Owning a small business often means wearing every possible hat available, from marketer to sales clerk and inventory manager to HR professional. Learn from the experiences of the small business owners who are NFIB members as well as the best experts for each industry. Below you will find small business tips for everything from taxes and regulation to promotion and networking.
The Small Business Owner: Steve Vogt, CEO and founder of BioPlus in Altamonte Springs, Florida The Book: Rhythm: How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth by Patrick Thean Why I Read It: Our company had hit a ceiling after years of good growth. What got us there initially was not working anymore. I wanted to make changes and prepare for the...
Starting a company without a formal business plan would have been a crazy proposition 10 years ago. But things are changing rapidly, especially in the booming startup culture. Nathan Beckord, a startup consultant for the past 10 years, says he’s seen a sharp decrease in the use of business plans over his career. “For the first five to six years, over...
The Small Business Owner: Patrick Freuler, founder and CEO of Audicus in New York City The Book: The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries Why I Read It: I had heard that the book was based on experimenting and testing, and this really caught my interest. I have a background in engineering...
Does your small business have a blog? Many companies do a great job with their corporate blog, and generate lots of business as a result. Others could benefit from having a blog. Meanwhile, there are some companies who have a blog, but probably shouldn’t! Before you get started, it’s important to determine whether a blog is a good fit for...
Loud music, dripping sweat and the tagline “Protect this house.” For many years, that’s how Under Armour focused its marketing efforts on male athletes. But much has changed since the sports apparel company’s inception in 1996. Under Armour launched a global (and successful) women’s campaign that featured ballet dancer Misty Copeland and supermodel Gisele Bündchen, with both commercials generating more than...
There’s nothing more frustrating than delivering a killer pitch or demonstrating your service, only to have a potential customer turn you down. But don’t take “no” as a final answer yet. Two small business owners share strategies they use to win over stubborn buyers. Get to the Bottom of It First, figure out why a customer is turning you down, says business...
What Are Digital Assets? Digital assets include intangible assets and intellectual property owned by your business. The most common are websites, domain names, logos and email accounts. Digital assets can also include branding, copyrighted or trademarked ideas and patents. Nasir Pasha, a business-law attorney who practices in California, New York and Texas with his firm Pasha Law, says identifying these assets can...
Did you know that the baking industry accounts for $311 billion in total economic output, or roughly 2.1 percent of the United States’ GDP? According to the American Bakers Association, approximately 1.76 million Americans were employed either directly or indirectly through the baking industry in 2010. If you love to bake, you’re not alone–and clearly, baking is big business! If you’ve...
Are retail stores the new coffee shops? Modern retail shops are transforming brick-and-mortar storefronts into hangout spaces where customers can lounge with free coffee, browse the Net with complementary Wi-Fi or maybe even take some group exercise classes. It’s all part of an effort to drive up sales and keep customers coming back for more. Creating an inviting atmosphere—like Apple’s retail stores,...
The Small Business Owner: Mark Shehan, CEO of ABC123 IT in Dallas The Book: The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy to Grow a Remarkable Business in Any Field by Mike Michalowicz Why I Read It: I met Mike at an event for business owners in information technology in October 2013. During this event, we spent Saturday morning doing the basics of The...
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