You’ve got a job opening in your small business you need filled immediately. You wrote a great ‘help wanted’ ad which you posted online and in your local newspaper. You’ve received a pile of resumes and some applicants seem promising. You’re ready to start interviewing. Hold on, there. Before you ask the very first question, …
Small Business Needs Justice Appointed
As a small business person, you probably haven’t thought much about the hubbub happening over the confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice. After all, you’re almost certainly never going to have a case before the Supreme Court. Though some Supreme Court decisions may affect social issues you care about or laws involving large corporate interests, …
5 Keys to Surviving in Retail
If you own a retail small business, you know all about tough competition. First, you had the chains in the mall. Then the big box stores, now online retailers, some who sell below your cost. (How do they do that?) Some customers use your store as a showroom, checking out your products, then ordering online. …
Women’s Business Success Is Nothing New
Steve Jobs. Marshall Field. Thomas Edison. Famous male entrepreneurs are household names, but March is Women’s History Month, so it’s time to celebrate women entrepreneurs. It’s easy to think of women entering the work force as a modern phenomenon. But women ran and built successful companies for centuries, small businesses and large enterprises. Successful women …
Who’s Got the Best Small Business on TV?
Small business is the second most admired institution in America, yet it’s rare to see small business owners on television. Cops? Sure. Dysfunctional families? Plenty. Even aliens. Small business owners? Not so many. But if you look hard enough, you’ll find a few fun entrepreneurs when you kick back with some popcorn and turn on …
Lean Startup: Five Things Your Students Need to Know Now
“Experiment, Expedite, Iterate.” That’s Google’s mantra of new product development, and it closely aligns with one of the hottest trends in entrepreneurship today: the lean startup. As an entrepreneurship educator, you’re likely familiar with the lean startup movement, promoted by author Eric Reis. In a nutshell, the lean startup approach emphasizes speed: launch a product …
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Entrepreneurs: What’s Your Exit Plan?
When you’re about to launch your great new startup or building a small business, you don’t spend a lot of time pondering how you’ll eventually leave it. Sure, you might imagine your terrific new app will be bought by millions. Or perhaps you think one day you’ll make enough money to retire. But without a …
7 Keys to a Winning Proposal
A few weeks ago, a potential large client made a reasonable, but nerve-wracking, request, “Can you send me a proposal?” It’s not unusual—in many small businesses, creating proposals are a critical part of the sales process. Whether you’re bidding to build a company’s new website or a homeowner’s new deck, your proposal plays a large …
Follow Your Heart and Make Money Too
February is the month for Valentine’s Day, and all around, you’ll see hearts and flowers. But when it comes to starting and growing your small business, have you followed your own heart? Small business owners are notorious for sabotaging their own companies when they fall out of love with what they’re doing. Once you lose …
