Posts Tagged ‘small business’
by Steve Strauss on October 6th, 2009
Q: In all of your years of representing businesses as a lawyer and giving small businesses advice, you must have come across some good, cheap strategies that businesses can use. If so, can you share them?
Ira
A: If I think about it, there are definitely some strategies I have learned along the way – legal and otherwise – that are inexpensive while also making your business life easier. Some are well known, others are not, but all can make a difference.
And of course, being the lawyer I am, let me note that nothing beats meeting with your own... Read more »
by Jonathan Staley on September 1st, 2009
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is hosting a virtual summit on September 15th from 10am to 6pm (ET). Once inside the exhibit hall, attendees will be able to search for and chat with other small business owners, attend seminars and visit vendor booths.
Register for free with the code “gbb366″
Registration Page
Read more »
by Steve Strauss on September 1st, 2009
Q: Hi Steve. With the current strain on the economy, we all know that businesses are looking for ways to better compete in their markets and grow in the downturn. We have noticed that many small businesses are capitalizing on their flexibility and pivoting their businesses to enter new markets. Agree?
Deanna
A: I know of very few small business people who would trade their lot for a gig with a big business, even given the steady paycheck and benefits that would come with it. The lack of freedom alone would likely emotionally pummel most small business owners (and in... Read more »
by Barbara Weltman on August 26th, 2009
What happens to you if you’re owed money? What if they file for bankruptcy? What legal protections do you have and what action must you take? Find out what steps to take and how to avoid problems.
Some companies are closing their doors, some consumers are filing for bankruptcy protection, and many small businesses that sell on credit are concerned about receiving payment—for good reason.
Understanding bankruptcy
If a company or person files for bankruptcy protection, most unsecured creditors stand at the back of the line; they’re lucky to receive pennies on the dollar. Some creditors may gain special status... Read more »
by Robert Cyr on August 21st, 2009
Dropshipping is not a viable choice for a retail startup…or is it? All too often the spotlight shines upon those who are constantly in the media; we all know success stories fill the shelves at our local Barnes and Noble of famous people, but what about a true hometown success story?
Let’s travel back a few years, 9 to be exact, and meet a couple of college buddies who were working to earn a masters degree at California State University Chico, here in northern California. Christian (Chris) Friedland and David Bocter started a small E-commerce business selling plumbing supplies, faucets... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on August 19th, 2009
So here we are in the dog days of summer and it seems that no one is working much. Oh sure, we might pretend we are working, we might even try and finish some projects, but is anything of substance getting done? No, not much.
So rather than the normal pithy infotainment I try and offer, and in the spirit of summer, for today, please enjoy The Small Biz Quiz. Answers at bottom.
1. Who said, “There’s no business like show business, but there are several businesses like accounting”?
A: Woody Allen
B. David Letterman
C. Groucho Marx
D. Ethel... Read more »
by Jonathan Staley on July 22nd, 2009
Do you have a business plan that has been updated in the last three months? If yes, you are already ahead of the curve according to the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Peak Performance assessment. If you answered “no” to that question or any of the subsequent nine yes or no questions then it might be time to look for an organized approach to sloughing off the downward pull of the current economy.
Conveniently, the ten yes or no question evaluation leads you to eleven steps:
Step 1: Reality Check – Candidly answer the assessment questions above and take appropriate action... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on July 17th, 2009
Q: What are you telling people these days with regard to staying afloat and even getting ahead in this tough recession?
Steve
A: Recently, I was chatting with my friend Rieva Lesonsky about what a challenge it is to own and run a small business in this economy. The topic was especially salient because , as we are both small business owners as well as writers and speakers on the subject, the Great Recession is effecting us in numerous ways.
You may have heard of Rieva. She is one of the top small business experts out there, but even if... Read more »
by Veronica Stone on May 27th, 2009
By MIGUEL BUSTILLO
Some regional appliance and electronics retailers are flourishing despite intense competition from national chains, thanks in part to a retro retail concept: commissioned sales staff, trained to explain increasingly complex televisions and washing machines to customers.
These smaller retailers such as publicly traded hhgregg Inc. of Indianapolis and Conn’s Inc. of Beaumont, Texas, as well as closely held P.C. Richard & Son of Farmingdale, N.Y., are pursuing ambitious store expansion plans. They are aiming to capitalize on the slumping commercial real estate market and the collapse this spring of Circuit City Stores Inc., once the nation’s second-largest... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on May 4th, 2009
Q: Steve, I appreciate all of the low-cost marketing methods you have been sharing lately. For my business, we have found that doing a lot of online social networking makes a big difference. But most of my friends who are self-employed are not doing this. I think it’s a mistake.
(Part 2 of 2)
Mike
A: Last week, I wrote about how critical it is today to have, not just an online presence, but a professional, robust, powerful Internet presence; how you need to embrace social networking, and how your website is as “important today as a business card was... Read more »