For many entrepreneurs, they believe that the first real outward sign of their success is when they hire their first employee. Makes sense right? Now their venture went from “my job” to a “real business”. However, this decision is not one to take lightly and also not one to rush in to. Having employees can Read more about When is it time to hire my first employee?[…]
Let’s get right to the point on this one. Having a strong brand identity can be the difference between having a business from which you can make an “ok” salary or having one that thrives and provides well for you, your family in future generations, and the community you serve. Now that we have answered Read more about How important is brand identity?[…]
In a competitive job market, it gets more and more difficult to find the right candidates for your open positions. If you then are looking to fill a position that requires some specific skill sets, finding someone with the right experience can be even more challenging. In traditional hiring methodologies, you would first filter your Read more about Attitude or Experience?[…]
Have you ever been in a restaurant and heard two employees arguing over something or trashing a 3rd employee? How about when a service provider shows up at your home or business to do something and they start badmouthing the company they work for? Does this leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling about Read more about No dirty laundry please![…]
How many times have you heard a business owner complaining about their employees calling them lazy, entitled, sloppy, always late, etc.? Start paying attention if you or someone you know is doing this and you will likely find a pattern. The pattern is that the same people will complain about the same problems in several Read more about Look in the mirror for the source of the problem[…]
When running a small business, it can be easy to get caught in the trap of assuming that if there is cash in the bank you are doing well and if there is no cash, you need to do better. Unfortunately, there can be much more to determining how successful you are currently and in Read more about Know your numbers to be successful[…]
When starting a new business there is a lot of pressure to be successful. You may have risked your life savings to chase your dream, perhaps borrowed from family, or even gotten a loan or grant to grow your business. So when prospective clients come to you with a question, the natural reaction is to Read more about It’s OK to say “I don’t know”[…]
I’m guessing everyone reading this has thought or said that at least once in their lifetime. This is what I like to call the “Reply-All-itis” syndrome. Particularly in business situations, it is important to know when to reply to all and when not to. Here are some basic guidelines you can use: When Reply All Read more about Seriously?!?! Get me off of this email chain![…]
For many small businesses, the consideration of whether to use cash or accrual basis accounting never even comes up as the difference between them is unclear and they leave it up to their tax accountant to decide. However there are significant advantages and disadvantages to each which should be considered not just for tax purposes Read more about What is the difference between accrual and cash basis accounting?[…]
Network security is a topic that never seems to “get old” as there are new threats and stories we hear every day in the news and from local businesses about a breach or other security challenge that we need to be vigilant about. Threats are everywhere, even in places that we might not consider such Read more about To be safer, take a layered approach to network security[…]