Virginia’s college savings plans ranked as some of the best in the nation by Morningstar, which examines diversification, fees, flexibility, and the underlying funds of the plans. According to the research firm’s recent report, the Virginia Education Savings Trust and Virginia College America funds have low costs and some of the best returns. “We also… Read more »
Aaron Kremer
Aaron Kremer is the founder of Richmond BizSense. Email him at [email protected].
BlockCity?
The movie-rental chain Blockbuster announced this week that it wants to buy Circuit City for more than $1 billion. What sort of movie would this be? A horror film? Maybe a romantic comedy? Blockbuster CEO James Keyes said Monday that combining the companies would create a 9,300-store chain that could sell portable entertainment (DVDs) and… Read more »
#1 Dad
Sean McGlynn wasn’t so sure he wanted to start working with his dad again. The 37-year old tried that once before, and it didn’t turn out so well. Of course, that was immediately after graduating from Radford University with a degree in business. At the time, working for his dad’s drug testing company seemed like… Read more »
Circuit City + Block buster =
So Blockbuster wants to buy Circuit City. What sort of movie would this be. A horror film? Maybe a romantic comedy? Blockbuster has been trying to swoon Circuit City with love letters, and now the movie rental company has gone public with its affection, saying it will pay $6 to $8 a share for the… Read more »
T-D looks in the mirror
Newspapers have a hard time covering themselves. On Sunday the T-D looked inward. John Reid Blackwell, wrote about the mighty struggles at the paper’s parent, Media General. “In the past two decades, the company’s strategy has been to build a newspaper and television empire in the Southeast and to combine and find collaborative opportunities at… Read more »
Really easy being green
Virginia Business Magazine goes green for the April issue. (No, the paper doesn’t feel recycled, but the stories are all about the greening of businesses around the Commonwealth.) Like every piece ever written about the subject, there’s a ubiquitous “Not-easy-being green,” Kermit-the-Frog reference (p.25). The thing is, it’s not that hard to go green. Virginia… Read more »
New website
The VCU Business School now has a new website to go with its new digs. The new site is much easier to use and has clearer descriptions of the classes and programs geared toward Richmond small businesses. BizSense will run a detailed story on Thursday about how to capitalize on the local business school, which… Read more »
Richmond Banks Still Lending
Some Richmond-area banks are growing pickier about which businesses get financing. With a possible recession on the horizon, banks are extra careful to protect their investments. And there’s less money to lend, bankers say, in part because of fallout from residential mortgages (read: subprime meltdown).
Fudge the time card
I recently paid a contractor for a job very well done. And as always happens when I pay invoices, I’m mystified by the pay-by-the-hour billing system. Does it include water breaks or web surfing? Do contractors take time off to visit the bathroom or take a quick napsky and keep the clock running?
Auction-Rate Insecurity
At least three Richmond investment firms are having trouble retrieving client money from investments that were thought to be short-term and low-risk. Individuals and businesses that invest with Davenport & Company, Charles Schwab and Wachovia Securities might be unable to access money from certain mutual funds that invest in municipal bonds, also known as auction-rate… Read more »