Photo by Benreis (no alterations have been made to this photo)   Are You Worth Your Salt?   Mark Kurlansky is the author of several non-fiction books. One of particular interest is simply titled "Salt".   Salt is the only rock we eat. It has been part of civilization since the very beginning. For quite some time, salt was used as currency. Long before gold. In fact, before the Silk Road was connecting Africa, western Europe, Persia, India and China, salt was used in trade and was instrumental in forming the first links between regions of the world.   In ancient Rome, the roots of the word “soldier” and...

How Old is Too Old? How Young is Too Young?   When making a hiring decision, neither of these questions should be on the list. Not only is it illegal (according to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964), but it may prevent you from hiring the best candidate.   Some hiring managers may be thinking "what will my customers think of this person (based on their age)? If you are in the financial services industry, how is the 22 year old recent college grad with a degree in finance going to be received versus the 49 year old without the degree?...

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures...     In 2017, the #Metoo movement swept through the U.S. bringing a fresh focus on sexual harassment in workplaces, but protections were in place before that. In the late 1980’s, the Supreme Court interpreted Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include discrimination based on “sex” as sexual harassment in the workplace. The law recognizing sexual harassment as a form of sex discrimination applies to private employers with 15 or more employees, as well as government and labor organizations.   Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of ways, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC):   The victim, as well...

HOPES FOR 2020     According to studies, fully 80% of New Year's resolutions go by the wayside within several weeks.   Psychology today, in an article "Why New Year's Resolutions Fail" delves into the reasons why. The four most common reasons revolve around what you are (or are not) doing to make them happen. Your goals aren't clear You feel overwhelmed You feel discouraged You're not ready to change   Another reason for failure is that we neglect to consider all aspects of our lives, and how they impact everything else. If our resolutions focus on business success, can we achieve our goals if our personal life is a train...

  FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS     All of us at ASN are grateful for the trust and support of every client and every employee that have been part of our story since we first started.   As we welcome a new decade, we seek to re-dedicate ourselves to your success and growth. When you succeed, we succeed. Together, let's make 2020 a great year for all.