The Art of Automation: Harnessing the Power of A.I.

Submitted by Erik Olson CEO of Fort West – Unlock Truth. Unleash Potential.

From OpenAI’s ChatGPT to Google’s Bard, the cultural conversation surrounding the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) is exploding. It seems like everyone has a point-of-view on how AI is the manifestation of Skynet from The Terminator movie, something out of an episode of Black Mirror, or the catalyst for plugging into The Matrix. With reactions ranging from curiosity to fear, everyone is wondering how the “AI revolution” will impact their lives.As AI continues to evolve and get better,…

Questions Small Businesses Should Be Asking Their Banker

May 8, 2023

In a recent article for The Playbook published in the Portland Business Journal, reporter Andy Medici provides some advice for small businesses who might be concerned about the current state of banking. Although institutions such as Silicon Valley Bank being taken over recently has been in the news and certainly a cause for some concern, business owners can take advantage of this moment to strengthen both their understanding and closeness of their banking relationship.

The Federal government provides a level of security by insuring deposits up to a certain amount.…

Protecting Your Business from Employment Practices Lawsuits

May 1, 2023

Most businesses carry many different kinds of insurance – fire, flood, general liability, perhaps vehicle if they have trucks or cars in the field. However, as Chamber Member Oak Tree Insurance reminds us, your business may still be vulnerable to “Employment Practices” lawsuits. This area is often a “gap” in your business insurance coverage.

No business should be discriminating against employees, customers, clients, vendors or suppliers but the day may come when a member of one of these important groups files a claim or lawsuit against your business.…

Where Do Lake Oswego Residents Work?

April 25, 2023

Our economy has undergone many changes as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Business owners and managers need to understand these changes as they react to new challenges in attracting and retaining employees. To help us track and understand these changes Oregon’s Employment Department has begun releasing figures defining the employment picture just prior to Covid, giving us a baseline to better evaluate how the workplace has changed and consider if policy changes might be entertained.…

Businesses Likely to Face Increased Unemployment Insurance Taxes

April 13, 2023

Andy Medici of The Playbook reported in the Portland Business Journal this week that the Covid pandemic has led to a significant depletion of available funds for unemployment. As a result, unemployment tax rates among the States have already been increased from 1.72% in 2020 to 2.3% in 2022. For some historical perspective, UI rates rose to about 3.5% in 2013, following the “Great Recession.”

Oregon’s unemployment system came under tremendous pressure during the sudden onset of claims due to Covid-19.…

Make Your Plans! Summer Will Feature 4 Non-Stops from PDX to Europe

April 10, 2023

Delta will offer nonstop PDX-Amsterdam service this summer

As Lake Oswegans join the national “return to traveling” movement following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Port of Portland announced it has negotiated an expansion of the availability of non-stop flights from Portland International Airport to Europe. Details are still being finalized, but four destinations for European travel will now be available. Delta Air Lines will offer daily non-stops to Amsterdam and British Airways daily non-stops to London Heathrow.…

Trillium Festival This Weekend!

March 30, 2023

In my high school biology class, one of our first assignments was to gather examples of local wild plants, or “weeds” as my father called them. That was quite a bit easier to do in those days – we had a large open field just down the block from my house and “vacant lots” seemed more prevalent in suburbia at the time. The one thing that stuck with me all these years was the teacher’s prohibition against including an example of a trillium.…

Is Your Business Thinking about Going Global?

March 20, 2023

The Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce is presenting a one-hour Webinar entitled “Trade Resources for Businesses Thinking about Going Global.” It goes without saying that if you have the appropriate product or service, “the world” is about as big a market as you can get. If you’ve been considering how you can market your business more broadly, this Webinar will identify trade resources available to small business wanting to sell to customers outside the United States.…

Networking Groups for Women Business Owners

March 16, 2023

Courtesy of SCORE

It’s a business axiom that people do business with people they know, like and trust.

So when I started my own business (almost 15 years ago), I was inspired by and took advice from my many friends and connections already in the trenches of entrepreneurship. And I found many of those friends and forged connections by networking at numerous events. So whether I was speaking at conferences, covering events as a journalist, or attending to soak up as much knowledge as possible,…