TFF Episode 69 concludes interview with Computer Business book author

The latest episode of Force Field Podcast concludes a discussion with the author of a new book about starting a computer business that takes a different approach to the subject.

TFF Episode 69 features the second of a two pard discussion with Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy, Matthew Rodela. Mr. Rodela, who also hosts The Computer Business Podcast, recently released a new book called How To Quit your Job and Start a Computer Business. TFF Podcast host Rick Savoia interviewed Mr. Rodela to talk about how the book differs from other computer business “how to” manuals and to give listeners a preview of individual chapters and sections.

The book is available from YFNCG.com and can also be purchased through The Force Field. Listeners of The Force Field Podcast can save an additional 20% at checkout with a discount code mentioned during the show.

Special episode of The Force Field debuts tonight

After a long and unexpected two month hiatus, The Force Field podcast is back with Episode 62.

Episode 62 – The National Contractor and Service Platform Report, provides an inside look at the IT service industry from the front line perspective of the IT service provider, service technicians who perform contract work for these companies onsite and online.  The report takes the pulse of a field that has changed significantly in the last ten years, and not necessarily for the better.

In this episode you will discover who these service technicians really are, how they operate their businesses, who they work for and who works for them. We also rate national contractors and service platforms in the industry and rank them from the best to the worst.

This episode was months in the making and is the most content filled shows ever produced for The Force Field. It’s one of the longest as well and was edited for time. An extended version is scheduled for release as a premium episode at the end of this year and runs almost an hour.

The Force Field 62 – The National Contractor and Service Platform Report debuts tonight 11/22/2012 at 8 PM ET on the following media outlets:

iTunes
TechPodcast Network
Blubrry Network
Stitcher Radio
Roku Listed on the TPN Channel under Tech Business and on the Viaway Channel.
Pure Connect Radio
PodFeed
Viaway Streams to Samsung SmartTVs, BluRay players, smartphones and tablets. Also available on The Roku.

and of course at The Force Field.

You will not want to miss it.

Work Market expands into Canada, rolls out new platform features

Work Market

(TheForceField.Net) September 9, 2012 — Work Market, the world’s first Labor Resource Platform™ or LRP, is expanding its operation into Canada beginning today. In a telephone conversation with The Force Field last week, Work Market Vice President of Client Services Eric Castro confided the company is now actively recruiting technicians in Canada and will officially enter the market today.

Entering the Canadian market is a milestone Work Marketfor the company and one that places Work Market in an interesting position as a primary competitor against OnForce, the largest and most well known of the IT service platforms. OnForce, which introduced its services to Canada in 2006, has since been operating there with limited competition. The entry of Work Market into the Canadian market could potentially change that as Work Market recruits both clients and resources to work their LRP, including those who may currently use OnForce exclusively. This is of particular significance to both platforms, as Work Market CEO Jeff Leventhal, who founded the company in 2010, also founded OnForce.

According to Jeff Leventhal, Work Market is a welcoming opportunity to expand and compete beyond the US market. “Opening up to Canada is huge for us”, Leventhal said. “It is the first big step on our global mission to bring Work Market everywhere.”

In addition to the Canada expansion, Work Market is rolling out new features significant to the platform itself.

The company now provides techs (or “resources”, as Work Market calls them) with the ability to block companies from sending inappropriate or undesirable work, a practice referred to in The Force Field Forums as “spamming”. Resources will now be able to block any company they do not want to do business with and focus only on the work they want to receive.

The lack of ability to block undesirable clients has long been a point of concern and frustration among resources on the platform. Some complained they were recruited without solicitation by companies that they did not want to work for and bombarded with requests to perform work at extremely low rates or outside their area of expertise, with no option to opt out of such networks. Work Market aims to change that by empowering resources to block clients from which they do not want to receive work.

Resource MetricsAnother new feature is the recently released Resource Metrics, a tool for clients to rate the efficiency and reliability of the resources. Resource Metrics measures the number of assignments performed, punctuality, assignment cancellations and abandonment rates, level of activity and overall performance of each resource during thirty and ninety day periods. This tool helps clients better select resources for their groups and assignments, thus rewarding the most reliable resources with the best ratings.

Conversely, the client rating system was improved as well. Resources now rate clients after the assignment is completed and they have received payment for services rendered. According to Work Market, This improvement was made to encompass the entire work relationship.

While adding these new features, Work Market removed an existing one to improve the overall platform experience. The social and networking groups were phased out by Work Market due to under utilization by legitimate clients and complaints from resources alleging abuse of the groups by spammers. The company pared down the groups to a single category consisting exclusively of groups that send assignments.

In addition to the other features recently introduced on the platform, perhaps the most interesting is a new payment option. Work Market now offers PayPal as an alternate way to receive earnings. The new payment option was fully operational as of Friday, September 9. Resources who prefer PayPal to conduct monetary transactions can simply log into their Work Market account, go to Manage Accounts, click on Add Financial Account and choose PayPal from the Method drop-down box to receive payments from Work Market clients through the popular online payment system.

About Work Market

Work Market is the world’s first modular, web-based Labor Resource Platform™ designed to enable any business to efficiently deliver and manage employee, consultant and contract labor and services. Businesses post assignments and can invite professionals with specific qualifications or post the assignment to the entire Work Market network.  Professionals can post their profiles, join groups, take tests and background screenings to align themselves for assignments that match their skill sets.

Work Market was founded by Jeffrey Leventhal, (who also founded the on-site services marketplace OnForce.com) and Jeffrey Wald. The company is backed by Spark Capital and Union Square Ventures.

CompTIA Disappointed in Senate Failure to Nix Onerous 1099 Filing Rule

The Senate on Saturday failed to pass amendments that would have repealed the new form 1099 rule, which, beginning in 2012, will require all businesses to file a form 1099 when they pay any business or individual $600 or more for goods and services during one year.  Todd Thibodeaux, President and CEO of CompTIA, issued the following statement.

“CompTIA is disappointed in the Senate’s failure to repeal the form 1099 rule and urges the full Congress and the President to work together to repeal the onerous reporting requirement.  This requirement, which was included in the health care reform legislation, represents an undue burden on small companies.  Increased compliance costs, like the ones included in the new 1099 rule, will short circuit many small businesses at a time when they are looking to reboot.

“The bottom line is that this new requirement could cost small businesses thousands in additional compliance costs.  A $600 printer bought from Costco, for example, could cost $200 more, after you add in the time it will take to file a Form 1099.  Our estimates show that the additional compliance costs that businesses will likely face will be greater than the $17.1 billion in revenue that the Joint Committee on Taxation expects this provision to raise.

“Democrats and Republicans from both Chambers have voiced their opposition to this arduous requirement.  During a press conference last month, President Obama agreed, stating that the rule ‘appears to be too burdensome for small businesses’ and ‘involves too much paperwork.’

“Given the current economic climate, it is important for policy makers to do all they can to help small businesses –the engines of our economy – succeed.  CompTIA calls on Congress and President Obama to support small business by repealing the form 1099 filing requirement.”

About CompTIA
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a non-profit trade association representing the information technology (IT) industry.  CompTIA represents over 2,500 IT companies. Our members are at the forefront of innovation and provide a critical backbone that supports broader commerce and job creation. These members include major computer hardware manufacturers, software developers, technology distributors and IT specialists that help organizations integrate and use technology products and services.  CompTIA is dedicated to serving its membership by advancing industry innovation and growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy. For more information, visit www.comptia.org or follow CompTIA on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/comptia.

CompTIA’s Public Advocacy group focuses on a broad array of issues affecting the IT industry, with particular emphasis on representing the interests of small and mid-sized IT companies and entrepreneurs, supporting an innovation and competitiveness agenda and addressing secure technology issues such as cybersecurity, data breach, privacy and more.  For more information, visit http://www.comptia.org/publicpolicy.aspx