Browsing Tag
small business advice
44 posts
5 Emerging States to Incorporate a Small Business in 2022
Which states are best for incorporating a business? Many entrepreneurs are asking themselves this question as they work on getting their small businesses ready to launch. In previous years, we might have defaulted to answering with the typical lineup of corporate darlings. However, nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic have revealed several emerging states...
Websites Are Critical For Brick-and-Mortar Storefronts
How many small businesses have websites? A recent Fit Small Business roundup on website statistics reveals that 71% of small businesses have a website. This is a substantial amount of growth from 2018 where statistics showed only 50% of small businesses had created their own websites. The uptick in overall small business websites may be...
LLC or Corporation: Which Entity is Best For My Business?
Two of the most popular entity formations for business incorporation are limited liability companies (LLCs) and corporations. Both entities provide startup owners with certain benefits, and one of the biggest benefits is limited liability. This creates a separation between the assets of the business and the owner, and protects the owner’s personal assets in the...
What Makes Pop-Up Retail a Viable Option During a Pandemic?
Traditionally, when we think of starting a business, we tend to consider a handful of options. There’s the brick-and-mortar storefront, or online visibility through e-commerce storefronts hosted on platforms like Shopify or Etsy. What about the pop-up shop? Pop-up shops are often referred to as "temporary" retail spaces. Many are seasonal storefronts that show up...
3 Smart Ways Businesses Can Collect Customer Feedback
Customer feedback is one of the most valuable forms of data entrepreneurs can obtain about their consumer base, from positive moments to unsatisfactory experiences. Why do brands need this feedback, even if it’s negative? There are a few reasons why it matters to collect customer feedback. Feedback allows brands to better improve or adjust their...
3 Bite-Sized Goals You Can Set (and Achieve) in January
If there’s one thing entrepreneurs love doing, it’s setting goals for their small business. This list is often long and detailed at the start of the year. After all, a new year means new business! However, a few weeks back into the grind can have even those with the strongest work ethics struggling to readjust...
How to Draft a Business Plan for Your Startup
You’ve determined that you have a viable business idea, and are ready to launch your startup. However, before you can begin selling your offerings or even consider incorporating the company, you’ll need to draft a business plan. Traditional business plans are generally anywhere between 30 to 40 pages long, which can feel intimidating to novice...
Ready to Become an Entrepreneur? Ask These 5 Questions First
Entrepreneurship, to an outsider looking in, may appear exciting and glamorous. Business owners get to set their own schedules, work at their own pace and follow their dreams. It’s so appealing that many envious individuals (with an idea and an entrepreneurial mindset!) may feel like it’s time to ditch their 9 to 5 jobs and...
How to Grow Your Business Like Halo Top
We all scream for ice cream, and in the case of Halo Top Creamery, the most loyal fans have crossed over into becoming stans (stalker/fan) of the brand. The most fanatical loyalists pillage the freezer section of grocery stores to buy up as many pints as possible, allowing Halo Top to push past competitors like...
What Mom and Pop Shops Need to Do to Stay in Compliance
Each year on March 29, we celebrate the owners of Main Street’s small businesses and startups with National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day. As the backbone of the U.S. economy, these family-run companies pack a mighty punch over their bigger competitors. These businesses put their customer first, engage with the community, and are able...
Ask These 4 Questions Before Turning Your E-Commerce Store Into a Physical Storefront
What do Amazon, Warby Parker and Rent the Runway all have in common? Each company began as a tremendously successful e-commerce store, that has since expanded to brick-and-mortar storefronts. Amazon has a physical bookstore in Seattle, while Warby Parker and Rent the Runway have developed retail locations. The future of e-commerce might mean having a...
Now Trending: Should You Move Your Work Outdoors?
Earlier this year, outdoor retailer L.L. Bean embraced their love for the alfresco way of life and set up a temporary office located in a New York City park. The pop up contained all of the typical components of most office spaces — including desks, swivel chairs, laptops and WiFi — but was completely open...
5 Qualities You Need to Become a Successful Entrepreneur Later in Life
No matter what age you are, pursuing an entrepreneurial path is always a risky endeavor. The good news is, the odds are increasingly in the favor of baby boomers. Starting a business is increasingly becoming much more affordable to do, with plenty of resources available and accessibility through mobile devices. However, it takes more than...
How Amazon Business Can Be a Lifesaver for Startups
I swear by Amazon when it comes to running my business, and I suspect many entrepreneurs reading the title of this post know exactly where I’m coming from and are likely in the same boat. Amazon has truly changed the game for entrepreneurship when it comes to membership services like Amazon Prime and Amazon Fresh,...
Expert Advice: How to Make Your Startup More Successful
Starting your own company requires goal setting, dedication and more persistence than you ever thought you could have. However, a vision and drive to make your business a reality will only take you so far. Without flexibility, a mission, financial guidance and more, your dream business will be nothing more than a stressful nightmare that...
5 Steps to Successful Entrepreneurship
Although I’ve been an entrepreneur for over 10 years, the company I co-founded is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, though. We’ve learned from our mistakes and kept planning for the future of successful entrepreneurship. What I have learned as a marketing entrepreneur can help any entrepreneur, regardless of industry. Below are...
Accountancy Advice for Start-up Businesses
Advice for Start-up Businesses: One Word - Accountant Starting a new business can be an extremely daunting task for anyone, whether you’re an experienced business player or simply embarking upon your first foray into the commercial world. From ISO certifications to small business taxations, the business world can seem worryingly perilous and dangerously complicated from...
Don’t set performance goals alone
Which of these common techniques is most effective for setting annual employee goals? 1. Manager asks employee to write his/her own goals and rubber stamps them. 2. Manager writes the goals and hands them to the employee. 3. Employee writes a draft list of goals and reviews them with the manager. Manager decides which ones...
Inspiration to StartUp: Should YOU Follow Your Passions?
This question has been in my heart and thoughts lately as my pet project, FitandFearLESS.tv, finally launches. As always, there are naysayers. Naysayers that question what a childrenswear designer could possibly know about the crazy world of online entertainment. As I take my first steps in this new venture, I'm often asked "I know this...
Can a Consultant Save You Cash…and Heartache?
As a bootstrap entrepreneur, I’ve learned there are just some things you don’t cut corners on. My “golden rule” has always been to hire the best Lawyer, Accountant, and Business Consultant you can find, even if you can’t afford it. The truth is you simply can’t afford NOT to. Running my small business over the...