I run a small marketing consultancy. Prior to that I was a vice president of a small-to-mid sized PR and marketing agency (10-15 people), and was very familiar with its business model and cost structure. I also have a number of professional friends and colleagues who run agencies of various sizes. That said, this is like asking "how much does it cost to run a law firm" in the U.S. or "how much does it cost to run a retail store" in the U.S. It depends on what we're talking about. Running a...

“You simply sit down at the typewriter, open your veins, and bleed.” — Legendary sports writer Walter Wellseley “Red” Smith in 1949, when asked whether writing a daily column was difficult* After 25-plus years as a professional writer, I’ve come to believe that the essence of creativity is not in the moments that words are first set down but in revision. For any writing project, whether it’s this weekly missive, a blog post for a client or a feature story for a magazine, I spend as much time,...

While President Trump's decision on cost sharing reduction payments to insurers roiled markets, there won't be a big effect on people who buy marketplace plans in North Carolina. By Mark Tosczak and Rose Hoban Heather Sorrell is counting down to Nov. 1. That’s when open enrollment starts for the plans bought through the Affordable Care Act’s health care exchanges. But after the Trump administration announcement late Thursday that it was going to halt payments to insurers for cost-sharing...

Have you discovered a gap between the income you’d like to have in retirement and the income you think you’ll get based on your investments and current savings rate? It happens to lots of people. “They have a number in mind about how much they need to save before they can retire,” says Donna Peterson, Retirement Income Strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors. “Sometimes they can get there and sometimes they can’t.” As concerning as it might be to discover a retirement income gap, knowing it’s...

If you’re one of the growing legions of gig workers, freelancers, or commission-based employees, your income stream might feel a bit like a roller coaster. And that can make it tough to save for retirement. “More and more people are participating in the gig economy,” says Donna Peterson, Retirement Income Strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors. “It’s a challenge to figure out how to save when you only make a small amount one month and a large amount the next month.” A challenge, but an important...