It's a dog-eat-dog world for today's entrepreneur. The advent of the Internet and its subsequent takeover of everyone's entire life, as well as a continued reliance on hyperlocal brick-and-mortar storefronts prove that, for the marketplace minded, business frontiers abound. And then there's TV. Television teaches an altogether different lesson about business: it doesn't have to be realistic to be entertaining. If you're worried about your toehold in today's consumer economy (or if you just have 15 minutes to kill), check out these top 10 unrealistic businesses that you can find on TV.

1. Underpants

   Phase 1: STEAL UNDERPANTS. Phase 2: ? Phase 3: PROFIT.
   In a season two episode of South Park, the boys meet the Underpants Gnomes — bite-sized bearded men that march into children's bedrooms in the wee hours of the morning and steal — you guessed it — underpants.

   Why It's Unrealistic: With the exception of a complete lack of methodology, any discernible infrastructure, and probably a tax number — this business plan is foolproof. And illegal. And executed by mythical creatures that in no way exist.

2. Spaghetti Sauce

   Inveterate favorite Saved by the Bell follows its high-school characters through many business ventures and ideas of varying success. (You remember Buddy Bands, right?) In a season four episode that originally aired in 1992, Bayside's beloved resident geek, Screech (Dustin Diamond), created a small spaghetti sauce business with his best friend Zack that quickly exploded. As it turns out, they actually committed theft and fraud — the recipe was stolen from a popular cookbook. And the bottling and distribution materials? Zack lifted those from the school's science lab. In a characteristically comical chain of events, the boys learn the realities of start-up costs and the benefits of liquidating.

   Why It's Unrealistic: Nobody gets away with stealing beakers from Bayside. Nobody. Also, is Betty Crocker's spaghetti sauce recipe really that good? Dubious, at best.

3. Paddy's Pub

   The usually stupid, sometimes criminally insane cast of characters in FX's comedy smash It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia run Paddy's Pub, an unsuccessful bar in south Philly. Although they try many a gimmick — America's Next Top Paddy's Billboard Model Contest, selling tickets to a water stain that looks like the Virgin Mary, and becoming a gay bar among them — the gang isn't exactly focused on long-term, sustainable growth of their business. To the contrary — usually, it's used or abused as a setting for a place to hang out.

   Why It's Unrealistic: Unless the gang is hosting some type of event, no one's ever at Paddy's that doesn't own it or look homeless. Basically, it's the opposite of Cheers. Poor Paddy's is simply a stage for Dennis, Mac, Charlie, Sweet Dee, and Frank to impose themselves on the world. There's even an episode in season four called "Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar in Philadelphia."

4. Working for Donald Trump

   Just because he's a business magnate doesn't mean that he's not primarily a media figure. And you'd better believe that competing for a spot in one of his companies nets him much more than the $250,000 starting salary you get if you win.

   Why It's Unrealistic: While public mentoring young businesspeople would be an informative (if not pedantic) TV show, the methods by which Trump chooses his next apprentice are made for a more generalized audience, and not an accurate representation of what business actually looks like. Fine to watch for entertainment, but take caution if you think you're learning any true tricks of the cutthroat business trade. The last thing you want to hear is, "You're fired!"

5. Crime Fighting

   Perhaps it's just more of a public service, but it's a smidge concerning that most crime-fighters are stuck in their current socioeconomic class. TV's Bruce Wayne (and, for that matter, Adam West) will be rich no matter what, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will always live in the sewers.

   Why It's Unrealistic: There's absolutely no functional business model for vigilante justice. How can a superhero, especially one that has an identity to protect, send you a bill? How do these people/turtles do this stuff full time, anyway? Where's all that pizza money coming from? Even Superman and Spiderman have day jobs. Get a grip, crusaders.

6. Banana Stand

   There's always money in the banana stand.

   Used as a tax shelter and a place to hide cash by Bluth patriarch George Sr., the joke here is that the banana stand is the only profitable part of the Bluth empire, even though George was a real estate mogul (prior to his arrest). On its face, the Bluth Frozen Banana Stand is a low-overhead, low-risk company with little opportunity for growth. And without family working there for little to no pay, it's likely got little opportunity for even sustainable development.

   Why It's Unrealistic: With so many of the kooky Bluths hanging around, it's a wonder that the banana stand ever even has customers. The stand has been burned down, is thrown in the water at least once a year, and it was a meeting place for petty drug deals of generations gone by. Plus, it's TV, so shenanigans must be called: there's not really any money in the banana stand in the end.

7. Counter Terrorism

   24's Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) may have been an American badass, but his extreme measures and rule-bending shooting sprees are in no way indicative of workers in the counter terrorism industry. Most of the counter terrorism measures implemented domestically are done so in dull federal office buildings, not reimagined warehouses in the middle of LA.

   Why It's Unrealistic: First of all, why is Jack Bauer the only person that can uncover conspiracies and anti-American plots? It is difficult to believe that he works in poorly lit warehouses and flies all around the world because he's the only person capable of effectively beating the bad guys. There are droves of brilliant government employees and contractors that work in concert to keep the country safe, from sea to shining sea.

8. Dunder-Mifflin

   With so little work being performed, how could a company survive? Although the people may be the reason that you tune in every week, their actual job is to make you laugh, not to sell paper. And it's a good thing, too.

   Why It's Unrealistic: If you look beyond the comedy, what you've really got is an office full of dumbos, horny people, pranksters, and eccentrics, working in a small town with an inept manager (although that casting has recently changed) whose focus is on being liked, not being effective. Pro tip? Don't look beyond the comedy. It's just TV.

9. Media Offices

   What is it about television that cannot portray correctly the offices that drive culture? Magazines, radio, newspaper, even TV stations are characterized highly counter to their actual structures and functions. Come on: the fashion magazine office in Ugly Betty looks more like it should be in the pages of its publication, rather than producing them. The receptionist faces the office in Just Shoot Me. 30 Rock and vintage classic The Mary Tyler Moore Show are more accurate representations of what a media office should and does normally resemble.

   Why It's Unrealistic: Arbiters of culture are, by nature, messy. Really messy. There's a lot going on in those heads of theirs, and even more in their spaces. Quirky decorations abound, as well as samples, stacks of paper, and filing cabinets (digital or otherwise). These places thrive on fast-paced production and chaos. You can bet there's a mess somewhere within.

10. The Guild of Calamitous Intent

    Your nemesis is our business.

    Barely beating out Vandelay Industries and Veridian Dynamics, The Venture Bros.' organization of super-villains is about as outlandish as it gets. No one's sure how they're funded, Iggy Pop and Mark Twain have ties to the group, and one of their slogans is "Hate You Can Trust."

    Why It's Unrealistic: Although an impressive amount of bureaucracy and red tape goes into their work, The Guild has a monopoly on "licensed aggression." Any first-year business school student or relatively bright chimpanzee can tell you that monopolies defy the value of competition in the marketplace, as well as drive down quality due to lack of choice. And even for evil, that dog won't hunt.

Customer service is vitally important. As both a businessperson and a consumer I have a unique perspective of the power it can have. It is a symbiotic relationship that at it's best, pays dividends for consumers and businesses alike. But at it's worst, it's a self depreciating pit of despair where everyone loses. And at this day and age, with the way the internet has changed the speed at which information is shared, both its success and its failure can be greatly magnified.
 

But we've all heard this tirade before…many times. If you need to be told or reminded that customer service is important, you probably should reconsider why you're doing business in the first place. So that isn't what I want to convey with this article. Instead, my goal is to bring attention to what having good customer service really means. And to do that, I'm going to outline some areas that don't usually fall under the traditional definition of “customer service”.

Audit your entire business process

The ultimate goal of any businesses attention to customer service should be to need less of it. This doesn't mean slashing your customer service budget. It means putting a focus on limiting customer complaints, questions, confusion, returns, and everything else that falls under the responsibility of the customer service department. It means constantly optimizing and simplifying your offering. Make the entire process of doing business with your company easier, simpler, faster, and problem free for your customers.
 

This means taking a full start-to-finish audit of the entire business process. It requires a good amount of communication and effort to sort out and find solutions for common issues and inefficiencies. But by going through the process, you will ideally find ways to improve your offering which will make your customers happier, your company more competitive, and (in many cases) reduce overall business costs.

Business infrastructure optimization

I really feel bad for customer service representatives who work for companies who lack the infrastructure to meet their customers' needs. They probably spend a lot of their day being yelled at by angry customers for things they can do absolutely nothing about. These companies could have the best customer service department in the world and still lose. Competing companies who get it right, will always steal their business.
 

Here's an example:
 

A few years ago, I bought tickets to a football game for my brothers and sisters. All total 7 of us were going to the game, but none of us had a car big enough. So we decided to split the cost of renting a van or SUV that could comfortably fit us all in one vehicle. It was my job to find the car.
 

Looking online, it was clear that our timing was awful. It seemed none of the local rental places had anything that would work. Everything was booked, so to the phones I went. The first company I called outsourced their customer service as the person I was talking to clearly did not speak English as a first language. That only really bothers me if I we can't understand each other, and even though he wasn't very friendly, all I cared about was the car. In a voice as cold as reading it on the internet, he told me what I already knew: that the local place was all booked up and the closest vehicle was at a location too far away to work. He wished me a nice day, and I hung up disappointed. Next two companies, same story…almost like I was talking to the exact same representative.
 

Finally, I called Enterprise. This time, a woman with a strong southern accent picked up the line seemingly eager to help. After telling her what I was looking for, she informed me what I what I was only now calling to confirm: that the closest car was in another location that was too far away. However, instead of leaving it at that, she said they could have one of the SUV's sent over for us that day! What a marvelous thing!

I don't know if Enterprise is the only company that does this, or if the others were simply unable or unwilling. I'm also not sure which is worse? What I do know, is that Enterprise won my business that day, and now they're the first I call every day after. Not because the other companies decided to cheap out and outsource their customer service to India or elsewhere. But because Enterprise was set up to be both able and willing to meet my needs. Going above and beyond isn't just up to your customer service department, it's up to the entire business to cater to your customers needs, especially when those needs are challenging.

Outsourcing

Outsourcing customer service is a buyer beware situation. It usually costs less, but the service is also usually second rate. But once again, most of us already knew that. Outsourcing other aspects of your businesses, however, also leaves you vulnerable to customer service issues that you don't have control over. Any time you hire another company to have contact with your customers (even sometime when they don't), you need to be able to trust their ability and sensitivity to customer service. If not, you're going to be held responsible for the carelessness of another company. Never a good situation.
 

Here's another story:
 

After multiple service problems and fee increases, I became fed up with my local cable company and decided to switch to Direct TV Satellite as our television provider. Getting set up was a snap, though I had to wait over a month before they could install the dish. (It didn't seem odd at the time) Everyone I spoke with was quick, friendly, and knowledgeable. I had all the confidence in the world about their customer service. Well worth the switch.
 

This past summer, I finished renovations on my basement/man cave. Having become addicted to the NFL package, I absolutely needed to add a new line in order to watch the games downstairs. So I called to make an appointment to have it installed sometime in early July. The very friendly lady told me the earliest it could be done was August 23^rd, nearly 6 weeks from that day. Not happy about it, I set the appointment.
 

When the day came, I took work off so I could be home “between 12 and 5”. At about 4:45, I received a phone call telling me that they weren't going to be able to make it. The technicians were too far behind and we'd have to reschedule. Even though I was a bit upset that I took the day off, I understood how these things can happen.
 

“Unfortunately, it will be another 6 weeks before the next available appointment”, she then told me.
 

“WRONG.” I said. “I didn't cancel on you, so please don't punish me by putting me back to the end of the line.”
 

“I'm sorry sir, there's nothing I can do.”, she offered.
 

“Yes there is. Cancel someone for tomorrow and make room for me.” I demanded, clearly annoyed at this point. “I made my appointment before any of them did, so don't you think I should be next?”
 

“Hold on, let me see what I can figure out.” she put me on hold. A few minutes later, “Sir? I can fit you in for September 6^th. I do apologize that's the very best I can do.”
 

“Well, you could waive the installation fee. That will be two days of work I have to miss for this.”, I suggested.
 

“I'm sorry sir, we are a subcontractor for Direct TV, they outsource their installations to us, you will have to take that up with them.”I booked the appointment for 2 days before NFL kickoff and urged her to make note that I had already been bumped once.
 

When I hung up, I immediately called Direct TV's customer service department to share my issue with them. After explaining my plight, the representative was extremely sympathetic and even offered to waive one month of the basic package (more than the installation fee, but less than I lost missing work for a day).
 

When the installer came to my house, he was friendly and quick. But when I asked him to put the cable above my new drop-ceiling, he informed me that it would cost another $50 "for putting the cord inside of walls or fixtures". I showed him how little was involved, but he seemed to care even less. So rather than pay $50, I spent the 2 minutes doing it myself. Easiest $50 I've ever saved.

Now even though Direct TV went out of their way to make me happy, I still have a bad taste in my mouth from the whole experience. I'm still a Direct TV customer, but now I worry about the next time I have to deal with one of their “sub contractors”. If my dish gets damaged or otherwise goes offline, equipment fails, or even adding another new line can become another such nightmare. And if another network offers me an alternative (especially if they include an equivalent NFL package), after this experience, I'm now much more willing to consider it.

Time and time again, we are presented with films that stress a recurring, Hollywood liberalist's theme — capitalism is bad. While capitalism is a complex term, it is essentially a system where the hard-working individual is rewarded while the lazy are punished. Opponents of capitalism argue that the capitalist businessman is selfish and that society would benefit more if the greater good was considered rather than the individual. Inadvertently or not, we are drawn to these themes in film, perhaps to see the American Dream played out and cringe at its inevitable downfall.

1. Wall Street

   Wall Street is the most obvious in its desire to expose the evils of capitalism, as the characters within it have the most palpable downfall. After trading insider information from his father's company, Bud Fox gets in cahoots with Wall Street guru Gordon Gekko and quickly makes his way up the corporate ladder with all its material perks. All of the usual suspects make their appearance; the model girlfriend, the penthouse apartment, and an otherwise unequivocally enriched lifestyle. At the expense of loyalty to his father and his father's company, Fox is temporarily charmed by Gekko and his ideals, but ultimately realizes his mistakes in dismantling his father's business. Fox is fortunate enough to overcome his greedy nature, undergoing a significant character arch, but is still subject to the consequences of his errors when he is arrested for his insider trading.

2. The Social Network

   The film depicting Mark Zuckerberg's rise to fame through the creation of Facebook and the ensuing lawsuits and betrayal of his close friend Eduardo is another great stab at modern capitalism. The Social Network takes a more complicated stance, though, as Zuckerberg may be unlikable, but his ambition should be rewarded. But to what extent should credit have been given to supporting roles? The film allows you to make this choice, and this is a key component of what anti-capitalists put in check. At the expense of wanting to strip all credit of Facebook from Eduardo and the Winklevoss twins, Zuckerberg distances himself from others. Like his capitalistic film predecessors, he embraces the usual brouhaha that surrounds fame, in part from Sean Parker's influence. In the end, Zuckerberg is indeed prosperous, but as the film's tagline states, "You Don't Get to 500 Million Friends Without Making a Few Enemies."

3. There Will Be Blood

   Daniel Plainview is an oil tycoon in the midst of the early twentieth century American Frontier. With ruthlessness and a strong entrepreneurial spirit, Plainview undergoes the hardships and struggle of the oil industry only to plunge deeply into isolationism within the confines of his Southern California mansion at the end of the film. Every relationship that could have been made throughout his journey he rejects because of his obsessive desire to be at the top. This is most heartbreakingly exemplified in the rejection of H.W., the child Plainview took under his wing under the premise that he "needed a sweet face to buy land." It is clear in several moments throughout the film that H.W. is the only character for whom Plainview feels true compassion, and it is thus terribly ironic that he would be deafened by an oil burst and then cast out by Plainview, as the child was no longer useful to his plot and dealing with his new handicap became too challenging.

4. Limitless

   Eddie, a poor, struggling writer is presented the option of taking a drug that will enable him to use the entire capacity of his brain — essentially rendering him with superhuman aptitude for everything — and what does he do? He drops his dream of becoming a writer after producing a novel overnight and becomes a greedy, well-dressed stock broker. In spite of his blossoming mental clarity, Eddie fails to undergo any true character growth, falling into a world of shallow material gain. He uses the drugs to propel himself even further into the world of money-obsessed business moguls. The didactic message is explicitly stated when supporting character Carl Van Loon exposes Eddie's power as "A gift, not earned" and that he "throw[s] them around like a brat with his trust-fund … [he] hasn't had to climb up all the greasy little rungs." Eddie's success was not the result of hard work and dedication, but rather the easy outcome of relying on the similarly capitalist-bent world of pharmaceuticals.

5. American Psycho

   At its most basic, American Psycho is a cautionary tale exploring the effects of 80s capitalistic culture on a certain Patrick Bateman, a young, successful business executive on Wall Street. Patrick eats at lavish restaurants, lives in an upscale high-rise, and is chauffeured around by a personal driver, so we are extremely aware of his monetary success. Yet we are also aware of the negative effects living such a lifestyle seems to have on him, as he is full of ennui, unable to relate to other people, and either literally or metaphorically lashes out in violent outbursts against various characters in the film. This is yet another example in which capitalist materiality serves as a tool for alienation. Bateman is wealthy, partaking in the fruits of his labor, but they are unsatisfying to him because he lives in excess. The underlying notion is that others, less fortunate than he, still feel and empathize, but he is unable to do so as he is so overwhelmed by material things.

Ever dreaded going in to work because your boss makes you think of a four letter word? If that word is "'love," then you're one of the fortunate few who actually get along with their bosses. For the rest of us, we cling to cinematic films about work being a comedic, awesome experience filled with exciting business trips and that seemingly unattainable promotion. Here are six movie bosses we wouldn't mind working for at all.

1. Andy Serkis in 13 Going On 30

   With the pressure of Sparkle Magazine going down, Andy Serkis' role as a witty, sympathetic boss was memorable. He brought charm and poise to the workplace, even under difficult pressure and wanted to reinvent the magazine. He encouraged Jenna, Jennifer Garner's character, to present new ideas where she developed her own self-epiphanies, leading to personal and professional growth. Andy Serkis sure knew how to run a magazine, even if the magazine ultimately failed.
   

2. Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada

   Meryl Streep's character as a tyrannical fashion magazine editor who thrives on terrorizing her subordinates (Anne Hathaway) was more than comedic. During Anne's short time as her assistant, she learned more about herself and about the fashion industry than she ever thought. Audiences praised Meryl's performance as an overall a talented boss with lots of experience to share. Seats at the Valentino Fashion Show included in the position.
   

3. John Forsythe in Charlie's Angels

   Although the only impression we have of Charlie is his deep upbeat voice coming from a speaker box, it's clear that his angels trust him with their lives. His mysteriousness adds to one of the many reasons why working for Charlie wouldn't be so bad – hunting down bad guys, never having to be inside an office, and getting plenty of exercise (butt kicking) everyday.
   

4. John Amos in Coming to America

   John Amos plays Cleo McDowell, who is the owner of a restaurant chain. He has all the qualities of a good boss – equal opportunity employer, whether you are an African Prince or a commoner. He will invite you into his home after you help out at his parties. Even if you have no real qualifications (like you just came to America) he will give you a chance. He even created the Big Mick Burger.
   

5. Judi Dench in GoldenEye

   Judi Dench was the first woman to play the role as "M," James Bond's boss. They have a fond relationship towards one another and their briefings on certain missions show her professionalism and assertiveness. She is the perfect balance of an authoritative yet trustworthy boss.
   

6. Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire

   Tom Cruise plays a successful sports agent who gets fired from his job for writing a memo about the company's tactics, which favor money over their clients. Jerry follows his intuition and heart and starts his own business representing the one client he has left. One of Jerry's most memorable qualities as a boss is his compassion and ability to stick by his clients
   

In this day and age marketing has changed in so many ways because of the internet. Traditional advertising is still a big business and it always will be, but the world of online advertising has become more important to many companies. It is important to mix both offline and online advertising to help your business keep growing, but having the right team of people that understand both is extremely important. There are a few different ways to tackle online advertising, some companies have in house employees handle all of their marketing and advertising endeavors while others hire outside companies that specialize in various ways of advertising. There are so many different areas of online marketing that it is best to have a special team that does only that, with each member of the team bringing a different skill set to the table. Here are 20 blog posts that discuss online advertising and marketing, these posts cover things like Google Adwords and Facebook ads, as well as social media marketing and branding. Reading through these blogs can help you better understand the importance of online advertising.

1. Getting Started Social Media Advertising on Facebook, YouTube & LinkedIn – Social media advertising and marketing is one of the biggest ways to get your name out there these days, and the results have been proven to be effective time and time again. Here are some great starter tips from a very respected industry blog.
2. 6 Quick Tips for Smarter Online Advertising – Here are a few quick tips to help you get the most bang for your buck when it comes to online advertising. Being smarter about it can save you money and still generate many leads.
3. General Online Advertising Tips – This is a whole category section of this particular blog and it is loaded with a lot of informative posts that can help you grasp the world on online advertising a little better.
4. Tips for Banner Advertising – This post has some great advice on banner advertising and they discuss things that work the best when you are trying to tackle that kind of advertising on relevant websites. Relevancy is very important because it will help you target the exact niche you are in and have it seen by the people that should be seeing the ad.
5. Online Advertising Tips for Easier Online Sales – Here are even more great tips that can help you understand the best ways of using online ads to increase your ROI.
6. 11 Tips for Google Adwords Success – Here are tips to help you become more successful when using Google Adwords to help promote your site and business online.
7. 31 Killer Writing AdWords Ads Tips – Here are some killer tips for writing Adwords ad campaigns, the catchier you can make the ad sound the better the results will be. These tips are guaranteed to help if they are done correctly, so read up and improve your Adwords skills!
8. 4 Tips For Writing Effective Adwords Ads – There are a few more great tips in here to help you maximize the performance of your ads.
9. Tips for Building an Adwords Ad Group Structure – Creating a Pay per Click (PPC) campaign using Google’s AdWords could seem like a large, tedious task. However, with proper planning and organization, there is no reason you can’t build and structure the right ad groups in a breeze. Putting a PPC campaign together entails keyword research, building ad groups, and creating actual ads.
10. TIPS, TRICKS, AND STRATEGY FOR USING GOOGLE ADWORDS: A NON-TECHNICAL GUIDE – Even more excellent tips for using Adwords campaigns to promote your business. Learning the best ways to do anything at all will always make a world of difference.
11. 25 Facebook Advertising Tips – Advertising on Facebook confuses many people, but it is really not that hard, just a bit overwhelming at first. The same goes for anything new you are learning so it is important to take the time to find the best ways to do things.
12. 10 Facebook Advertising Tips For Brilliant Marketers – This is another list of some great ways to make Facebook advertising work best for you and will help you get the results you desire.
13. Facebook Advertising Tips and Strategies (Video) – This is a video done by Dominate Web Media and it is loaded with a lot of very useful information regarding FB advertising .
14. 20 branding tips using only social media – This post is a must read and is loaded with top notch info on using social media to build your brand. Many companies have become very successful by embracing social media to get more business and to make their brand stand out so it gets noticed.
15. Branding Tips: Know Why to Understand How – Yet another great post on branding, knowing why it is important, and also understanding the best ways to achieve your goals of building your brand correctly and efficiently.
16. Tips For Social Media Strategies – Embracing social media is becoming increasingly more important to many companies, it is a great and very effective way to grow a business right from the start. Following tips by the experts will help you get to where you want to be much faster, and in 2012 it is hard to ignore the power that social media has become.
17. 7 Branding Tips for Small Businesses – As you will notice, there are many legitimate experts that offer social media tips and they vary a bit from person to person. That is because there are many different strategies that work and will help with your branding efforts. Testing out the different strategies will help you find what works best for you and your company.
18. 5 Easy Social Media Tips To Brand Yourself – Whether you are a freelancer or a public figure in your company it is important to spend some time on personal branding, here are some tips to help you get started in doing that.
19. 100 Indispensable Personal Branding Tips – This is another huge collection of personal branding tips to help you on your way to success!
20. The Website Marketing Mind Map: Internet Marketing Made Easy – This is a very interesting and important post by one of the innovators in the internet marketing world, this one is definitely a must read for anyone involved with internet marketing.

Image credits: npslibrarian

News outlets like to report on a lot of bad news, much to the dismay of puppy-and-sunshine-loving optimists everywhere. We hear story after story about corporate greed and bonuses for the super-rich execs, but we often miss out on hearing what corporations and big companies are doing right. Many of them have great philanthropic values and compassionate hearts buried beneath all that money. These companies are examples of some of the most generous in the U.S., based on information collected by The Chronicle of Philanthropy using each business' giving totals for 2010 and profit data for 2009. They've made it part of their missions to give back to the communities they serve, a lesson companies and individuals everywhere should take to heart.

1. Kroger

   You might get excited when you see the savings you get back by using a Kroger Plus card, but the company is also giving a huge percentage back to the community. Kroger gave $64 million to charity in 2010, which comes out as 10.9% of total profits. Their overall contribution may not be as much as some larger companies, but they're definitely sharing one of the biggest slices of their profit pie. Besides charitable donations, Kroger organizes fundraising so members of the community can also give and sponsors races that help fund cancer research.

2. Walmart

   The retail giant known for rolling back prices has been a major player in the world of charitable donations. In terms of total dollars given, Walmart is one of the most generous, donating $319 million in 2010, the most recent data year. It may not be a huge chunk of their $22 billion 2009 profit, but there's no doubt it's helping immensely, especially since the company notes that they also donate food and other products that aren't reflected in the monetary calculation. Their 2011 contributions were probably just as impressive as the previous year, considering they gave away $1.5 million in cash during the holidays via Facebook alone.

3. Macy's

   If you could count the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as a charitable donation to society, the department store might skyrocket to the top of any list on generosity. As it is, Macy's comes in among some of the top givers. In 2010, they donated $41 million, which was about 8.1% of their profits. Most gifts are given to organizations in Macy's core focus areas: arts and culture, education, environment, HIV/AIDS research, and women's issues. While the money is important, Macy's employees also gave upwards of 122,000 hours of their time to community service, which some might argue makes even more of an impact.

4. Goldman Sachs

   Investment banking firm Goldman Sachs knows how to manage money, and for them, that includes giving a hefty amount to charity each year. In 2010, the company donated $312 million, and it gave around $500 million the year before. These huge chunks of change are focused on four areas: honoring service and veterans, helping communities, expanding educational opportunities, and encouraging growth in the economy. It's been reported recently that the company cut philanthropy in 2011 to $78 million for the year, but it's still a significant contribution.

5. Pfizer

   Drug companies like pharmaceutical mammoth Pfizer have a unique opportunity to do good in people's lives. While they can make hefty cash donations to charities, they can also provide necessary drugs to people who don't have insurance or otherwise couldn't afford them. Though the company gave $69 million in monetary contributions in 2010, the real generosity came in the form of medicine like Lipitor and Celebrex. The total when you take the product donations into account: $3 billion. Other drug companies like Oracle and Merck also contributed significant amounts of their pharmaceuticals to the uninsured and underinsured.

6. Safeway

   Safeway is another smaller grocery store that's making a big difference in the communities it serves. In 2010, the company gave 7.5% of its profits to charity, which totaled $76.5 million. In addition to this money, they say they gave $130 million worth of food to aid hunger relief programs. Safeway sends its donations and funds raised largely toward local schools, breast and prostate cancer research, and disaster relief when needed, like for aiding victims of the Haiti earthquake in 2010. The store also encourages volunteering among employees with company-sponsored volunteer activities and a website dedicated to linking workers with nonprofits.

7. Dow Chemical Company

   The chemical company obviously does its fair share of giving, with $34 million in donations made in 2010. That's 7.3% of its total 2009 profits. This spirit of generosity seems to have rubbed off on Dow employees, as well. The heart of their altruism lies beyond the monetary contributions in the volunteer hours logged by workers. Employees help build homes, organize food drives, and encourage area students to pursue education and leadership roles, among other tasks depending on the needs of each branch's community.

8. Bank of America

   One of the largest banks in the nation (and also one of the biggest companies in general) is also one of the most generous. Bank of America gave away $208 million in donations in 2010, a respectable 4.8% of their overall profits. Most donations take the form of grants to projects that are addressing pressing community needs. The bank also pushes employees to give their time to the less fortunate, supports community development with its Neighborhood Excellence Initiative, and provides its associates' expertise through its Philanthropic Solutions team.

9. General Mills

   Even when a company has some very visible charitable projects, there are sometimes many more going on behind the scenes. Most of us know about General Mills' Box Tops for Education program, which allows people to clip box tops of General Mills' and the program's corporate partners' products to earn money toward their local school. But the company has also contributed to other programs throughout the world that you've probably never heard of, like providing water cellars so Chinese families can collect and store rainwater, contributing to a school in Thailand, and planting vegetables in Puerto Rico. These acts, as well as the $82 million the corporation donated in 2010, earned General Mills the 2010 President's Award from the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy.

10. Target

    Target giving starts within the company. Talk to any Target worker and he'll tell you that the corporation offers generous benefits for all employees, on top of a great work environment. The employees are then encouraged to donate their time to community projects, adding up to hundreds of thousands of hours altogether each year. Target sponsors and supports several programs dealing with education, arts, social services, veteran support, and more. In 2010, the company's official number for charitable contributions was $146 million, which was 3.8% of their profits.

When it comes to family businesses, blood and money really do mix. Some of today's biggest and most successful businesses have pledged to keep it in the family to ensure that the original ideals and vision of the company remain intact. Generation after generation, family members are groomed to take over the business and carry on the family tradition of hard work and leadership. Check out these 10 family businesses that made it big:

1. Wal-Mart

   Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer and most successful family business of all time. In 1962, founder Sam Walton took his knowledge of discount retailing and opened the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Ark. It wasn't long before Sam expanded his business and opened up hundreds, then thousands of stores worldwide. After Walton died in 1992, his empire was passed on to his wife and children. Rob Walton succeeded his father as chairman of Wal-Mart, and his brother, John, served on a company committee that oversaw Wal-Mart's finances and future projects until his death in 2005. Walton's other children have distanced themselves from the family business, but remain important shareholders of the mega corporation.

2. Mars

   Mars is one of the world's largest and most successful manufacturers of chocolate, confection, gum, drinks, and pet care products. The candy giant was started by Frank C. Mars in 1911, and it grew exponentially with the introduction of the incredibly popular Milky Way candy bar. The company was later acquired by his only son, Forrest Mars, who helped launch the brand internationally. Although Mars is run by a non-family member today, the company still remains in the Mars family name and its members make up the board of directors.

3. Comcast

   Comcast is the largest cable operator and home Internet service provider in the United States. It's also one of the biggest and most successful family-owned companies of all time. Founder Ralph J. Roberts transformed Comcast Corporation from a small, Mississippi cable-TV business to a billion-dollar media conglomerate. Regardless of how big Comcast has gotten, the Roberts family has remained very involved in the business. As of 2011, Ralph Roberts serves as the chairman emeritus and his son, Brian, is the current CEO.

4. News Corporation

   News Corporation is one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. The company was founded by Rupert Murdoch in 1979 and has expanded into a global empire, earning roughly $33.4 billion each year. Some of Murdoch's children have taken a stake in the company, including his son, James, who has been embroiled in the recent phone-hacking scandal in the UK. Although James has been groomed to take over his father's company, the scandal may affect his chances of becoming successor.

5. Ford Motor Company

   Ford Motor Company is the second-largest automaker in the U.S. and one of the biggest family businesses of all time. Ford's rich history begins with its legendary founder, Henry Ford, whose innovation and strong leadership lead to the creation of the first affordable automobile, the Ford Model T. For more than 100 years, the Ford family has maintained control of the automotive company. The founder's great-grandson, William Clay Ford, Jr., currently serves as the executive chairman and two other family members sit on the board.

6. Carlson

   Carlson is a private, global hospitality and travel company that owns Radisson, Country Inns & Suites, and T.G.I. Friday's. Curt Carlson founded the multipurpose company in 1938, and his innovative idea to use Gold Bond Stamps to encourage customer loyalty helped make Carlson a huge success. Before Curt died, he made his daughter Marilyn Carlson Nelson the next CEO. Marilyn was replaced by Hubert Joly in 2008, but she maintains a key role on the board.

7. Cargill Inc.

   Cargill is a private agriculture business that specializes in the manufacture and distribution of crops and livestock. William W. Cargill founded the company in 1865 and, with the help of his two brothers, Cargill Inc. transformed from a small grain storage facility in the Midwest to a major producer and marketer of agricultural and industrial goods and services. Although Cargill hired its first non-family member as CEO, the descendants of William W. Cargill still own more than 85% of the company.

8. Bechtel Corporation

   Bechtel Corporation is the largest engineering company in the United States, best known for helping in the construction of the Hoover Dam, as well as the BART system, and the Channel Tunnel. Since its creation in 1898, Bechtel has always functioned as a family-owned business. This family empire has faced a great deal of criticism for its project choices, privacy restrictions, and political clout. Today, the great-grandson of founder Warren Bechtel serves as the CEO of the company.

9. Koch Industries

   Koch Industries is a large and highly successful multipurpose corporation that owns several diverse businesses, including Georgia-Pacific, Invista, Flint Hills Resources, Koch Pipeline, Koch Fertilizer, and Matador Cattle Company. In 1940, Fred C. Koch co-founded the company, which was built on an innovative procedure of converting oil into gasoline. Since Fred's passing, his sons, David and Charles, inherited the business and each own 42% of Koch Industries.

10. Motorola

    Motorola is known for its cell phones and electronics, but some might be surprised to know that this giant telecommunications company is also a family-run business. Brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin founded Motorola in 1928, and together they launched the first commercial car radio, called the Motorola. In 1959, Paul's son, Robert Galvin, took over the company and oversaw the production of DynaTac, the first cellular phone. His son, Chris, ran Motorola from 1997 to 2003, before being excommunicated by the board and replaced by a non-family member. Although the Galvin family has lost control of the company in recent years, it will always go down in history as one of the biggest and most successful family businesses.

It’s been said, never mix family with business. Somehow when family members enter into business contracts and agreements together, a lot of risk is involved, leading to disputes that may break apart the family. Ruining relationships isn’t the only thing on the table, as bitter fights also lead to settling matters in court. Nevertheless, when money is part of the equation, sometimes there is no resolution and the whole dispute turns into a major family feud, dramatically reminiscent of what we may see on soap operas. Here is a list of the five most soap-opera worthy business feuds among (very wealthy) family business partners.

1. Puma and Adidas

   Brothers Adolf and Rudolf Dassler founded a successful shoe company in Germany in the mid-1920s. While doing business together it became apparent that the brothers had conflicting personalities, which escalated their relationship to a boiling point. When Rudolf was sent to war and imprisoned, speculation arose that his own brother was behind his imprisonment. The brothers split their business and Rudolf founded the company that would later become world famous, Puma, and Adi formally registered his own company, Adidas. The rivalry between the two brothers also caused divisions in their town of Herzogenaurach, Germany, where Adidas and Puma have established their factories on opposite sides of the river. In 2009, the rivalry reached a semi-peaceful resolution when employees of both companies played football together.

2. Gucci Family Dynasty

   In terms of high drama in the realm of fashion and business, the Guccis were hard to beat. Their disputes were usually family woes that led to family divisions, the splitting company of stakes, and murder. The fighting between Aldo and Rodolfo, the two Gucci brothers who lead the empire, resulted in financial scandals and countersuits in court. Other relatives in the company fought for their fair share and subsequently launched competitive leather fashion lines. The bitter fights for control of the high fashion retail empire caused the Gucci family to sell almost 50% interest to a Middle Eastern investment banking firm in the beginning of 1988.

3. Larry and Jimmy Flynt, Hustler Magazine

   Brothers Larry and Jimmy Flynt had a falling out over their joint venture, Hustler Magazine. The duo took it to court to determine the future of the entire company, of which Jimmy asserts that he should have equal holdings to his more famous brother Larry. The Flynt’s disputes over the company caused the brothers to sever ties and Jimmy to file a lawsuit for partnership of the business. The bitter trial resulted in a ruling that prevents Jimmy from using any Hustler trademarks and slogans, while allowing him to be able to sell authentic Hustler merchandise. Who knows if another lawsuit shall ensue in the future?

4. Darryl McCauley and Dane Cook

   Popular comedian Dane Cook may have a lot of jokes up his sleeve, but when it comes to his company, Great Dane Enterprises, it was no laughing matter when his half brother and ex-manager, Darryl McCauley, was allegedly stealing more than $11 million from him. The pair took it to court, where Darryl pleaded guilty to 27 counts of larceny, and three counts of forgery and embezzlement, and was sentenced to five years in prison. At one point, he confessed to forging a check for $3 million, addressing it to himself.

5. The Redstone Enterprise

   National Amusements Inc. was founded by Sumner Redstone’s father, Michael. The Redstone family has long been in turmoil over the $50 billion enterprise, which currently owns CBS, MTV, Paramount Pictures and Comedy Central. Sumner, the current majority owner of the company, has been in a bitter public dispute with his daughter, Shari Redstone, over the reason for a large sell-off of shares by the family-owned company. The company issued a statement that the selling of the shares was a result of market conditions, and not directed because of personal motives. This is one of many family feuds within the Redstone family; previously Sumner faced lawsuits from his son Brent and his nephew Michael.

SONY cyber attacks – a brief history

Between April 16^th and April 17^th of last year, Sony's Playstation network was hacked. About 10 days later, Sony released a statement admitting the breach may have comprimised up to 70 million customer's personal information:
 

“Although we are still investigating the details of this incident, we believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID. It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained….

…While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility ”

The very next day, the first class-action lawsuit was filed. Then, just more than 2 weeks after the first attack, on May 2nd it was hacked again and an additional 25 million customer's information was at risk. And if that wasn't enough, before the Playstation network was back up and running the second time, Sony pictures website was hacked by a group by the name of LulzSec who bragged they compromised more than 1 million user accounts and uncovered an additional 75,000 music codes and 3.5 million coupons.
 

A few months later, Sony's Insurance company Zurich American Insurance Company (Ziac) filed suit to assert that the coverage Sony purchased from them did not include cyber attacks and they have no obligation to defend Sony or cover damages.
 

“According to Zurich Insurance, the commercial general liability insurance policy it has with Sony Computer Entertainment America does not cover damages arising from cyber incidents. The policy only covers "bodily injury" and "property damage" caused by occurrences other than the kind of cyber attacks Sony experienced. “

As of today, there have been more than 50 class-action lawsuits against Sony related to the attacks with an estimated cost that ranges from $180 Million (for the first year alone) to upper estimates of just under $2 Billion overall.
 

Facing this, Sony then tried to take some proactive measures to minimize the risk of future attacks by adding language to their terms of service preventing users from suing the company. This only served to fan the flames with their customers, and users filed a suit against Sony for the “no-suing” clause.

Cyber security and risk management

Sony isn't the only company that's been nearly crippled by hackers. And it won't be the last, either. But the reality is cyber security is a major financial risk for most online businesses. And even some that aren't online. But what did Sony do wrong? And what can other businesses learn from their mistakes.
 

Why didn't Sony have coverage for cyber attacks? The lawsuit with Zurich will determine the legality of it, but analysts believe Sony will lose this battle. But perhaps more troubling is the fact that a separate cyber insurance policy probably wouldn't have helped all that much anyways. From this computerworld.com article:
 

Typically, cyber insurance policies don't provide any "meaningful bounding of the financial exposure from a cyber incident," said John Pescatore, an analyst with Gartner. Insurance companies have had a hard time finding a meaningful basis for assessing cyber risk. As a result, premiums are high, payouts are limited and the definition of a qualifying "injury" also is very limited, he said.

That's not to say that nobody should purchase such a policy, it's just that many plans are expensive and don't cover all expenses in the case of a security failure.
 

Enterprises that are considering cyber insurance policies need to first check what their existing policies do — and do not — cover, he said. They also need to have a current risk assessment done to understand what business process or customer data is at risk.

Understanding the risks is a 2 step process here.

1. What systems/processes are vulnerable?

2. How much damage can be done by a breach?

   • Direct damage (Theft, down-time, etc.)

   • Other Liability

The “other liability” part is where insurance gets tricky. When it involves lawsuits for other people's “property” “data” or perhaps more commonly: potential loss of property from identity theft related to the breach. And even though some high courts hold up defenses that “future predicted losses” in cases involving personal data theft lack standing for claimants, there is precedent for rewards granted as well.

Not just online businesses

Businesses of all kinds must be weary of the risks of cyberhacking, even those who do most of their business offline. Simply having a business account at a bank with online access can make your company a victim. And banks are eager to draw the line on their own responsibility. In one case, a bank preemptively sued a customer who was a victim of a cyber heist. From the article:
 

In early November, cyber thieves initiated a series of unauthorized wire transfers totaling $801,495 out of Hillary’s account, and PlainsCapital managed to retrieve roughly $600,000 of that money.

PlainsCapital sued Hillary on Dec. 31, 2009, citing a letter from Hillary that demanded repayment for the rest of the money and alleged that the bank failed to employ commercially reasonable security measures. The lawsuit asks the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to certify that PlainsCapital’s security was in fact reasonable, and that it processed the wire transfers in good faith. The documents filed with the court allege that the fraudulent transactions were initiated using the defendant’s valid online banking credentials.

Businesses of all kinds need to take a serious and comprehensive risk management approach to cyber security. As the internet grows and the free flow of information between computers is further advanced, the very real implications of cyber hacking grows and advances along with it.

Some are loud and intimidating, others are calm and empathetic. They're TV's popular, self-proclaimed financial experts, and in these unstable economic times, there are more of them than ever before yammering for your attention. Here are 10 wildly different personalities who are not only entertaining to watch, but actually provide information and helpful advice.

1. Suze Orman

   Well-loved and oft-parodied, Suze Orman has a back-story that includes working in a diner to barely pay her bills, losing all of her money in ill-advised investments, and eventually becoming one of the most popular and successful television personalities of our time. Much of her advice is directed to women, as well as what she calls the Young, Fabulous, and Broke generation. Her popular segment "Can You Afford It?" might piss you off, but the truth hurts, and Orman isn't afraid to bring the pain.

2. David Bach

   David Bach is one of the most popular financial experts in the world. His demeanor is down to earth, not intimidating, and informed by not only intellect, but basic common sense. He's a proponent of "automating" your financial life, which simply means putting a plan into place that keeps you from spending or wasting the money you should be investing for retirement. His books, including Smart Couples Finish Rich and other titles in his FinishRich series, have been published in 18 languages.

3. Ric Edelman

   Chairman and CEO of Edelman Financial Services, author, educator, and media personality Ric Edelman is the creator and host of the popular PBS series The Truth About Money. Unlike Bach, who obviously hits the gym everyday and as a result favors form fitting collarless shirts, Edelman sports a frumpier, jacket-but-no-tie look, which may endear him to those who feel picked on and abused in the current economy. Education is a key message in Edelman's presentations, with straight-forward advice that is applicable no matter what your salary. Brains will always win over brawn.

4. Jim Cramer

   Then again, there's Jim Cramer. Cramer comes across as the guy who, back in grade school, or maybe just last week, beat up Ric Edelman and took his lunch money. They even kind of look alike. On his CNBC show Mad Money, Cramer punctuates his high-volume, fast-paced analysis and (perhaps dubious) advice with goofy sound effects, props, and out-of-the-blue cartoon images. This is armchair financial analysis for folks who love sports, beer, and movies with lots of explosions. And we mean that as a compliment.

5. Gail Vaz-Oxlade

   It's no secret that money is the root cause for the majority of marriages ending in divorce. Financial author and columnist Gail Vaz-Oxlade created the popular CNBC show Till Debt Do Us Part to help guest couples acknowledge and deal with their financial problems, and hopefully save their marriage. It's a unique, and heartfelt show that speaks to the times we live in.

6. Clark Howard

   Clark Howard's self-titled show can be seen on CNN's spin-off network HLN (Headline News) and in streaming video on his website. Howard tackles a mind-boggling array of topics related to money, and often interviews regular folks who share real-life stories giving his show a very down-to-earth vibe. His website aggregates the financial topics he addresses into links, usually with video, which is helpful given the scope of the subjects he addresses.

7. Mike Aubrey

   Home and Garden Television's Real Estate Intervention features Real Estate expert Mike Aubrey with Sabrina Soto helping out home owners who must sell their homes. Aubrey helps them assess the value of their home and price it accordingly. The scenarios are sometimes emotionally charged, probably involving a great deal of off-camera stress on the home sellers and buyers. But Aubrey keeps a lid on the melodrama, opting instead to provide straight-forward, easy-to-comprehend information and advice.

8. Various hosts of Your Money, Your Life

   A bank, a television station, and a documentary filmmaker collaborated on this PBS series to reach out to young adults and teach them the basics of financial literacy. Hosted by Donald Faison, the series is now a website, complete with videos and links to several helpful tools and resources. The programs and presentation are entertaining, hip, and never overdramatic. The series may be the only successful attempt to connect with and provide financial skills to a demographic below the age of 25.

9. Sandra Rinomato

   In transition from HGTV's popular show Property Virgins (episodes are available for viewing online) and a brand new Canadian show called Buy Herself, realtor and television personality Sandra Rinomato guides first-time home buyers through a process that can be confusing and stressful. The buyers in each episode come from all walks of life, and Rinomato cheerfully addresses any and all challenges they bring to the table.

10. Tavis Smiley

    Radio and television personality Tavis Smiley has archived his special series Road to Wealth on his website as a series of streaming videos grouped under specific topics including Careers & College, Real Estate, and Investing & Insurance. Complimenting the video archive is financial expert Michelle Singletary's answers to several basic financial questions. The additional tools and resources on the website are also helpful. Smiley along with Dr. Cornel West took the subject of money and financial literacy even further in his recent Tour of Poverty.