Don't Let Loyal Clients Hijack Innovation - [read]
When Tropicana orange juice recently updated the iconic straw-in-an-orange graphic on its packaging, loyal customers lashed out on blogs and other social media, eventually forcing parent company PepsiCo to go back to back to the old design. Sean Silverthorne warns that the Internet amplifies the voice of a few loyal customers -- perhaps at the cost of much-needed innovation. "In almost any product group, your most loyal users are also the ones who like things just the way they are," he writes. - harvard.org

Predict Desires and Purchases of Luxury Consumers - [read]
Marketers of goods and services for high-net-worth households (top 2% income, 1% of assets) have historically operated on the instinct of their founders or designers. But as the economy presents new challenges, as competition increases, and as leading competitors become publicly owned, reliable information and systematic decision-making processes are required. - mediapost.com

5 Ways to Protect Your Credit Rating - [read]
Most businesses are experiencing income declines. If you’re an entrepreneur, this probably means your personal income has also diminished. Since excellent credit ratings are essential for accounts of all kinds – from all-purpose credit cards to purchasing business equipment, automobiles, real estate, even insurance – it is essential to take action to preserve your credit scores.- washingtonpost.com

PBA: The Stimulus Package and You - [read]
With President Barack Obama poised to sign the $787 billion "Stimulus" bill into law, PBA summarizes several of the tax breaks that may benefit you and your business. - pbawashingtonupdate.com

Grownups Need Recess, Too - [read]
"The best way to improve children's performance in the classroom may be to take them out of it." The paradoxical lesson of this story is relevant not just for school children but for us grownups, too: taking time out to restore and rejuvenate ourselves results not in reduced performance caused by less time dedicated to work, but to increased performance caused by the stronger, more focused effort you bring to work after fruitful rest. - harvardbusiness.org

Ready to Start Your Own Business? Answer These 10 Questions - [read]
So, how can you figure out whether you're suited for self-employment? We spoke with entrepreneurship researchers, academics and psychologists to come up with a list of questions you should ask yourself before making a big leap. Entrepreneurs, of course, come from all sorts of backgrounds, with all sorts of personalities. But our experts agreed that certain attributes improve the odds people will be successful and happy about their decision. - wallstreetjournal.com

How Consumers Are Shopping Today - [read]
The American shopper is dazed and confused. What do I really want, versus what do I really need? Sure, I can afford the plasma television now, but should I save that $2,000, in case I get laid off tomorrow? Can I really tell my snobby friends that I now shop at — egads — Walmart? To gauge the mindset of the American consumer, and the state of shopping during this recession, TIME checked in with respected retail expert Paco Underhill, the CEO of Envirosell, a consulting firm, and author of Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping. - time.com

Teens: Recessions are for Grownups - [read]
While most of America is shopping less these days, a new study finds that there's no sign of a slowdown among mall-loving teens. It finds they're still spending plenty of time sashaying through their favorite stores. And teens say they were spending about $150 per month on their mall sojourns, with about half the cash coming from their own earnings, and the other half from the Bank of Mom and Dad. - mediapost.com

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EDUCATION FOCUS

Beautiful Business is coming to Salt Lake City, Utah
This 2-day seminar for Owners and Managers with Gary Call will help you understand your full salon potential by benchmarking your performance against national statistics and trends. [click here]