Is an Uber driver a small business owner? Or are they an exploited employee? That question matters to your small business because there’s a war going on over the question of “employee status.” Whether you’re a gig worker, service provider, consultant, or one of the hundreds of other kinds of self-employed entrepreneurs—or you hire those …
9 Steps to Protect Your Small Biz from Tariffs
It’s time to recognize the facts: the US is in a trade war. Some of the victims of the war are almost certainly going to be small businesses and small farms. Maybe even yours. Even if your small business does not directly import or export goods, you’re still going to pay and pay big. I’ve …
7 Myths about Entrepreneurship
Teaching entrepreneurship, you’re going to run into a bunch of so-called “experts,” who are going to tell you the “truth” about starting and running a business. But much of what they’ll tell you is just not true—no matter how widely held the beliefs. 1. People are either born entrepreneurs or they’re not You’ll hear this …
Hey Small Businesses: Do You Know Where Your Customers Are?
You’ve got 20,000 followers for your small business on Facebook. You sell hundreds of products a month on Amazon. Your restaurant increased its sales by linking up with an online food delivery service. This all seems good, right? Not so fast. Who owns your customers? That’s a critical question for you to answer if you …
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Spring Clean Your Small Business Costs
It’s spring! Time for the annual ritual of “spring cleaning.” But don’t just clean out your kitchen cupboards. It’s time to clean up—and pare down—your small business expenses. Give me half a day, and I’ll put more money in your bank account. When you’re running a business, you have fixed expenses that you routinely pay …
Handling the Summer Cash Flow Crunch
It’s Small Business Week—the beginning of May—and you know what that means: summer is around the corner. For many businesses, especially women-owned businesses, summer is either their busiest or slowest season. Businesses located in tourist locations, in hospitality industries, or in the wedding business, may see the bulk of their income in the next few …
If I’m Making a Profit, Why am I Broke?
You’ve filed your taxes, right? Or at least filed for an extension? Either way, you had to somehow come up with money to pay the IRS. Ouch! That hurt. Here’s the good news: You run a profitable business. That’s why you owe taxes. But why was there no money in your bank account? Here’s a …
Small Business Manifesto
It’s National Small Business Week, so you’ll hear a bunch of platitudes about small business: “Small business is the backbone of the economy, creates new jobs, is the American dream, yada, yada…” All true, but how does that help you? I’ve been involved with the small business community for 25 years, and it’s time for …
The Secret Ingredient of Successful Business Women: A Business Plan
Two-thirds of Americans want to start their own businesses and there’s already over 30 million small businesses in the US (US Small Business Administration). About half of those businesses will survive more than five years. Small Business Week, May 5-11, is the perfect time to start or grow your business. And what’s the first thing …
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