The generation coined “millennials” has finally taken over the world of business, says Douglas Battista. And while many traditionalists believe these tech-savvy-social-media-loving young adults walk around with a silver spoon in one hand and a trophy in the other, today’s 20-somethings are more able and adaptable than they are given credit for.

Q: Who are the millennials?

Douglas Battista: Generally speaking, a millennial is an individual born between the mid-1980s and the mid-2000s.

Q: How are they different from other generations?

Douglas Battista: Millennials are the first generation to grow up with technology as we know it today. Even persons born in 1980 remember rotary phones and console TVs that were large enough to be a piece of furniture. This group is (for now) the most comfortable with technology and thinks very little about how iPhones and tablets changes the world. For them, having access to information 100% of the time is normal. Millennials also tend to believe in avoiding most face-to-face interactions, opting to put “pointless” meeting time to better use solving problems or simply getting things done.

Continue reading →

In today’s always-on digital society, sleep has become an elusive luxury. There are a number of reasons for this lack of rest but experts agree that using mobile devices right before bedtime is a significant contributor. Here, Jenny Craig executive Douglas Battista shares his insight on the link between Instagram & insomnia and Facebook & fatigue.

Q: How common is sleep deprivation?

Douglas Battista: Insomnia is a common complaint with more than three million cases diagnosed each year with an untold number of sufferers failing to seek treatment. It is estimated that insomnia results in more than $63 billion in lost productivity annually in the United States alone.

Continue reading →

While the U.S. seems to be well out of the recession, many retail stores are still closing their doors, says Douglas Battista. However, the culprit isn’t a cash flow crunch but a matter of convenience. Online shopping continues to gain speed as consumers can browse virtual aisles from the comfort of their homes. However, there are a few key benefits of a brick-and-mortar shopping experience.

Retail locations cut out the middleman.

According to Douglas Battista, retailers that sell on Amazon, Etsy, and the like must also pay a commission to those sites for making the products available. This can drive higher costs and make it more difficult to move products as many online retail sites have multiple vendors selling the same items.

Continue reading →

Recently, Douglas Battista sat down to discuss the benefits of private equity funds available to institutional as well as individual investors. In this brief follow-up, we learn the pros and cons of high-dollar private equity investments.

According to Douglas Battista, there are a number of risks associated with any type of investment, especially in the private sector. As Battista previously mentioned, lower buy-in investments often have higher fees than standard (and more expensive) private equity funds. Additionally, as more and more private equity investing options open up, it may become harder for firms to locate reasonable risk opportunities for capital providers.

Continue reading →

Shareholders pay attention: Douglas Battista, a California-based business management expert, answers a few common questions regarding balance sheets and why you should learn to read them.

Q: What is a balance sheet?

Douglas Battista: A balance sheet is a statement that outlines a company’s financial position. It consists of the company’s assets and liabilities. The balance sheet is one of many important pieces of information needed to assess the value of a company.

Q: How are “current assets” defined?

Douglas Battista: The term “current assets” refers to those resources which can be converted to cash with little delay. This could be bank accounts or accounts receivable – money owed to the company by clients. A company’s inventory is also considered a current asset. Continue reading →

Funding a new business may sound like a daunting task, says Douglas Battista. It’s not as difficult as many think, however, and there are options that make financing a small business accessible even to entrepreneurs with little to no credit.

Debt financing

According to Douglas Battista, debt financing is the most common way that small business owners find the capital to market a product or service. Debt financing is when a borrower puts up collateral and obtains a loan from a lending institution, such as a bank or finance company that specializes in commercial lending.

Debt financing has several advantages, points out Douglas Battista. Business owners have the freedom to retain 100% control over the business. They are not beholden to stockholders or investors. Additionally, debt financing can help a new business owner establish credit to further the business later on. Interest on these types of loans is nearly always tax-deductible, which may help quell reservations on the part of the borrower. Continue reading →

Workplace distractions aren’t a new problem, though the invention of the Internet has likely costs employers billions in lost productivity. Here, Douglas Battista shares a few pieces of wisdom on ways to stay focused while on the clock.

Q: Is there any specific group of employee more likely to fall by the wayside during working hours?

Douglas Battista: Studies have found that those who’ve grown up witnessing the boom of the Internet might have the shortest attention spans. That’s easy to understand since Gen Y’ers have more distractions than their parents. Things like text messaging, cell phones, instant messaging, and emails weren’t a major problem as recent as 20 years ago.

Continue reading →