What event will we celebrate on Nov. 25th? Pat yourself on the back if you said “Small Business Saturday.” No, there isn’t any cake (well, there could be) and no one is getting any presents (at least not on that day, although we hope lots of them are purchased from your local businesses that day)….
Innovation for the sake of innovation might not be the answer to building your business. And yet today as we scan the business world, it would seem that the opposite is true – innovate or disappear. So what’s the truth? The truth about successful innovation is “it depends.” And it depends on your current customer…
Successful small businesses depend on customers who return. Such customers form your core audience. They buy regularly and as research notes, they buy more than the more casual customer or the one-time customer. Yes, their regular purchase may be less but, over time, they are your stars. Second, your returning customers are most likely be…
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…
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