Top 10 Small Business Trends to Keep an Eye on in 2017

January 27, 2017


2016 was an eventful year to say the least. The presidential election in the U.S. brought in a new leader in Washington and with him a very different approach to government policy and business regulation. Donald Trump has already started to make his presence felt in the first week. If that is any indication 2017 will be an eventful year for small businesses for sure.

As a small business owner it behooves you keep an eye on the trends that will impact your business. Not only will it help you avoid getting into trouble, but also position your business for the future growth. So what trends do we expect to see in 2017? Here are the top 10 from my viewpoint.

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3 Ways Small Businesses Can Improve Employee Engagement

January 26, 2017


Employee engagement has an impact on everything from productivity to employee retention to morale. A variety of studies have found that highly engaged workplaces have 20% or higher productivity and profits per employee than those that don’t. Let’s look at three ways companies can improve their employee engagement.

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4 Tips to Make Your Home Craft Business a Great Success

January 26, 2017


There are a lot of interesting crafts that can be turned into a home business. You can start with an idea you actually love and develop unique, beautiful products that customers are willing to buy. There have been plenty of successful businesses built around home crafts and creative art too.

Turning a hobby and a craft into a business is actually easier than you think. In this article, we are going to take a closer look at how you can take the crafts and creative projects you love so much, make them into a business, and then take that business to success. Let’s get started, shall we?

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6 Tips for Keeping Your Employees Motivated and Engaged

January 25, 2017


For your business to succeed and thrive, you need dedicated and hardworking employees working together in harmony. And to have that, you have to keep your staff engaged. The people you want to have on board are those who are enthusiastic and committed to doing their job.

However, according to a recent study, there are only about 13% of employees worldwide are engaged. This means that the majority of workers around the globe are unhappy, unfulfilled, and unproductive. Employees like these are the ones you should avoid having, as they can cause a string of negative effects on your business.

While these workers can be a source of frustration and can hurt company performance, an effort to improve your people management skills can turn the tide. Here are 7 tips that can help you keep your employees engaged and motivated:

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Your Guide to Success in Small Business after Losing Job

January 25, 2017


It can be quite daunting when you first leave the world of work behind to set up on your own, and even more intimidating if this is your first time dipping your toe into running a business. Not everyone’s cut out to make millions. In fact lots of new businesses, and start-ups fold within five years. Still, there are a few key things you can do to give yourself the very best chance at success before the ink on your company logo’s even dry.

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Professional Search Tips for Small Businesses

January 25, 2017


If you own a small to mid-size business and need to find a trusted professional to address the needs of said business, there are a variety of routes to choose from as you are starting out. Depending on what it is that you need you may feel like you are trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack – especially if you don’t have a huge network of contacts built up.

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4 Common Small Business Problems and Solutions

January 24, 2017


The world of business is constantly on the verge of change. This is something that anyone who is involved in a business at some level knows within their heart. To build a business which will stand the test of time, you need to know what the common challenges facing businesses are, as well as having a keen idea of how you might go about fixing those issues. In this article, we aim to help in that endeavour. We will look at some of the major, most common problems that arise in businesses of all kids today, and discuss how you might go about fixing them in an easy and fast manner. Let’s take a look.

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6 Steps to Creating Precise Instructions when Outsourcing Projects

January 15, 2017


In this day and age, companies have a lot more flexibility and different options are available to them when it comes to dealing with business growth, and outsourcing has become a common tactic used to save time and reduce expenses.

If you have researched how to outsource your projects properly, it means that you have already chosen to take your business to the next level. Now, all you need to do is to make sure that you have created precise instructions for all your outsourcing projects, so here are a few guidelines you should pay attention to.

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How can Small Businesses Benefit by Investing in Employees

January 14, 2017


One of the most effective ways to find success with your business is to invest in the employees that make up your team and staff. The integrity and confidence of the employees will ultimately determine the outcome of the goals that are accomplished each quarter. For those who are looking at investing in their employees, there are number benefits that can come with developing your brand and team. Here are some of the most important ones.

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Small Business Owners: Ignore Employment Laws at Your Own Risk

January 13, 2017


One of the biggest worries for many small business owners is running afoul with employment laws. The number of labor laws in the U.S. has increased significantly in the last several years. There are countless federal and state agencies such as Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division that govern these regulations. All of these agencies are looking at all aspects of labor management to ensure small business owners comply with the laws. Forget to comply with one of myriad laws and you will find yourself in the crosshairs of one these agencies. The consequences of running afoul can range from hefty fine to even jail time.  So what can you do to ensure you don’t end up in this situation?

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