Do you love your small business more than your spouse? Wait, don’t answer that. When you’re an entrepreneur, it’s easy for your spouse or partner to feel like you care more about your business than you do about them. Running a business can be all-consuming, taking a lot of time, a lot of money, and …
11 Secrets of Small Business Success
Over the years, my small business has had its share of ups and downs. The economy tanked. My distributor went bankrupt. I lost valuable employees and lost a lease. In fact, the entire book publishing industry changed in the time I’ve been in it (I’m a publisher…). But 25 years later, I’m still here. What’s …
Seven Tricks for Home Office Success
For more than a decade, I ran my small business from my home. I loved it. I’d boast about my “one room commute” to friends when they’d complain about being stuck in commuter traffic. My business eventually outgrew my home office, but I still work from home regularly, so over the years, I discovered a …
Time to Celebrate Immigrants
It’s the Fourth of July, and as you head to a holiday beach or barbecue, look around your town. Take a moment to notice—and appreciate—all the many small businesses—and large ones too—started by immigrants. As we celebrate America, we also celebrate what America has meant—and continues to mean—for immigrants from throughout the world. A few …
8 Myths About Small Business
With USA Today’s launch of their new section for small business, USA and Main, I thought it would be good to get some of the most persistent myths about small business out of the way. Having worked with thousands of small business owners over my more than 25 years in business, and owning a small …
Time to Inspire Your Small Business
As a small business owner, have you ever said “I want to quit my job” even though it’s your own company? Every small business owner feels that way from time to time. We need some inspiration to refill our motivation tanks. I’m a big fan of inspirational quotations. Quotations remind me of truths I know …
Net Neutrality Loss Is Loss for Small Business
Last month, during Small Business Week, small businesses descended on US Senators’ offices. They signed petitions, wrote letters and emails, even put up billboards. What was all the fuss about? Small businesses were trying to help save open and equal access to the Internet. The US Senate, in a bipartisan vote, tried to do its …
10 Tips for Small Biz Seasonal Survival
Memorial Day is the traditional kickoff of the summer season, and for many small businesses, that means customers flocking through the doors. For others, it’s the doldrums: customers don’t come, clients don’t call. Whether you sell surfboards or snowboards, picnic baskets or Christmas baskets, the health of your small business may be directly related to …
Surviving Amazon
If you ask most small businesses “What’s the biggest threat to your business?” they’re likely to say “Amazon.” This is especially true for brick-and-mortar retailers, but Amazon is disrupting just about every industry. If your small business isn’t yet threatened by Amazon, it will be. Now, Amazon isn’t the first big company to menace small …
