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If you’re like me, you’ve already filed your taxes—a month or two ago! I guess I like seeing that refund in my bank account, so I try to file as soon as possible. But there are many out there (you know who you are) who wait til the last minute to file their taxes, even if the IRS gives them an extra couple days to file. I guess the looming threat of late fees doesn’t scare them. Maybe they like the stress, who knows?

Fortunately, there’s relief for all you last-minute filers. Your neighborhood The UPS Store location offers copying, postal and shipping services to help you get your taxes to Uncle Sam on time. Many of The UPS Store locations actually stay open late on April 17 to accommodate the procastinators. And some even throw a Tax Break party to celebrate our right to pay taxes.

Most people who physically send their returns to the IRS use the mail, but did you know you can also SHIP your federal tax returns via UPS? What’s better than watching your tax forms make their way to the IRS? With UPS shipping, you get a tracking number so you can track your return all the way to Uncle Sam.

If you’re mailing, don’t forget they’ve got to be postmarked by April 17.

What are you planning to do with your tax return?

In just a week, hundreds of thousands of college basketball fans will finally get what they’ve been waiting for: three straight weeks of drama, buzzer-beaters and upsets known as March Madness ®. We’ll witness some of the game’s greatest players and coaches vying for the ultimate prize: to be crowned NCAA national champions.

If there’s one common trait of all NCAA ® championship teams, it would be great coaching. A great coach understands the game and inspires his or her team to greatness and success.

Great coaches exist on and off the court. If you own a small business with a team of employees, you’re a coach, in a sense. And, sometimes, even coaches need a little coaching from the experts.

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A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending Entrepreneur magazine’s 2012 Growth Conference in Long Beach, Calif., as a member of The UPS Store team, which sponsored the event.

For the more than 850 entrepreneurs who convened at this year’s Growth Conference, there was an undeniable feeling of optimism and determination to learn and grow their businesses.

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On Aug. 4, more than 3,000 bloggers from across the globe – mostly female, but a handful of men, including myself – converged on the San Diego Convention Center for BlogHer 2011. The draw: two full days of expert blogging tips, daily BlogHer parties, swag galore and, most importantly, the opportunity to get your blog – your personal brand – in front of the eyes of hundreds of name-brand companies and blogs who look for bloggers to help promote their brand.

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We love our small-business customers at The UPS Store, so we thought we’d share the love with a tasty treat.

When Wisconsin native Sandy Poehnelt moved to Kauai, Hawaii in July 2009, starting a business wasn’t on her mind. Within a few months, however, she saw an opportunity to put her culinary experience to the test, and out of the oven popped The Right Slice.

Poehnelt noticed a need for fresh specialty pies on the island. “See a need, fill a need. Isn’t that how the saying goes,” she said about starting her pie shop.

Sandy’s pies – especially the top-selling Hawaiian Mango Passion fruit Pie – are a hit among locals and tourists. She is a strong supporter of the local economy and uses native Hawaiian fruits from local farmers for her delicious tropical pies.

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This week is National Consumer Protection Week, and we’re helping bring awareness to the important issue of protecting consumers’ information.

While consumer protection encompasses things such as avoiding rip-offs and exercising your consumer rights, I’d like to focus on one important consumer protection topic: identity theft.

Every year, millions of people fall victim to identity theft. The good news: it looks like the number of identity theft cases is dropping compared to previous years. The bad news: it appears victims are paying more than ever.

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Photo by Bill Ward

Unlike many folks this Christmas, I’m staying put. I won’t be dealing with the stress of holiday travel. Fortunately, I’ve never had to experience traveling during the holidays. In years past, I’ve sat at home and watched on the news as travelers made their way around the country, sometimes getting stuck in airports because of winter storms or missed flights.

Now as a new father, I know my days of enjoying the comfort of my home during the Christmas break are soon to be forgotten. Next year, for example, we’ll be heading to N.Y. to visit my in-laws. To grandma and grandpa’s house we go!

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