Whether you’re considering the entrepreneurial life or already handling the demands of being your own boss, these ladies are sure to motivate you. So, you have an idea. It’s great, creative, and innovative. Before you tell the world about it, what comes next? Where do you get started? And how do you get your idea to grow once you finally get the ball rolling? Entrepreneurship isn’t without its rollercoaster of emotions, from feeling excited and accomplished to overwhelmed and frustrated. But you can handle this ride, and best of all, it isn’t a ride you’re going on by yourself. These five influential women prove that being an entrepreneur, while filled with its share of hard work, is worth taking the plunge. Read more ……
Social media is no longer an option for small businesses; it’s a necessity. In fact, more than 90 percent of marketers believe social media is important, according to Social Media Examiner. Successful social media marketing strategies increase sales, promote services and increase brand awareness. To help implement a solid social media plan, small businesses can and should turn to social media management tools. To help you find a social media solution for your business, Business.com investigated dozens of social media software programs and services. Find out what we looked for and what might help you decide on the service for you. Read more……
For much of modern corporate life, companies only concerned themselves with protecting the interests of their owners — and those interests were only measured in financial terms. Anything that wasn’t motivated by or at least justified by the bottom line wasn’t even contemplated. Sustainability efforts fell firmly outside of consideration. Times have changed. Today, companies embrace many constituencies, most notably their customers and employees. Yet there’s still a prevalent misconception that environmental and sustainability goals are at odds with the bottom line. The truth is that some of the biggest and most profitable companies in the world have built sustainability into their business practices. What’s more, they’ve discovered that sustainability doesn’t have to come at a cost to owners or shareholders, and it often comes with a PR boost. Read more ……
Small businesses can adopt a variety of sustainability practices that also help keep a business profitable. This article summarizes 10 sustainability practices that a wide range of small businesses can apply. The slogan “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” is a great rule of thumb for the small business owner, and is reflected in most of these tips. The best sustainability practices vary somewhat with the type of business, but most any business can implement several of the tips in this article. The web site Ecopreneuristshares several of these tips and others relevant to small offices. Read more ……
Strategic planning is rather like the business equivalent of New Year’s resolutions. The best of intentions combine with a glorious vision, and we set out to conquer the world, with wild, unbridled enthusiasm. But, just like with New Year’s resolutions, somewhere between the glittering vision and next year’s actual activities, there can be a major reality gap. We have a fairy tale portrait for the distant future, but too often the next year comes and goes, and we’ve failed to move closer to our dream. Step back for a moment and reflect. Are your plans for 2019 really supporting your vision? Read more……
The majority of small business owners created a business plan as part of their overall launch. But with the day-to-day of running the business, a lot of time goes by before you refer back to that plan—if at all. Much can happen in the business during those years: priorities may have shifted, you added new products, key staff came onboard or moved on. Suddenly, you realize that your course has changed as an organization, but your long-range plans aren’t updated to reflect the new direction you’re taking. Business strategy means having a long-range plan and milestones along the way that ensures you get there. And it should be something you do year in, year out. Read more ……
Just as most of us prefer to do business with people we like, we also prefer to do business with companies we like—that is, companies that create an emotional connection with us. Consumers’ emotional experiences with a business greatly influence how much and how often they spend. However, C Space notes that when companies survey customers about their experiences, they’re often too literal. For example, a survey might reveal that customers are waiting too long in line without getting more information about the emotional aspect of that experience. How does waiting make the customer feel? Are they annoyed, disrespected, hurt, frustrated? Read more ……
Constantly seeking feedback from your customers is a great way to learn how to market your business more effectively. If you’ve never done this before, do it immediately as it is one of the best ways to discover what you do that actually differentiates you from your competition. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with a small business that had no idea what its competitive advantage was until we heard it right from the mouths of happy customers. Below are five questions I like to pose to customers as they can provide a great discussion base for getting at what’s truly important to you and your customers. Read more ……
Taxes for small businesses can be confusing and, as a small business owner, you likely have several questions: How much do I pay? Why do I have to pay this amount? How can I reduce taxable income? Finding ways to lower your taxable income legitimately and avoiding pitfalls are important activities that can have great returns: lower taxes for your small business. Unfortunately, many small business owners overpay on their taxes by missing out on certain deductions or managing their businesses and retirement savings in a way that is not efficient for tax purposes. Considering the U.S. tax code is roughly 70,000 pages long, it’s understandable why small business owners and even accountants have trouble navigating it. Read more ……
Small businesses calculate their business profit or loss for income taxes, then include this information on their personal tax returns. This guide will help you determine which forms to use and how to compile information for these forms. If your business is a corporation or S corporation, check out the Complete Guide for Corporations and S Corporations, If your business is a multiple-owner LLC or a partnership, here is a Guide for Business Taxes for Partnerships. Read more ……
