Are You Forgetting the Xennials?
For the past several years, the world has been obsessed with Millennials. Employers grouse about them, marketers try to understand them, and Gen X parents hope their kids don’t become the stereotype. The general demographic cohort that we have labeled the Millennials were born between the early 80s through the early 2000s. That’s a considerable…
Read MoreCustomer-Centric Strategies Win Over Product-Centric
Is your marketing focus product-centric or customer-centric? If you only sell products, it’s time to realize that times have changed. With a wealth of products now available, customers look for the most memorable experience, not just the best product. These days, a fun shopping experience, or no-question returns, often tips the scales over extra product features or…
Read MoreThe Cost of Counterfeit Products
Counterfeits can hurt your business even if you don’t know they’re out there. A shocking two in five name brand products sold online turns out to be counterfeit, and many counterfeits are so convincing consumers don’t know they aren’t real until they have been injured or the product malfunctions. Small businesses especially can be hurt…
Read MoreHow to Spot a Bad Franchise Opportunity
So, you’re going down the black hole of endless research for the perfect franchise opportunity. And for good reason: It would be naive to assume every franchise you come across is a good investment. How do you figure out which is the opportunity with the lowest risk and highest probability for success? Here are some…
Read MoreEmployees’ Fringe Benefits After Tax Reform
Tax reform made a lot of changes, some of which impacted employees’ fringe benefits. This article reviews the most frequently encountered fringe benefits, including those that were and were not impacted by tax changes. These changes can affect both a business’s bottom line and its employees’ deductions. Benefits Impacted by Tax Reform Qualified Transportation Fringe…
Read More5 Steps for Building a Great Website Without an Agency
Believe it or not, research has found that less than two-thirds of small businesses have websites. That’s an incredible statistic given the prevalence of using Google, Yelp, Facebook and similar sites to find the products and services we need. Thankfully, the same research found that over half of these businesses do plan on building a website in…
Read More4 Common Misconceptions About Creative Content You’ll Want to Avoid
When we think of the words ‘creative content,’ we may immediately picture global campaigns from huge well-known brands: innovators like Walmart, Spotify, and Netflix that shake up the industry and change the game. These juggernauts continue to create iconic content that is justly celebrated and pulls in prestigious awards. You might be thinking: these campaigns…
Read MoreBookkeeping vs. Accounting
Accurate and complete financial records are essential to the success of any business. Bookkeeping and accounting are two processes business owners rely on to track and understand their finances. Actually, the line between bookkeeping and accounting processes is becoming blurrier all the time. Technological advances in hardware and software have automated many of the traditional…
Read MoreHow IoT-Connected Products Simplify Life But Create Nefarious Security Issues
Get this: Data-security researchers at Indiana University, probing the hacking vulnerabilities of an Internet-connected Crock-Pot, easily took control of the device and other devices that share its Wi-Fi router—but they have found no risk of an attacker remotely setting it on fire. That’s the good news. Now, the bad news: Internet connectivity is designed into…
Read MoreHere’s How NOT to Define Your Competition
We investors see this all the time. An entrepreneur pitches using a deck with no slide for competition. When asked (as we always do) the response is, “This is new. We have no competition.” Niet! No! Unh unh. Professional investors laugh when they hear an entrepreneur come out with that one. That statement has killed more…
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