Articles
Read This Before You Hire Your Next Sales Person
Recruiting the right sales person can be one of the most critical aspects of growing your business. That perfect mix of energy, motivation, enthusiasm, and skill is notoriously tough to find, and even tougher to recruit. Here are 4 steps to ensuring your search and recruiting process for sales team members yields the best possible…
Customer Success Story: McClary Brothers
Named for her two sons Jack and Ben, McClary Brothers is where Jess McClary shares her love for local produce and satisfies her entrepreneurial itch. She started the company while in culinary school and since then the company has just taken off. As she realized they would need more inventory to be prepared for the…
These 6 Apps Will Improve Your Business (And Your Life) in 2015
Running a small business is a constant logistical juggle. From making sure your employees get paid to shipping deliveries out on time, there’s never a shortage of details to manage. These apps are designed to simplify your responsibilities, keep all the moving parts on track, and make your to-do list less of a monster. Shyp…
Enter the Loan Process Educated About Small Business Financing
The time to investigate small business financing is before you need it. The last few years have seen big changes in the world of small business financing. Because of those changes, most small business owners don’t know what they don’t know—it’s changed that fast. Although I believe anything that gives greater access to capital has…
These 4 Business Types Are Winning the Crowdfunding Game
Crowdfunding, a mix of crowdsourcing and fund-raising made popular by sites like Kickstarter and IndieGogo, has become all the rage for some businesses due to its accessibility and global reach, not to mention its growth. In 2012, entrepreneurs crowdfunded $2.7 billion for their business ideas, which grew to $5.1 billion in 2013, and projections show…
3 Small Business Trends to Watch in 2015
2014 was an exciting year. Small business has been an important part of economic growth and job creation and has helped develop and improve on business tools that impact every business large and small. The coming year looks to be even more exciting. Here are three trends to watch for in 2015 that will have…
Running a Small Business? Don’t Make these 4 Mistakes
We all make mistakes; some of them are just more costly than others. Running a small business isn’t for the faint-hearted and mistakes are part of the game. With that in mind, here are four mistakes to avoid that you don’t have to learn the hard way: 1. Don’t ignore the details It’s been said,…
Will Credit Monitoring Hurt Your Credit Score?
The short answer is no. Credit monitoring does not hurt your credit score. According to Experian: “If consumers access their own credit reports, it does not have any effect on their credit scores. Reviewing a credit report results in what is called a “soft pull,” or “soft inquiry,” meaning it will only be seen on…
9 Current NFL Players Who Run Small Businesses
All too often, the careers of professional athletes last a few short, but profitable, years. And once those years are over, many players struggle to stretch their salaries. But the smart ones start thinking early about their second acts. So kudos to these current NFL players who are also budding entrepreneurs. Jake Locker, Michael Koenen,…
Four More Great Pieces of Small Business Advice From Four Great Movies
Did you know a relaxing trip to the movies might also be a valuable learning experience? Beloved classics and recent releases can shed light on many of the issues small business owners face every day. Who knew your favorite flick could provide a valuable lesson or two about running a successful business. Check out these…
5 Smart Business Lessons From Your Favorite Christmas Movies
1. Think Before Committing to a Big Purchase on Credit: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) Who can forget how desperate Clark Griswold is for his year-end bonus, since he’s already put down an advance on a new swimming pool. When his “bonus letter” reveals a membership to a Jelly of the Month club rather than…
Cell-Phone-Fixated Customers Can Be Nightmares—Share Your Stories With Us
Cell phones have transformed the way we do business. They’ve enabled millions of businesses to reach customers and sell goods instantaneously around the world. But these devices we carry with us every moment of the day also create a host of problems for business owners, especially when it comes to people using their phones inside…
Looking For a Small Business Loan? You’ll Need These 6 Documents
It’s true, every lender is different and many of them don’t require the same documentation, but here’s a list of six important financial documents that will help you prepare for just about any small business loan—from the SBA to an online lender. 1. Your business financial statements: These are the documents the lender will look…
You Might Be Surprised By Who Experiences a Holiday Bump—I Was
Many small businesses experience a boost in business during the holiday season. Restaurants do very well during the holidays, almost as good as February when they get a boost in traffic for Valentine’s Day. December is actually the best day of the month for Grocery stores too. Looking a little deeper, I noticed a few…
4 Simple Bookkeeping Tips to Start of 2015 Right and Prepare for Tax Season
Most small business owners don’t start a small business because they’re excited about doing the bookkeeping or managing the finances—but it’s a critical component to a successful business. The following four tips will help even a novice small business owner, turned bookkeeper, get a handle on his or her business finances: 1. Organization is critical…