Give Returning Vets – and Yourself – a Break With the Hire Heroes Act
f 2011. President Obama signed the bill into law on Nov. 21, and now servicemen and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will have a leg up on gaining well-deserved (and hopefully good paying) employment upon their return. TIA was a strong backer of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, which encourages businesses to hire
Improving Our ‘Technology’ With More Expertise and Experience
Got a letter recently from an "Appreciative Fan" of the tire industry. More precisely, of the technological wonders that are today’s radials. "I’m 78. I’ve driven on a lot of tires. I would like to thank the tire industry for designing and manufacturing better and safer tires," wrote Warren Modell of Bronx, N.Y., who mentioned
Getting Pink: 25 Years Later, Breast Cancer Awareness Month Still Needs Support
Please don’t turn away because you see pink. Please don’t think reading something with pink on it makes you less of a tire person. In fact, not paying attention could make you less of a person.The ribbon on our front cover and the logo on this page are in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness
Web, E-Newsletter, Magazine: Read All About It Everywhere
All men (and women) may have been created equal, but that is not the case with tire industry news. If that news is about you and your business, it’s the most vital information in the world. If it’s about one of your suppliers or a competitor, then you’d be rightly interested. A new product or
12 Things (More or Less) That Seem to Fit Together
There is no magic for inspiration. Ideas for this column come when they come, and how they come. Sometimes (not often enough) in a blitz when 800 perfectly crafted words flow effortlessly from my fingertips. More often, the only thing flowing is sweat. The process isn’t pretty. People have a cinematic image in their minds
Genius of GM Reminds That Even Donuts Need Some Love
Does it surprise anyone that sometimes General Motors can’t seem to get out of its own way? It shouldn’t. Rising from the ashes of a massive crash-n-burn just a few years ago – and billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars – the new GM still hasn’t learned a little humility. An early May news release
Can Top Tire Brands Survive Constant Price Increases?
"If the majors think they can maintain their marketshare by brand name alone, I think they are mistaken." What do you think of that comment? Agree or disagree? Angry? Surprised? Unconcerned? Before you jump to conclusions and perhaps break out the sharp blades, let me set the table a little more. The statement came from
Use Video for Extra Google Juice
One common objective of most businesses today is to get on the first page of a Google search. There’s no doubt that landing on page one typically leads to more business. There’s also no doubt that a video greatly enhances your chances of page one success because there are far fewer videos than text items
Lobbying Efforts ‘Protecting Our House’
On April 14, President Obama signed H.R. 4 into law. This eliminated what is commonly known as the "1099 Reporting Requirement," which would have mandated that every business owner file a Form 1099 to the Internal Revenue Service to report all purchases over $600. You don’t need much of an imagination to see this would
Court Verdict Will Forever Shine Bright Light on Tire Repair Practices
It can be frightening when people "justify" their actions, often positing their viewpoint with a sensationalized vigor.They are clearly right and Everyone else is wrong, or Somebody else got it all wrong, or it’s the Other Guy’s fault entirely. It is Everyone, Somebody or the Other Guy – often despite tons of contrary information. Thus
Tire Dealers Are Getting With It on Facebook
I began monitoring tire dealers using Facebook about two years ago and am happy to report that not only are more tire dealers now on Facebook (anecdotally speaking), many are using it correctly. Take Kentucky dealer Ken Towery’s Tire & Auto Care, for example. The dealer has 283 fans and is providing a steady supply
Letter to the Editor: TIA Supports 1099 Repeal
Currently, U.S. Senator Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) is working to add an amendment to a bill providing funding for 2011 for the U.S. Small Business Administration that would repeal the 1099 reporting requirement for businesses. This requirement, passed as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, would prove to be an almost crippling hardship