Elaine Thompson

As a business owner, you’re aware of the constant change in business conditions, from dealing with financial fluctuations to learning what puts your business at risk for failure.
With two months down & only 10 left in the year, there’s no time to waste if you want your business to stand out & succeed.
Business owners are anxious to know what 2018 has in store & what adjustments they’ll need to make to stay a step ahead of the competition.
As you navigate through your important business decisi...

America’s top architecture firms have firmly embedded green building design into the future of infrastructure across the U.S. and the globe. These businesses innovate the field in every capacity, including the ways they run their own firms. For aspiring architectural firms and business leaders, America’s top architects provide a shining example of the confluences between sustainability, workplace productivity, and social progress.
These five firms represent some of the most celebrated and awa...

Chances are, you’ve already heard about #DeleteFacebook and the recent upheaval over Cambridge Analytica’s internationally explosive breach of privacy.
Though we’ll never know the full influence those psychological profiles and political ads had in Brexit or President Trump’s 2016 election, we do know that the story has left many feeling violated, concerned, and a little uneasy.
Here’s where I’m going to take a different route and suggest something that not many people are saying in response ...

Energy deregulation can be murky, but real estate agents can make the potential benefits to homebuyers crystal clear
Homebuyers have a lot to think about when considering their budget — including the annual cost of utilities, which averages $2,200 annually in the U.S. That’s a large amount of money that often seems set in stone due to the regulation of the power industry.

Showcase the savings, convenience and security benefits to potential buyers

When you start a business, you expect to pay for certain expenses, the same as you would if you bought a house. No matter how well you prepare for these expenses, some costs surprise you. It could be the electric bill or business insurance premium—whatever it is, it causes you to wince.
Fortunately, you can minimize the shock with the following checklist. It covers the most common business expenses, decreasing the likelihood of unforeseen expenses. It also helps you stay in the green—environm...

There are many products we use in our everyday lives without giving them a single thought. Some of those items, like plastic water bottles, plastic grocery bags, electricity, and even gasoline, can have a pretty big environmental impact.
The world is changing, though. The UN has encouraged citizens to reevaluate their plastic use, and even companies in traditionally conservative areas of the U.S. are going green.
If you also want to make a difference, check out these five documentaries that w...

Soon enough, teachers, students, and parents alike will be playing air guitar and singing “School’s out for summer.” These short months can deepen your relationship with your children, provide countless learning experiences, and help you create lasting memories. One way to make that happen—not to mention occupy some of that unstructured leisure time—is to start a family garden. Sound like a daunting task? These tips will point you in the right direction and help ensure that both you and your ...

If writing content is part of your job, you’ve probably found yourself creatively stuck before—staring at a blank screen, hoping inspiration will nudge you forward so you can hit your looming deadline.
It’s not easy to keep coming up with fresh, click-worthy content when you’re writing on demand. Here is a list of eight tools you can use to get your creativity flowing again so you’re back to writing in no time.
1. Google Trends
Google Trends gives you valuable data on popular terms and phrase...

California took the bold step recently to become the first state to require all new homes—including multi-family residential buildings, up to three stories—built after January 1, 2020 to have solar arrays installed. This is huge news, as California often leads the waywhen it comes to green developments. While there have been a few cities in the United States that have such mandates, California’s is the first statewide decision. It’s not a stretch to say that other states will watch this close...

What you purchase at the grocery store has a significant impact on your life. The food you add to your cart determines the meals you'll prep for the week, the snacks you'll eat at work, and your overall health.

As I was graduating from college, I went through a lot of changes. One of them was breaking up with my boyfriend of three years.
It was certainly for the best, but at the time I felt completely broken. Like, can’t eat, can’t get up off the floor, can’t muster more than a mumbled response to anything, heartbroken.
In a Columbia University study, test participants who had recently been dumped or felt rejected looked at pictures of different people, including ex lovers. Their brain scans showed ...

Our 2018 New Year's resolutions are in full swing (or not), and many of us are working on improving our eating habits, from cutting back on sugar to eliminating meat completely.
And you know what they say — with a new year comes new vegetarians. (That's how the saying goes, right?)
However, many people who attempt to dramatically change their eating habits, such as going from a meat-heavy diet to one that relies on veggies, end up making a lot of mistakes that force them to give up — or worse...

With new threats appearing daily network security is becoming increasingly important and complex, yet many small business owners aren’t taking the trend seriously. As a result, small businesses are especially vulnerable to security threats. In fact, the National Cyber Security Alliance discovered that each year 20 percent of small businesses experience a cyber attack. Sadly, 60 percent of those businesses close down within six months after the attack.
If you’re a small business owner, it’s im...