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You are here: Home / Archives for Starting A Small Business

What KPIs Should You Track In Your Small Business?

May 5, 2025 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Running a small business successfully requires more than intuition—it demands tracking performance metrics that guide decision-making. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) provide measurable insights into your business operations, helping you optimize lead generation, marketing campaigns, and sales strategies. By focusing on the right KPIs, small business owners can identify strengths, pinpoint inefficiencies, and increase profitability. This […]

Filed Under: Grow Your Business, How to Start, Sales, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: business growth metrics, key performance indicators, kpi, performance metrics, tracking data

How to Develop a Business Launch Timeline, Part II

April 28, 2025 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Welcome to Part II of Building a Launch Pad to Start Your Business. In this post, we’ll walk you through a comprehensive 12-month roadmap to launch your business with clarity and confidence. From refining your idea and setting up finances to marketing and making your first sale, this plan is designed to help you stay […]

Filed Under: Become Your Own Boss Tips, How to Start, Sales, Side Hustle, Starting A Small Business, Staying Productive, Your Small Business Tagged With: build your brand, business planning, business research, business scaling, grow and audience, marketing strategy, sales strategies

Building a Launchpad to Start Your Business: Part I

April 21, 2025 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Do you think that you have a million-dollar idea? Building a Launchpad to Start Your Business is just the first step. Starting a business is thrilling—but let’s be real, it’s also a high-stakes move that impacts your money, time, energy, and relationships. That’s why you need more than just a good idea—you need a plan. […]

Filed Under: Become Your Own Boss Tips, How to Start, Sales, Side Hustle, Starting A Small Business, Staying Productive, Your Small Business Tagged With: assess finances, personal goals, Plan B, professional goals, start a small business, work schedule

Best of Blogs of 2024

December 23, 2024 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

As the year winds down, it’s time to reflect on the invaluable insights shared on the SmallBizLady blog. From sales strategies to leveraging AI and building thriving online communities, we’ve covered everything you need to run and grow your small business. Here’s a roundup of some of the most impactful blog posts this year. Join […]

Filed Under: 10 Things Lists, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Customer Service, Grow Your Business, Starting A Small Business Tagged With: artificial intelligence in business, attract corporate sponsorships, brand positioning, build online community, business coaching, business owner tips, Create Customer Value, customer value, email marketing, Entrepreneurship strategies, grow your business, how to start a business, launch your business, live Q&A for entrepreneurs, melinda emerson, monetize your podcast, pricing strategies, professional speaking, real estate business tips, sales strategies, SEO for small businesses, small business academy, small business advice, small business growth, small business tips, starting a side hustle, video marketing, virtual assistant tips, women entrepreneurs

URGENT: Is Your Business Compliant with the Corporate Transparency Act?

December 9, 2024 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Small business owners there’s one new regulation that needs your immediate attention before the end of 2024. The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) requires most small businesses operating in the United States to create transparency in business ownership to prevent illicit activities such as money laundering, tax evasion, and financing of terrorism. The CTA is a […]

Filed Under: Fix Your Business, How to Start, Starting A Small Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: anti-money laundering compliance, avoid CTA penalties, beneficial ownership information, business transparency law, Corporate Transparency Act, CTA filing requirements, financial crimes prevention, FinCEN BOI report, new business regulations, ownership disclosure law, small business compliance, small business owners, U.S. business compliance

Is Your Self-Esteem Holding Back Your Small Business?

October 28, 2024 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Self-esteem is the way we perceive and value ourselves. It is a critical component of our personal well-being. But did you know that it also plays a significant role in the success or failure of your small business? For many entrepreneurs, particularly women business owners, low self-esteem can be a silent saboteur, preventing us from […]

Filed Under: Become Your Own Boss Tips, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Staying Productive, Uncategorized, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: building confidence in business, business growth strategies, decision making for entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs, innovation in small business, leadership and self-esteem, networking for entrepreneurs, overcoming low self-esteem, self-esteem in business, small business success

How Small Business Owners Can Unlock AI’s Power with Effective Prompt Engineering

October 21, 2024 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

AI can be a game changer for businesses of all sizes, helping streamline operations, enhance customer service, and even drive new revenue streams. However, one of the keys to unlocking AI’s full value lies in understanding how to craft effective prompts—a practice known as prompt engineering. Prompt engineering is the art of creating precise, clear, […]

Filed Under: AI for business, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Starting A Small Business, Staying Productive, Uncategorized, Your Small Business Tagged With: AI customer service, AI for data analysis, AI for small business, AI in product descriptions, AI marketing strategies, AI prompt engineering, AI tools for entrepreneurs, business growth with AI, mastering AI prompts, women business owners

Are You Selling at the Right Price?

September 30, 2024 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

How to Understand Competition, Cost Structure, and Profitability Pricing a product or service is one of the most crucial decisions that any business owner faces. It determines whether the business will thrive, merely survive, or fail. Many small business owners make the mistake of setting prices based primarily on what competitors are charging. While it’s […]

Filed Under: Become Your Own Boss Tips, Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Staying Productive, Uncategorized, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: break-even analysis, business growth, business profitability, competitive pricing, cost structure, cost-plus pricing, dynamic pricing, market demand, premium pricing, pricing mistakes, pricing strategy, profit margin, profitability tips, small business pricing, sustainable pricing, underpricing risks, value-based pricing

Social Media Marketing vs. Social Media Selling

September 9, 2024 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

The terms “social media marketing” and “social media selling” are often used interchangeably, leading to confusion among small businesses looking to leverage social platforms to grow their brand and boost sales. While both are crucial components of a comprehensive social media strategy, they serve distinct purposes and require different approaches. Understanding the key differences between […]

Filed Under: Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Customer Service, Grow Your Business, Social Media, Starting A Small Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: Brand Awareness, business growth, content strategy, customer engagement, digital marketing, lead generation, marketing tactics, online business, online sales, sales conversion, small business strategy, small business tips, social media marketing, social media selling, Social Media Strategy

SmallBizLady Summer Reading List 2024

July 29, 2024 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

It’s Summer, and that means it’s time to grab to good book and grow your expertise. There are many business books that have delivered an array of insightful and actionable reads. Here are a particular set of books that I find valuable for small business owners seeking to navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship. Here are […]

Filed Under: Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Cash Flow & Finance, Customer Service, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Leadership, Mompreneurs, My Recommendations, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Teams, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: AI in business, Business Book Recommendations, business coaching, business knowledge, business leadership, business owner resources, Business Strategies, business success tips, customer centricity, entrepreneurship, financial management, innovation, leadership books, marketing books, must-read business books, small business books, small business growth, smallbizlady, summer reading list, sustainable business

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Jean Chatzky, Bestselling Author of Money 911 and Financial Editor of NBC’s Today Show
Great step-by-step advice for anyone looking to start their own business.
Andrew C. Taylor, Chairman, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Melinda Emerson has written a remarkable book. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to make the transition from working girl to successfully working it, as an entrepreneur.
Cynthia McClain-Hill, Past President, National Association of Women Business Owners
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Laurie Dalton White Conference Director, Pennsylvania Conference for Women
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Justin Amendola, Former VP, Global SMB Digital Strategy, Pitney Bowes

Latest #SmallBizChat

The SmallBizChat Podcast: How Giving a TEDx Talk Can Benefit Your Business with Dr. Dan Young

In this episode, Melinda Emerson welcomes Dr. Dan Young to discuss the art of crafting and promoting a successful TED Talk. Dr. Dan shares insights into his own TED Talk journey, detailing its background and the impact it has had. He provides valuable strategies for aspiring speakers on how to effectively convey their message and […]

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  • What KPIs Should You Track In Your Small Business?
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