General Business

I remember staring my first business, “Family Computer Consulting Services,” over 12 years ago. I had no clue what I was doing and just grew my business, helping clients, by the seat of my pants. I did have Inc Magazine, which helped give me insight on how other businesses were growing and the challenges they faced, but that’s about it. I dissolved the business (it was profitable!) and morphed into Smallbiztechnology.com.

I wish I’d had Jill Salzman’s book, “Found It. A Field Guide for Mom Entrepreneurs.”

Her easy to read book, with cute imagery, is focused on moms and their entrepreneurial journey but (shh) it’s really a great field guide for a dad or anyone starting their business.

The book is chock full of short, to the point and very useful information, in fact 51 tips, including a resource section. (more…)

By Peter Justen –

As we set out to build our businesses we are inundated with the latest “must have” tools.  Tools to increase our productivity, to help us with our marketing, to help us find new customers and keep the old ones.  Tools to build a web site, to launch a product or even to help us track our financials.

But…those aren’t the kind of tools I am talking about.  Here’s some you might not have thought of, that are free to use, but can cost you terribly in the long run if you don’t use them.

Honesty.  Intellectual honesty.  Being honest with yourself about your products, your marketing, and your growth.  About being honest in your representations with your clients, your brand and your employees.

Loyalty.  Loyalty is such a magic quality.  It can carry you through dark days, and build a bond with your suppliers, vendors, clients and employees that can’t be broken.  Remember, you can’t demand loyalty, but it often comes back to you when you give it.  (more…)

Launching a new business in a 21st century digital world requires using a lot of new and innovative financial tools, not only to plan, but to be able to keep track of the growth and financial success of your business. Almost every day we are introduced yet another great tool that streamlines complicated processes and procedures that just a few years ago would have taken weeks or months to complete or achieve. Millions of U.S. small-business owners are spending a lot of time reviewing and screening the digital bazaar of these new tools.

As technology gets cheaper and easier to use, small firms and Startups take advantage of financial tools more than ever before to run and track their small businesses. And today’s proliferating selection of smartphone and Tablet app’s are providing advantages and conveniences that wouldn’t’ have been imagined only a few years ago.

This year, we’ll introduce you to some of the exciting and innovative new cloud-based financial, project management and communications tools, and offer advice on how to determine which ones would best help you get your business either up and running, or set for further growth and efficiency.  (more…)