March is Women’s History Month, so it’s an appropriate time to explore a question: are women entrepreneurs different from men? Do women small business owners approach businesses differently from men? And what can women entrepreneurs do to get ahead? I’ve worked with entrepreneurs for nearly three decades—both women and men, in small towns and big …
Six Tips to Win in your Small Biz Negotiation
In a negotiation, does the other guy have to lose for you to win? In your small business, you’re going to negotiate many things—prices, deadlines, contract terms. And, unfortunately, you may find yourself in many disputes—with vendors, customers, distributors. When you do, I want you to remember a little mantra I say whenever I’m in …
What’s in Store for Small Business in the Chinese New Year
Twelve years ago, America was in the middle of the Great Recession. Like most small businesses, my own business was suffering. So, in January 2009, I called my team together and asked “How do we turn this around?” I noted that we were entering the Year of the Ox in the Chinese New Year. What …
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Small Business: How Much Should I Charge?
“How much should I charge?” That’s one of the toughest questions a small business owner faces. It’s true even when you’ve been running your business for a while, but it’s particularly perplexing when you’re pivoting to a new line of business—perhaps because of Covid—or launching a new business, product, or service. Setting prices is more …
Resolve to Commit to Diversity
Although we’re already almost two weeks into the new year, it’s not too late to make a new year’s resolution or two for your small business. One I’m making this year—and I encourage you to make as well—is to find ways to increase a commitment to diversity. In part, this is in response to the …
The Best Last-Minute Gifts May Surprise You
Only a handful of days remain before Christmas, and you still have lots of gifts to buy. Wait! Step away from your computer. Don’t click on that massive online retailer. If you’re a small business owner, or you just want to help save your community, there’s still time to get great gifts at reasonable prices …
Why Your Small Business is Now a Startup
Whether you’ve been in business 10 days, 10 months, or 10 years, it’s time for a “make-over” for your small business. If you’re going to survive and thrive in the Covid-dominated economy, it’s time to think of your small business as a startup. Remember what it was like? You had an idea, a dream. You …
A New Small Business Holiday Tradition – #BuyBlack Friday
Bye, bye Black Friday—hello “#BuyBlack Friday.” There’s a new holiday shopping tradition, and I’m encouraging everyone to join in. Let’s spend some of our holiday dollars at black-owned businesses, especially on the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 27. Eleven years ago, when Small Business Saturday launched, it raised the visibility of small businesses during the all-important …
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How to Launch a Small Business Product Now
If you’re a small business owner, how do you launch a new product in a Covid-dominated world? A world where most customers are sitting behind their screens instead of going into stores? That’s the challenge I’m facing right now, as I and my team launch our newest book, The Sh*t’s Hit the Fan: Now What?! …
