As the World Wide Web continues to evolve, people are finding quicker and easier ways to remain in touch and up to date. Innovative family business owners and advisors are learning to leverage and utilize these tools more each day. Below are a few examples of family business resources available on the web at no cost.
Family Business Wiki
A Wikipedia, or “wiki” is a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. The collaborative encyclopedia, Wikipedia, is one of the best-known wikis. The Family Business Wiki was developed to assist family business owners as a first-stop global resource for knowledge and links to other resources about family business.
What is Twitter? Twitter is a social networking site that allows for individuals or businesses to post real time “micro-blog” updates. Twitter allows you to follow topics or people of interest to see what they are posting or discussing. Many businesses and organizations are taking note. Candidate Barack Obama recently began keeping in touch with supporters by sending “tweets” and authorities in California utilized Twitter to help track California wildfires. The Vermont Family Business daily feed is a great source for family business news and notes.
The Vermont Family Business daily feed on Twitter:
Our Twitter
What is Facebook?
Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet. Many businesses are also setting up pages on Facebook to keep “fans” and visitors up to date. The Vermont Business Center page features dates of upcoming forums and seminars, photos from classes and events, and discussion.
Vermont Business Center on Facebook:
Our Facebook
A web log, or BLOG for short, is an on-going collection. The Family Business 2.0 blog is an emerging resource where trends, facts and advice are shared by a variety of authors and family business professionals. Check back often for current stories and latest news. I encourage you to comment as well, which can be done anonymously.
The Family Business Alliance Google Group
This is a listserv and discussion place for University and family business center directors and associates. This is an open forum to share ideas, information and stay in touch with peers.
Family Business Alliance Google Group
Non-credit workshops and courses only
Employees working in the industries of: manufacturing, healthcare, informational technology, telecommunications, and environmental engineering may be eligible for up to a 50% discount on courses. This grant is offered through a partnership with the Vermont Training Program and the Department of Economic Development. For more details call 888-222-3413 or 802-656-4033.
Notice to Trainees
WHY WE NEED YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
Act 192 of the 2008 Vermont Legislature requires employers and other training providers receiving support from the state to provide the social security number of each individual participating in the training to the department of state government supporting the training. The social security number will be used to gather wage information from the Department of Labor's files after you complete training, in order to evaluate the training program.
The Departments of Labor and Economic Development must provide information on the employment outcomes of training programs to the Legislature. Your information will be combined with information of other trainees to ensure your privacy and the privacy of your employer. The law requires the departments to keep your information confidential.
