January 31st will be here before you know it, and with it the deadline to file 1099 tax forms. In a perfect world, this deadline is met with security and peace of mind. In the real world? Not so much. We’ve seen many companies who couldn’t tell us where W-9s were kept or if the accounting department collected them at all. If you, like many companies, dread the deadline each year, there is still time. Read below to understand best practices for filing 1099s, why obtaining and maintaining your company’s vendors’ W-9s is important, and how to prepare for success for the approaching deadline.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Patrick Frazier, owner and executive coach for The Coaching Authority. We hope you enjoy Patrick’s wisdom and perspective.

Your attitude determines your altitude – in business and in life. You can’t change someone else’s attitude for them. But this powerful adage is a great reminder that you can put in front of anyone who needs an attitude adjustment. I want to talk about a few of the many ways each of us can develop a winning attitude every day. It is what leaders do.

Tragic stories of loss at the hands of opioids have become all too common. The misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, specifically opioids, has become an epidemic. It is a massive problem impacting our friends, families, communities, and the workforce.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Craig Sroda, author of YOU in the SWEET SPOT and Intentional Living. We hope you enjoy Craig’s wisdom and perspective.

I had my blind spot covered recently. We were going to make a hire and I totally didn’t see something I should have. You would think after 25 years of hiring people I would be in tune with what we are looking for, which is the case most of the time but not all the time.

We all have blind spots in life and business - and it can be a staggering 30% of our life. That means almost 1/3 of our life we can use someone else weighing in to validate what we see and what we are thinking. The key is to get whatever you are working on exposed by someone that you can trust and who can keep you accountable.

Opening your home to friends and family can be a fun way to celebrate birthdays, holidays, and more. You want to provide your guests with an enjoyable experience, but you also want to make sure they stay safe while visiting. Taking a few extra measures while planning could save you and your guests from potential injury and liability. Before your next gathering at home, consider the following:

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Tammy Boetsma, CEO of Hacienda Mexican Restaurants, LaSenorita Mexican Restaurants, and BarBici Italian Street Food. We hope you enjoy Tammy's wisdom and perspective.

This summer my husband Mark and I rode our motorcycles from our home in northern Indiana to the Pacific Ocean and back. Riding to the west coast on my bike is a trip I’ve wanted to make for many years. In taking this trip, I was attempting to reach a personal, long-term goal of mine!

Emergency room, urgent care, telemedicine, nurse hotline, specialist, primary care…there are a variety health care options when you’re faced with an injury or illness, but which should you choose?

This is likely a question your employees face on a regular basis. Choosing the most appropriate option can save them time and money, while the wrong choice can be costly for them and for your organization. Are you helping employees understand how to make this decision?

The damage and impact from the recent hurricanes has been devastating. As communities in Texas, Florida, and other areas work hard to cleanup and build, there are unfortunately people looking to take advantage of the situation. We often hear about home repair scams in the wake of disasters, but you should also keep an eye out for flood-damaged vehicles hitting the market.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Mike Cahill, President & CEO of Physicians Health Plan of Northern Indiana. We hope you enjoy Mike’s wisdom and perspective.

I was recently reading an article around the premise that you are the five people you surround yourself with. It suggests we are all positively or negatively influenced by our environment, which includes those we interact with regularly. I couldn’t agree more. But most of the things I read surrounding this topic seem to fail to mention something, something that may be even more important.

In October our attention often turns to all things spooky in preparation for Halloween. With how scary cyber risks are for businesses, it seems appropriate that this is National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Though it is critical to address cyber risk all year long, consider taking time this autumn to review your cyber risk management strategies. Being #CyberAware, can help your organization protect what matters most.