Succeed As Your Own Boss

ENDING SMALL BUSINESS FAILURE

  • Home
  • About
  • Book Melinda
  • One-on-One Coaching
    • CONSULTING
  • SBL Store
  • SmallBizLady University
  • Free Tools
  • Podcast
  • #Smallbizchat
    • Be a #SmallBizChat Guest
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • We’re Hiring!
You are here: Home / Archives for Your Small Business

Is it time to update your legal business structure?

March 23, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Choosing the right legal structure for your business is one of the most consequential decisions you will make as an entrepreneur, yet many founders select an entity early and never revisit it. What once made sense from a startup perspective may no longer support your profitability, tax efficiency, or long-term exit strategy as your business […]

Filed Under: Cash Flow & Finance, Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: c-corp, legal structure, LLC, s-corp, small business structure, sole proprietor, wealth advisor

The Secret Sales Formula: Captivate, Fascinate, Educate, Close ’Em

March 16, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

When the economy gets tight, your sales processes must get tighter. So today I’m teaching the Secret Sales Formula. Selling doesn’t have to feel awkward, aggressive, or manipulative. In fact, the most effective sales strategies today are built around helping customers clearly understand their problem and guiding them toward a solution. If you want to […]

Filed Under: Branding & Marketing, Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, Leadership, Sales, Solopreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: build customer relationships, Captivate, clear value, Close, credibility, Educate, Fascinate, sales framework, sales strategy, sales system

5 Sales Systems Every Business Needs to Create Predictable Revenue in 2026

March 9, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Fixing Your Business tech trends

If your sales feel random, inconsistent, or dependent on how motivated you feel that week, you don’t have a sales problem. You have a systems problem. Too many small business owners are selling by personality rather than process, and that’s a fast track to burnout from feast-or-famine sales. When you feel energized, you sell. When […]

Filed Under: Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, Leadership, Sales, Solopreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: client onboarding, expansion, lead generation, retention, sales conversation framework, sales follow-up, strengthen sales

How to Get Ready to Sell Your Business

March 2, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Most entrepreneurs say they want to exit “someday,” but very few are intentionally building a company that is actually sellable. Exit planning isn’t about walking away tomorrow; it’s about building a business that someone would want to buy at any time. It’s about creating an asset instead of owning a job. If your company cannot […]

Filed Under: Cash Flow & Finance, Featured Post, Leadership, Sales, Solopreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: business growth strategy, business profitability, Business Valuation, entrepreneurship, Exit planning, selling your business, succession planning, Wealth planning

Why Trust Is the Ultimate Growth Strategy in Business

February 23, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Trust is not a “soft skill.” It is not a vibe. And it is definitely not optional. Trust is one of the most powerful and overlooked drivers of business success. Strong small businesses don’t just sell products or services; they build confidence with everyone they touch. Employees trust leadership. Vendors trust commitments. Customers trust promises. […]

Filed Under: Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, Sales, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Teams, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: accountability, build trust, business growth, business integrity, clear communication, strong leadership, Team Building

Why Small Businesses Succeed: What the Best Owners Get Right

February 16, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Create a Winning Business Plan leadership profiles

Small businesses don’t succeed because their owners are luckier, louder, or more passionate than everyone else. They succeed because they are led with clarity, discipline, and intention. While hype culture glorifies hustle and constant motion, long-lasting businesses follow far more grounded principles. Over time, clear patterns emerge that explain why some businesses grow steadily while […]

Filed Under: Business Inspiration, Cash Flow & Finance, Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, Sales, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: business margins, business processes, business team, cash flow management, decision making, solving problems, Successful Business, Time management

For Better or Worse: The Vows Every Business Owner Eventually Learns

February 9, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

We rarely describe small business ownership as a love story. We dress it up as ambition, independence, or strategy. We talk about growth plans, revenue targets, and market positioning. But if you’ve owned a business long enough, you know the truth most owners eventually discover, often the hard way. Business ownership is one of the […]

Filed Under: Business Inspiration, Cash Flow & Finance, Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Leadership, Sales, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: business growth, business systems, cash flow, exhaustion in business, managing budgets, profit and loss, resiliency, Setting Boundaries, small business ownership, vision

The Team you Need to Buy a Business or Franchise (And Why Going Solo Is a Costly Mistake)

February 2, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Buying a business or franchise is one of the smartest ways to step into entrepreneurship, but it’s also one of the fastest ways to lose money if you try to do it alone. Too many first-time buyers focus only on the deal, the price, the brand, and the opportunity, without considering the team needed to […]

Filed Under: Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Franchise, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Leadership, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Teams, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: attorney, business broker, business coach, buy a business, buying a franchise, CPA, financial planner, HR expert, insurance broker, leadership, legal support, lender support, Team

How to Generate True Financial Freedom in America

January 19, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

For decades, Americans were taught a simple formula for security: earn a degree, work hard, climb the corporate ladder, and stay loyal to one employer. If you followed the rules, stability would follow. But over the last decade, that promise has quietly expired. Wages have failed to keep pace with inflation. Layoffs are now routine, […]

Filed Under: Business Inspiration, Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Leadership, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: building wealth, buy a business, buy a franchise, entrepreneurship, financial freedom, franchise, next act ceo summit

What to Stop Doing in Your Business This Year

January 12, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

January is full of noise. New planners. New goals. New promises to “do more.” But if you’re serious about growth this year, the smartest move you can make isn’t adding more to your plate; it’s deciding what to stop doing. This is a contrarian guide to reclaim your time, sharpen your focus, and lead your […]

Filed Under: AI for business, Business Inspiration, Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Leadership, Sales, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: AI tools, bottleneck in business, business plans, Business tasks, creating offers, lead management, new plans, partnerships, revenue, sales process, strategy, systems

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 47
  • Next Page »

Let’s Connect

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • tiktok
  • pinterest
  • linkedin
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • feedburner

Sign up for the SmallBizLady BUZZ Newsletter and be the first to receive updates and details about upcoming events.
Click Here to Sign Up!

We’re proud to be part of the Mediaplanet Empowering Small Business campaign! The COVID-19 pandemic brought hardship and ruin on the nation’s small businesses, but there’s now reason for hope. Learn about the resources, support, and tools available to help your small business bounce back and grow stronger than ever by picking up a copy of the campaign in USA Today and reading it online here.

Get a FREE Chapter of SmallBizLady’s Book,
"Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, Revised and Expanded"!

Become Your Own Boss
Download Your FREE Chapter

Most Popular Posts

>Seven Ways to be More Profitable in Your Small Business
> 7 Ways to Attract Customers to Your Small Business
> 6 Tips for Managing Small Business Finances
> How to Run a Successful Multilevel Marketing Business
> 10 Ways to Grow Your Small Business With Instagram
> How to Sell on Facebook
> How to Get Over the Fear of Starting a New Business

Featured Videos

6 ABC Action News
Global Trade Summit

Bloomberg News Interview
How to Support Small Businesses During the Holidays

National Speakers Association
Winter Conference

Fox 29 Philadelphia
'Small Biz Lady' gives best advice for starting a new business in the New Year

Fox Business
Starting a Business

MSNBC
The importance of job mentoring for women

#SmallBizChat Live
National Small Business Week: Q&A

Good Day Philadelphia
Expert Shares Tips on How to Become Your Own Boss

Testimonials

Become Your Own Boss is a must read if you’re thinking of launching a business of your own.
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
The perfect companion for those planning to go out on their own. Melinda delivers firsthand practical advice on how to be the successful entrepreneur. Read it if you want to get it right the first time.
Kenneth L. Shropshire, Professor at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
If you are looking for a versatile speaker who can talk about how to grow small businesses or get started with social media, look no further.
Heather Van Sickle Executive Director, National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE)
Her wit and depth of subject knowledge were entertaining and empowering. Melinda is definitely on our short list of seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders we look to invite back in the near future.
Tennille M. Robinson Senior content & Event producer for Inc. magazine
Melinda Emerson, “SmallBizLady,” is an engaging and witty speaker and a great addition to any conference. Her terrific presentation and compelling delivery give people the information they need and want to become their own bosses and grow success… Read more
Laurie Dalton White Conference Director, Pennsylvania Conference for Women
Melinda Emerson has been a fantastic small business and social media resource for the Pitney Bowes team. Not only is she personable and easy to work with, but she also has an innate understanding of the small business audience. My marketing programs … Read more
Justin Amendola, Former VP, Global SMB Digital Strategy, Pitney Bowes

Latest #SmallBizChat

Is it time to update your legal business structure?

Choosing the right legal structure for your business is one of the most consequential decisions you will make as an entrepreneur, yet many founders select an entity early and never revisit it. What once made sense from a startup perspective may no longer support your profitability, tax efficiency, or long-term exit strategy as your business […]

Fix Your Business Q&A Video

Recent Posts

  • Is it time to update your legal business structure?
  • The SmallBizChat Podcast: How Women Business Leaders Can Manage Their Legacy Wealth with Syama Bunten
  • The Secret Sales Formula: Captivate, Fascinate, Educate, Close ’Em
  • The SmallBizChat Podcast: A Practical Guide to Buying a Business with Kyle Griffith
  • 5 Sales Systems Every Business Needs to Create Predictable Revenue in 2026

#SmallBizChat

  • SmallBizChat Archive
  • @SmallBizLady

Business Advice

  • How to Start

SmallBizLady Store

Products

Free Chapter

Get In Touch

  • FAQ
  • Be a #SmallBizChat Guest
  • Contact Us
Copyright © 2025
Quintessence Entertainment, Inc
PO Box 280
Drexel Hill, PA 19026
(610) 352-0680
Privacy Policy · Refund Policy

Let’s Connect

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • tiktok
  • pinterest
  • linkedin
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • feedburner

Event
Popup Image ×