Celebrate Your Mistakes
How do you teach your work force that mistakes are OK as long as they learn and don’t repeat them? By being a visible example. A friend and fellow CEO states that he publishes each of his mistakes in his company internal blog along with the lesson he learned. “If the CEO can do this,…
Read More4 Upper Management Professionals Who Can Infuse Your Business with Talent
When developing the upper management team that will focus and coordinate operations in the best interests of the business, it’s prudent to seek out professionals who have a broad set of talents of value for multiple aspects of the business. Here are four types of professionals you should have on board. Human Resources A director…
Read MoreWhy You Should Use 3D Printing for Your First Prototype
Even for smart entrepreneurs with a great new product idea, an extensive business background, and a spot-on sales pitch, the manufacturing process can be unfamiliar and even a bit intimidating. Don’t be confused, however, into thinking that your first steps into manufacturing need to be difficult or expensive. Step one of any manufacturing cycle should…
Read MoreTax Tips & Deductions for Food Truck Owners
Do you serve up hot subs, fresh salads, and sweet treats around town in your decked-out food truck? If so, you’re part of the rapidly growing mobile cuisine industry. While it can be quite rewarding to prepare delectable edibles for hungry consumers looking for a quick bite to grab, there are several IRS tax rules…
Read MoreSpreading Your Small Business Wings
My local library places lovely floral bouquets on the check-out counter. Always seasonal. Always tasteful. And always accompanied by a business card from the nearby small business who arranged these displays. Our nearby Main Street town provides a bi-monthly magazine chock full of activities and events as well as several profiles of area small businesses.…
Read MoreGames at Work? It’s Not What You Think
Establishing a positive company culture is absolutely essential when you’re looking to create a successful business. One concept many companies are relying on to help create a more fun and rewarding environment is gamification. With the implementation of gamification in the workplace, many businesses are seeing an increase in loyalty and satisfaction among employees and…
Read MoreTips for Writing Your Franchise Business Plan
While your franchisor will provide some guidance with regards to your new franchise, it’s up to you as the business owner to develop a comprehensive business plan. If you’ve never written one before, let this post be your guide. The Purpose of Your Franchise Business Plan A business plan, whether for a franchise or any…
Read MoreHow to Effectively Use Price Comparison Sites to Increase Sales
If you are an e-commerce entrepreneur, you already know (or are experiencing) how difficult it is to get the eyeballs of customers. In a veritable ocean of e-commerce sites in the digital sphere, which are in excess of 24 million, you know what you are competing against. To introduce yourself to the masses, you have…
Read MoreWhat’s More Important: Social Media or Mobile Marketing?
Just the other day I was reading an article on the Inc. Magazine website. The editor, John, noted that in a recent survey, 59% of entrepreneurs don’t think Social Media is important! What made me mad is how quickly they dismissed the problems many small businesses have with Social Media. For example, the editor notes,…
Read MoreHow to Embrace Disruptive Technologies and Succeed
All too often as a startup investor, I hear the term “disruptive technology” from an entrepreneur, played like a trump card that should override any other potential business qualms. In fact, most investors avoid disruptive technologies as extremely risky, with long waits for a payback. They can point to the many examples of innovative technologies that have…
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