In the intricate world of commercial real estate, few topics can be as consequential—yet often misunderstood—as depreciation. At its core, depreciation represents the gradual wear and tear of a property, reflecting its diminishing value over time. While this concept might seem straightforward, its implications ripple throughout various aspects of the industry, impacting not just the physical bricks and mortar, but the financial sheets and investment calculations of those involved.

For property owners, understanding depreciation is paramount. It influences their annual tax liability and shapes the long-term financial strategy behind their real estate holdings. Investors, on the other hand, often scrutinize depreciation schedules and methods to determine the potential returns of their ventures. As for lessees, while they might not directly deal with depreciation calculations, the underlying factors that cause depreciation can indirectly affect lease terms and rental rates.

This article delves into the nuances of commercial real estate depreciation, dissecting its mechanics and significance, especially within the context of the US market. Our goal is to shed light on this pivotal subject, equipping our readers with the knowledge to make informed decisions, whether they’re exploring new office spaces, considering an investment, or simply seeking to expand their understanding of commercial real estate dynamics in the USA.

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International Women’s Day on March 8 is an opportunity to recognize the achievements of women in the labor force. It is also a time to reflect on challenges women have and continue to face, including celebrating the achievements of women who have played important roles in advancing equality for women at work.

The role of women in the labor force in the United States has evolved greatly since the end of World War II. After the War, less than a third of women were active in the U.S. labor force. While women became an increasingly important participant in the labour force during the war, their role increased significantly in the following decades. The number of women working began to increase rapidly from the 1960s to the 1980s, and reached its peak in 1999 when 60 percent of women were active in the labour force according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2013, the percentage of women in the labour force was 57.2 percent.

At the same time, women traditionally faced challenges in the labour force including wage inequality and low representation in leadership roles when compared to men. The gap is narrowing, although more work is needed to ensure true equity in the workplace. In addition to a general increasing trend in the participation rate of women in the labor force, the wage and education gap of women in the labor force is narrowing when compared to their male colleagues. The proportion of women in the labor force with a college degree more than tripled between 1970 and 2013 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Earnings of female workers as a proportion of earnings of their male counterparts have also grown. In 1979, women who worked full time earned just 62 percent of what men earned. In 2013, this figure was 82 percent.

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Sherilyn McCoy – Johnson and Johnson
As vice chairwoman of the home-goods behemoth Johnson and Johnson, McCoy is responsible for much of the company’s successes over the years. She had been the chief of the pharmaceutical division of Johnson and Johnson for years before she was tasked to revamp the consumer side of the company’s operations. She is credited with being integral in bringing Johnson and Johnson up to snuff with their competitors on the consumer side of the business, and is the likely successor to current CEO Bill Weldon.

Meg Whitman – Hewlett Packard
Meg Whitman is the current CEO of Hewlett Packard, the largest technology company in the world by revenues. She was once a candidate for the governorship of California, and is noted for her ability to reach compromises with diverse individuals. These skills are thought to be a large part of why she was hired for this job, since the board of Hewlett Packard is notoriously dysfunctional. Read the rest of this entry »

The Internet has created a lot of opportunities for young entrepreneurs to get their ideas out to the world. Before the Internet, the idea of a 16 year old kid successfully marketing a product to worldwide audience was completely unrealistic. The entrepreneurs listed here have found a way to utilize the power of the Internet to build impressive empires before their 18th birthday.

Jason O’Neill
When he was 12 years old, Jason O’Neill from California, invented a very simple pencil accessory that turned out to be very popular with younger kids: Pencil Bugs. Pencil Bugs are essentially little heads attached coils of wire that can be wrapped around the end of a pencil. While the idea itself may not be complex, O’Neill made them very popular at local craft fairs by giving each Pencil Bug a name and birth certificate. He built an entire mythology up around his invention and they quickly became very popular. In fact, he did so well with his idea that he was named 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year.

Ashley Qualls
Ms. Qualls, from Michigan, began her entrepreneurial career at the tender age of 14 by starting a website called WhateverLife.com. The site was originally centered around layouts for MySpace and HTML tutorials for boys and girls in her age group. While it was nothing but a hobby at first, the website soon developed into a complete sensation. It was recently reported that Ms. Qualls turned down an offer to sell her website for $1.5 million. While her net worth is not currently known, she makes enough from the site to employ her own mother and pay in cash for a $250,000 home in the suburbs.

Garrett Yazzie
Garrett Yazzie’s life is something of a Cinderella story. He was born on a Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona to a very poor family with very little means. He grew up in a small trailer without running water, electricity, or heat. The small amount of heat that his family could muster from time to time came from burning wood and coal in a furnace. This led to many respiratory problems with a younger sister of his.

When he was 13, Garrett’s life completely turned around. His teacher mentioned a state science fair and asked if anyone was interested in participating. Garret was the only person who showed an interest, and it would turn out to be a very important decision in his life. The project he created for the fair was a solar-powered heater that he made out of used aluminum cans and an old car engine he found in a junkyard. The heater was a national success, and it earned him loads of accolades. He has since gone into a special preparatory school and has been given a free ride to the college of his choice.

Anshul Samar
Anshul Samar is the CEO of Elementeo, which is an educational gaming company located in Silicon Valley. He started up his business when he was only 14 years old, and it has developed into one of the most popular educational gaming companies in the country. The flagship product of Samar’s business is called Elementeo. The game is a card-based board game that mixes fantasy and chemistry in a way that makes learning about chemicals fun for kids. He operates the business out of his home with very little overhead operating costs. By conservative estimates, Samar has sold over 50,000 units of his game all over the world. With each game costing roughly $25, that is an amazing amount of revenue.

Maryanne Barrott
Maryanne’s business started much like many other businesses on this list. She originally just wanted to do a simple summer project with her mother. The project was to start making her own body care products out of special ingredients. What it has turned into for her is an amazingly popular line of body care products that are sold mostly online. Maryanne, from Idaho, didn’t get this successful with nothing more than a good product, though. She thoroughly planned the roll-out of her product by creating a business plan that was so well-conceived that it won her the Business Plan of the Year award from the Young Entrepreneurs of America.