If you'd asked me a few months ago what I think of Zoom, you'd be met with a look of bewilderment. I'd neither used nor heard of the application until two weeks ago, when my departing boss's daughter threw her a virtual retirement "party" that I and several other co-workers were invited to attend. I must say, it quickly grew on me. The coolest feature in my estimation is the ability to change out your background, making it appear as though you're at Walt Disney World, in the Simpsons' living room, or wherever else tickles your fancy. And, this past weekend, I joined the wifey for a Zoom chat with a close friend and colleague of hers. There's no denying that Zoom is all the rage now. With the coronavirus pandemic forcing us to stay indoors, everything from birthday celebrations to corporate budget meetings are being carried out through the service. Surprisingly, though, people have told me that while while these platforms offer convenien...

Just like the only constant in life is change, the same can be said for relationships. Can you point to a relationship in your life -- whether with a friend, your partner, or an old coworker -- that is exactly the same as when you first met the person? Relationships evolve, just like the people in them. They go hand in hand. Experiences and lifestyle changes lead to changes in both individuals, which in turn effects change in the relationship. If that weren't so, we'd remain very close with every person we've called a friend. But we all know factors like distance, scheduling conflicts, our job, marriage, and kids can change the dynamics of a relationship. It isn't always easy to swallow such changes, but that's what life is all about -- adapting to changing circumstances. Sometimes people change for the better -- like when they give up smoking, become more helpful around the house, and so on. In other cases, however, people can behave in ways detrime...

We'd all agree that working with younger people has its advantages and disadvantages, as does working with more seasoned coworkers. But what one finds to be a pro or con about a certain age group really depends on their own age, experience, and other factors. In general, though, you can probably pinpoint a few characteristics of younger and older employees that would hold no matter where you work. For starters, many younger employees -- those in their 20s and 30s -- are eager to prove themselves, sometimes leading them to angle for the big projects and clients before they've earned their stripes (much to the chagrin of some bosses who want to keep those for themselves). While people can still be ambitious in their 50s and 60s, they may not be as aggressive in showcasing their skills or fishing for plum projects. At this juncture, they're usually settled and averse to job hopping, especially as they eye retirement. I've also observed that younger employees se...

Many of my coworkers have been working at my company -- and in the same department, no less -- for 20 or more years!  It's doubtless a rarity in this day and age of frequent job hopping.  Most of them lament staying there so long. Promotions have been hard to come by, not to mention they feel utterly stagnant in their jobs. Some tell me they can't remember the last time they actually learned something new. It certainly doesn't help that our department is run by two overbearing women -- my boss is one of them -- who are completely stuck in their ways.  Now in their 50s and 60s, they concede that it's too late to think about moving. They're more focused on retirement now than anything else. Competing for jobs with people as old as their kids, they say, is a losing proposition.  When asked why they stayed there so long, they admit that they became complacent over the years. I can attest to the fact that the company provides employees with a handsome salary...

In April, Dan Price, CEO of the of the credit card payment processor Gravity Payments, left employees, customers, and the media dumbfounded when he announced he would raise minimum pay for all employees to at least $70,000 a year. The move drew the ire of his brother Lucas, who claimed that, as co-founder, the pay raise infringed upon his rights as a minority shareholder. But Price's unorthodox strategy has paid huge dividends for the company. Revenue and profits have doubled since, with customer retention rising from 91 to 95 percent. A few weeks after Price made the initial announcement, the company was barraged with over 4,000 resumes and saw a huge surge in customer inquiries. Price began giving out 20 percent annual raises to his staff after in 2011 after an employee complained over low pay. Thanks in part to a productivity increase of 30-40 percent, profit was still comparable to that of the prior year. He handed out the same raised the next year and achieved the same o...

The easiest (and quickest) ways to build wealth include winning the lottery, robbing a bank, or getting an inheritance. Since these methods are either unusual or flat-out illegal, we have to resort to more practical ways that involve a level of effort and judiciousness. Enter the practice of saving. Unfortunately, saving money seems alien to many people I know. No sooner do they get a paycheck than they squander it on expensive things they may not need, like $500 shoes or handbags. What's worse, some blow it in even more egregious ways (think booze, drugs, and casinos). I am a firm believer that every college student -- hell, maybe even high school students -- should be required to take a class on personal finance. Far too many of us go out into the real world not having a clue as to ways we can save money and why it's important to begin doing so at an early age. (The same goes for job hunting, which will be the subject of a future post.) Think about it: If you get in...