Awareness of the world around you has been the start of many businesses. The business world is filled with examples of people who started a busines based on watching, reading and listening to things around them. Being aware may lead in many directions. Sometimes the product is already around, but it just takes the right…
A common issue for small-business owners is having too much to do and too little time. The small-business owner wears many hats. On any one day, he or she may need to make a major decision on anything from adding a new product line to finding new customers to reviewing and even doing the financial…
Many small town businesses enjoy a kind of monopoly: they are the only source for their product in their location. If you are the only pizza place in town, you feel like you have an advantage. But what do you do when you find out competition is opening soon? Do you hate the new business,…
Ratings help your customers decide. They help customers decide which product to buy, but more importantly, they help customers decide whether to buy at all. Online rating sites have shaken up almost every business category. You can adapt that idea in your business whether you sell products in a downtown store, services online, or something…
The notion that you have to be born an entrepreneur is just a myth. Similarly, no time is perfect, nor do you need to be an expert or even have worked in the industry, to be a successful small-business owner. Starting and operating a successful business can be achieved by just about anyone. There is…
Just because you own the business does not mean you are the right person to be the leader. That may seem like a bold statement. We take it for granted that the business owner will be leader both in terms of daily activities and long-term planning. And research generally supports this idea. Yet studies have…
As small-business owners know, a business needs customers coming in the door to survive. But a common fallacy is that customers will flock to your store just because you open the doors. Building a customer base is a huge challenge, but it is reality. Even with a great product, you need to let customers know…
Small town businesses have certain advantages over big city businesses. One is that we have the luxury of educating customers, knowing that if they like what they learn, they are likely to make the resulting purchase from us. In a big city, running a tasting or a sampling or a class takes the risk that…
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