Category Archive

  Keeping employees happy has to be one of the most misunderstood elements of running a business. Every business owner thinks they know how to do it, and most have employees who wish they found themselves anywhere but at work. Of course, it’s a given that most of us would prefer to be sipping a cocktail in a hammock somewhere instead of sifting through work emails. That doesn’t mean that work has to be miserable or consistently difficult to get through, which responsibility falls on the owners of a business. You can make it either acceptable (and even enjoyable) for your employees to work at your company, or you can make it a place where everyone hates to be. Though it’s not all that complicated to create a satisfying work environment, it can be tough to know what moves you need to make so that the people working on your …

  Keeping up with the competition requires businesses to pay attention to the latest business trends, including new marketing techniques. Marketing strategies are constantly evolving as businesses and entrepreneurs take advantage of the latest technologies. From the rise of the internet to the massive reach of social media, the way consumers shop continues to change. So, what are the latest trends in marketing and how do you apply them to your business? Customer advocacy, micro-influencers, transparency, and chatbots are just a few examples of new marketing trends. Here’s a closer look at these trends and others to help your business stay relevant.     Why Follow Marketing Trends?     What works today may not work tomorrow. Successful businesses understand that they need to stay one step ahead. Paying attention to the latest marketing trends allows you to: Monitor changes in consumer behavior Stay relevant to your target audience Grow …

  There is an unfortunate trait that most small businesses have, and that is the mentality of being afraid of their competitors or seeing them as their enemy. It’s true that they are competing for the same customers that you are, but even so, they can help you far more than they can hurt you. The first basic principle to understand about competing businesses is that, if there are multiple businesses who are offering the same product or service within the same general area, then that means there is a large enough market to support them all. If the market for that product turns out to be not large enough, then there is a kind of natural selection that comes into play. The market has a way of correcting itself wherein the finite number of customers who are interested in a particular product will gravitate towards the businesses that are …

  Starting your own business is incredibly exciting. When it begins, you’re likely riding the high that comes with quitting the 9-5-grind to go your own way. Then things start picking up. Where before it wasn’t hard to stay on top of your daily routine & separate the professional from the personal, now you’ve got more work than you can deal with, and things are beginning to blend together. Your work days might be bleeding into your personal time, and you catch yourself answering emails when you know you should be sleeping. While too much work as a business owner or a freelancer is a “good problem” to have, it can still add up to more than you can handle. Taking on every project that comes your way is a common mistake most business owners make when first starting out. More work is always better than less, right? Plus, what …

  There is a simple fact of which most of us are aware, while others are not, that tends to reward us when we put in the effort to improve by forcing ourselves to grow and learn in new and different ways. There’s actually nothing very mystical about it because the more you work to change & grow, the better equipped you will be to handle the various challenges presented in life and work. Therefore the more able you will be to have success in your pursuits. As an entrepreneur, self-improvement can benefit you even more than others because constantly learning new skills and innovating for your business is part of the job description. If you’re one who is somewhat resistant to change or who doesn’t have a particularly strong thirst for knowledge, then this article is for you, too. Consider these reasons why continually improving yourself gives you a …

  So why exactly would you want to be an entrepreneur? Most seasoned entrepreneurs would say it’s for one of three reasons: you’re a starry-eyed novice who sees the next Mark Zuckerburg every time you pass a mirror; you can’t wait to get the life kicked out of you by the reality of self-employment; or maybe–just maybe–you have a marketable idea you’re passionate about & the commitment to get it done right. Probably everyone toying with entrepreneurship believes they fall into the final category. But do you really? How can you be sure? It’s important to know the difference between the fantasy of starting a business and the reality of doing so before investing your money, your career, and your family’s financial future in a brand-new endeavor. So what’s the difference between the perception of entrepreneurship and its reality? Here are a few business tips for the future small business …

  Small businesses seem to pop up like weeds these days, but that doesn’t automatically mean that all of the owners know what they’re doing. There is also a large portion of them who have zero experience with running a business, or who have the necessary skills for making it successful, like marketing, promotion, leading a team, bookkeeping, and many other skills. This is a recipe for a scenario wherein a lot of mistakes can be made—sometimes, very costly mistakes. If you’re starting a business, then do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to look over these very common mistakes that new owners make. There’s no need to feel bad about it when you make a mistake such as the ones we’re going to cite here because we all learn as we go. You might just be able to avoid setbacks and cultivate success for your company much …

  Running a business is never easy, but COVID-19 has created a slew of additional challenges. From lockdowns to capacity restrictions, businesses everywhere are struggling to adapt to the new normal. The pandemic is especially difficult for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Don’t panic! You don’t need to let COVID-19 bring an end to your business. So, how do you keep your business afloat during a pandemic? Online meetings & teleworking are a couple of the ways that businesses are coping. However, those solutions don’t work for every business owner.. Luckily, we’ve uncovered a variety of tactics that you can use to ride out the pandemic. Whether you have an online or a local business, the following 12 tips can help you remain successful.     1. Review Your Local COVID-19 Restrictions   If you want to avoid costly fines and penalties, you first need to review the COVID-19 restrictions in …

  There will likely be plenty of people telling you what they think is the ultimate secret to grow your home business, so it can be tough to discern who you should listen to. So, instead of giving you our opinion of what we believe you should do, this post includes 12 pieces of valuable advice from veterans of business. When you want to give yourself an edge & improve your ability to operate in any area, you go to the ones who have come before you that learned how to solve some of the problems that you’re going to face. There are also some things that could trip you up as a business owner which you may have never even thought of. You can decide which of these tips you should keep, and which ones you should throw away. In any case, you’ll find some great wisdom among them …

  This is for all you wide-eyed, ambitious, and driven small business owners out there, who have decided to take it upon yourself to foot the bill for your business without taking an investment from anyone. You don’t want to owe anything to anybody, which is both admirable and smart because once you get going and you’ve been in business for a while, it’s really nice to be able to keep all your profits (or put it back into the business, as one does). Bootstrapping your business can be tough, and especially tough when you’re not made of money. If you’ve made the decision to do that, then you probably know what you’re getting into. Be that as it may, however, you will likely still welcome some tips to make sure your business ends up fully-funded and flourishing. That’s the purpose of this article, and these small pieces of advice …