Fifteen years on Wall Street and multiple years as a tech executive have taught Christa Quarles a key skill — how to get things done efficiently. Quarles is the CEO of OpenTable, an online restaurant reservation company that seats more than 20 million diners each month. The company, owned by the Priceline Group, has generated…
Former Google career coach: Forget finding your passion—do this instead
The ubiquitous advice to “follow your passion” is well-intentioned but not very helpful, said Jenny Blake, the co-creator of Google‘s career development mentorship program, in a recent CNBC article. If you’re frustrated and not sure what you should be doing with your life, she says you may be thinking about work all wrong. “For some, the…
‘House of Cards’ star Michael Kelly: Success isn’t always about money
For Michael Kelly, who plays the power-hungry Doug Stamper on “House of Cards,” success isn’t about how much money you have. Setting and achieving goals is more important, Kelly told CNBC. “My mom always told me to set goals for myself,” he said. “And slowly going through and checking those things off of my list,…
How a combat veteran turned VC is helping other vets become successful entrepreneurs
Stuart Sutley joined the United States Marine Corps at age 22 in 1987. A few years later, he would serve as an infantry officer in Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait. Today, he’s a partner and co-founder of TCP Venture Capital, a technology-focused venture capital fund that has a special fund exclusively for veteran-owned businesses. The…
The power couple that wants to upgrade your selfie game
Many first dates end up going nowhere. But for Jordan and Emily Edelson, dinner and drinks led not only to a marriage — but also a successful business partnership. Last year, the pair co-founded an app called Chic Sketch, a cross between an Instagram-type platform, a guild of fashion illustrators and an on-demand purchasing app…
5 design hacks to make your office beautiful
Furnishing an office or start-up space can be expensive, tiring and even boring. But entrepreneurs can get creative and savvy when it comes to building a workspace. To make your office look and feel bigger and brighter than it is, follow these five tips. Use home-style furniture Who says sofas and comfy chairs have to…
Ghosted after an interview?
It’s becoming more common. It goes something like this: Two people meet in person, on the phone or via email. Things seem to be going well, but then one person vanishes (like a ghost) with no communication of any kind to the other person. Career experts say that ghosting is becoming a bigger problem for…
Former Lehman CFO Erin Callan Montella shares her story
She was one of the most important people on Wall Street — one of the top women in the entire financial world. But when Lehman fell in 2008, the bank’s former chief financial officer, Erin Callan Montella, was dragged down, too. Currently, the ex-Wall Streeter is warning women against the dangers of putting career success…
Entrepreneurs: 4 ways to slash debt for good
Being an entrepreneur takes extreme determination and bold decisions. These same traits can be critical weapons in winning the battle against debt. If you’re an entrepreneur who’s worried about debt — whether it’s $5,000 or upward of $100,000 — now is the time to act to cut back. These four tips from financial experts and entrepreneurs…
The $50,000 impact of pre-K
As much as preschool is about giving young children a head start in learning, it’s also about economics. For New York City, one of the country’s largest and most racially segregated school districts, the start of free preschool for all 4-year-olds has major financial implications moving forward — and some working parents are already…
$100 billion later, Afghanistan on the brink
Afghanistan’s economy is worsening and its security deteriorating despite more than a decade of U.S.-led reconstruction efforts and more than $100 billion poured into the country, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, an independent oversight agency created by Congress in 2008. The agency’s investigation, conducted between October and December of last year,…
The Book Industry Narrative For 2015? It’s Complicated
Of the 88 years that New York City’s iconic independent bookseller Strand Bookstore has been open, 2015 was its highest year ever for revenue. The bookstore’s aisles have been crowded over the past 12 months and they are packed to capacity this week, the peak of the holiday season. “We haven’t been able to keep some of the books…
