According to Andrew Kinzer, Cofounder of GroupTalent, and Charina Flores, VP of Human Resources Operations at the Barbelo Group, when it comes to landing a gig, the tried and true still works -- especially for industries that are hot, like high tech, security, mobile and healthcare. Get to know the right people, have a keyword-smart resume and a spiffy LinkedIn profile, and use the same websites employers do. They also had a lot to say about:

• What employers are really looking for today
  
• How to best prepare to leave the corporate world for consulting
  
• Tips for getting on Microsoft's supplier list
  
• The difference between various freelance sites like GitHub and Odesk
  
• The cost of tech talent
• How cash-strapped businesses can attract employees
  

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Dale Jarvis and Chris Free of Rapport Benefits Group discuss the impact of the new healthcare law on small businesses in Washington -- who benefits and who pays. It's a complicated issue and according to one of our guests, based on a conservative, not socialist, idea. Yet, no matter your business size, most will be forced to get better coverage, even solopreneurs. 

We also talked about some of the latest innovations, like casespotting and big data; the WA Healthcare Finder; and how people are sharing health information through social media. Tune in to hear what you'll need to do for your business when the changes come in 2014.

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A common theme ran through this interview. No matter what you do, think about what's right for your business, then choose the right actions. Don't copy other businesses. Plan ahead. 

Our subject experts, Whitney Keyes (marketing), Priya Cloutier (intellectual property) and Wendy Gillihan (human resources), also weighed in on essential characteristics of entrepreneurs. Oh, and they had a few words to say about social media too. How they use it for themselves and what they recommend to clients.

Don't get obsessed with all the fun communications tools; keep the end goal in mind. Whitney also shared a few ideas on how to compete with the big guys for media attention. 

Keep up with changes in patent law. Know where to find value in your business and how to protect your intellectual property. All types of companies need to understand IP, not just tech.

Most small business owners who want to grow wait too long to hire. Don't wait. Make a plan. Understand the type of expertise you need, how much you'll need to pay and what you need to have on reserve. And, if you're just starting a business, say goodbye to the 40 hour work week.

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Just like the importance of buying organic or free trade, it's of equal value to understand the people who make the products we buy. Wally Bell spent 12 years working for REI on compliance, and now he's a consultant who helps U.S. companies establish fair labor practices.

In a perfect world you shouldn't have to worry about how your stuff is produced.

Hear Wally explain some of the key problems and by way of example, we discuss Apple and Foxconn at length.

There has to be a decision within the company that labor compliance is important.

If you're wondering how you can produce your products fairly, you'll want to listen to the ideas and advice outlined in this interview.

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