Category: Advice
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…
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…
Customers Told Us What They Really Thought of Us
In November we invited five customers to OnDeck to share their experiences getting a small business loan—what was it like, was it easy, was it time consuming? Not long ago we shared what they thought of their experience with the bank—they unanimously agreed, bankers just don’t get Main Street. Then we held our breath and…
5 Key Rules for Handling Customer Complaints on the Internet
This past October, a restaurant in Kansas City found itself involved in a “Yelp battle” of sorts after a disgruntled customer questioned their takeout policy. Now while this back and forth may be entertaining to read, was it good for business? Here are 5 tips to live by when addressing an angry customer online: 1.…
The 9 Songs that Speak to Every Small Business Owner
It’s the holiday season, and as a small business owner, the chances are you’re going nonstop to stay on top of the holiday season and finish up the year strong. If you need to decompress, here are some classic songs that any small business owner can relate to. 1. “Takin’ Care of Business” Bachman-Turner Overdrive,…
3 Ways to Win Government Contracts
On a typical day, there are between 25,000 and 30,000 active government contracts available on the Federal Business Opportunities website. For entrepreneurs and small business owners, this amounts to thousands of chances to grow your company with the help of the federal government. While you may know about government contracts, you might be wondering how…
5 Things Small Business Owners Need to Know About the New Facebook Updates
The relationship between Facebook and small businesses has been rocky at best. Initially, the site offered a huge opportunity for small businesses to reach massive audiences. Unfortunately, that opportunity dwindled once Facebook updated its newsfeed algorithm and started requiring businesses — both large and small — to pay in order to have their posts seen.…
Small Business Owners, Are Your Employees Excited About Your Holiday Party?
Are your employees looking forward to your office holiday party? For many small businesses, the company party is a great way to end the year and something their employees look forward to. What makes a successful party? Some food, a nice venue, and the opportunity to socialize with friends and coworkers usually make for a…
The 3 Most Effective Ways to Get Vendor Discounts
Creating successful relationships with vendors is every bit as important as the relationships you build with your customers. It doesn’t really matter if you sell a product or provide a service, most small business owners’ work with suppliers who either provide the goods you sell or products that help you deliver the service you offer.…
What Your Small Business Must Do Before the End of December
The holiday season is finally upon us, and while your small business may be focused on creating more happy customers this holiday season, there is another important consideration to keep in mind: the end of the year. Yes, the New Year is right around the corner. For your business, that means now is the perfect…
Is a Personal Mentor Too “Old School” in Today’s Technological World?
With tools like my smartphone, tablet, or laptop, I basically have the collected wisdom of the world at my fingertips; do I really need a personal mentor to help me build a successful small business? This isn’t an unreasonable question, and one David R. Bobbit, president of the SCORE Foundation helps answer. SCORE is a…
The 5 Coolest Small Businesses in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is known as a hotspot of movie stars, musicians and other celebrities, but did you also know that it is home to some of the coolest small businesses in the country? Today, Los Angeles is a go-to destination for budding entrepreneurs and skilled small business owners looking to make waves in their respective…
November Roundup: Headlines From Around the Web
Our blog isn’t the only place you can read what we’re saying about the world of small business. Here’s what we don’t want you to miss from November: USA Today: Where the Rubber Hits the Road: What it Really Takes to Succeed on Main Street—Noah Breslow There’s no shortcut to driving business success, but Noah…