Opinion

Riff Raff: The big ask

It was a sudden and surprising move, if not a perplexing pick that remains an enigma despite an explanation from the Fort Smith Public School Board president. Deputy Superintendent Dr….

Caterpillars or butterflies

I’d rather be surrounded by a room full of butterflies than a box full of caterpillars. The beauty of thousands of butterflies hanging from trees like leaves is a sight…

Keep your appointment

On Oct. 15, the Wall Street Journal published an article about the unintended health consequences of COVID-19. The report is a cautionary tale — not one of actions taken in…

Talk Business & Politics Editorial: Still breaking the law in Fort Smith

Yet again, city of Fort Smith officials make it clear they have no respect for the rule of law, no interest in conducting the public’s business in public, and certainly…

Insurance for your business — better get smart about it

When you buy insurance, you are betting against the odds. That’s why insurance companies are in business. They pay out less than they take in. Some do well at that….

The necessity of health self-care

The greater infiltration of work into the home creates greater challenges in taking care of oneself. Before I began working from home, my 20-minute commute allowed me to decompress from…

Legally speaking, working from home blurs line between ‘work’ and ‘home’

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses across Arkansas to transition from a traditional office environment to remote work. With flu season approaching and an increasing number of COVID-19 cases, many…

Giving up control

The craft of improvisation is built on a few core foundational principles. First and the most widely known is the law of agreement, typically referred to as “yes, and.” Basically…

Lessons learned in our new normal

The pandemic has drastically impacted companies and organizations across the board in our communities. Businesses with diverse and thriving office cultures have been forced to adapt quickly or face severe…

Is it too soon?

At the risk of sounding like an old guy, which I am, it seems to me that the Christmas shopping season begins earlier each year. If the impossible-to-ignore loads of…

Focus on the long term

I like to tell people that financial planning is like creating a road map. You’re wanting to get from point A to point B, with B being retirement — the…

Invest with a purpose

The ultimate goal of investing is to make a return on your money. The reason the return is important is unique for each of us. Maybe you want to retire,…

Redefining tourism success

Well, here we are, seven months since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Arkansas. It has had and will continue to have a devastating impact on many sectors, particularly hospitality, tourism…

COVID-19, children’s health and the ‘new normal’

Disruptions to our normal routines and way of life have become commonplace during the last eight months. As we adjust to life during COVID, we often talk of a “new…

Tax advantaged investments

Benjamin Franklin is credited to stating “nothing in this world can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” However, you only die once. You face taxes every day….

Numbers are the language of business

Numbers are the language of business. If you own or work in a business and don’t understand the numbers of that business, you will not be able to do your…

Against Issue 3

Amendment 7 to the Arkansas Constitution provides “the people reserve unto themselves the power to propose legislative measures, laws and amendments to the Constitution, and to enact or reject the…

For Issue 3

This fall, Arkansans should vote YES on Issue 3 to make the process for amending the Arkansas Constitution fairer and better for Arkansas. Issue 3, if passed, will protect Arkansas’…

Hold the center

As a leader, how comfortable are you with pausing? For me, one of the hardest things you can ask me to do is to stand still when I think I…

COVID’s second curve: Protecting our mental health

During the past six months, the world has become infinitely more familiar with charts and graphs. COVID-19 and its associated “curves” and “spikes” are prominent conversation points in our daily…