For the love of your business
For the love of your business
You’ve worked hard to build your business. You’ve developed products or services and the processes, policies, and strategies which drive them. So what do you do when a key employee tells you he/she will be leaving? How do you protect the business systems you’ve worked so hard to develop? Hopefully, you had your key employee […]
Read MoreQ: How can I establish a brand for my business that distinguishes it from competitors? –Inquisitive Entrepreneur A: Dear Inquisitive: You are right to be concerned about establishing a solid brand. Branding carries through every aspect of your business. It’s broader than a logo or even your core values. It’s the driving force […]
Read MoreThe small business sector is a major force in the American economy, responsible for two-thirds of jobs in the private sector. But despite significant progress, female business owners continue to suffer from a gender gap in factors that influence small business financing. Often this is simply because women are less likely to identify what they […]
Read MoreAs with so many things in life, some of the same qualities that help small businesses succeed, can also lead to their demise. Fortunately, much of that risk can be lessened through operational excellence. For example, the owners and managers of small businesses often know each other before they go into business together. Sometimes, they’re […]
Read MoreDue to the use of online marketing, business competition is fiercer than ever. This hypercompetitive environment causes many business owners to wonder how they can stop the poaching of their good employees. First and foremost, this is best accomplished by treating your employees great, paying wages on the higher end of the scale and creating […]
Read MoreMany businesses can be started with a small financial investment. Online consignment, pet-sitting, and ride-share driver are just a few. But to grow your business, you need not just capital but internal insight. You need to understand just what makes you tick, otherwise the business will either quickly take over your life or it is […]
Read MoreQ: How can I attract and keep quality employees for my small business? –Curious Entrepreneur A: Dear Curious: In today’s competitive environment, it is increasingly difficult to attract high-quality employees. Of course, salary and benefits are always important. However, there are many things you can do that add value to your business and […]
Read MoreThe Affordable Care Act encourages employers to provide health insurance to their employees. This encouragement comes in the form of mandated payments to the government when affordable insurance at a certain minimum level of coverage is not provided. This feature of the ACA is known as “Employer Shared Responsibility” or the “Employer Mandate.” Employers with […]
Read MoreYour family-owned and run business can be the greatest gift or the greatest burden to the people you love, if and when something happens to you. If you’ve planned well and properly for your business to be continued, managed or sold, it will be the gift that keeps on giving and shows your family just […]
Read MoreWhen most people think about planning for death, they envision personal estate planning. But even if you are already proactive in that area, you may not be finished if you own a business. Succession planning for business owners is at least as important as personal estate planning, maybe even more so because you have a […]
Read MoreQ: As a small business owner, how can I reduce my tax liability? –Skeptical Business Owner A: Dear Skeptical: First and foremost, you need to make sure your business is incorporated using the entity structure that will maximize your tax savings. For many solo and small business owners, that will be an S-Corporation […]
Read More
