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This week is my absolute favorite of the year because National Small Business Week marks the biggest celebration of small business the whole year long. It feels almost like the week of Christmas, with Friday being the big day of celebration taking place right here in our own backyard of Washington DC. Small businesses from around the country will be recognized for their hard work and I couldn’t be more proud and excited. Across the country, all year long, SCORE chapters work to help small businesses start, grow and succeed. Tomorrow we...
Summer is here and it’s time to take to the streets. In the summer, your customers feel festive and spend more time outdoors. So, it’s the perfect time to get outside and get creative with your marketing efforts. Here are some ideas to try. Take part in a community event. Summer in most towns is packed with fun runs, street fairs, music festivals, outdoor movie nights, concerts in the park…you get the idea. Contact your chamber of commerce and your city’s parks and recreation department to find out what events are...
Even the most well-written article or blog post, or the best video, is worthless if it isn’t topped by an appealing headline. The headline is what piques the reader’s attention. The headline has become uber-important in today’s world of social media sites. For most people, the headline is all they see on a site like Twitter. And on other sites like Google+ and Facebook, it’s a key element of what they see. If the headline isn’t good, chances are the reader won’t bother to click over to read it or view it. In...
Despite the massive amounts of resources being assembled in the cause of financial literacy, year after year, surveys uncover that people all over the country are as financially and credit illiterate as ever. Winning this battle requires us to be diligent and forward thinking. It begins by educating our children on sound credit and financial management principles. To test your credit literacy, see how well you answer the following questions: Do you know your current FICO® score? You’re not alone if you answered no. Nearly 70.5...
You’re interested in a franchise or two. You want to learn more about the opportunity. Who will you be talking to at headquarters? Franchise Salespeople If you guessed a franchise salesperson, also known as a franchise development representative, you guessed right. And yes – you are going to get “sold” on the franchise business opportunities that you’re interested in. But don’t worry; it won’t be like buying a new car. (I was in automobile franchising in a past life-so that observation is...
Insurance is the backstop for business owners when things go wrong. Things happen, but owners want to be financially protected for the unexpected. The problem is that owners may assume they’re covered for certain events but find out after such events that they were mistaken. Don’t fall into the same trap. Here are three common situations you may assume you’re covered for but may need to make changes to be protected. Terrorist events You’re a restaurant owner whose windows have been blown out by a terrorist’s bomb...
I’ve just finished a two-month period in which I’ve read more than 50 business plans as part of my role as judge of several major national business plan competitions and as managing investor of my local angel investment group. And I like reading business plans, so it wasn’t a sacrifice. But it did remind me that every so often, it’s good to go back to the five important fundamental principles of good business planning. 1. Form follows function You’d think it would be obvious, but the business plan is supposed to...
A lot has been written about why having a mentor is a good idea for entrepreneurs. One great article by Peter Cohan of Inc., gives seven reasons you need a mentor and another over on Tech Start Hub provides six. It’s clear that the experts agree: working with a mentor has a positive impact on startups. But I want to show you evidence – hard numbers – that proves that mentorship really does create greater success for small businesses: Thanks to a recent survey of our small business clients, we learned that in 2012 alone...
Are you looking for a way to attract new customers, meet potential prospects and partners, and become known as an expert in your industry? Public speaking can do all of the above, and more. If you feel like public speaking isn’t even an option for you because you’re shy, think again. I’m shy myself, though you wouldn’t know it to see me addressing conferences, crowds and audiences all over the country. Trust me, public speaking gets easier with practice—and it’s worth the effort. Toastmasters is a...
Getting your financial life and credit back on track after going through tough economic times is not an impossible task by any means, but it does require an effective and proven plan. Whether you had to file for bankruptcy; went through a foreclosure; dealt with excessive late payments, collections, judgments; a repossession; or the dreaded tax lien, the good news is there is hope in recovering and re-establishing a good credit rating. First of all, don’t believe for a second that there’s nothing that can be done about past...
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by bridgetwpollack, Contributor on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 - 14:31