I have had the opportunity to work with the small-business community over the last twenty years. That community includes people looking to start a business, those in the start-up stage, others growing to the next stage, and a cadre of people dedicated to support these folks. I have seen businesses start but also shut down….
While you form the cornerstone of your business, employees make up the foundation. As the owner, your name and personality are key to identifying and branding your business. Yet, you are not always there to interact with each and every customer. Plus you can’t be an expert at all of the skills required to build…
At some point, you will need the support and expertise of an attorney as you operate your small business. Often, though, owners delay adding that member to your business team. The thought is that you, the owner, will know when you need such help. But that line of thought has two major issues. First, you…
Earlier this year, I did a blog post on the importance of “Family Businesses in the Economy.” Most of us patronize these businesses, but probably don’t think much about them. Who are the owners? What types of businesses do they run? How successful are they? Prior to retirement, I was part of a group of…
Want to have a successful small business? Then build your network. Comments like this are not uncommon. Good networking is one factor in building a successful, sustainable small-business. Both anecdotal information and research supports such claims. We have written about it previously in this blog when discussing “Networking for Business Success.” Most articles, like this…
I am not a regular television watcher but happened to catch a “60 Minutes” episode recently (http://tinyurl.com/60Minutes-socialmedia). The episode focused on how influencers are marketing using social media. Although I follow and use several social media platforms to help reach small-business owners, most of this information was new to me. But it was not surprising….
Help? I am swamped. So get an ad in the paper and get some employees, right? Sorry, this isn’t the time. When you are overwhelmed is not the time you want to hire someone for several reasons. First and foremost, you will rush the process. Steps will be skipped such as reference checking. Second, you…
A Business Truth –There is no need to market if your small business does not offer great customer service? And by customer service, I am not just talking about a good return policy. Customer service starts in the pre-purchase decision making effort through purchase and then right on to use, today, tomorrow and for the…
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