Scott Allen

I have a problem. I write like AI.

Even when I write completely from scratch, I somehow end up with pieces that score anywhere from 50% to 100% as “AI-generated” on many common AI-writing detectors. I know it’s because I write clearly, concisely, and grammatically correct content, usually targeting a 12th-grade reading level. And apparently, I share with AI a penchant for em-dashes and Oxford commas.

Online social networks such as LinkedIn, blogs, and Meetup have enjoyed phenomenal growth in the past year. They are among many new social software tools in an arsenal that also includes virtual communities, social network sites, and much more. The Virtual Handshake is the roadmap to a dynamic (and lucrative) online arena that is fast becoming the crucial relationship-building environment for serious professionals. Filled with clear, real-life examples, The Virtual Handshake shows readers how...

The convergence of technology that accelerates the power of relationships and facilitates dynamic communications--peer to peer and to entire communities--is revolutionary to say the least. The book defines The Relationship Economy as “The people and things we are connected with in our personal networks, who or that distribute or consume our capital, which in turn influences our individual production outputs.”

With a potential recession looming and the stock market undergoing sector rotation, now might be the perfect time to diversify your retirement portfolio with alternative assets. Historically, assets like real estate, gold, and oil & gas royalties have shown resilience during economic downturns, offering a hedge against stock market volatility.

I heard a segment on Bloomberg recently discussing how the commercial real estate crash is battering even the safest bonds. Buyers of AAA-rated commercial mortgage-backed securities are suffering losses for the first time since the great financial crisis. This isn’t just a blip on the radar; it’s a significant shift sending ripples through the financial markets.

With billions in R&D, exclusive partnerships, and a global grip on advanced lithography, ASML stands as a fortress in the race for the future of semiconductors.
The disappointing Q3 earnings, projections, and subsequent plunge of ASML’s stock price has investors questioning the company’s viability — indeed, the near-term future of the entire semiconductor industry.

When the market took a dip, I knew I had to shift gears fast. What followed was an unconventional experiment: a leveraged rotation into defensive sectors. Six months later, the results are in: over 40% gains, 60% of the drawdown of the S&P 500, and outperformance even against leveraged index funds.

One of the most important lessons entrepreneurs have to learn, often painfully, is that cash really is king. I'm not talking about paper money -- I'm talking about cash flow. Simply put, it doesn't matter how much money is coming in the future if you don't have enough money to get from here to there. Employees can't wait on paychecks until your customers pay. Your landlord doesn't care that you're talking to investors and will have the money in a couple of months.

Most businesses understand the importance of customer relationships but have not quantified the impact of those relationships on bottom line results. The lifetime value of a customer is a valuable tool for measuring the contribution a customer makes to the bottom line and a useful basis for developing marketing strategies that effectively target the most attractive customers.
How to Calculate the Lifetime Sales Value of a Customer
The lifetime value of a customer is a relatively simple calcul...

One of the most difficult, yet important, issues you must decide as an entrepreneur is which pricing methodology to follow within your business. Determining exactly how much to charge for your products or services is a major step towards setting your long-term pricing strategy as a company.

Managing cash flow is one of the most challenging aspects of being a business owner. Learning to budget, however, can help you overcome this challenge.

Many entrepreneurs leave a secure job to run a business. When you do this, you move from earning a regular income to earning a more haphazard income, which can make personal budgeting difficult. The haphazard nature of business income is one of the risks of running a small business.

For most successful small businesses, networking and referrals are both the least expensive and most effective forms of marketing. Reputation is the currency of networking and referrals. Whether it’s reviews and recommendations on websites such as Yelp and LinkedIn or the more vague “Yeah, I’ve heard they’re great” of face-to-face conversation, a positive reputation is one of your most valuable business assets.

Reputation is usually built from one thing: happy customers. Depending on your bus...

A few years ago, when I was active in the field of knowledge management, a friend of mine turned me on to the book Diffusion of Innovations by Everett Rogers. It’s not generally known as a business book, but as a sociology and communications textbook. You may, however, be familiar with some of the concepts within it...

Your friends and family, the online gurus, publications, and even casual acquaintances can provide you with a steady flow of information regarding news, industry developments, and opportunities. Industry analysts, consultants, employees, and good networking contacts can share their expert knowledge with you regarding particular situations and needs you may encounter. However, only a business mentor can truly share wisdom with you on an ongoing basis...

You know him. He’s the perfect networker. He’s at every event. He’s a brilliant conversationalist. He’d give you the shirt off his back. He follows up. He keeps his commitments. He’s always happy to make an introduction.

And yet he’s always broke...