1. Never price what you do so low that you resent doing it or serving the customer paying the low price. You’d both be better off if you didn’t do business together in the first place.

2. When you’re most certain of how something HAS to be done, it’s the right time to think of another way to accomplish it.

3. If you have limited time with people, give them big ideas. Don’t bog them down in little details.

4. I came home from working out one night this week to find a former employee of mine had dropped off her very special pumpkin bread for us. That just jumped to the top of my measures of employee loyalty!

5. If your blog posts aren’t any longer than tweets, maybe you should look at cutting back on your blogging.

Bangalore: Angel investment has gone through different stages of development since at first when angels were helping entrepreneurs with time and money. Then came the angel networks which were clusters comprising hundreds of angels who invested in early-stage ideas. Now even as the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem is still shaping up, many experienced professionals are choosing to engage in angel investments with entrepreneurs in their individual capacities, reports Archana Rai of Economic Times.

These professionals are called "Real Angels" and they create a fresh layer of capital and expertise for aspiring entrepreneurs. This group include a cross section of experts like VeriSign country manager Shekhar Kirani, big-ticket entrepreneurs such as Jerry Rao of MphasiS, Alok Kejriwal of Games2Win, Naveen Tewari of In-Mobi , Ravindra Krishnappa of Vertexperts Consulting, industry mentor Sanjay Anandaram, as well as venture capitalists Ashish Gupta and Kanwaljit Singh of Helion Advisors who are occasional angels backing start-ups that do not fall within the purview of the fund.

Wall Streeters, this may be your chance to ditch that pinstripe suit and replace it with jeans and a T-shirt.

The New York City Investment Fund is teaming up with consulting firm Accenture to launch a seed program aimed at start-ups servicing the financial industry.

“New York City, which employs nearly half a million people in the financial services industry, is uniquely positioned to benefit from the growth of financial technology as an entrepreneurial sector,” said Kathryn Wylde, President & CEO of the Partnership for New York City, a nonprofit comprised of 200 New York-based chief executives.

In 1983, the Internet was still a secretive Defense Department computer networking project and the first cell phone – weighing in at 2 pounds and nicknamed “the brick” – was still several months away from hitting the market.

Hydrogen conjured images of bombs rather than fuel cells, and the term “knowledge economy” was mostly a theoretical concept reserved to academia.

IPods did not exist, nor did iPads, PDAs or PDFs.

However, the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina already was up and running, and well on its way toward anchoring the renowned Research Triangle of science- and technology-based economic development in the Tar Heel State.

To the southwest, meanwhile, the Georgia Institute of Technology was fully functioning, too, with an even longer record of research, commercialization and other activities related to knowledge-based economic development.

But here in South Carolina, there was no comparable entity or organization.

AMES, Iowa — Researchers from Iowa State University and the Ames Laboratory have developed a process capable of producing a thin and uniform light-absorbing layer on textured substrates that improves the efficiency of polymer solar cells by increasing light absorption.

“Our technology efficiently utilizes the light trapping scheme,” said Sumit Chaudhary, an Iowa State assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and an associate of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory. “And so solar cell efficiency improved by 20 percent.”

Details of the fabrication technology were recently published online by the journal Advanced Materials: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201002898/abstract;jsessionid=D83B2095A0572345BF38B850977F0568.d03t01

For most of the past century, the financial-services industry has used actuarial tables to design life-insurance policies, pensions, and other products based on predictions of human lifespan. These "life tables" rely on historical death rates to predict the future longevity of broadly defined population groups. But human life expectancy has increased dramatically—from 47 years in 1900 to 77 today in the United States, with similar surges around the world, leading to skyrocking pension and healthcare costs. What's more, sizable variations in longevity have emerged among different subgroups. Thus the financial-services industry no longer considers life tables adequate, as they leave too much room for companies to lose money.

A growing number of corporations and governments are turning to an emerging group of lifespan modelers. These experts are studying the living in an attempt to predict who will make it well into old age—and who won't. "Life tables are crude and based on the past," says S. Jay Olshansky, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago and co-founder of GD Analytics, a longevity consulting firm. Olshanksy says we now need to "generate much more finely grained estimates of survival."

Did you know, in Australia, it takes an average 51.8 days to get paid, according to Dunn & Bradstreet?

Frustration with tardy debtors was the obvious impetus behind this nifty invention from Belgium outfit ikki; an invoice with a voice-chip that begins to make weeping noises 20 seconds after the envelope is opened. (How? The chip reacts to light.)

However, what’s truly inventive about the ‘crying invoice’ is its other purpose.

The dictionary definition of a mentor is “an experienced and trusted advisor,” or “leader, tutor or coach.” The definition of a critic sounds similar, “a person who offers reasoned judgment or analysis.” The big difference, of course, is that a mentor looks ahead to help you, while a critic looks backward to tell you what you did wrong.

We can all learn from both of these approaches, but in my view the mentor is far more valuable than a critic. A mentor’s goal is to help you build your strengths to avoid problems and pitfalls, while a critic feels compelled to point out your weaknesses.

The job of entrepreneur is tough enough without a critic on your team, second-guessing your every move. Here are some tips on how to recognize whether a partner, consultant, or employee is a mentor or a critic:

1. Earns your absolute trust. One of the key characteristics of a successful mentor relationship is trust. You should be easily convinced by actions and attitude that the mentor candidate has your best interests at heart.

In the November 26, 2010 edition of the Federal Register, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced a call for applications for two of its economic development grant pools: Planning and Local Technical Assistance.  Applications can be submitted on a rolling basis to EDA and grants must be matched by at least 50%. Eligible applicants are state and local government entities, economic development districts, tribes, higher education institutions, and non-profit organizations. The goal of the grant programs is to assist the creation and implementation of regional economic development plans/strategies that will foster job creation or job retention. For more information, go to http://www.grants.gov and http://www.eda.gov or call the EDA’s Seattle Regional Office at 206-220-7660.

“But I'm not creative!” If that thought is what froze you the last time you decided not to (fill in the blank), it's time to adjust your thinking. Many people who can't draw anything more elaborate than a stick figure allow insecurity about their creativity to stop them from expressing their ideas, says Mark Runco, professor of creative studies at the University of Georgia and editor of Creativity Research Journal. But holding back is a mistake, experts say, because self-expression is known to reduce stress, enhance the immune system, and increase joy.

Psychologists define creativity as producing something that is original and that works—a key aspect of human experience and fulfillment, Runco says. That can cover everything from rearranging your furniture and designing a garden to generating a fresh solution to a business dilemma or world hunger. In general, young children most readily heed their creative impulses, because they haven't started editing themselves out of fear of the judgment of others. Studies have shown that this begins around age 10, when kids start focusing on teachers' rules and what their peers think, a phenomenon known as the "fourth-grade slump."

OK, a flying Humvee doesn’t sound like a very green vehicle—but the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency isn’t interested in green.

DARPA is interested in improving the safety and lethality of U.S. troops in dangerous environments. And it is willing to pay handsomely for it—to the tune of a five-year, $65 million research program to develop what it calls a “Transformer” vehicle that works like a Humvee on land, but can also fly.

No, this isn’t an Onion article. The goal is to be able to carry four troops and their gear (1,000 pounds) over a distance of 280 miles on one tank of fuel, by any combination of air and land, the agency says. The vehicle must be able to take off and land vertically—meaning it will fly like a cross between a helicopter and a plane (see drawing above). And, oh yeah, it has to be piloted by an average Marine Corps soldier without any flight experience. In other words, it needs to fly mostly by itself.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Several of the most promising technological research projects at University System of Maryland-related labs are getting a strategic infusion of federal cash to help them through the most difficult phase of development, and toward the commercial market.

With $5.1 million in federal funding, the Maryland Proof of Concept Alliance teams University System of Maryland research institutions and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), in support of a wide array of emerging technologies. The University of Maryland, College Park is administering the program.

Eleven grants were announced today at the National Council for Entrepreneurial Technology Transfer conference in Washington, D.C.

A few angel investors have slipped or fallen from their lofty perch, so entrepreneurs must take great care to validate the character and reputation of every prospective investor. The entrepreneur’s tendency to be in a huge hurry to obtain the funding can end up being disastrous, and play into the hands of these less scrupulous investors.

Many entrepreneurs believe all money is created equal. As long as somebody recognizes their million dollar idea and writes them a check, the source really doesn't matter. In fact, most angels are pure, but there are some exceptions that may cost you more than an investment.

"Don't let people tell you your ideas won't work.

I went through a few years of this before I realized I probably just saw the world differently than the people who said the stuff I was excited about wouldn't work or that people wouldn't want it / use it.

If you're passionate about an idea that's stuck in your head, find a way to build it so you can prove to yourself that it doesn't work."

The most recent BEA state level data shows US per capita income grew by 16.1% during the latest 10 years. Unfortunately, per capita incomes were almost stagnant in several states and one state’s per capita income went down compared to 10 years before. If the trends continue, your children’s quality of living won’t be much different than yours. Here are the top ten states with the worst per capita income growth rates.

Disclaimer: All figures are 10-year cumulative income per capita growth rates. All figures, with the exception of Michigan’s, are small, positive growth rates.

When Nick Friedman and his friend founded College Hunks Hauling Junk, their business quickly became a success. It was also a rude awakening.

The two young founders had trouble managing a growing business; they were young and inexperienced. Here's how they tackled the issue:

The Business: College Hunks Hauling Ju nnk is a company that provides junk removal, labor, moving and hauling services to residential and commercial clients. We also offer franchise opportunities and have over 30 franchises.

China will soon announce a plan to invest a massive $1.5 trillion over five years, with the goal of transforming seven industries -- including biotechnology, alternative energy, IT, materials, science, alternative-fuel automobiles, and clean tech -- into world-class leaders in innovative technology.

Unlike most of the strategies presently in place for creating innovation, the plan does not call for huge government subsidies but relies instead on creating incentives for bank lending, corporate investment and help from local governments. It is thought that China will cut the income tax rate in half – to 7.5% – for investors in those industries.

Reuters broke the news of the new initiative, citing anonymous sources.

The new investment proposal must be approved by the Central Economic Work Conference, an annual meeting that brings together top leaders to map economic policies for next year, which is scheduled to take place later in December.

Although women make up half of the nation's workforce, they hold only 16.4% of corporate offices in the fortune 500, 14.7% of Fortune 500 board seats and 1.6% of Fortune 500 CEO positions (Catalyst 2007). Okay, you've heard all that before. What's new?

Research that explains what may be going on at work. According to researchers Tinsley, Cheldelin, Schneider, and Amanatullah, who authored "Women at the Bargaining Table: Pitfalls and Prospects" women are in a classic double bind: "women may be perceived as competent but unlikable or as likable but incompetent." This bind exists because there are very strong female stereotypes in our culture.

Of course this is not news to any woman in the field, but these researchers discovered that "women who violate gendered expectations incur negative social consequences. In other words, evaluators tend to make negative judgments about women who behave in masculine ways to fulfill the needs of their jobs."

It's eccentric. It's unprofessional. And it makes money. How four people who do exactly what they want run one of the most popular blogs on the planet.

Back in 1999, Mark Frauenfelder wrote an article about new web tools that made it easier to do something called "blogging." His editors at the technology magazine The Industry Standard declined to publish it, concluding that blogging didn't really seem like a very big deal. Turns out it was.

It's certainly been a very good thing for Frauenfelder, who deployed the tools he learned about for his ill-fated article to start posting interesting links and offbeat observations on boingboing.net. In time, three friends who shared a similar appetite for curious information filtered through a nonmainstream worldview -- Cory Doctorow, Xeni Jardin, and David Pescovitz -- joined him. And by the mid-2000s, Boing Boing had become one of the most-read and linked-to blogs in the world.

We know what happens next: This hobby morphs into a successful business. But Boing Boing's version of that tale is a little different. Frauenfelder and his partners didn't rake in investment capital, recruit a big staff and a hotshot CEO, or otherwise attempt to leverage themselves into a "real" media company. They didn't even rent an office. They continued to treat their site as a side project, even as it became a business with revenue comfortably in the seven figures. Basically, they declined to professionalize. You could say they refused to grow up.