If you’re like me, you have a small business to-do list that goes on and on: customers to call, contacts to contact, products or services to get out the door, and a million other things. Phew. It’s overwhelming just to look at it. In day-to-day small business life, it’s natural to focus on tasks—pay the …
The Biggest Small Business Day of the Year
The most important day of the year for small business is only a few weeks away. Is your business ready? In just six short years since it was first observed, “Small Business Saturday” has become a sales powerhouse, driving traffic to local and small businesses during the all-important holiday season. It’s now an American institution, …
A Trick, a Treat for Small Business
Halloween is big business for small business. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend $6.9 million on costumes, decorations, candy, greeting cards, and party favors. More than 157 million will participate in Halloween festivities. Twenty million Americans will even spend $350 million on pet costumes. I have to admit that I’m one of …
The Reinvention of a Small Business Classic
What do Oprah Winfrey, Jessica Alba, Bill Rancic and me have in common? We’re all entrepreneurs and we’ll be speaking at Quickbooks Connect, a three-day gathering of thousands of small business owners, accountants and software developers November 2-4 in San Jose, California. While Quickbooks Connect is an educational and networking event covering all aspects of …
3 Ways to Successfully Pivot
You’ve just launched your startup or small business. You’ve got a great idea. But then, you find customers aren’t really interested. Do you throw in the towel? No, you pivot. You’ve been running your small business successfully for years. But then, your industry changes. Do you look for a job? No, you pivot. You’re smart …
The World Needs Entrepreneurs
How do you reduce poverty? Create jobs? Develop innovative new products and industries? One of the most important ways is to support entrepreneurs, start-ups and small businesses. If you think that small companies and startups can change the world, you’re not alone. In September, the United Nations adopted a set of “Sustainable Development Goals,” priorities …
The Absolute Best Way to Raise Money
You’re excited about starting your new small business. You’ve got a can’t-miss idea, developed a business plan, created a prototype. You’ve even found a group of talented people to work with. There’s only one problem—you need money to make it all a reality. Money! You can’t start or run a business without it. Sure, it …
My Canon MAXIFY Contest Finalist Picks
A few months ago, Canon launched its “MAXIFY Mentors” campaign to help small businesses overcome some of the biggest hurdles of starting up. They unleashed the expertise of five small business authorities—I’m fortunate to be one of them—to engage with small business owners through social media. But as a MAXIFY Mentor, I also have the …
7 Small Business Marketing Tricks for Busy People
As a small business owner you have a lot on your plate — creating your product or delivering your service, managing your money, motivating your employees, ensuring operations run smoothly. Phew! How do you find time to actually attract customers? For an overwhelmed small business owner, how do you manage to take care of one …
