Our network

small business

Friendliest States for Small Businesses? Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma and Utah

May 13, 2012 by Kay Bell
with 64 views
0

Small businesses are made the most welcome in Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma and Utah, according to a recent analysis by Thumbtack.com, in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.Those four states each got an A+ grade from small business owners and managers.Disappointing report cards went to California, Hawaii, Vermont and Rhode... [read more]

Gorilla vs. Guerilla: How Smaller Businesses Can Win

April 15, 2012 by Tushar Mathur
with 88 views
0

If you are in a business where some of the competitors are much larger, you may be able to benefit from using guerilla tactics. As a guerrilla, we hide from our competitor; we do not try to crush them. I even go so far as to examine what they do well and let them do it. At the same time, I look for under-serviced markets and get to these markets fast. [read more]

Simple Business Models Often the Best

March 27, 2012 by Jeff Cornwall
with 46 views
0

Sometimes the simplest business models make the best opportunities. [read more]

3 Reasons to Lose the Term 'Lifestyle Business'

September 29, 2011 by Adelaide Lancaster
with 86 views
0

A few weeks ago we had a meeting with a lovely gentleman from Astia, a terrific organization that helps women entrepreneurs gain access to capital. During our conversation he made the distinction between high-growth businesses and "lifestyle" businesses. I visibly winced and sharply responded that I really hated that term. When he asked why I told him that I understood his point, high-growth businesses are very different from regular small businesses, but I didn't agree with the language. [read more]

5 Surprising Shared Traits Of Successful Entrepreneurs

September 22, 2011 by Adelaide Lancaster
with 292 views
1

There is no such thing as a "typical" entrepreneur. We come in all shapes, sizes and flavors. Still, myths abound, and most of us walk around with a specific caricature of what an entrepreneur is like in our minds. Most often that image includes someone who is bold, daring, comfortable with risks and a consummate schmoozer. [read more]

exclusive

5 Immutable Rules for Tax Happiness [Exclusive]

August 31, 2011 by Barbara Weltman
with 101 views
0

When it comes to income taxes, no one wants to pay one penny more than necessary and, certainly, no one wants to invite the IRS to examine the return. After more than 35 years in dealing with taxes, here are my five rules to follow to make sure that taxes are minimized legally and safely so you can sleep at night. [read more]

It’s Time to Purge the Word Entrepreneur

August 17, 2011 by John Jantsch
with 179 views
2

There’s a long-standing debate in business circles about the difference between the use of the term entrepreneur vs. small business owner. The issue centers on the notion that if you’re an entrepreneur you care about high growth and if you’re a small business owner you’re somehow destined to struggle to make ends meet while working your fingers to the bone. [read more]

exclusive

What Will Fix the Job Situation? Small Business Creates 64% of New Jobs

July 11, 2011 by Barbara Weltman
with 179 views
0

With unemployment now at 9.2%, it’s time to admit that whatever the federal government has been doing to create jobs isn’t working. It’s time to re-think who the job creators are and what can be done to help them. [read more]

Share Your Good News in the Brag Basket

June 17, 2011 by Becky McCray
with 34 views
0

Time to toot your own horn! Small Biz Survival's Brag Basket will be open all weekend. [read more]

Small Business Grants and Loans for Women

June 16, 2011 by Tushar Mathur
with 550 views
0

If you’re a woman who is looking to start a business and you have both a great idea and a comprehensive plan, but find yourself woefully lacking in funds, then you’ll be happy to hear that there are a lot of resources out there geared at helping you get your enterprise off the ground. [read more]

exclusive

Is it Time to Raise Your Prices?

May 10, 2011 by Barbara Weltman
with 367 views
3

It seems that everyone else is doing this now. According to the April 2011 NFIB Small Business Optimism Index, a monthly survey of small business owners, 12% of responders raised their prices in April and another 24% indicated that they planned to do so.Why raise prices nowThere are compelling reasons to consider price increases at this... [read more]

Defending Twitter

April 29, 2011 by Steve King
with 29 views
0

There is a growing backlash against Twitter these days.  This tends to happen in the tech field when something has been as hyped as Twitter.  Fortune's recent cover story - Trouble@Twitter - is an example.  It spends most of its time on management discord at the company. But the article also points out that Twitter... [read more]

Small Business Economy Picking Up Steam

April 5, 2011 by Steve King
with 81 views
0

It's taken a long time, but the small business economy is finally shaking off the Great Recession and showing solid gains.  A couple of data points: - The overall job market is picking up with March's job report showing a gain of 216,000 jobs, and more importantly a gain of 230,000 private sector jobs.  Great quote from an AP... [read more]

Small Businesses Emerging From Recession

February 18, 2011 by Steve King
with 447 views
0

The latest economic news and surveys show that the small business economy is finally recovering from the Great Recession.  Key indicators include a strong, positive uptick in small business sentiment surveys and stronger projected growth in the overall economy. (Click herefor a WSJ article on Citibank's sentiment survey, here for an... [read more]

exclusive

Prospective Business to Government: “May I?”

February 8, 2011 by Barbara Weltman
with 416 views
0

You can’t turn around these days without seeing the government’s hand in your business. One case in point highlighted by a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, which shows the number of state licenses growing at a disturbing rate. The percentage of workers needing licenses to do what they do has grown from 5% in the 50’s to 10% in... [read more]

The Top Ten Ways To Grow Your Business

February 2, 2011 by Sandy Graham
with 768 views
0

Following startup, many small businesses are so concentrated on daily business operations that they do not, or cannot, take the time to actively focus on business growth.  While others are focused on growth but do not have a strategic plan to achieve it. The Top Ten Ways to Grow Your Business is provided to help your small... [read more]

exclusive

Tax Hikes Are Economic Suicide

January 12, 2011 by Barbara Weltman
with 401 views
0

In an effort to close a huge budget gap, the Illinois legislature voted on January 11, 2011, to raise the personal income tax rates from to 5% (up from 3%), and the corporate rates to 7% (up from 4.8%). The rate hike on individuals is 66% (the initial proposal had called for a 75% rate hike). I view these massive tax increases as economic suicide. [read more]

exclusive

Taxes Go Down to the Wire

December 8, 2010 by Barbara Weltman
with 479 views
0

With only a few weeks before the new year, Congress has yet to settle tax uncertainty that has been brewing for more than a year. What will the tax rates for owners of pass-through business entities, such as S corporations and LLCs, be in 2011? What will the estate tax rules be? Will provisions such as the research credit be effective for 2010; more than two dozen provisions expired at the end of 2009. Will there be a “patch” for the alternative minimum tax? [read more]

exclusive

Is Tax Reform Now Possible?

November 8, 2010 by Barbara Weltman
with 651 views
0

One of the key issues in the recent election was federal taxes, a subject that affects individuals and businesses. Most people would agree that there are serious problems with the current state of taxation — [read more]

Small Business Branding

May 27, 2010 by Dan Kraus
with 212 views
0

So you’re a small business – 1 million, 5 million, 20 million a year in sales.  And you want to brand like the big guys.  You know, like having your logo be well known enough to stand for something. (Such as being able to use the Nike logo in a powerpoint presentation instead of writing the words “Just Do It”.) Have you asked... [read more]

Logo