, published by Wiley.

Here are excerpts from the chat:

But how, asked some, does crowdfunding work, and what steps can an author take to get started

But, will it really work, some participants wanted to know

Participants of the chat also came up with suggestions for generating interest in your fundraising campaign.

And what kind of qualities, tools, and resources must you have to create a successful fundraising effort for your next book

This chat was in honor of the Small Business Book Awards. Cast votes for your favorite titles and book resources through March 26, 2013.  Big shout out to Namecheap, the Presenting Sponsor of the Awards. Namecheap’s generosity made it so that no entrance fees were required from nominees.