By AARON NATHANS
The News Journal of Wilmington, Del. WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)

It’s a place to take a seat and get things done, to bounce ideas off one another, and occasionally laugh together and get the brain ready for inspiration.

This is the coIN loft, at 300 W. 9th St. in Wilmington, a “co-working” shared workspace for entrepreneurs at the very beginning of their business process. For $50, a member can visit five times in a month. If they want unlimited visits and the use of a desk, with WiFi. it’s $200 – far less than renting office space. For that price, they also get the use of a conference room, the confines of a groovy old downtown Wilmington row building, and the buzz of youthful energy around them. “Pay when you need it, don’t when you don’t,” said co-founder Wes Garnett The second- and third floor facility was buzzing on a recent afternoon, as some members sat at their borrowed desks, headphones plugged in as they created videos and Web pages for clients. Others watched the television/computer screen at the center of the room, watching a YouTube video of a guitar player picking superfast. “We skate the line between professional office and coffee shop, clubhouse,” Garnett said.

“We’re entrepreneurs that realize working with other entrepreneurs is better than working by yourself.” A worker can be right at home working from home, but “every once in a while, the walls begin to close in a little bit,” Garnett said. Garnett and Steve Roettger met in 2008 at a fi.nancial planning firm, where they both worked. They left and founded a marketing firm named Verge, which continues, now based at the coin Loft. Around that time, Roettger was reading Entrepreneur magazine when he saw an article on co-working. They founded the coin Loft in 2009. Wilmington did not yet have such a facility, and it was tough to get it off the ground, its founders said, especially in a state where many college students leave after graduation, and because no one nearby had heard of the concept. ‘It was tough finding people,” Roettger said. But folks liked the concept after they got used to it, Garnett said. Today, there are 26 people who pay, periodically; 11 come on a daily basis. There’s a conference room that members can reserve, complete with a sign reading, “Please feel free to use the glass.” There’s plenty of writing on the glass. Since the coIN Loft opened, Garnett and Roettger launched other products in collaboration with other members of the coin Loft and the University of Delaware, including uSeed, a platform that allows students to raise money for business startup projects from people they know.

After businesses get their sea legs at places like the coIN Loft, they can move on to an incubator like the Emerging Enterprise Center at the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce. Once businesses have a plan, can afford six months of rental space and are starting to bring in revenue, they’re welcome to seek membership, said its program manager, Michael Tentnowski

His commencement address to the graduates at Stanford University really is an inspiration. He was a dreamer and an entrepreneur who never gave up, never stopped trying and always pursued his vision.

Highly successful people admit to watching this video many times – from daily to weekly.  It keeps them focused, it keeps them on track, it helps them keep their vision and most importantly it keeps them true to themselves.

I strongly recommend you watch, listen and learn from this video.  Watch it as many times as you need and keep it as part of your tools for success.

Albertsons LLC has announced that it will be removing all of its self-checkout lanes inside its grocery stores. The company is pulling all the self-checkout lanes from the roughly 100 of its stores that have them. MSNBC reported that the move is “in an effort to encourage more human contact with its customers … The move marks a surprising step back from a trend that began about a decade ago, when supermarkets began installing self-checkout lanes, touting them as a solution to long lines. Now some grocery chains are questioning whether they are really good for business.”

There are also recent reports that both Kroger and Publix are reconsidering the whole issue of self-checkout. “We just want the opportunity to talk to customers more,” says Albertsons spokeswoman Christine Wilcox.
“That’s the driving motivation.” Shortly after the announcement, SUPERVALU was quick to distance its Albertsons stores from those of the aforementioned by publishing a press release stating it will NOT be removing self-checkout lanes.  Many other retailers have implemented this technology, including non-grocery companies such as Home Depot and Lowes.  From a customer experience perspective, reports have been split on functionality and ease of use. Many times, an associate is needed to step in and assist, especially with
large orders that tend to occur at grocery stores, bucking the ‘increased customer interaction’ theory. However, there’s always going to be a proportion of shoppers that are opposed to a full self-service model start to finish.

You are not alone – many interviewers  feel some of these symptom’s before an interview and it is perfectly normal. However, there is a solution to these  pre-interview nerves – your tasks during the 24 hour before an interview. This is the right time to get mentally  prepared and calm down.

So, what are the things to do before a job interview? Where is the Job Interview check list?

Read further.

How to relax before an interview: how to  calm down before an interview

You can practice pre-planned activities for  calming your nerves before an interview. The way you control the regular stress  that appears hours and minutes before interview can improve significantly your performance. Here are some suggested ‘things to do before  an interview’ in addition to things we should not do (i.e. don’ts):

1 Day before an interview – the evening  before your job interview

• Preparations before interview:
Prepare a list of your achievements to remind you of how great you are. Review  the related frequently asked job interview questions and answers.

• Make your final job interview test:
Pretend that you are sitting in the interview room and actually performing. You  know how professional you are. Practice your sales pitch one last time.

• Imagine: Think about the traveling  route that you are going to drive tomorrow. See yourself in the interview room,  hear yourself speaking with confidence.

The night before the interview

• Get enough sleep – at least 8  hours. Make sure that you wake up physically prepared and mentally refreshed.

The interview day: Morning or 3-4 hours  before the interview

• Dress for success: power-dressing  (i.e. dress code factor) can help boosting up your confidence. It also  impresses your interviewer.

• Eat wisely: don’t full yourself  with too much food for energy reserve. Eat as you eat regularly.

• Document Check: check your folder  one last time. Check (and read) documents like resume and job description to  have it fresh in your mind.

• Needless to say: Don’t drink  alcohol before interview, don’t smoke 2 hours before the interview and don’t  take medications/pills before interview. It smells and it feels.

• Prayer before an interview: if a  pray helps you to relax and calm nerves so pray.

Traveling to the interview

• Arrive early at your job interview  and spend some time to freshen up. You don’t want to be caught in a  traffic jam with no spare time left.

• Mind the time before the interview
–   arrive 30-45 minutes so you’ll have enough time to arrange your  thoughts and relax.

• Listen to music: what sort of  music do you like – pop, power songs, relaxing songs? Turn on the radio and  select your favorite radio station.

• Fresh air: Blast the air  conditioner (or open the window) for fresh and crisp air. It will awaken your  senses

Car parking or 30 minutes before your job  interview

• Positive thinking and ‘happy  thoughts’: no time for self-doubts. All thoughts should be positive. Close  your eyes and pretend to feel happy and you feel happy – that’s the formula.

• Breathing: breathe for four counts  and hold your breath for four counts.

• Visualize your activities before  actually performing them: athletes use this tactic to concentrate on their  mission. Before the interview, see yourself shaking hands, smiling, speaking,  making eye contact and generally being comfortable with yourself – If you think
it, it will happen.

Go into the building

• Restroom check: first thing to do,  getting into the interview building is going to the restroom. Wash your face,  wash your hands and smile to the mirror. Take your time.

• Drink fresh water: no Coke.

• Cell phone: turn off your cell  phone.

• Take slow/deep breaths: take deliberate  and controlled breaths to regulate the amount of oxygen in your body –  it helps your mind focus better.

Good Luck!!

The nation’s 960,000 restaurants will continue to be strong contributors to the recovery of the nation’s economy, with industry sales representing 4 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product and employees comprising nearly 10 percent of the U.S. workforce. Its total economic impact exceeds $1.7 trillion, as every dollar spent in restaurants generates $2.05 spent in the overall economy. Restaurants are the nation’s second-largest private sector employer with 12.8 million employees.

A sample of what we are seeing:

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. announced the launch of an aggressive growth plan to increase its presence in Tampa. With the company’s dollar share of chicken QSR sales at a 10-year high domestically, Popeyes is poised to rapidly expand domestically and is seeking bold, passionate multi-unit operators to invest in new restaurants in Tampa. 

Wingstop has announced plans to aggressively expand its presence in the Atlanta area.  The fast-growing national chicken wing chain plans to add 20 additional locations in Atlanta over the next several years. 

Coppell TX – based CiCi’s, a rapidly-expanding 600-unit pizza, pasta, salad and dessert buffet chain, announced it has signed agreements for the addition of 16 units over the next five years and hired Wingstop veteran Bruce Evans to lead franchise sales. The moves are part of CiCi’s growth initiative, with the goal of adding 500 restaurants in the next eight to 10 years.

Does this video represent a future trend for restaurants?

Two dogs waiting patiently to get served in “restaurant”, and in spite of waiting, never get anything to drink.

It’s not believed that Knapp was under the influence of any intoxicants at the time of his interview for this story.

This news broadcast has been watched over 67,000 times on You Tube. What do YOU think about it?

Nearly three-in-ten employers (28 percent) reported they hired full-time, permanent employees in the first quarter of 2011, the highest since the first quarter of 2008, according to the survey of nearly 2,800 hiring managers nationwide. The same amount expect to add full-time positions in the second quarter as well.

The findings come as little surprise to CareerBuilder’s CEO, Matt Ferguson, who says in a press release that job listings on CareerBuilder.com have increased across all categeories – from healthcare and technology to manufacturing. “While employers are keeping a close eye on world events, their confidence levels in regard to recruitment have remained intact,” Ferguson said. “The survey points to continued, measured gains over the next three months. As the nation moves toward greater financial stability, more employers are investing in talent for the long-term.”

So what’s in store for the job market in the coming months – and how does it compare to previous months? Check out the highlights from the latest survey, including insight into what concerns both employers and job seekers right now. (You can also go here to download the complete forecast.)

•Added Headcount Exceeds Expectations in Q1 2011: For the seventh consecutive quarter, hiring has exceeded expectations. When asked back in December, 23 percent of employers said they expected to hire full-time, permanent employees in the first quarter of 2011. As for March, however, the number of employers that actually added headcount reached 28 percent. And while 10 percent of employers decreased headcount in the first quarter 2011, the number is still an improvement from 12 percent who did so last year.
•Employers Expect to Maintain Momentum in Q2 2011: As for second quarter expectations, 28 percent of employers said they plan to increase their full-time, permanent headcount (but if current survey trends persist, that number could very well be higher in three months). The number already exceeds the 24 percent of employers who increased headcount during this time last year.
•Competition for Highly Skilled Talent Increases: Concerned about losing high performers as the economy improves? You should be. Nearly a third of of the 5,600 workers surveyed said they are likely to start looking for another job as the economy improves. Some have already made good on their word, too, with 14 percent of employers saying they already lost some of the best employees this last quarter.
•Temporary Hiring Will Slow Ever So Slightly: At 29 percent, the number of employers who added temporary staff is nearly the same as those who added permanent employees. Slightly fewer employers (26 percent), however, plan to do the same this quarter, and 17 percent plan to take some of their contract or temporary employees on full-time in the second quarter.
•The Best Hiring in the West: Looking at regions, hiring in the West is strongest, with 33 percent of hiring managers in this area expecting to increase full-time, permanent headcount. They’re followed by 28 percent who say the same in the Northeast, 27 percent in the Midwest and 24 percent in the South.
•Hiring Shows Improvement Across Businesses of All Sizes: Hiring among small businesses – the major driver behind new job creation in the U.S. – is showing signs of improvement. Increasing by 4 percent from last quarter, 23 percent of companies with 500 or fewer employees plan to recruit full-time, permanent employees in the second quarter; and 17 percent of companies with 50 or fewer employees said the same, (up from 14 percent last quarter). Hiring in larger organizations is also trending positive, with 36 percent of companies with more than 500 employees planning to add full-time, permanent staff in the second quarter, up from 30 percent last quarter.
•Downsizing Will Go Down a Size (or Two): The survey also indicates that the number of employers planning to reduce staff levels decreased by 2 percent across the board: Among companies with 500 or fewer employees fewer employers, only 5 percent say they plan to decrease full-time, permanent staff. Four percent of employers with 50 or fewer employees and 7 percent of companies with more than 500 employees said the same.
•Salary Levels to Stay Relatively Level: In disappointing news for workers, nearly 40 percent of employers do not plan to increase salary levels, and 38 percent plan an increase of only 3 percent or less. Fifteen percent expect their average changes will be between 4 and 10 percent and 2 percent predict an increase of 11 percent or more. Another 3 percent say they will decrease salaries.

What do you think? Is it important to wait to establish yourself professionally before getting married?

Here is the story: I am an 11 year old singer/songwriter and had been asked to go on National Television to sing one of my original songs about a year and a half ago. My little 5 year old sister (she’s six now) was upset and feeling left out because her big sister was doing all these fun and interesting things. This 1 minute clip is part of a 15 minute video where she discusses her views on life and decides she isnt going to let anything come between her and her goals.