When I picked up a pack of strawberries at the grocery store, I stood there for a moment and smelled their fresh aromas and examined how beautifully red they were. I could almost taste how juicy and sweet they would be.

Football season is wrapping up with bowl games and playoffs—both college and pro. The business year, on the other hand, is just beginning for most of you. A commonality in both ventures is that it’s critical to work hard for the full four quarters. As my home team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, used to say: be 60-minute men.

Guys, I’m really excited about this issue – and it’s truly thanks to some amazing contributors and industry experts who were willing to take the time to craft some solid, educational articles. 

What is company culture? The best definition I’ve seen so far is the set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices that characterize an institution or organization. It’s that feeling you get when you walk through the company’s doors or interact with their staff. It’s the collection of priorities, values and beliefs driving the decisions that are made daily.

While the use of the internet increases daily, so does the sophistication level of cyber criminals. These criminals are stealing identities, hacking networks, and infecting computers with malware. Many business owners feel they are too small to be a target.

No restoration contractor would consider going without their General Liability or Property insurance, yet studies have shown you are more likely to have an Employment Practices Liability (EPL) claim than either of those.

Every entrepreneur whose business has grown to the point where they have people in roles managing others has a few individuals in their organization that are critical for success. These are the rock stars.