A Brookings Institute report released in 2014 concluded that business dynamism, or the number of new businesses formed in the U.S. versus the number of closed businesses has slowed dramatically over the last few decades despite the record amount of money held by venture capital and banks for investments and loans to emerging growth business. The reasons are several fold but clearly one of the significant issues is the cost, both in terms of money and time in setting up a new business, including regulatory and compliance costs, labor, infrastructure and other costs. Costs for a startup business … [Read more...]
Finding Your Passion: The Confessions of a Confused Graduate
Freshmen year of college I thought I had it all figured out. I declared my major and worked hard in every class, whether it was Spanish 201 or Advanced Reporting. I loved to talk to people, to learn about others and their passions, and pass on this information through articles and stories. With every analysis, feature, and editorial, I felt validated and even more certain of my path. In the fall semester of my senior year, I decided to study abroad in Seville, Spain. Thus far, the decision to live in another country for a semester has been the best choice I’ve ever made, though it did have … [Read more...]
Five Steps Communities Can Take To Strengthen a STEM Education Program
NEWPORT NEWS, VA SEPTEMBER 08, 2015 Although the latest projections show that the rate of job increases in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields (STEM) over the next five to seven years will outstrip rate increases in non-STEM positions, Dr. Aaron Smith, author of “Awakening Your STEM School,” says that the country may not be able to meet the demand for the larger job-ready workforce unless communities focus on improving STEM education and attracting more students to science, technology, engineering and math. “We’re just not inspiring enough of our students to consider careers in … [Read more...]
Make Smart Financial Decisions in College
BOSTON, MA AUGUST 11, 2015 As the fall semester starts to creep up, incoming freshmen have a lot on their minds. Very few will consider their personal finances as a top priority as they enter the next four years of their life. That’s why national nonprofit, American Consumer Credit Counseling, has created some simple guidelines to help incoming freshmen make educated financial decisions. With most students graduating with a bachelor’s degree paying an average of $350 per month in loans over 18 years, ACCC believes it is imperative that they understand how to make money-savvy … [Read more...]
Lessons from educators who motivate, inspire and stimulate
Calling all current and future educators that need some illuminating truths and lessons on the ins-and-outs of teaching. Outliers in Education offers an in-depth look into the backgrounds of six educators, each with their own life lessons, accomplishments and hardships. We have scoured each chapter to offer a range of encouraging quotes to get you excited about your future in education! To find out more about these amazing educators click here. For now, enjoy these inspirational quotes about teaching. Dr. Robert Kodama “You never know if you’re going to be a good teacher until you have … [Read more...]
Leadership Lessons for Every Career Focus and Major
Schools, self-help books, blog posts and social media, are full of neatly defined steps to leadership. For example, I was browsing through a popular online business publication yesterday and as I scrolled down, I read, “The Top 10 Qualities that Make a Great Leader” and “Top 100 Inspirational Quotes.” We are drawn to headlines like these because we hope they will help provide parameters that allow us to get from our starting point to our end goal. We know it will be hard but we hope someone can make leadership easy for us- and reframe it as a neat and tidy final destination. Take … [Read more...]