The straight line

A change in the rules governing overtime has been coming for two years, with a sneak preview of proposed modifications last year. But on May 18, the Department of Labor (DOL) came out with its new final rules, which take effect on December 1, 2016. The rules will significantly raise the salary level used to determine whether...

To increase website traffic, you need to employ two corresponding, yet very different methods to help your site land top rankings in the major search engines, SEO and SEM. Don’t become confused by the two terms or use them interchangeably: Search engine optimization (SEO), is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a...

“You have a great product. It was delivered quickly and in perfect shape. I’ll be sure to tell my friends.” Statements like this can boost your company’s sales as much as 250 percent. Even better, when you get a testimonial from a consumer, that person is likely to become a more loyal customer and help spread...

This election season, Republicans and Democrats don’t seem to agree on much. But 95% of voters — regardless of which U.S. presidential candidate they favor — support American-made products. The vast majority of Americans also favor training programs, trade enforcement, tax incentives and a national strategy to support U.S. manufacturing, according to the Alliance for American...

Mergers – A surprising number of our cooperative and credit union clients are, or have been, in conversations with neighboring or nearby cooperatives and credit unions. It seems like every week we learn of another. It is wide-spread with clients in Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota and South Dakota. The reasons all vary from the right...

Broadband and information technology are powerful tools for small businesses to reach new markets and increase sales and productivity. However, cybersecurity threats are real and businesses must implement the best tools and tactics to protect themselves, their customers, and their data. Visit www.fcc.gov/cyberplanner to create a free customized Cyber Security Planning guide for your small...