As a business owner you face hard decisions every day, sometimes with little to no warning.  The more you know, the better off you will be; superior information leads to sounder decisions, providing both confidence and peace of mind.

Brian Solis is one such individual that constantly shares such superior information.  Through his research and teachings he helps people understand the evolution of technology and the impact it plays on both business and society.  With an arsenal of information and experience backing him up, it’s time you heard what he has to say.

Skimping on wages and not offering benefits doesn’t always equate to savings in the long run. Especially when you’re in the restaurant industry, which employs 14 million people or ten percent of the national workforce according to the National Restaurant Association.  With such a large pool to draw from, it pays to pay well, especially since the 2013 turnover ratio was 20% higher than the overall private sector average, a whopping 62.6% for the restaurant industry as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Save yourself the headache, time and money of replacing the valuable members on your team by paying them fairly and competitively.  Let’s take a look at just how that’s done, examining average salaries within the industry and what that turnover ratio is really costing you.

For a restaurant to thrive, it is imperative that a business engage directly with their patrons. It is no secret that owning a restaurant is difficult.  Cornell and the National Restaurant Association, found that 60% of restaurants fail in the first five years of operation. To keep business running, a restaurant owner must craft a compelling story around the experience offered instead of just promoting delectable entrees. Guests want to feel as though they are investing in something that benefits them as well as getting a steal of a deal. Today’s customer base struggles to remember a time before Google, restaurants are therefore forced to adapt to create different promotions encouraging guests through their doors.

March Madness is a time when fans and nonfans alike emerge to root on the teams that will lead their brackets to victory.

For Joe and Leesa Albert, March Madness 2011 would change their lives forever. While the two watched an Ohio State game, they noticed a group of fans wearing striped sleeves in the team’s colors and were intrigued by the sea of crimson and gray waving around.

Maybe it’s America’s resurgent obsession with bacon, or the emergence of legions of foodies, but people are flocking to restaurants again.

2015 is shaping up to be an excellent year for the restaurant industry, with TDn2K’s Black Box Intelligence reporting that in January, restaurant chains posted their highest same-store sales and traffic growth rates in more than six years.  If that wasn’t enough, the National Restaurant Association’s 2015 industry outlook projects record sales of $709 billion.

Already have your own restaurant or thinking about starting one given the promising year ahead? Read on for the top trends so far this year to make 2015 your best year yet.