Blog

According to the Small Business Administration, about half of all newly established businesses last five years or more. Only a third survive to the ten-year mark. For a variety of reasons, companies that possess the stamina and skill to endure the early years of growth sometimes flounder as the business matures. Why? In all too

If you have been managing your business for a number of years now you might be considering an exit strategy. But doing so takes planning. How will you get your money out of the business? How much will you take out? Will you liquidate company assets or transfer ownership to someone else? How long do

Scrutinize your operating budget and you may discover that shipping expenses — ever present and necessary for obtaining inventory and delivering products to customers — are squeezing your bottom line and cutting into profit margins. Taking some time to trim those costs may offer significant opportunities for savings. Comparison shop and negotiate The biggest names

As any entrepreneur will tell you, financing a business is no small undertaking. Pulling funds from personal bank accounts, liquidating assets, talking to friends and relatives about your venture — these are all actions you might take to get your business up and running. Banks and other financial institutions could also play a role. In

Survey small business entrepreneurs and you’re sure to discover relationships that soured when long-time friends became business partners. Fortunately, the story doesn’t always end on a tragic note. Here’s why: Friends can talk openly Because a foundation of trust has been established, friends have already learned to communicate candidly. When tough business decisions need to

If your company’s revenue starts to falter, payroll may be a place you look for spending cuts. But before opting for layoffs as a quick and easy means of recovering profitability, consider this: the decision to lay off employees carries its own set of costs. For example, the more people who are laid off, the

You’ve launched a business website, but customers aren’t flocking to purchase your online offerings. Why not? For some companies, tweaking an already inviting webpage may be sufficient. Other business websites may require a complete overhaul. If traffic to your homepage isn’t trending upward, consider the following tried-and-true guidelines: Keep it simple Flashing fonts, animated gifs,

The internet is where people go to discuss their favorite sports teams, politicians, recipes — you name it. This is especially true for customers. You can find out how much people love or hate your business by what you see via Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and other social media platforms. More and more of your

According to the American Staffing Association, there are approximately 3 million temporary and contract employees working for U.S. staffing companies during an average work week. That means there’s a wide range of skilled people usually available for work whenever most businesses need them. Even so, should your company hire temporary workers? Consider the following: Advantages