Demand for commercial lease space in Texas continues to be strong. According to Commercial Loan Solutions:

• In Austin, developers are doing their best to keep with demand from growing and relocating tenants. The office market continues to attract investors as vacancy remains tight and rents rise.
• In Dallas – Fort Worth office space is in continuous demand. Until recently, rental rates have been rising faster than the annual rent escalations found in most commercial leases.

On March 1, 2018, Bisnow Houston reported that Texas leads the nation in commercial real estate development for warehouse/flex, including e-commerce distribution, fulfillment facilities and retail real estate. It ranks second only to California in office development.

Most small business owners recognize that maintaining a talented workforce is key to their company’s success. Although the majority of workers provide value to their companies, some have unique traits that make them high-potential employees. These workers are especially important to a business, as they can enhance a company’s bottom line and also become the next generation of workplace leaders.

High-potential employees often exhibit similar qualities as those of effective leaders. They are frequently self-motivated, goal-oriented and able to recognize the actions needed to meet objectives. They can be ambitious, rarely resting on their laurels, are often reluctant to sit back and let others take charge, and are unafraid of making mistakes that, ultimately, can provide them valuable experience. These leaders tend to be strong communicators who collaborate well with others and, as a result, are often respected by their colleagues.

To help the career development of high-potential employees, it is important for employers to devise a plan that includes the following steps:

Any financial investigation—specifically income tax (civil or criminal), embezzlement, shareholder derivative suit, and divorce matters— require books and records to be successful in tracing expenses and following the money. Without them, the chances of success are diminished.

A little over two years ago, there was a Facebook post that caught national attention. The post simply asked “What color dress do you see?” Was it blue and black or white and gold? Some people saw it one way and couldn’t imagine it be anything else. Others were uncertain because they saw it one color one day and another color the next. For the people who were sure they were right, they weighed in on the public debate, while others that were unsure may have chosen to hold back from weighing in. After a few weeks, the fervor died down and life went back to normal.

Such is the situation we find ourselves in with the conversion to a C Corporation. When the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed, articles were written that touted all business owners would make the conversion to take advantage of the reduced tax rates. Nothing could shake these authors from their thoughts. There were other authors who were uncertain. Turns out, they are both correct. No matter where you land on the issue, business owners will respond based on how they feel.

When I tell people we are headed to Omaha for the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, some vaguely nod their heads. Others ask why we go when we can watch Warren Buffett and partner Charlie Munger online.

I first started going to Omaha fifteen years ago. As each year passes, the experience becomes more impactful.

Technology plays a key role in all businesses today. That’s why I’m sharing a series of articles to discuss the top four technology challenges that businesses face in 2018, and to provide practical solutions for each of them. In the first article, we talked about cybersecurity challenges. In this article, we’ll look at challenge #2: the technology skills shortage.

Across the country, companies are seeing a significant shortage of qualified candidates for key technology roles. The most pressing shortages are for proven, experienced technology leaders in high-demand specialty roles.

To be successful, a business can’t just hire more “techies;” they need tech-savvy business leaders that can quickly assess needs, leverage cloud services and new technology opportunities, chart an optimal course of action, and drive timely results. So how can your company best fill these roles and acquire the top talent?