America’s SBDC Blog

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Meet the Google Small Business Community

January 12, 2015

Google Small Business CommunityMore than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and two out of three new jobs in the U.S. each year are created by small businesses*. The Google Small Business Community gives these small business owners and entrepreneurs a place to share what makes their businesses special, connect with other businesses and hear from experts.

Our team is committed to providing the best information about business and the web, including how to get your business online, finding and retaining customers and more.

Get Help from Experts and Each Other

Our ongoing trainings include tips from partners such as Twitter, MasterCard, Intuit, Mailchimp, Squarespace, and HostGator covering a range of topics relevant to small businesses. We even host partners live, giving our members direct access to industry leaders. For example, this past August we hosted Maria Contreras-Sweet, the leader of the U.S. Small Business Administration and voice of small business in President Obama’s Cabinet, who answered questions from our small business owners in real time. (more…)

Give Twitter A Try: How to get started on Twitter even if you don’t really want to

January 8, 2015
By Andrea Rowland

Andrea_RowlandI used to think I was allergic to Twitter. Whenever a friend or colleague asked for my “handle” (and it happened A LOT), I’d break out in a cold sweat and run for the nearest exit. I couldn’t bring myself to admit that I wasn’t on Twitter. I was too busy to learn ANOTHER new technology. I had a job. I had a family. I had a life.

And then I wrote a book.

Where could I connect with other authors to learn how they went about getting their books published? Stay on top of trends and trendsetters? Join conversations about landing a literary agent and writing a proposal and all the other stuff I didn’t yet know about the publishing industry? Twitter.

This time, I didn’t flee. I was reluctant but resolved to give Twitter a try.  (more…)

Five Resolutions to Cultivate and Grow Your Business in 2015

January 6, 2015
By Cindy Bates

Five ResolutionsThe start of a New Year is likely to have many SMB owners recounting the ups and downs of the past year and looking for things they can do better in 2015. For some, that means streamlining budgets. For others, that means getting a better grasp on the elusive work/life balance. In my role, it means looking for ways to increase productivity and helping SMB owners get back a bit more of one of the world’s most precious resources – time.

As I look for ways to improve productivity this year, I’ve shared a few tried and true methods below that will help you start your year off strong.

• Start with you – Taking better care of yourself can go a long way towards helping your business thrive. It can be as simple as getting more rest. Sleep can have a major impact on your performance, with one study finding sleep to be more important than food. The latest wearable devices make it easier than ever to track your habits – when asleep or awake to keep your efforts on track. Best of all, you can share healthy habits with your employees. Scheduling daily walks or offering yoga courses onsite can reduce stress and encourage teambuilding.  (more…)

Success Story: Ohio

December 22, 2014
By Dan O’Brien
2014--12-22_BoloStickPolice Officer Invents ‘Bolo Stick’ to Protect Schools

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — The device is remarkably simple: a steel bracket and anchor pin that affixes to the base of a door, preventing an intruder from opening or forcing that door open.

What’s even more remarkable is that no one else has thought of it until now.

“I’ve been a police officer for 28 years, I’m an instructor at the police academy,” says William Barna, inventor and owner of the Bolo Stick, a security tool that he is marketing to local schools and hopes to sell across the country. The name of the product is derived from a common police term, “Bolo,” short for “be on the lookout.”  (more…)