I recently had the opportunity to do a live Q & A call with a group called Under30CEO.com. They were a terrific bunch of young people many of whom were still college students. I wanted to share with all of you the advice I shared with them, because I think it could be useful for […]
5 Tips to Create a Successful 2012 Marketing Budget
It isn’t 2012 just yet. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be planning for it. For any business to be successful, it’s necessary to have a marketing budget. And while next year seems like a far off notion today, there is no better time to start establishing how you’ll invest your marketing dollars. Below are […]
SmallBizLady 2011 Year in Review
Wow, it has been an amazing year. The SmallBizLady Team has worked hard providing information to end small business failure. I feel so blessed to have had an opportunity to travel the country and talk directly with small business owners about how to start and stay in business. There are so many big things to […]
Ready to dream big in 2012?
Are you ready to dream big in 2012? This is the perfect time to get a clear sense of what you need to do better in your business. Setting annual sales goals is fine, but you know me. I am all about the 30-day sales goal. As in, how much money do you need to […]
How to Export to China as a Small Business
Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Frank Lavin @Export_Now Frank was America’s salesman in chief in his role as Under Secretary for International Trade at the U.S. Department of […]
Managing The Stress In Your Small Business
When you put out your shingle that says open for business, you immediately take on 10-14 jobs all at once. Even the best multi-tasker, can become a spaghetti brain at times, especially when everything happens all at once. How you handling stress is a key ingredient in your long-term success in business. Here is a […]
Are You Focused on the What’s New Part of Your Business?
The ads have been run, the banners placed (either at your brick-and mortar store or online), the emails have been sent and the tweets have been written, it’s now time to launch your business. All the months of preparation, anxiety, and expectations have coalesced around this pivotal point – creating an enterprise to sell something. […]
Pros and Cons of Running a Small Business with Your Spouse
What can be better than having your most trusted ally working with you while you are trying to navigate the challenging route to small business ownership? You can rely on him / her to face whatever challenge comes along the way. Your spouse also understands your strengths and weaknesses better than anyone else and can […]
Are Your Poor Management Skills Holding Back Your Business?
You run a small business and you can’t help but notice that you are not getting the most out of some of your employees. Are they not motivated? Do they just not seem to get the required work? Have you found them to be different from when you first hired them? Do you suspect that […]
Are You Ready For Succession Planning In Your Family Business?
A colleague recently asked me: “Is succession planning the biggest issue facing family businesses today?” After giving the question some thought, I responded that we must be clear on what we mean by Succession Planning. If succession planning is defined as the journey to plan for leadership for the survival of the business as an […]