| May 2, 2007 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
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- Regulators to ease small companies' compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission hopes to lessen the strain of Sarbanes-Oxley audit compliance on small public firms, despite choosing not to further extend the compliance deadline. "We're pedal-to-the-metal on finishing this work, and we won't require smaller public companies to have a section 404 audit until the new guidance and the new auditing standard are available to them with plenty of time to prepare," said SEC Chairman Christopher Cox. American City Business Journals/Louisville
(4/27)
    
- White House seeks 401(k) fee disclosures
The Bush administration said this week that it wanted to improve the disclosure of 401(k) fees and expenses that can deplete funds from retirement plans. The Labor Department's Employee Benefits Security Administration will begin to solicit ideas from industry experts, the public and others. The announcement comes as some in Congress have recommended legislation to ensure plan holders are given full details regarding 401(k) fees. San Diego Union-Tribune/Associated Press
(4/24)
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- Beef up your negotiating skills
Being a better negotiator can benefit both your business and your personal life. Determine what you want before the negotiation begins; remember to work cooperatively, not just competitively; and maintain focus on the issue at hand in order to increase the likelihood of a positive outcome. Manage Smarter
(4/28)
| Distribution Trends Blog | | |
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Growth strategies around the world
Growth, sales and revenue-raising methods differ greatly between U.S.-based wholesale distributors and their European counterparts. Check out the Distribution Trends blog for more information and links to recent research. Distribution Trends
(5/1)
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| Small Business Manager | | |
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- Q-and-A: Keep your start-up running
American Management Services founder and CEO George Cloutier talks with BusinessWeek about why many small businesses and start-ups fail and what entrepreneurs can do to succeed. He says many businesses fall short because of careless, uncommitted or apprehensive managers and that owners must stay involved even after their business takes off. BusinessWeek
(4/16)
| Executive Life | | |
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- Frequent-shopper perks on the rise at luxury retailers
High-end retailers, including Nordstrom Inc., Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, are developing more savvy rewards systems for their biggest spenders. Rewards generally include gift cards and discounts, with some offering trips, invitations to special events and openings and free shipping on certain orders. The Wall Street Journal
(4/26)
| NAW Insider | | |
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Time is running out to attend HR Networking Meeting
Register today for NAW's Large Company HR Networking Conference, May 16 to 17, before the seats fill up. Senior HR executives from wholesale distribution companies with sales of $100 million and above will join to network/benchmark. Agenda topics are based on the HR community and address specific needs, including ROI of HR, Succession Planning, Recruitment, and Retention. Get details and register here.
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Save on overnight shipping with DHL ShipReady
NAW and DHL have partnered to offer a unique delivery service from DHL Express. Members can ship anywhere in the continental U.S. for one flat rate with no weight limits, extra fees or fuel surcharges. Receive two free envelopes with your first order by visiting the ShipReady site and entering the promo code NAWSR07.
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Visa, MasterCard announce national processing rate changes
Visa/MasterCard announced nationwide interchange rate increases effective April 2007. If you accept credit cards, these changes could significantly impact your bottom line. NAW has negotiated a deal through Solveras Payment Systems to lock in pre-increase rates if you enroll in the NAW/Solveras program before April 30. Visit the NAW/Solveras Web site, or call (800) 613-0148 for complete details. Some restrictions apply.
| Weekly Poll | | |
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How many new employees have you hired so far this year?
After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.
 | None. |
| One to three. |
| four to six. |
| more than six. |
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | Think P.I.G. -- that's my motto. P stands for persistence, I stands for integrity, and G stands for guts. These are the ingredients for a successful business and a successful life."
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| | Recent NAW SmartBrief Issues:
- Monday, April 30, 2007
- Friday, April 27, 2007
- Wednesday, April 25, 2007
- Monday, April 23, 2007
- Friday, April 20, 2007
| | | Lead Editor: Ashley McMaster
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