Have you succumbed to the illusion that in today’s society, with our abbreviated text conversations and online communications tools, grammar doesn’t matter? I’m sorry. Really, I am. Because grammar could make or break your business.

Recently, a website called Grammarly conducted an informal study of 100 LinkedIn profiles. They were all from the same fields and had a set of “control” criteria. They found that there was an apparent correlation between the grammar and spelling errors in the LinkedIn profiles and the progression of careers.

Professional people with fewer mistakes in their profiles progressed further in their careers. Those with around twice as many mistakes did not make it to director level. The professionals with fewer grammar mistakes also received more promotions than their counterparts within the same time frame.

Why does grammar make such a difference? Because it is a reflection of you. Many times your cover letter, resume, or LinkedIn profile is the first impression for a prospective employer. Within the workplace, errors in spelling and grammar can be costly mistakes if they are made in printed materials. The errors can also lead to miscommunications. Most professionals must communicate in writing in some way.

Your writing is an indicator of how you work and handle various situations. This is why good writing projects the perception of competence. Competence leads to innovation and success for an entrepreneur.

Here is an example. I received an email blast with multi-colored, misspelled adjectives in a variety of fonts. It was attempting to pull me in and make me click the button to go to their website where they were selling proofreading. I was appalled. I, of course, had to see the website. Again, it was riddled with errors. One month later, the website was gone.

If your spelling and grammar need a boost, there are plenty of resources available for little or no cost. Apps for studying vocabulary for the GRE exam can help with expanding your use of words and spelling. Add one to your smartphone and it’s at your fingertips. Track the words you misspell the most. Don’t count on Spell Check. It isn’t infallible. I always misspell millennial. Because I know that is one of my weak words, I have it on a list, spelled correctly, next to my computer. Know what words cause you problems and keep them nearby so you can check them before you use them.

Pick up an SAT review book from a used book store. These are great for testing yourself for grammar mistakes. Check out the Grammar Girl website and podcast for answers to those tough questions. Practice your writing on a daily basis. Ask someone you trust to read it over.

Finally, one of the best ways to improve grammar and spelling is to read more. Read a variety of fiction, non-fiction, magazines, newspapers, or websites. The more you see good writing, the more likely you are to improve.

Your writing is a reflection of you. With great grammar and spelling, you will make a good impression every time you send out a memo, print a brochure, or even send a text. By the way, did you find the error in the image that accompanies this article?

In general, help for entrepreneurs is rarely free. The help provided by NYC and Citigroup, however, is exactly that: free services for 5,000 female entrepreneurs living in NYC. The program is called Women Entrepreneurs NYC, (WE NYC) and it is going to support businesses over the next three years.

Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen says that the program aims to help women who are underserved, but have great business ideas without the means or knowledge to take their business ideas and implement them. Services for WE NYC will be supported by the New York City Department of Small Business Services and Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses Program. Microlender Grameen America will also be helping out.

WE NYC will teach women in the program basic business skills and provide mentoring to them. Workshops and classes on negotiation and specific trades will also be provided. Their two main goals are: Increasing income stability for women and families by supporting entrepreneurship as an opportunity for supplementary income and as a pathway for long-term economic security; Strengthening the economic impact of women entrepreneurs by facilitating the growth of their companies to increase investment and create jobs in NYC.

Programs supporting entrepreneurs are increasing in numbers, but by targeting underserved women, this one is unique. Glen is hopeful: “If it works, I really think this could be a model for other cities and even for the nation.”

Women entrepreneurs have been on the rise in NYC, however male-owned companies are still ahead. The male-owned companies generated five times the revenue (on average) as their female counterparts. These results are part of a study from Citi Community Development. The study included a survey to allow the researchers to learn more about the experiences and challenges facing women who own businesses. The data will be used to shape the direction of the program and identify the areas with the biggest need. The training will deal with issues such as loans vs. venture capital and loan programs for entrepreneurs.

Citi is not new to assisting business owners grow their businesses. A $275,000 investment in Food Business Pathways, which is designed to help NY residents start and maintain food businesses, had a much larger percentage of women graduates than men. The class was not limited to women, but their interest level seemed to be higher.

The WE NYC has an advisory board with members of various business environments. Norma Kamali, clothing fashion designer, Mika Brzezinski of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, and Shelly Lazarus, former CEO of Marketing giant Ogilvy & Mather, and Debora Spar, President of Barnard College are all board members. These members will act as advisors for the program and assist in shaping the training and assistance to women from low income neighborhoods striving to become entrepreneurs.

At present there are approximately 359,000 entrepreneurial businesses owned by women in NYC. This is a 43% increase over the last twelve years. Within these businesses, most are simple, solo-employed women who only manage to take in $32,000 per year. That is why WE NYC wants to help them move forward to the next part of owning a business—growing and making a larger profit.

For a long time, America has been getting news from NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams. We have trusted him to give us the straight story night after night. It seems the story wasn’t always straight. In fact, some of it didn’t even happen.

February 4, the news was Williams himself as it was released that he lied when he claimed he was in a helicopter that had been shot down over Iraq in 2003. This came to light after Williams accompanied a soldier to a New York Rangers game. The announcer told the crowd that U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Tim Terpak had saved Williams and his team after the shooting of his helicopter in Iraq. NBC put up video of the event on Facebook. A commenter raised a flag about the story and more information was sought.

The commenter, flight engineer Lance Reynolds, along with other crew members, told Stars and Stripes newspaper that Brian Williams was actually not in the copter that had been shot down, but rather in one that had arrived an hour after the crash.

Williams attempted to save face by commenting via Facebook that he meant to say he was in an aircraft following the one that was shot down, not the actual one that was shot. He repeated his apology online and blamed foggy memories over the course of the years and a desire to show respect to the veterans.

In some cases, this might have ended the story. But for Williams, it called into question his general ethics and trustworthiness as he had told the story several times over the years. Some radio and television commenters have gone so far as to call for his resignation.

Since his initial apology, Williams has not spoken publicly about the issue. His reputation has been damaged and he is keeping quiet as things play out.

Back in 2003, when the event occurred, there were complaints from veterans about the accuracy. Some of these vets have been upset since then, and have tried to draw media attention to the lie sooner. As Williams told the story repeatedly over the last ten or eleven years, his closeness to death has become more central and perilous with each telling. The original incident, according to crew who were actually on the downed Chinook, occurred when William’s flight was at least 30 minutes behind the shooting. Others on the flight with Williams do not recall any of the group of copters they were in coming under fire. They attempted to contact reporters at the time about the discrepancy with no luck.

NBC has yet to comment on the story or on Williams’ subsequent retellings and confabulations. Considering the fact that he just renewed his $10 million per year contract with NBC as they touted him as “the most trusted journalist(s) of our time,” the timing couldn’t be worse for the network.

Compared to mistakes made by other journalists, Williams’ lies based on making an improvement on his reputation are a slap in the face to the news. Will he weather the storm or end up feeling as though he is in a helicopter being shot down over Iraq?

The first issue of Newsweek for 2015 takes on a pretty big subject: The Bible. In fact the cover features the title The Bible: So Misunderstood It’s a Sin. They’ve decided to take on those who use the Bible to excuse inappropriate behavior or justify their own interpretations for their actions.

The story begins with those who are loudest. The ones who use the Bible to proclaim homosexuality is a sin, those who demand prayer in school, and pray to God for salvation from their horrific political opponents. They choose passages out of context to suit their needs and twist translations to fit their motives.

One wonders if these people have even read the Bible, given the way they use it. Examples of recent issues put forth using the Bible as support include climate change (impossible because of a promise from God to Noah), teaching creationism in schools, and vague signs of the end of times. None are actually in the Scriptures. Has the Bible simply become the go-to book when you want to validate any point at all?

The article does not challenge the existence of God, but does challenge those who use it for their own purposes without even reading it. Their behaviors simply hurt people – all in the name of God.

One of the main points is that none of us, NONE, have read the actual Bible. We have read various translations. There are discrepancies between versions that have evolved over the years. Some even have new sections that were added to the New Testament and omissions that contradicted orthodox beliefs. The most notable change is the addition of the story of the Passion in John. It was entirely made up by the Scribes in the Middle Ages. The style and prose are different than the rest of John’s gospel and has phrases from another time.

Experts in religious studies agree that the translations are flawed and that the King James Bible falls short of an accurate version. Manipulations of the text have led to the confusing concept of the Trinity, a concept found nowhere in the early Greek manuscript.

It makes sense that there are misconceptions when you consider the story of Christmas as told by Matthew and Luke. The story is told quite differently, but our understanding is based on Christians taking a bit of this and a bit of that and blending them together for the best story.

Today, politicians and activists use the Bible, which in its current form is flawed, to support their causes. Those who condemn homosexuality should read more of Romans, where many of the actions taken by government are considered damning. Adultery, greed, and lying are all declared in 1 Corinthians as being on par with homosexuality as sinning is concerned.

Newsweek basically points out the flaws in our Bible due to ages of translations and interpretations. To use it to push oneself ahead of others or accuse others of sin is a sin in itself.

In life and business, it is best to start with Jesus’ quote, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” This is an eye-opening article that is worth a read.