Want 25 strategies, which range from thoughts on leadership to advice on how to motivate employees to ways of reducing IT costs, to help jump-start your business in these stressful economic times?

Each of these ideas has been tested by other small businesses and yielded a significant pay-off.

Our mailbox has been filling up with unsolicited credit card offers recently. Maybe it's a sign that the economy and credit crunch is easing.

The offers that tempt us most are the ones tied to cards offering us hard cash back if we use them. Free money is always alluring!

But, beware! Before you apply for a card, check out these sneaky tactics that card issuers are promoting.

You are invited to two free presentations put on by Sterck Kulik O'Neill team members in September. Each seminar is free and will give you tips you can use in your business right away.

On Wednesday, September 8, at 6 pm come to the San Francisco Small Business Administration on Market Street for "Don't Get Tangled Up in the Web". Learn critical points on how to develop and maintain your business' home on the Internet from Marketing Director Galen Workman. Why should you be on the Internet? How do you get there cost effectively? (Click for more information and to register for the free seminar.)

Then on Wednesday, September 22, at 5:30 join directors Charles Sterck and Geoffrey Kulik at the Golden Gate Business Association's Member Success Workshop at 1800 Market Street. There are only 4 Ways to Grow your Business. You'll learn what they are and how you can profit from all of them during a focused presentation. GGBA membership is not required. (Click for more information and to register for the free seminar.)

We're not sure how useful these tips will be for your business.

But, these uses of duct tape surely put to the test the idea that you can make anything (and everything) from duct tape.

Enjoy some late-summer laid-back vacation education on the versatility of duct tape!