Plan. Start. Grow.
When I started my first small business, my lawyer gave me some memorable advice. “Rhonda,” he counseled, “I’ve never had a client dispute a bill for professional services. People willingly pay thousands of dollars in hourly fees without complaint, but if I bill them $2 in mailing charges, they’ll get upset. It’s small items that …
Don’t Nickel-and-Dime Your Small Business CustomersRead More
Ask virtually any small business owner what they want for their company, and the answer is likely to be “more customers, more money, more business.” In other words, they want their business to grow. But how do you get your small business to grow? Like many small business owners, in the beginning of my own …
Oh, you think you’re so smart, don’t you? In your small business, you’ve mastered social media. You’re a whiz at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or some other social media platform. Or all of the above. And you don’t just use technology for marketing, you’ve already moved most of your small business applications to the …
“Sometimes, I feel like I’m in a Nancy Drew mystery. I just wish I had her little roadster.” Pam Hammond—owner of Paddington Station, the “eclectic emporium” in Ashland Oregon—certainly seems like a grown-up version of the clever, perky girl sleuth, faced with one challenging dilemma after another. Today’s biggest mystery for small business owners like …
I’m a big believer in trade shows. In my company, we spend the bulk of our marketing dollars exhibiting at trade shows and conferences. So I was delighted when Staples asked me to help Donna Fulmer of Orion Global Solutions prepare to exhibit at the upcoming Smart Hustle Small Business Conference in New York City. …
It’s not yet Halloween, but for many small businesses, planning for the holiday season has started in full force. If you own a small business, it’s time to start getting ready for one of the most important days of the year: Small Business Saturday. In all my years working with and writing about small businesses, …
The weather is suddenly cooler. Leaves are changing color. Halloween decorations fill store shelves. Suddenly, business is picking up in your small business. Welcome to Fall—for many small businesses, the busiest, most hectic, and important time of the year. How will you make the most of Fall in your small business? Fall is the time …
In the aftermath of two huge hurricanes and over 100 immense wildfires in the Western US, as a small business advocate, I can no longer be silent on an issue threatening small business owners—climate change. Climate change is real. It’s disastrous. It’s getting worse. And it’s a danger to small businesses, including yours. Although I was …
If you’re a small business owner or consumer who’s ever dealt with a large corporation—and who hasn’t?—you’ve probably encountered policies, procedures, or attitudes that drive you crazy. You wonder how these big companies manage to stay in business, let alone keep customers. Well, they can afford to lose customers. You, as a small business owner, …
Small Businesses: Avoid These 8 Mistakes Big Guys MakeRead More
