<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>The MatriX Files &#187; Economy</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.thematrixfiles.net/tag/economy/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.thematrixfiles.net</link>
	<description>a blog by Joanna Pineda, CEO, Matrix Group</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:18:55 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=abc</generator>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
			<item>
		<title>Saluting the Small Businesses That Support Local Charities</title>
		<link>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/saluting-small-businesses-that-support-local-charities/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/saluting-small-businesses-that-support-local-charities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Mar 2010 04:01:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>jpineda</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[corporate culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thematrixfiles.net/?p=2022</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For the past few years, I&#8217;ve had the honor and pleasure of chairing a benefit auction for Doorways for Women and Families, a non-profit that helps women and children who are homeless and/or victims of domestic violence in the Northern VA area.  This year, despite the recession, the silent auction was the best ever, featuring more items, valued at higher levels, than ever before.
I want to offer a great, big, heartfelt THANK YOU to all the businesses that supported the auction. What strikes me about the list of donors is that the vast, vast majority are small businesses.  Once again, they answered the call when [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/saluting-small-businesses-that-support-local-charities/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why Matrix Group Didn&#8217;t Send Paper Holiday Cards This Year</title>
		<link>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/why-matrix-group-didnt-send-paper-holiday-cards-this-year/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/why-matrix-group-didnt-send-paper-holiday-cards-this-year/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:15:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>jpineda</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matrix Group]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thematrixfiles.net/?p=1757</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For the past ten years, it&#8217;s been a Matrix Group tradition to send out holiday cards to clients, partners and friends and have staff sign the cards personally.  This year was different.  For the first time ever, we didn&#8217;t send out snail mail holiday cards and instead sent a holiday e-card.
You&#8217;d think that sending out an e-mail over paper would be an easy choice.  But the holiday cards were a big deal.  Each staff member signed the cards for all the clients they supported and partners they worked with.  The new biz, net admin and administration teams signed every single card.  I am famous for [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/why-matrix-group-didnt-send-paper-holiday-cards-this-year/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Subsidized COBRA Coverage in Stimulus Plan = Additional Burden for Small Businesses</title>
		<link>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/cobra-burden/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/cobra-burden/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2009 03:02:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>jpineda</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Productivity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thematrixfiles.net/?p=558</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I got a call from my insurance agent today.  He wanted to be sure that I knew about the new COBRA provisions in the stimulus package that went into effect a few weeks ago.  The stimulus plan provides subsidized COBRA benefits to workers (and their families) who lose health care coverage because of involuntary termination of employment (read: if they got fired or laid off).  This sounds like a wonderful benefit and one that many families will find valuable.  But did anyone consider the impact on small businesses?
Under the law, 65% of COBRA premiums will be subsidized by the federal government, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/cobra-burden/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>10</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>I&#8217;m a Victim of Identity Crime!</title>
		<link>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/im-a-victim-of-identity-crime/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/im-a-victim-of-identity-crime/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:13:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>jpineda</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thematrixfiles.net/?p=325</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A few months ago, a suspicious charge from Carfax.com showed up on my corporate American Express card statement.  I called Amex; Amex promptly reversed the charges.  The next month, another charge appeared; I called Amex and Amex again reversed the charge but also recommended that I change my card number.  I even contacted Carfax but they said they could not provide any information on the charges, that I had to go through my credit card company.  How ridiculous is that?
So I changed my card number but the Carfax charge comes up again.  Now I was really worried.  Does the thief have access to my personal [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/im-a-victim-of-identity-crime/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Another Way to Give This Holiday Season</title>
		<link>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/another-way-to-give-this-holiday-season/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/another-way-to-give-this-holiday-season/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:12:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>jpineda</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[leadership]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thematrixfiles.net/?p=321</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This holiday season, we are encouraged to &#8220;give our time, not gifts.&#8221;  I applauded the sentiment but then wondered just what it means to give time.  Here are some ways I have found:

Give List lists ways to support communities and causes this holiday season (and year-round for that matter) that don’t necessarily require writing a check.  Ideas include:  donating frequent fliers to soldiers so they can fly home and visit their families; send a note to someone who works for a non-profit and thank them for their work; and create a video about an organization or cause that is important to you and post it [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/another-way-to-give-this-holiday-season/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sign O The Times: I Can Feel the Recession Everywhere</title>
		<link>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/sign-o-the-times-i-can-feel-the-recession-everywhere/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/sign-o-the-times-i-can-feel-the-recession-everywhere/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Dec 2008 21:30:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>jpineda</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thematrixfiles.net/?p=308</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s the holiday season but it&#8217;s not a joyous time for a lot of people.  I can feel the recession everywhere.

Every time I get together with friends, someone says, &#8220;I have a friend who just got laid off.  S/he is terrific, can you help?&#8221;
A buddy who runs a medium-sized government contracting firm was asked by a government agency to submit a letter from their bank saying they were in good financial standing; this, despite a history of working together that spans many, many years.
Every single candidate we interviewed for a recent Network Administrator position had recently been laid off.

While shopping at Harris Teeter this morning, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/sign-o-the-times-i-can-feel-the-recession-everywhere/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Surviving in this Hellish Economy</title>
		<link>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/surviving-in-this-hellish-economy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/surviving-in-this-hellish-economy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:17:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>jpineda</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matrix Group]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thematrixfiles.net/?p=268</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Okay, it&#8217;s official. The economy is in a recession, but what are you doing about it? What is your company or organization doing to weather the storm or even thrive in it?
I was recently interviewed by Jill Foster for the Network Solution blog on a variety of topics, including using social media for recruiting and what we&#8217;re doing here at Matrix Group to survive this hellish economy.
When our fiscal year ends next June, I want to be able to say that we were counter-trend and that our company grew, despite the recession.  Here are my top strategies for surviving this economic bloodbath.

Stay close to our [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/surviving-in-this-hellish-economy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What the Shoe Saleman Has to Say About the Economy</title>
		<link>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/what-the-shoe-saleman-has-to-say-about-the-economy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/what-the-shoe-saleman-has-to-say-about-the-economy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:40:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>jpineda</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thematrixfiles.net/?p=216</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[President-elect Obama has a lot on his plate.  Perhaps most importantly, he&#8217;s got to get the economy moving again.  I&#8217;m not convinced that getting people to spend money should be the top priority, but let me tell you about Mike, a shoe salesman I met at Nordstrom at Pentagon City last weekend.
I was looking for navy shoes and Mike was my guy.  While I was trying on shoes, I asked him about business.  Mike said that in his 15 years in the shoe department at Nordstrom, this is the worst he&#8217;s seen.  I looked around, the store was packed.  The food court had been packed.  [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thematrixfiles.net/blog/what-the-shoe-saleman-has-to-say-about-the-economy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
