iRobot Roomba 980 review

Though most automated vacuum cleaners are happy to bounce around your rooms, bumping into furniture like a drunk sleepwalker, IROBOT ROOMBA 980 is leading the pack in terms of vacuum intelligence.

Armed with a number of iAdapt 2.0 navigation sensors and iRobot’s proprietary visual simultaneous localisation and mapping technology (or vSLAM for short), the Roomba 980 impressed greatly when it was released in the US and UK late last year. Now, iRobot’s most advanced vacuum cleaner to date has finally arrived on Australian shores.

As packed as it is with high tech features, including newly-added iOS and Android app control and Wi-Fi connectivity, the Roomba 980’s increased functionality over previous models does bring with it a hefty price tag – one that may realistically make the unit inaccessible for many users.

That said, we’re convinced that the iRobot Roomba 980 offers enough robotic wizardry and technological advancements to make it a viable purchase for those who can afford it, or an utterly magnificent gift that’ll likely make you the favourite son or daughter in your family.
The set up

Right out of the box, it’s possible to have the Roomba 980 up and running in a matter of minutes. Once you’ve plugged your Home Base docking station’s power cord into a wall socket, all you have to do is remove the battery pull tab and yellow bin insert from the Roomba’s undercarriage, press the clearly marked ‘Clean’ button in top of the unit, and your automated vacuum will start cleaning your home immediately.

Press the unit’s ‘Home’ button, and the Roomba 980 will stop everything and, in one of its most impressive acts of futuristic awesomeness, automatically guide itself over to its charging station like it’s following a homing beacon. It’ll also do this when it’s running low on battery or if its bin is full.

Now Is the Time to Think About Your Small-Business Succession Plan

More than 50 percent of all small-business owners are 50 or older, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. That means many of America’s 28 million small-business owners are coming to that point in their lives when they need to think about a transition for their businesses.

A survey earlier this year by CNBC and the Financial Planning Association found that while 78 percent of small-business owners intend to sell their businesses to fund their retirements, fewer than 30 percent have a written succession plan. That’s not a recipe for success.

4 Ways to Build the Mental Fortitude Needed to Transition From Your Business

Baby boomers are exiting their businesses at an unprecedented rate. In the next 10 years, approximately $13 trillion will pass hands as businesses transition from one generation of owners to the next.

The staggering exchange of wealth is a result of business owners acting on the big succession question: "What's next?" Those at the helm of family and closely-held businesses are rapidly determining how to transition their businesses.

Is selling the answer? Half of the 20 million family and closely-held businesses will face a decision on how to exit. And, of those who have sold, a whopping 75 percent report being unhappy about their decision a year after the sale. Why? Their plans for retirement fell flat. The buy-out agreement didn’t pan out as planned. Valued employees were left without jobs. The legacy didn't continue as they hoped.

After a lifetime of operation, owners of middle market companies deserve to end as strong as they started. After all, the middle market employs 60 percent of the U.S. population, stabilizes our communities and fuels our economy. It is important for business owners to look back on the choices they made to transition their business and feel good. Looking forward, business owners should be poised to achieve and find meaning in whatever they decide to do next.

Here are four strategies that help business owners develop the mental fortitude necessary to make a strong transition:

The 6 Types of Buyers for Your Business

There is a reason it’s called exit planning -- the steps involved in determining how to ultimately leave the company you’ve built require careful thought, deliberate consideration, and plenty of time.

There are many directions you can take in the sale of a company, and considering who you’ll eventually find at the other side of the negotiation table is one of the most important things to understand as you get started down the path to an exit.

There are six common buyers you will likely encounter as you market a business for sale. As each have differing priorities and represent unique outcomes for the business, educating yourself on each buyer type is one of the first steps in beginning to plan the sale of your company.