Natalie Burg

As Steve Edwards and his wife approached the arrival of their second child, one of the biggest challenges was, well, their first one.
"We had a rambunctious 18-month-old running around needing a lot of attention," said Edwards, a senior manager of corporate security for Ann Arbor-based Duo Security, which is now a business unit of Cisco. "My wife was having trouble keeping up and couldn't lift him, so my boss said, 'Why don't you work from home until the baby shows up?'
"It was really great t...

Plenty of people are deeply enthralled with drones: hobbyists, scientists, engineers … criminals. From disrupting sporting events to making assassination attempts, a range of nefarious actors have been showcasing the dangers of this burgeoning technology.
Naturally, one potential response has emerged in the form of more technology.
Mo Rastgaar, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Technological University and director of the schools’ Human-I...

When you can see what’s coming, it’s easier to be prepared. And Michigan has a better view of the developing mobility future than anywhere else. While the state’s researchers, engineers and designers work on the technology that will bring us driverless cars and utilitarian drones, they’re also partnering with public entities to ready communities for the major societal shifts to come.
“We’re on the cusp of a revolution in mobility that will re-form cities and how cities function for the next 1...

Every small business merger is unique, but they all share a few common challenges, from choosing the right partner, to managing the transition, to branding and post-merger management. Here's how five small business owners pulled it off.
Search engine optimization firm Chicago Style SEO merged with two one-person businesses: a pay-per-click expert and a website designer and developer.
Holmes was clear about what he wanted in advance of entering negotiations. He put out the word that he ...

Recently, Linea Johnson’s supervisor did something remarkable. He sat down with each employee and asked, “How are your projects going? What do the timelines feel like? How’s it working out?”

Johnson, an information specialist at the Americans with Disabilities Act National Network, was surprised when her conversation revealed that the deadlines she’d set for her own work were unnecessarily aggressive. She’d been putting undue stress on herself — a big deal for Johnson, who is the author of “P...

Want to turn your brilliant new product or service into a business in just 30 days? Check out the infographic below to find out how.

At 25 years old, Crystal Fletcher took a job with Harrah's Laughlin Hotel & Casino, mostly because it seemed like fun. She wasn't happy working with a local travel agent, and a friend who worked at Harrah's liked it and suggested it would give Crystal "something to do."
The job, in fact, gave Crystal plenty to do—for 18 years and counting now. Her entry-level position led to a full-on career that has included a number of different roles—most recently as Vice President of IT and Executive Asso...

In partnership with Goldman Sachs, we're putting the spotlight on professionals who embody a personal mission to make things possible. Below, we talk to Funmilayo Oludaiye about building relationships, and how they can benefit you and your career. Don't miss the rest of the series, coming soon.

Funmilayo Oludaiye ("Funmi") fell in love with coding in college, and has been hooked ever since. Now, the 29-year-old, Nigerian-born woman is a software programmer at Goldman Sachs. “I was drawn to th...

(Photo credit: iStockphoto)
By Natalie Burg
No plac...

Alisa Bobzien is hosting a party of one — and from the vantage point of her online presence, it’s a pretty fun event.
The graphic designer, entrepreneur and Persian cat devotee is the founder of Party of One, an online shop selling cards, wall art and gifts created with a niche audience in mind: the introvert, feminist, cat lover, crafter and bookworm — or any combination thereof.
“The person I’m designing for is someone who is very enthusiastic about the specific things that they love, to th...

Ahh, the joy of parenting. Isn't that what's going through the minds of working parents all day while they're at the office?

While parenthood is amazing and joyful, and career life can be fulfilling and exciting, combining the two comes with plenty of challenges. Chief among them is not feeling understood at work. A 2014 study found that 48% of working parents are concerned their family responsibilities could get them fired, and in a 2011 report, almost half of working mothers said their chil...

Life in the studio and woodshop where Taylor Melton works varies from day to day and hour to hour.
Sometimes Melton and her shop foreman are noisily cutting the wooden toys that Melton’s business, Clover & Birch, is known for. Other times, Melton is answering emails as another employee takes a break to nurse her baby.
“I started this business with a baby,” Melton said. “It’s very important to me to find a way that our families can be included while we make a living. It doesn’t have to be so s...

Learning about a super-healthy food you’ve never tried can be exciting for home chefs. But taking a first bite and finding it less than immediately lovable can take away from the fun.

So take some advice from the pros. These health-focused food bloggers, chefs and dietitians know how to handle wholesome foods in a way that brings out their best qualities.

Kale Or Spinach: Add Salt And Acid

Dark green vegetables like kale and spinach are the quintessential superfoods. But they can taste a touc...

To some, the idea of Michigan emerging as the next big North American transportation and logistics hub sounds ridiculous.

“There hasn’t been any marketing of it,” said Jim Smiertka, senior vice presid...

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