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When you own a small business, everyone wants to give you advice. It can come from all kinds of sources: friends, family members, neighbors, social media connections, people you meet walking your dog. A lot of times such advice is not very helpful.    If you’re looking for worthwhile advice, there... Read more

It is only to be expected that business owners make financial mistakes which can jeopardize their dreams. Here are four of the most common small business mistakes and how business owners can avoid them. Failing to plan Few small businesses have a working budget and cash flow forecast which is... Read more

Sometimes, having a great idea or product is not enough to get customers in the door. But small business promotion doesn’t have to be a costly endeavor. There are a number of effective and free ways to get people excited about what you have to offer. Here are five great... Read more

Running a business without a strong business plan is like rock climbing blindfolded. Your chances of making it successfully to the top are slim. And the climb up will definitely be risky. Contrary to popular belief and practice, a business plan is not only a means to securing financing. Instead... Read more

You may have the greatest product ever, but if you don’t tell the world about it with a well-crafted promotions plan, it will sit on the shelves collecting dust until the day comes when you finally have to close down your business. Remember: you know what is great about your business... Read more

Entrepreneurs and small business owners who follow the 3 tips below often enjoy success regardless of what business challenges are thrown at them. Those business owners who embrace these principles thrive during major economic downturns. And although these 3 tips may seem counter-intuitive at first sight, try them out and... Read more

Besides being a time for reassessing personal finances, after tax season is a good time for small businesses to de-clutter business expenses and polish up business plans. Here are some tips for small businesses to perform a little “spring cleaning” of their own: 1. De-cluttering expenses: Now it’s smart to... Read more

A new list of the world’s wealthiest people is here, and it’s really no surprise who claimed the number one spot. Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and one of the richest people in history, once again comes out on top, with a net worth of $87.4 billion. Wealth-X, a wealth-tracking website,... Read more

Early in a new year is often the time when would-be entrepreneurs think about going into business for themselves. Self-employment can be a terrific opportunity to be your own boss and do something you love to do. Being your own business also brings with it a special set of tax... Read more

When it comes to starting a new business, most people focus on how they will win and achieve the American dream. But success isn’t something most new businesses experience. It’s important to be aware of entrepreneur mistakes. “The painful truth is that the majority of first-time entrepreneurs who launch a... Read more

It might be time to stop cutting costs and start focusing on growth strategies again. The law of diminishing returns tells us that cutting costs with your business will have a positive effect, but there comes a point where the return on investment starts to diminish. Is your company too... Read more

Just as important as goal-setting is developing a way to track your progress. Having barometer, so to speak, will show you how you are progressing — and how close you are to reaching your goals. Seeing your progress will also help keep you focused and motivated. In short, having a business barometer will keep... Read more

Is Your Accountant Proactive or Reactive? Does your Accounting and Tax Firm offer you advice before it happens or late or not at all? Do they offer value added services that help your business improve and grow or do they just process your work? Are they constantly looking for legitimate... Read more

Since its inception, the United States has always been considered “the land of opportunity” – a place where any individual with motivation and drive can have a successful small business. This notion still holds true today as 99 percent of all American companies are small businesses, according to Small Business... Read more

Taking your business from the start-up phase to becoming a medium-sized enterprise is a pivotal step for many entrepreneurs. If you are at this stage, congratulations! You have succeeded where many others have failed, and you are potentially on your way to becoming a very successful company. That said, there... Read more

What are the Strategic Planning Steps? The Strategic Planning Steps business management system is an organizational tool that is used by groups and corporations globally to refine their goals and maximize their resources. Drawing from the concepts of strategic military planning, the Strategic Planning process is one way in which... Read more

It’s never too early to start succession planning in a family business. Here’s a story… …From the moment the Yung Kee restaurant sold its first goose in Hong Kong, in the 1960s, its founder Kam Shui-fai groomed two of his sons for management roles. However he never had the time... Read more

Owning a service business can be tough, and running a service business day-in and day-out can be even tougher. For many service business owners, building a service business stopped being fun a long time ago and somehow it mutated into a “job.” Here are 4 tips to help you scale your service... Read more

Building a high-performance organization means successfully outperforming one’s competitors for the long haul. But…how exactly is this done? If you start by looking at key characteristics of high-performing organizations, a blueprint for achieving long-term success emerges. This can be mapped out in five steps, along with some commons traps to... Read more

Each new financial year is a common time for people to reconsider their approach to their business. Whenever we meet a business owner, we like to ask about their business model and what they are looking to achieve in the next three years. It’s rare to get a concise response... Read more

The dog days of summer can be a time for retooling and opportunity. Although it can be hard trying to keep a business running, there’s still hope for growth. Here’s a list of tips for small business owners who want to turn downtime into opportunity. Conduct a mid-year goal review... Read more

Helping your business reach its goals for success is within your power. Boosting productivity and efficiency gives small businesses a competitive edge and can often mean the difference between thriving or barely hanging on. Though increasing efficiency can be hard at times, finding small ways to boost your team’s productivity... Read more

What makes an excellent team?  Diversity, an entrepreneurial spirit, and ambition are some of the key ingredients of a successful team in any industry. Gathering talent from a variety of backgrounds can better ensure that all kinds of tasks get done by qualified people. Promoting a culture of creativity and... Read more

Entrepreneurs need to be effective team leaders… …..since no one can transform an idea into a product and a business without some help. Fortunately, team building is a skill that can be learned and practiced, for those willing to put in some effort. Take a look at this checklist as... Read more