PICS ITech

Section 179 of the IRS tax code offers huge incentives to small businesses to help you cope with the high costs associated with keeping your technology up-to-date. Recent changes apply to your 2010 return.

Section 179 allows you to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment purchased or financed during the tax year. That means that if you buy (or lease) a price of qualifying equipment, you can deduct the FULL PURCHASE PRICE from your gross income, up to $500,000.

Qualifying investments include new equipment purchases such as servers, computers, printers and off-the-shelf software, as well as other types of machinery, furniture and some storage facilities. It's a great way for small businesses to get the technology they need to keep up with the competition.

used with permission from the HP Site

VARs have a variety of perceptions about them. Some of these perceptions are right on. Some of them completely miss the mark. The truth is the right VAR can help most businesses more than they realize. Can the right VAR help you?

Technology is critical to run almost every business today, and in most cases, can offer both competitive and strategic value to your business. The problem is many businesses don’t think about their PCs, printers or servers as providing a competitive advantage or as strategic business tools. Even as a fundamental business tool, many think that there is little difference in the basic capabilities across the huge variety of technology devices on the market today. Having been in the industry for almost 20 years now, I can tell you that there are many differences worth noting when comparing computing products. I can also tell you that when used appropriately, there are both competitive and strategic advantages to be gained from technology.

Don't Expect Consumer-Grade Technology to Meet Your Business-Class Needs
used with permission from the Cisco Small Business Website

• When you walk into a business meeting, do you wear pajamas?

• Do you let your children manage the accounts receivable for your office?

• When you buy business technology, do you choose products designed for home use?

The pricing on consumer-grade technology is tempting. But the lower price can end up costing your business dearly, in both productivity and cash.

by Craig Kitch    www.CraigKitch.Com

In September of 1990, I was in the final stages of my application process to join one of the world’s most renowned hotel companies, Marriott. My challenge would be to take the helm of a problematic hotel with service issues and put it back on track for Marriott’s standards of excellence. The final interview was with a Vice President at the corporate headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland and I was on pins and needles, to say the least. As the interview came to a close, the VP had one final question: “Craig, who would you say are the most important people in your hotel?” “The customers”, I announced with enthusiasm, thinking that I had slam-dunked that one. My interrogator leaned forward on his elbows, looked me straight in the eye and informed me that I would never be successful with their company if that was my attitude. I got the job anyway but I have never forgotten that conversation or what I learned about my “true” customers during the ensuing years.

What's the problem with holiday photos? All too often, they fail to capture the feeling of the season. Most holiday pictures look interchangeable. Your photos of family members lined up and smiling look the same as those of every other family.

So why not turn routine holiday photos into unique works of art with just a few simple techniques?

1. Plan ahead
The classic problem with holiday photos is that they have to be taken weeks in advance so you can send out cards and mailings beforehand. Some decorations like live trees aren't available, and you might not want to take the menorah or other holiday items out of storage so far in advance.