Power in Information: A New “Zillow-Like” Service for Small Businesses (Interview)

Q&A with Doug Llewellyn, President and Chief Operating Officer of Purch, a next-generation digital publishing and marketplace platform that is driving the future of publishing by connecting high-intent buyers and performance-driven marketers in consumer and SMB markets.

Doug Llewelyn, Purch

Doug joined Purch in 2013 and, as President and COO, he is responsible for the company’s two core business units, strategic planning, corporate development activities, and Purch’s business metrics and operational framework. As such, he has overseen the relaunch of Business.com and its new business valuation tool, powered by BizEquity.

How does Purch serve small-to-medium businesses?

Purch is a next-gen digital publishing and marketplace platform with 25 brands across lifestyle, technology, shopping and small-to-medium business categories that help intent-based buyers make purchase decisions.…

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Legal Responsibilities of Your Business: Employment and Injury

As a business owner, you are lucky enough to have all sorts of additional legal responsibilities that are attached to your company. Specifically, within the categories of employee longevity and safety, there are all kinds of sets of knowledge that you should have handy about topics ranging from injury to insurance, and security to record-keeping.

Employee safety

You shouldn’t even start a business until you know how all of those things work. Because the last thing you need is to have some event occur where someone gets hurt, or there is catastrophic damage somewhere, or inspectors come in and find something wrong, and you have to plead ignorance about the whole thing.…

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Managing Your Cash Flow Online: The Key Considerations

Make no mistake; cash flow is king for modern, small businesses.

Cash flow management

Referring to the flow of money in and out of your accounts and the net difference between incomings and outgoings, cash flow has never been more important to the growth of your business. With consumer spending down in the UK and the nation’s growth forecast having been reduced to just 1.7% for 2017, it is crucial that entrepreneurs maximise the flow of capital that runs throughout their business.

Managing it online a key component of this, but it is by no means the only one. Here are some tips on how to manage your cash flow in 2017:

1.

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Running a Boat Fleet: 5 Ways to Spot Marine Diesel Engine Issues Before They Occur

Are you running a business which operational involves boats? If so, I’m sure you’re aware that maintenance is one of the issues you need to address when running a fleet of boats.

Boat sailing

One that often cripple businesses is marine diesel engine problems. The engines are known to cause quite a few headaches to boat owners if not kept in good shape. Fortunately, many of these issues are easy to prevent and fix even with little or no knowledge of how the engines work.

All you need is a small array of tools and spare parts. However, keeping an eye on these issues and making sure they never occur in the first place is an even more effective method.…

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Policy Protection – Which Types of Business Insurance Are Right For Your SME?

Starting a business exposes you to certain risks. Fortunately, however, all businesses have access to a wide range of insurance types, to protect them from the dangers that could wipe out a small business before it has had a chance to take off. An experienced Business Insurance Broker, can assist you in reducing your exposure to risk, and find an insurance program that is aligned to your specific needs and objectives.

business insurance

There is no one-size-fits-all insurance solution for small businesses. Your insurance needs will vary according to the industry and type of business you are operating.

Here are the types of business insurance that every small to medium business owner should have.…

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How The Pharmaceutical Industry Went From Strength to Strength

Some industries have struggled of late. Post-Brexit anxiety has enveloped a number of areas of the economy, but one area that is thriving is pharmaceuticals. Manufacturers of medical goods and associated services such as pharmacy chains have done very well in recent years, owing to a variety of factors.

Pharmaceutical industry

The industry’s spending on research and development has helped to keep it going. Figures from 2016 reveal that half of the UK’s £16.5 billion of research and development spending came from pharmaceutical companies. Commitment to developing new drugs to fight dreaded illnesses such as cancer and diabetes has created jobs and opportunities within the industry.…

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How do You Market a New Product?

Launching a new product can be a daunting process, especially if you’re trying to break into a specialist or saturated market. Attention to detail and careful forward planning is crucial for a successful launch, which is perhaps best demonstrated by Steve Jobs and Apple.

Steve Jobs - iPad launch

photo credit: Flickr

On launch day, iPad managed to sell over 300,000 WiFi only units. iPhone 4 sold over 1.7 million units within its first three days, while iPhone 3G sold over a million units over the launch weekend. The competition for a successful launch is tough, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it if you follow these basic steps.…

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4 Ways to Protect Your Business from Product Liability Claims

No product is truly safe from risks, but it’s your responsibility to strive for that goal whenever you design and manufacture your products. Liability insurance is one way to protect your business against claims, but there are other steps you can take to lower your risk.

Liability insurance

1. Test Products Thoroughly

Products go through an exhaustive amount of testing before they launch, but testing shouldn’t stop once these products hit the shelf. Consistent and continued testing can help you pinpoint potential defects on the design or manufacturing of your product.

Without continued testing, you may miss a potential defect or design flaw that can lead to negligence claims.…

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How to Choose The Best Type of Ice Machine for Your Business?

Are you looking for the best type of ice machine for your restaurant, bar, hotel, smoothie bar, or coffee shop? With different types, styles, and sizes of ice makers on the market—it’s hard to know if you are choosing the right one.

Ice machine

We’ve collects some the steps you need to take, and the questions you need to cover, before you buy an ice machine.

Ice Machine Styles and Configurations

First check out the size of the space that you have available to put in your ice machine. Do you have a big kitchen space? Or are you looking for a small machine that can fit under the counter?…

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How to Use Net Promoter Score to Grow Your Small Business

Having an optimal net promoter score (NPS) is great for gauging how your small business is going to grow in the coming months and years. Knowing your NPS score is also essential when it comes time to consider securing funding from banks and other investors to grow your business. After all, if the overall consensus is that your business is highly recommended by past and current customers, it’s definitely poised for growth on some level.

Net Promoter Score

How NPS Works

This is likely going to be one of the easiest business principles you’ll ever learn. NPS is nothing more than the results of a very pointed question given to your customers: “On a scale of 0 – 10, how likely are you to recommend ‘ABC Inc’ to others?” The results give a pretty clear picture of how the business is treating its customers, and how well you’re meeting key metrics such as the business’ customer lifetime value (CLV).…

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