Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with company

What did landshark.com do?

prodevel — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:21:30 -0800

Landshark.com What the heck did they do? Just saw August the movie and I still don't know. They died in the dot com bubble. I'm really curious as to what their company did exactly. The movie wasn't much help. 7/10 on the movie. Didn't show enough excess like there was in SF back in 2000. Lack of Fooseball and/or upright video games and little mention of technology... Great acting, poor script. BTW Josh Hartnett is in it for the ladies.

Work is hell - square peg, round hole: what are my options?

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:18:41 -0800

Work is hell: I love the company and the pay, but hate my job and hate my boss. I'm looking to change careers, but what careers would fit my skill set? I work for a call center as a manager (others might say "team leader") in a financial/credit card account. The workload is such that though I am an excempt employee not paid for overtime, I am compelled to stay an upwards of 12 hours just to finish all the work I need to do.

The bulk of it is admin stuff: auditing my agents' calls for quality, customer satisfaction, compliance; keying in their phone logins/logouts, creating team reports/presentations. I tend to work at my own pace, and my boss often breathes on my neck to get these things updated on a DAILY basis, on top of managing my team of 16 direct reports, which I simply cannot do without staying on for many more hours at work. She has absolutely no empathy for mitigating circumstances, such as my being assigned to workstations where not all the admin tools are working, therefore having to hi-jack other managers' stations on a daily basis. And when 8 of my reps' IDs stopped working after a month of their being on the production floor, which meant that I not only had to manage the 8 people on the phones but had to keep the other 8 engaged for 9 hours a day and manage attrition as well, she could not understand how this could have possibly DOUBLED my workload, since "only 8 people are online anyway and that should've made things easier, not harder". Approaching her about my difficulties to possibly work out solutions hasn't helped: she always compares me to others who are not in the same situation but are accomplishing the same, and will only end the conversations by getting my commitments without giving the same kind of commitment. This is an endless source of frustration for me. My thinking is, if you want me to succeed, give me the tools I need to succeed. Oddly, she grants a lot of leeway when it comes to other people, and other people have warned me that she does indeed play favorites -- which, sadly, I am not. These Dilbert comics illustrate our dynamic perfectly. Her boss seems to think similarly, as they are very close.

The human part, the part where manage people and drive performance and get the numbers is fine. I'm proud of my team and the performance-conscious attitude and culture I've cultivated and the results they bring. And I like the Company itself, just not the account, and there's no way for me to transfer accounts because there's no way she'll recommend me. My team's performance is not enough. She has me tied to a daily task list that, if I don't accomplish it religiously, will subject me to memos and disciplinary actions. Even vacation leaves I plan well in advance are always "pending" depending on some arbitrary condition she thinks of. Everything I get from her seems punitive as opposed to supportive.

I'm beginning to feel that work is hell. I just want my life back. As a result, I'm looking to change careers, but I don't even know where to start. What are my options, that would pay equally well?

I hate busywork. I need work that lets me be creative to some degree. I've had experience as a content provider - writing about people, music, movies, technology. I'm quite tech savvy, but without any formal degrees to show for it. I've done well with customer service, tech support, and with coaching and driving performance. I'm driven, especially when inspired, and want to hone and exercise my leadership skills.

I wouldn't mind working in another call center, except there's no point because my current one is already on the top of the food chain. What I'd really like to look at are career options in other industries, preferably one that will give me a lot more flexibility than my current one.

I'm desperate. I want to quit my job yesterday. Hive mind, please help me!

All of the science, none of the hassle

oceanmorning — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:48:38 -0800

I'm due to present a scientific poster at a conference in about two weeks. I'm overextended and don't have the time to make it myself. Is there a company that will write text, make charts, do the graphic design, and help me with printing? I don't want to be a no-show at the conference. But building a poster is always a huge time-suck for me, and I just can't make it a priority right now due to conflicting deadlines. With more funding than time available to me right now, I'd like to outsource this.

I've analyzed my data, and I know exactly what I want the poster to say. I've found companies online that will design/print a poster for me, but they need me to provide them with ready-to-go text, charts, etc. I need more help than that.

I want to hand someone my data spreadsheet, and give them a bullet-point list of what I want the poster to say. This person would then build a histogram and bar chart from my data, and write the text based on what I told them. They'd put together a 3' x 4' poster with some appealing colors and formatting, and arrange for getting it printed and shipped to my hotel at the conference (after I revise/OK the final draft). The person doing this would have to have some scientific savvy to be able to translate my thoughts into good text. They'd also need to be a decent graphic designer and have at least rough working knowledge of statistics. It almost seems like too much to ask at this late date. Does such a company exist?

How would you name a military startup?

speek — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:08:21 -0800

How would you name an oddly positioned military startup? I'm working on a startup with a friend and we're stuck on the naming process. We're planning on having this company be an umbrella-type corporation: some military stuff, some social web-apps, some energy stuff. (we've got overactive imaginations)

You know the term Think Tank? Well, if you didin't know what it meant and had to guess what it was using your imagination, that's what my company would be: a bunch of guys thinking of stuff.

I kinda like the motto "We're solving problems so you don't have to" for my own company... another great motto is "We're building a machine that will be proud of us" (for an AI company).

Thanks for the help!

Family Hairapy just won't cut it.

friezer — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:59:13 -0800

Name my friend's mobile hair service company. A close friend has had a mobile hair cutting business for a few years, and the current name isn't such a peach (Cut & Run). She needs something better. She hopes to do office calls, house calls for families, and brides at their weddings. We spent a good portion of the day getting nowhere fast. Help me, mefites.

How do I get a deadbeat client to pay their invoice?

zzztimbo — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:29:00 -0800

Company still hasn't paid my invoice, what recourse do I have? I worked for a small startup as a software engineer for about a month's time. One day they decide to tell all of its employees that they will shut down for a week because of financial difficulties.

The company is open again but with about a 75% reduction in head count. They are now not paying my invoice for the work that I did before the shut down.

What can I do? Some one told me to file a complaint with the labor board. How do I go about doing this? What is the best way get remunerated for my time and energy spent doing work for them?

Also, I'm assuming the reduction in workforce has left a lot of empty Aeron chairs and computers. Should I asked to be paid in chairs and computers instead? I could use a new Mac right about now.

How to evaluate potential employment at an LLC

doriangray — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:30:19 -0800

What would you recommend be considered when applying to work for an LLC (as opposed to a corporation)? LLCs are fairly new on the business scene and I have relatively little first hand experience with them. Is there a brief overview of how LLCs compare to corporations (with respect to what it's like to work at one) available online? In particular, what aspects of the organization should be collected and considered during the application and interview process?

Summer Fun, work style

octomato — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:23:44 -0800

Where to go on a summer company outing in NYC or its surrounding areas? We are a group of about 20, ranging from early 20's to late 50's. We've done the baseball game thing and Dave & Busters. Have any good ideas? I pitch Gladiator games at the Chelsea Piers.... That didn't fly.

Thanks!

Minneapolis/St. Paul Auto Glass Replacement Recommendations

hootch — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:38:33 -0800

Recommendations on an auto glass company in Minneapolis/St. Paul? I need to have the windshield replaced on my 2001 Toyota Corolla. Does anyone have recommendations on companies in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area that could do this cheaply? As I don't have glass coverage, that's my main requirement. I'd also like them to come to me to replace it, but I'll bring it to them if it ends up bringing the cost down.

Is it really illegal for a company to act ethically?

divabat — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:20:30 -0800

"[Companies] have a legal responsibility to make their shareholders lots of money, which means they *MUST* rip you off for as much as they can get away with." Really? I've heard that sentiment many times (the above is a direct quotation) and it doesn't make sense to me. According to Carrotmob, "It's illegal for a corporation to behave in a socially responsible way -- unless that socially responsible behavior happens to be identical to the behavior that maximizes profit."

Proponents of the above argue that if a company shows "record profits", that's a sign that they've been ripping off customers. According to them, companies only think about their shareholders and the Board, and therefore must make as much money as possible regardless of ethics.

Is this true? Is it really illegal for companies to act ethically unless it makes money?

To me, it seems that if the above sentiments were true, social enterprises would not be able to exist. Also, it would make Corporate Social Responsibility illegal.

When shares are bought in a company, they are traded away very quickly, and aren't share prices usually determined in large part by the public perception of the company? Surely shareholders and Boards would notice if the customers are being ripped off or if the companies are acting unethically, and respond negatively to unethical corporate behaviour?

It seems to me that these notions come from the idea that "for-profit" = "evil bad conglomerate", but I can't seem to find any actual legal or economic basis for saying that companies must be unethical to profit.

Is there actually any basis to those points? Is it really illegal for a company to act ethically?

UK Ltd. company formation

nthdegx — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:34:25 -0800

Why would I pay an accountant £300 for UK limited company formation when there are services out there that do it for a tenth of the price? Help me cross the i's and dot the t's. Obviously, I'd rather spend no more than necessary, but that's secondary to making sure the process is completed properly. Any other insights are welcome.

please, someone get Verizon out of my life

Capri — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:44:10 -0800

How do I find out which phone companies provide local service in my new home? I'm moving to a house in Washington state that previously had a Verizon landline, so I called Verizon to set up a landline myself. I really should have just shot myself.

I want to get my landline from a different company. Any company. Even "We Suck Phone Service." (It can't be worse.) How can I find out what phone companies provide local phone service to my home? The helpful people at Verizon told me I have no choice, it's them or no landline. I am not inclined to believe anything they say, but don't know how to go about finding out the truth. (Please let it not be that they are my only choice.)

(I have no interest in going without a landline, so suggestions along that line really won't help. But thanks for thinking of me anyway.)

What should my fifty-something husband wear to a creative advertising interview at a hip, west coast company?

mumstheword — Mon, 12 May 2008 09:43:19 -0800

What should my fifty-something husband wear to a creative advertising interview at a hip, west coast company? It's a senior creative position in the advertising wing of the company, which markets high-tech products in proprietary retail outlets. He's comfortable in anything, but mostly has casual and dress casual clothing. Also, should he color his gray(ing) hair? He is concerned that he not appear too old in a field that markets to and employs mostly younger people. His work product isn't an issue.

He's fit, and hip without trying, but clothing-wise, we're at sea for this occasion.
The interview is soon so there's not time for a lot of shopping/tailoring, etc. Also, money is something of an issue so using some of what he already has would be nice.

Help with complicated problem

CollectiveMind — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:37:17 -0800

I have a curbside mailbox and mail theft is common in Utah (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600129714,00.html). Big Credit Card Company (BCCC) sends me convenience checks that can be stolen and cashed by anybody. The post office won’t let me move my mailbox to my house. Local politicians sided with the Postmaster. A rental box or a new security mailbox are impractical. From early 2005 through late 2007, I consistently received unwanted convenience checks from a BCCC address in Virginia. Requests to that address to stop to the convenience checks were replied to from a post office box in Utah. The USPS identified that box as belonging to the company acting as BCCC's agent in Utah (The Agent), but The Agent did not identify itself as the sender. Rather, the replies were sent on behalf on BCCC, using letterhead and envelopes bearing the BCCC logotype.

But the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, says neither BCCC Finance or any of its forms are explicitly listed as able to conduct commercial transactions in the state.

After more than a dozen certified letters to the BCCC address in Virginia and the The Agent address in Utah, and promises by respondents at the Utah address to stop the delivery of the checks (they did not stop), I sued The Agent and BCCC in 2007. In Utah, an entity being sued must be served through its state registered agent. Because I could find no explicit listing for BCCC Finance or any of its sub-entities in the UCC database (and therefore, not find its registered agent), and because the USPS showed both BCCC and The Agent as sharing a mailing address and correspondence, I served the entity whose registered agent was listed with the UCC, The Agent . Neither The Agent or BCCC appeared at a September 2007 hearing, and after fifteen plus thirty days, a judgment was awarded my favor.

Neither The Agent or BCCC have contested the facts of the judgment. A BCCC representative called me in January 2008 offering a settlement with no promise that the checks would not continue. I declined. In a hearing requested by BCCC on April 24, 2008, its attorney asked the court to set aside the judgment saying it had not been properly served and that it and The Agent are separate entities. The Agent did not appear at the hearing.

The court did not set aside the judgment, but instead granted a continuance to allow me the chance to show a more than circumstantial connection between BCCC and The Agent. Its central question; is The Agent an agent of BCCC in Utah, and/or, is BCCC operating through The Agent in Utah? If so, the judgment stands. If not, the judgment does not stand.

If BCCC and The Agent are separate entities, The Agent should have no effect on credit granting policies of BCCC; monthly payments to my BCCC account were made to BCCC addresses not in Utah. Yet, The Agent promised in writing on four separate occasions to stop sending me credit card account based convenience checks. Later, The Agent required personal and identical account information regarding my BCCC account four separate times before it said it could “grant” my request to stop receiving the checks. It did not.

I am looking for ways, tools and methods available to a non-attorney to establish a more than circumstantial connection between Affiliated Computer Services and BCCC as the court requests, be they websites, research techniques or reference material.

Why change the company name?

gt2 — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:18:43 -0800

What are the advantages of a start-up company changing it's name? I work for a start-up company that will be seeking it's third round of funding this year. Our new CEO wants to change the company name and no one can really figure out why. Our company has some major corporate customers, so why would we give up our previous marketing efforts and the name recognition. Are there some fund raising advantages or legal advantages that come with a name change?

Preventive Medicine

MrMulan — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:22:02 -0800

Why don't insurance companies cover or help cover gym memberships? I have had multiple jobs, and exactly 1 offered $300 if you went to the gym for a certain number of times every quarter.
Is it the insurance company that offers the benefit or the employer that needs to insist on it? (and probably pay a premium for the privilege)

Are there any reasons insurance companies shouldn't do this, or have the bean counters (accountants) already crunched the numbers, and figured out that the cost involved in running the program, tracking the participants, and issuing the reimbursements does not result in lower health care costs?
But then aren't the few companies who offer it (Cigna?Oxford?) not meeting their fiduciary obligations to their shareholders? Or are their bean counters using a different accounting formula to show a savings to the company in reduced health care costs?

Seattle Tech Companies

coined — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 09:56:50 -0800

Seattle tech companies worth working for? I'm looking for recommendations -- or any information / opinions, good or bad -- regarding tech companies in the Seattle area.

I'm an open source web developer, and I'm interested in moving to Seattle within the next six months or so. I've spent some time on various job sites and individual company sites, and I have a list of companies, but they're mostly just names to me. There's only so much you can learn from a company web site, and it's going to be pretty biased.

I'm primarily interested in technology-focused companies, large enough to be stable, and I'd feel a lot more fulfilled working somewhere that produces something users find directly useful, rather than something like advertising.

Google's on the list. Microsoft isn't really open source friendly. Other than that... what should I look into?

How can I quickly identify a lot of company blogs?

kiwitobes — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:41:33 -0800

When I try to search for keywords that I think a company blog might use, the hits tend to be posts that are about the keywords, but are not necessarily corporate in nature. Then I have to slog through tons of false positives to find the occasional useful link. Is there a smarter, faster way to find a bunch of company blogs? From a friend:

I am designing a website for a small company that primarily sells physical stuff, but also has a blog. I can think of a few ways to structure it, but I'd like to see how other companies (large and small) have done it.

However, finding examples of corporate sites that serve multiple purposes, including a blog, has proven surprisingly difficult. When I try to search for keywords that I think a company blog might use, the hits tend to be posts that are about the keywords, but are not necessarily corporate in nature. Then I have to slog through tons of false positives to find the occasional useful link.

Is there a smarter, faster way to find a bunch of company blogs?

Should we trademark our company brand?

BorgLove — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:05:36 -0800

Should we trademark our company brand? Me and two partners started a small tea company. It's beginning to take off. Should we trademark our logo? It can be a costly process according to our legal counsel, and is not always necessary, especially at the early stages of a company's growth.

I'm wondering if some enterprising competitor could come along and trademark our brand instead, and then force us to stop using it. Given there's a ton of legal documentation re incorporation, tax and so forth that exists to prove who the real owners of the brand are, is that really plausible?

I know you're not my lawyer, but I still value your opinion. Is trademarking worth our valuable capital right now?

Help wanted in naming my new company

growabrain — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 19:36:48 -0800

Please help me name a new real estate company that I am opening (in the next few weeks) in Southen California. The company sells mostly apartment buildings / multi-units as invesments. The name should be unique & stand out . But it can't be too cutesy ("Red white & green", "ABC Banana")... Most clients/prospects are boring, old, rich people, or wannabes. Most similar competitors have non-descript ("Investment Properties Management, IPM") names, or are named after their founders ("Cullman & Churchill"). Some key elements of promise in the name should be: retirement / future / ease / success / assurance / trust / wealth-building / nest egg..
- Thank you for your creative input -

A new business

mateuslee — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 06:00:49 -0800

Should I register my "company"? So I am an EU/US citizen who is working in the EU for a company. I provide a variety of services which more-or-less fall under the aegis of "consultation" (though this sound inappropriately hip). For tax reasons, the company asks me to submit a invoice from the US which they pay in full direct to my US account.

I asked a US accountant how to set up a business, and he said that I could just put DBA after my name (DBA = Doing Business As): Smith DBA Consultations International.

So, as I wasn't earning much money at first this was fine. Now, however, I'm earning a great deal more (at least by my student standards).

I'm wondering about the legality of my situation. as I do not really have a company, technically (though apparently the DBA-thing is legal).

What situation do you think would be in the best interest of me and this private company?

Should I join the company pension or not?

Rabulah — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 01:34:29 -0800

Company pensions. Good idea? Bad idea? I've been working with my current company for 5 years now, and despite wanting to leave, pretty much constantly, I've never done anything about it, nor will I for the forseeable future.

Today, I received a letter from my Employer, asking me to join the company pension scheme. I live in the UK. I have no other pension scheme operating currently.

Is this *generally* a good idea? What do I need to look out for? Any potential pitfalls, or problems that might occur? Where can I find more advice? I realise that you are not my financial adviser.

move me!

loiseau — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 13:07:03 -0800

Canada + moving truck rental + interprovincial move = only u-haul? I'm moving from Toronto to Montreal at the end of August and have been calling everywhere trying to find a company to rent a small truck from. I've got a one-bedroom apartment and I think I would need a small cube van - I have a double bed and couch and stuff so I think a cargo/panel van might be too small. Based on estimates I've gotten online it sounds like about 2000lbs of stuff but I'm not sure what area that would take up.

I've called all the biggies (National, Budget, Hertz, etc.) and the only place I can find that allows the pickup in Toronto and drop-off in Montreal is u-haul. But I've heard so many bad things about u-haul and I'm a little scared of them. Mostly, the fact that you can't rely on a truck being available on the day of your move does not sit well with me. ("You know how to take the reservation, but you don't know how to hold the reservation. And the holding, that's the most important part.")

Does anyone know of other similar companies in Canada? The only one I've read about is Penske but in Canada they only do local (same location drop-off) moves.

When I moved here from Montreal 4 years ago I borrowed a mini-van but I didn't have the furniture I do now, so I'm forced to do a REAL move.

I should re-state that this is a move within Canada so while I appreciate helpful American friends, probably your suggestions won't apply here.

Thank you!

What is a good title for my job?

names are hard — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:28:32 -0800

What is a good job title for my position? I just started working at a tech startup. Probably if we were being totally honest, my title would be 'intern,' but the founders have kindly agreed to let me pick my title (within reason) so it looks good on my resume. Plus, I really do do a lot, as it is just a 4 person company.

What is a good title for me? I write content for the site, participate in general business decisions, attend funding meetings, manage our outsourced employees, set up financial management systems, and research competitors, etc.

Would Lead Project Manager be appropriate? Product manager? Program manager? Something else?

What do the mefites think? I know a lot of you are in tech. What do you usually call that person who does 'all the other stuff' and helps with everything (besides a secretary)?

Starting a company in a State different than my own?

stance — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 09:51:43 -0800

Starting a company (LLC) in a State different than my own? I have just another one of those websites that has members that can communicate with one another, post stuff, etc., so I assume it's a good idea to register officially as an LLC to protect myself a bit legally.

I was looking into local rates and we're talking $500 in Illinois, but while I was browsing, I noticed that it's possible to register in another state. Some sites suggested Delaware because of it's cheap registration AND because Delaware has good corporate law. Because it's a web-based endeavor, and because there's no "primary place of business," this could be a good idea, right?

Is there any reason not to form a business in another State?