Author: mccbloom@gmail.com
The Pros and Cons of Taking On a Business Partner
Starting a business is one of the most empowering moves you can make in both your career and your life. In addition to creating a means of getting your goods or services to the world, you are establishing a place of employment for yourself and others. Such a huge undertaking is often very personal, and…
How to Create an Employee Handbook, On Any Budget
As a small business owner with a growing staff, you may be wondering: Should I be putting together an employee handbook that outlines all of the basic policies of employment for my company? For the most comprehensive and individualized answer to this question, you’ll want to consult a lawyer who specializes in employment matters. Employee…
All in the Family: How to Thrive Running a Small Business With Family
One of the benefits of running a small business is that you get to be close with the people you work with. And all too often, either through choice or inheritance or circumstance, those people will be members of your family. While there can be unique challenges to either partnering up with a relative or…
7 Tools You Might Have Missed in Your Email Marketing Software
Email marketing has the power to harness interested parties and turn them into real, paying customers for your small business. If you’ve collected email addresses or sent out a promotion to increase sales, you already know this. Email marketing software runs the gamut from simple and free to quite complex and more expensive. Depending on…
5 Steps to Take After a Bad Quarter
Staring down the end of a bad quarter can be tough for any small business owner. It’s easy to feel the anxiety creep in — is this a sign of a larger downward slide? Or simply a temporary setback? Quarterly results really provide an opportunity to evaluate where your business is going and make…
14 Questions You Should Ask Before You Get a Small Business Loan
Small businesses have more financing options today than ever before, yet navigating the maze of loan types and lenders can make it challenging to choose the right loan and the right lender for your business. The days when the bank was the one-stop-shop for small business loans are over. Meaning, business owners need to be…
The Pros and Cons of Hiring Remote Staff
Hiring remote employees can be an efficient and cost-effective way to solve problems for small businesses. For many business owners, knowing the benefits of remote hires can open up a variety of benefits, from cost savings to efficiency. Here is a rundown of the pros and cons of hiring remote workers. PROS Cost savings.…
5 Tips For Keeping Your Restaurant Opening Within Budget
Opening a restaurant can be a thrilling time. It’s an act of passion and inspiration, creating menus and setting up a venue where the world can come and taste your cuisine. Still, along with all the excitement comes the stark reality of finances. The fact is that opening a restaurant is an expensive undertaking. Even…
Expert Answers to Your Business Credit Questions
Not too long ago we invited a group of small business experts to a Twitter chat to answer questions about how business credit works and what you can do to build a strong business credit profile. David Bobbitt, President of SCORE, Rieva Lesonski, Editor at Large at Small Business Daily, Steve Nicastro from NerdWallet, Nellie Akalp,…
Why You Should Be Optimistic About Small Business–Even If Wall Street Isn’t
For anyone in the financial world, 2016 has been something of a roller coaster so far. Markets falling, then rising, then falling again, without much warning and often without an obvious reason. When Wall Street gets anxious, consumers tend to follow suit, which translates into nervousness about small business. The latest survey from the National…
What’s the Biggest Small Business Credit Misconception?
I recently spoke with Levi King, the CEO and co-founder of Nav (a free site offering business owners access to their personal credit scores and business credit profiles). When I asked him what the biggest misconception business owners have about business credit, he didn’t miss a beat. He said, “They don’t realize they have a…
5 Keys to Control Marginal Business Spending
You most likely have a very specific budget for your personal bank account. Every dollar has a place, and every purchase has a point. But do hold your business spending to the same standard? It’s easy for small business expenses to add up quickly. If you notice revenues leeching out of your business, and you’re…
6 Tips for Productively Running an At-Home Business
With the flexibility wrought by the Internet, business owners in many industries can make the valid and cost-saving decision to run a company right out of their homes. But, as you’ll soon find if you’re new to working at home, the convenience of avoiding a commute can be threatened by the myriad distractions and productivity…
Don’t Think Office Safety Is Your Issue? You May Be Wrong
If you run a manufacturing or construction business, you’re well aware that on-the-job safety is a top priority, and you’ve taken steps to ensure safety and comply with federal regulations. For many other types of small business owners, though, office safety is one of those matters that gets attention once a year, or even less,…
Think Seasonal Business Owners Have It Easy? Think Again
It might seem like seasonal business owners have it easy. After all, they work hard for the few months that make up their peak season, then they can shut down and take a rest. Right? Not so. For those who know what it really takes to keep a seasonal business operating, let alone thriving, it’s…