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JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/GETTY IMAGES -  Samsung Electronics flag, top, and South Korean flag, center, flutter outside Samsung headquarters in Seoul. So sprawling is Samsung’s modern-day empire that some South Koreans say it has become possible to live a Samsung-only life: You can use a Samsung credit card to buy a Samsung TV for the living room of your Samsung-made apartment on which you’ll watch the Samsung-owned pro baseball team. Samsung is South Korea’s greatest economic success, and, more recently, the subject of major controversy. Economists, owners of small- and medium-size businesses, and some politicians say Samsung no longer merely powers the country but overpowers it, wielding influence that nearly matches that of the government. Debate over how to curb the size and power of Samsung and other family-run conglomerates has become the key issue in South Korea’s Dec. 19 presidential election, with polls showing that about three in four voters say they feel negatively about...

15 draw backs to working as a full time freelancer Freelancing doesn’t give you any dependable income. You could make a thousand dollars today and none for the next month. (submitted by  @RS_Designs  and  @AliciaMae ) Less time with family because you are busy doing 10 different jobs (accounting, designing, sales, ect) Spending more time finding work than actually doing the work. (submitted by  @kevincrafts ) You lose the ability to bounce ideas off your co-workers because, well, you’re (9 times out of 10) working alone in your home office. The distraction level in your house can be tremendous (family, television, sleeping in, ect) People don’t take you as seriously as someone with a 9-5 job (yes, they’re close minded, but it does happen – a lot) You have to be your own taskmaster, even if you “just don’t feel like it” – and if you don’t, you fall behind work and a whole mess of trouble starts Health insurance is not a given – and obtaining it can be a st...

Quotes.  Entrepreneurs are fascinated with them.  They spark our creativity, motivate us to action, and inspire us to greatness.  They offer us insights into the spirit behind innovation and genius. And they act as fuel to the blue-flame fire that burns deep within every true entrepreneur. The 33 quotes below are, in our opinion, some of the best of the best. They come from authors, poets, inventors, scholars, and entrepreneurs – all legends in their own rights. So jot them down on Post-it notes and decorate your workspace. Grab red lipstick and write them in sweeping letters across your mirrors. Pick your favorite and brand it on your…palm. The right words at the right time can be paramount to your success, so do whatever it takes to keep inspiration close at hand. “If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”  Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Spe...

It's suddenly a lot harder for venture capitalists and startups to raise funds, as investors fed up with low returns turn their backs on the sector. Most industry observers agree that lots of young firms will simply not be able to raise their next round of funding, commencing a period of belt tightening, consolidation and closures. At a minimum, it seems to mark the beginning of a more level-headed investment climate in Silicon Valley, after years of insatiable lust for all things mobile and social. But if the drop-off is too sudden and steep, this new austerity could spill over into an economy highly dependent on the tech sector. Indeed, as  The Chronicle  reported last week, the industry has an enormous impact, with each tech job creating 4.3 indirect jobs in the community, according to a  Bay Area Council Economic Institute  report. The investors and venture capitalists I spoke to insisted that we're not on the verge of anything like the dot-com...

Inspiration can come from anywhere. These nine books may not all fit into the "business book" genre, but they're still must-reads. Flickr photo courtesy of  Sandor Weisz   315 in Share A few of the following books don't fit neatly into the "business book" genre. That's because being an entrepreneur involves a lot more than nuts and bolts and outcomes--and that means ideas and inspiration can come from almost anywhere. Each book will also make you think--and that's the best measure of a great book. The Power of Habit -- Charles Duhigg We think we do, but much of the time we really don't make decisions. We do what we've done before, and that makes us less productive, less effective, less healthy and fit--less everything--than we could be. Be honest: Don't you have at least a few habits you'd like to change? Here's how. No Easy Day -- Mark Owen You may not be interested in the story of the...

Entrepreneur Jamie Siminoff wants to build more credibility into crowdfunding — so he’s launching a new platform that takes responsibility for ensuring the viability of new projects. The crowdfunding process, pioneered by sites like Kickstarter, has had its share of huge successes, as well as failures. The problem, says Siminoff, is that when a venture fails, the funders are left holding the bag. That’s all well and good if you were investing in an artist’s crazy project. It’s much more of a problem if you thought you were pre-ordering a nearly finished gadget. The biggest culprit for these kinds of issues are physical products. Witness the anger unleashed when Kickstarter darling Pebble  announced a further delay alongside underwhelming color choices . This kind of issue is why Kickstarter recently  made some changes , undertaking a combination of education and rule revision. They reminded consumers that Kickstarter is not a store while requiring that all projects...