Independent bookstores are a dying breed, right? Amazon and ebooks killed them, correct? And aren’t all independent small businesses similarly doomed? Well, as Mark Twain might have said, “reports of their death are greatly exaggerated.” Here’s news that’s almost certain to surprise you: independent bookstores are thriving. April 30, Independent Bookstore Day, is right around …
Warriors Can Teach Small Biz a Thing or Two
Want to be a champion in your small business? Take a lesson from the astonishing Golden State Warriors. These three-point dunking basketball phenoms, headed by the eminently-likeable Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, have just made sports history, beating the single-season NBA wins set by Michael Jordan and the 1996 Chicago Bulls. It’s not just on …
7 Things to Stop Doing in Your Business
If you’re like me in my small business, you’ve got a long list of things you’ve got to do today, this week, this month. You’re overwhelmed. Well, I’m going to help you find more time and become more productive. How? By sharing the seven things you should stop doing in your small business now. When …
20 Interview Questions to Never Ask
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 …
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 …
