In these tough times, the biggest impact of the economic downturn is being felt by the small business sector. This is largely because of the fact that there are fewer resources available to counter the effects of an uncertain economy. The best way for a small business to thrive nowadays is by cutting costs. Practicing [...]

As small business owners, we wear many different hats.  Among which, hiring the right people, and helping them achieve their highest potential, are two of your most important responsibilities.  But which one is MORE important? This is an oft-debated topic – at big companies and small – about whether it’s more important to: A.      Hire [...]

Many business owners are now relying heavily on social media to help market their products and services. You may already have a business account with Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. You may also see that with these sites, your sales went up higher than you expected. But you should not stop there. People regularly think of [...]

Technology companies are, unfortunately, almost as well known for having poor customer service as they are for their actual products.  Why is that? Small business expert Anita Campbell cited poor customer service for web apps as one of three key issues that needs to be overcome before cloud apps can become ubiquitous in small businesses.  [...]

The Small Business Administration (SBA) should be commended for their help in sustaining the small business sector with their microloans. However, a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows that the funds which should be distributed to businesses that need it, actually go to ineligible ones. The HUBZone certification which businesses need to [...]

Bank of America (BOA), one of the world’s largest financial institutions, has announced it will provide $10 million in grants to nonprofit lenders, such as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), to leverage funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for lending to small and rural businesses. The [...]

When it comes to online marketing, small businesses are staring at a dilemma. Free online marketing tools like social networks have great potential for reaching new customers, but their actual impact on the bottom line is hard to measure. Meanwhile, established tools like email marketing provide valuable metrics on subscribers, and are more suited for [...]

Anyone looking to promote an online business website or blog knows the importance of having a marketing strategy in place.  If you fly by the seat of your pants with no clear planning and no focused strategy, you’ll end up just spinning your wheels. As anyone who has ever attempted web marketing on their own [...]

One of the most important aspects of small business management is the manpower. This is where the business operation and the business success relies. If the manpower is weak, it is not possible to achieve the goals and plans of the company. Entrepreneurs are already aware that in order for their business to succeed, they [...]