Articles
Busy Isn’t Always Productive: 5 Steps to Better Time Use
As a small business owner, you’re undoubtedly busy. But just how productive are you? The two aren’t the same thing, and many small business owners need smart strategies and strong time management skills to keep their days from being eaten up by emergencies, and other people’s priorities. Here are five essential steps that will help…
OnDeck Customer Success Story: J.a.m.b.s. Jewelry
Mark Desrochers, owner of J.a.m.b.s Jewelry, wasn’t really looking for financing when he received a letter from OnDeck but the availability of capital to invest in resources for his store appealed to him so he started looking into an online small business loan. He applied with another lender before OnDeck, but they didn’t give him…
How to Give Performance Reviews – 3 Tips from the Experts
Performance reviews can be dreaded by employees and employers alike. But good feedback can be a vital tool for employee productivity, and happiness. Use these three tips from experts to help you make performance reviews appreciated, not dreaded. 1. Cut out an annual review, and switch to regular performance feedback One of the most frustrating…
Where Do Startups Really Get the Money to Start?
If you’ve put your faith in what I call the “Myth of the Shark Tank,” you might be surprised at where most start-ups get the cash they need to start. “During an event in Austin on Monday, the Kauffman Foundation outlined research dispelling some of the most common myths that distort America’s idea of the…
An Expert Reveals 3 Productivity Hacks You Aren’t Using Right Now
As a business owner, you do a daily dance between handling the latest customer crisis, managing employees, overseeing finances, and doing the stuff of actual production. You’re left with one giant, unavoidable question: how am I supposed to do it all? According to author and productivity expert Patrick Rhone, you’re not. “I believe the three…
Is Your Business Your Passion? 4 Reasons Why It Matters
Are you a small business owner because you have to be, or because you want to be? It’s an important question to answer. Here’s why. 1. Passion Is Better for Business “Business is best when people providing goods and services feel passion and commitment to what they are producing,” says neuroscience business expert Janet Crawford.…
3 Likely Reasons Your Business Loan Application Got Rejected
While the economy is improving and many small business owners feel optimistic about the future, it can still be a challenge to access the financing they need to fuel growth or fund working capital. Not all lenders look at the same criteria when evaluating whether or not they’ll approve a small business loan, but here…
Three Steps to Hiring the Right People
As we’ve discussed, a strong team of motivated employees can be the secret weapon for your business’ success. Unfortunately, hiring is also one of the more difficult tasks that a small business owner, or any employer, faces. Companies like Google are upending the traditional hiring process, and for good reason—the way we’ve set about hiring…
An OnDeck Salute to Women in Business
Women-owned businesses make up one of the fastest growing segments of the the small business population. Here are just a few of the women we’ve been able to work with at OnDeck. You can also visit our page on women owned businesses.
The #1 Way to Up Productivity for Your Small Business that You’re Probably Not Doing
It’s a proven fact: employees who are engaged at work (meaning that they are motivated, committed, and satisfied) are more productive and better at their jobs. And more productive employees mean a stronger, healthier business. One study found that “companies with high employee engagement had a 19% increase in operating income and a 28% increase…
Personal Credit Reporting Changes: What They Mean to You
It’s no secret that monitoring and protecting your personal credit score is important for small business owners. Your personal credit score is a metric every lender considers when evaluating your credit worthiness; and recent changes made by the big three personal credit reporting bureaus will make it a little easier. “The three big credit reporting…
How to Spend Your Time on What Matters Most for Your Business
A well-planned day will make or break a small business. It may sound like hyperbole, but this statement isn’t far off. One of the biggest challenges facing small business owners is keeping up with the day-to-day tasks, and balancing it all. In order to be successful, you have to know where your time should go,…
What Color Is This Windfall? A Dress Thrusts a Family Business Into Fame
How does a smart business handle a massive, worldwide rush of attention and increase in sales, especially when it comes out of nowhere? If you’ve been anywhere near the Internet in the last few days, you’ve certainly heard about “the dress.” A random post became an international sensation, with Buzzfeed measuring over 38 million hits…
Customer Success Story: Online Amiga
About Online Amiga After a successful career working with computer interfaces for the Marine Corps and building online experiences with large ecommerce companies, Irasema Jeffers decided to take that experience in another direction. Her new focus, OnlineAmiga, helps companies create a compelling online presence by offering website management, social media strategy, product management and testing,…
Small Business Lending: Are You Ready for a Loan?
I have a consultant friend who helps struggling Main Street businesses get back on their feet. Yesterday he and I were talking about the current state of small business in general and all the changes that have impacted how small business owners find the capital they need to keep their business thriving. As you might…