Starting a business is a risky adventure. One in five will not make it through the first year and less than 40 percent, and some studies show less than 20%, will still be in business five years later. So why do people try? Because being your own boss and running your own business for many…
You are new in town. How do you find your service professionals? This includes everyone from your doctor and dentist to your plumber and electrician. Once upon a time, we would ask the people we work with and our neighbors and friends. Today we go online. At this point, I suspect some of you are…
What plans are you making for your business? For many of us, the idea of developing a plan is just overwhelming, scary and something we often just don’t do. It sounds tedious and time-consuming, and is seen as something that’s useful only as a doorstop. Yet ask a business owner who takes the planning process…
How often are you asked, as a small business owner, for a charitable donation? I have a friend who has labeled this process as being “$20 to death.” Her comment is often accurate as most small-business operators see a steady stream of people asking for money to support charities, sports teams, clubs, civic groups, etc….
Finding a business idea is easy. Finding an idea that will make money and is sustainable is hard. Ideas for businesses are found in many different ways. The idea may an old family recipe or a new recipe you create. Ideas also come from imagination and observation, and may pop up as you solve a…
Promises are made in many different ways by a business. Some are verbal and some are written. You can find some just in the visual images and graphics shared. Some are offered through traditional marketing channels and some come to us online. Here are four promises that businesses have recently offered me. Each item was…
What do these four things have in common? Keep up building maintenance Develop your online presence Provide good wages and benefits Establish a solid customer service program Give up? Perhaps the article title gave you a hint. Each of these items has been shown to build your bottom line. That’s correct. Spending money in these…
Get out the noise makers. Put on your party hats. Order a cake. It’s time to celebrate the backbone of our economy, the small business. Small Business Week 2016, May 1 through May 7, is a celebration of small businesses across the country. Small businesses mean jobs, dollars and economic growth. According to the U.S….
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