Focus In Your Business For A Better Year This Time Around

January 12, 2017 by

Procrastination is not  a friend for the small business owner. As flawed human beings, we tend to put off chores till we can no longer do so. We try to “delegate” the things we do not like to do, and we make excuses as to why certain things didn’t get done on time.  Focus for the small business owner is too important to treat it lightly.  Focus can mean more sales, or a better strategy for the long run and the prosperity of the business itself. For more about this topic, follow the links below.

How To Maintain Your Small Business Focus

Like most people, I thought I understood what Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) was all about. After all, the conversation about why some kids have a really hard time settling down and focusing in the classroom has been going on since the 1980s.

Over the years, I’ve had classmates and colleagues who were diagnosed, and through interactions with them I thought I knew what the situation was. It wasn’t until I started living with my beau, Rob, who has ADD, that I began to truly appreciate the magnitude of the condition and how it impacts everyday life.

ADD isn’t about a lack of focus. Rob can be exceptionally focused. However, his intense focus only lasts for a brief period of time. Then, in what feels like the blink of an eye, Rob’s focused on something else … and then something else, and then something else: it’s easy to see why it’s hard to get things done. The constant change in focus means using up a lot of energy without seeing a lot of results.  Luckily, there are treatments for ADD. It’s absolutely amazing what a difference medication and behavioral strategies have made in Rob’s life. With them, he can control his focus and achieve his goals.

Cramer admits he was wrong about the impact of small business on stocks

Jim Cramer was convinced last week that a jump in small business optimism would have no influence on the stock market.

“I was wrong,” the “Mad Money” host said.

The monthly National Federation of Independent Business survey of small business optimism report this week indicated that December had greatest surge in optimism since 1980, when Ronald Reagan was elected.

The survey polled 619 businesses, and showed a jump to 105.8, the highest since 2004. The survey was heavily skewed toward the notion of expansion with the notion that more optimism leads to more hiring and job creation, which translates into economic improvement.

“I can’t emphasize how important this all is because right now there is a perception in the media that there is nothing but trouble ahead with Trump’s nominations, with his plans, with his style,” Cramer said.

Abrams: 7 steps to small-business success in 2017

It’s closing in on mid-January, and what happened to all those new year’s resolutions you set with such enthusiasm 10 days ago? Resolutions often quickly get forgotten. How can you turn your good intentions for your small business into real action? Turn those resolutions into “small business success goals” for 2017.

How do goals differ from resolutions? Resolutions are intentions. Goals are specific, realistic, measurable objectives. They give you clear, practical targets. They help you achieve success. After all, one of “Rhonda’s Rules” is “you can’t reach a goal you haven’t set.”

Most small business owners, however, often feel they’re too busy running their companies to take time     to develop a specific list of goals. Besides, if you’re like me, you have a sense of your goals in your head, so why write them down? But “mental goals” tend to be either too big (“Be a millionaire by the time I’m 30”) or more likely, out of our control (“Land five new clients this week”).

Yes, developing a list of achievable goals requires a bit of work. You don’t want to sit down and just write out a whole laundry list of desires. That’s going to result in a frustrating number of unachievable targets.

 

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Small Business News And Information

December 13, 2016 by

We must not believe in polls or pollsters ever again, or at least for the near future.  Predictions were wrong when pollsters assured us of an imminent victory for  Hillary Clinton. And, according to them, small business owners’ optimism before the election was assuredly flat.  After the election, the pollsters tell us small business owner’s optimism is soaring. It is soaring so much that despite their great optimism about the new president elect, they are holding onto investing, waiting to see what it’s going to happen when he actually takes office.  As is everyone.

Follow the links for more about this and other stories.

One key thing is missing from small business owners’ euphoria over Trump’s win

Several surveys show that President-elect Donald Trump’s win was a confidence boost for business owners. However, they’re not immediately planning to invest more.

On Tuesday, the National Federation of Independent Business’ report on small businesses continued this trend.

“What a difference a day makes,” said Juanita Duggan, the NFIB CEO, in the release. “Before election day small business owners’ optimism was flat, and after election day it soared.”

The headline Small Business Optimism Index jumped by 3.5 points to 98.4. Like Wall Street, small business owners are betting that Trump’s promises to ease regulations and cut taxes would support their bottom lines.

In fact, compared to the bigger companies — whose shares have rallied since the election — small business owners  are likely more excited about these prospects because they have less muscle to cope in the current environment.

8 Powerful Ways to Market Your Business on a Limited Budget

When money is tight, think outside the box.

According to HubSpot, the third top marketing challenge for companies is the lack of budgeting resources. Unless you are a startup with venture or angel capital, you probably have a limited marketing budget. Here some ways you can market your business on a limited budget.

1. Go guerilla.

Guerilla marketing looks to leverage creativity, imagination and originality in place of a big budget. Smart small businesses with a limited budget often use guerilla marketing to compete with huge companies. There is no shortage of creative guerilla marketing ideas. Here are just a few examples:

In the shadow of Trump Tower, small businesses suffer

The holiday season is typically a busy one for Judge Roy Bean Public House in midtown Manhattan.

The bar and restaurant had been on a solid run, up 20 percent overall for the year, and owner Peter Pernicone had high hopes for strong sales to close out 2016.

Then came Election Day.

The small business is located in the shadow of Trump Tower on West 56th Street, which is now swarmed with New York police officers and Secret Service agents, guarding President-elect Donald Trump as he makes the transition from businessman to commander-in-chief.

“For November, we’re down 30 percent,” Pernicone said. “They’re keeping the streets open, then closing them down. There’s no rhyme or reason. We don’t know what to expect. The police presence on the corner has been intimidating, and tourists are scared to walk down 56th street.”

 

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Tax Tips For the Small Business Owner

December 7, 2016 by

Feeling a bit uncertain about the growth of your business for 2017?  Would a bit more money in your pocket alleviate some of the financial burden you are experiencing now?  There are many advantages a C-corporation have that the small business owner does not.  But knowing the advantages your small business have can help put more money in your pocket.  Having an accountant look into your tax returns-if you don’t have the same one-can be beneficial to you.  Spotting mistakes or tax breaks you did not claim the previous years are going to be obvious to spot for the new accountant.  Don’t wait till the week before taxes are due to start preparing to file. Don’t throw away receipts throughout the year, keep them in a folder, and put them there as soon as you enter your office.  But most importantly, talk to your accountant to find ways to keep more money in your pocket.

For more about this and other stories, follow the links below.

Last-minute tax tips for entrepreneurs in 2016

Here’s an opportunity to save, but don’t delay.

If you run a small business, now is the time to shore up your finances and take advantage of available deductions to cut your tax bill.

Bear in mind, you’re wrapping up this year’s books. Advisors say it’s too early to see how the Trump administration will shape the tax regime in 2017.

“For 2016, we can play by the rules we have available to us now,” said Gavin Morrissey, managing partner at Financial Strategy Associates in Needham, Massachusetts. “Small-business owners should re-evaluate things in 2017, once we know the new tax rules under Trump.”

Though the end of the year is a good time for even regular 9-to-5 employees to do some tax planning, it’s especially critical for owners of small businesses. In part, that’s because entrepreneurs are responsible for paying their estimated state and federal taxes on time.

They’re also on their own when it comes to setting up and funding their retirement plans in a timely fashion.

“Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.”

Every year, you pay your taxes. Every year, you wonder why you pay certain taxes. And every year, the process never becomes any more enjoyable. While you’re never going to welcome the action of giving the government your hard-earned money, here are several mistakes you can avoid to make the entire process less painful.

Waiting Until The Last Minute

Most tax deadlines are rigid, so don’t wait until the last minute to start. Just as you’d charge a customer extra for a quick turnaround on a project, so will your tax accountant.

Start the conversations with your accountant long before your returns are due (April 15th — or Sept. 15th for corporations and Oct. 15th for individuals, if you file for an extension). Know what inputs she or he will need, and when you’ll expect to have them. Get on their good side and your tax accountant will be more likely to try to dig up some possible deductions to save you money.

Small business owners feeling the recession pinch

ANCHORAGE – 

If you’re budgeting less for Christmas presents this holiday season, you’re not alone. Local retailers say they’re feeling the effects of the recession.

That’s no surprise to economic experts, like Bill Popp, who is president of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation. He said consumers aren’t just worried about the drop in oil prices, but also the lack of a fiscal plan at the state level.

“We know that consumers still remain relatively wary of what the future will hold,” Popp said. “They’re not sure which way it’s going to go.”

That has people watching their money more closely and it’s hurting this holiday season for small business owners, like Katie Sevigny, owner of 7E studio.

“Small Business Saturday was down and it was down for most of us,” she said, after speaking with other business owners. But she said besides the drop in sales, it’s the length people are going to for a deal that surprised her. “People actually walking into our store, trying on items, and then either taking a picture of the tag or just looking them up online.”

 

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Looking For A Business Loan?

December 2, 2016 by

59948705Many entrepreneurs have launched their small business with a loan from a parent, uncle, or any other relative willing and able to afford lending a small sum, and perhaps not getting their money back for many years. Not everyone has the means to do that, and that’s why getting a small business loan from a bank is so important for many entrepreneurs, or even the small business owner already established.  Many analysts believe the lack of small business loans available to small business owners has decreased over the years, and the terms of the loans are not very favorable to the small business owner or entrepreneur.  Looking at different alternatives seems the only way for anyone looking for a loan to launch their business idea.

For more about this topic, follow the link below.

Four Smart Ways To Finance Your Next Big Idea Or Small Business

If you’ve ever wanted to start a business of your own, there’s likely been one big hurdle getting in your way: getting the money to finance your big idea.

Fortunately, the internet has made this process a whole lot easier. In the mid-90s, I was able to self-fund my business through the first few dollars I made online, then kept scaling and putting money back into my business over time.

Like most online businesses, my startup costs were extremely low. But not all business models are created equal: Some may need more investment money and funding than others. To help with this process, I’ve listed four different ways you can start raising money or obtaining a financial loan for your next big business idea.

Pre-Sell Your Product Or Idea Before Launching

Wouldn’t it be great if you could prove your model worked before starting your business? In the offline world, this is quite expensive and hard to accomplish. But on the internet, it’s happening every day.

‘Fintech’ fast-cash loans are like ‘wild west’ for small businesses

If you run a small business, you’re likely seeing a flood of offers for easy-to-get loans — through direct mail, pop-up ads, even TV ads — promising fast money to pay your bills or buy new equipment. But that new world of fast cash can come with some costly catches.

“It’s been the wild west,” said Karen Gordon Mills, co-author of a just-released Harvard Business School study exploring the promise and challenges of alternative small-business lending. The sector has exploded in the last few years as a new industry emerged, referred to as “fintech” (for financial technology).

Typically, to get a loan, a small-business owner needs to provide a bank with tax returns, personal and business financial statements and a pile of other documents and data.  “You have to wait weeks or months,” said Mills, who co-wrote the report “Small Business Lending: Innovation and Technology and the Implications for Regulation” with Brayden McCarthy.

Moreover, there’s been a persistent “credit gap” — a dramatic lack of funds available for small businesses needing smaller amounts of money, less than $250,000.

Here Is What Small Business Needs From the Trump Administration

The nation’s 28 million small businesses and tens of millions of self-employed freelancers need a voice the President will listen to.

As President-Elect Trump is busy at work filling his Cabinet positions, the one area that may be among the most important, but is among the least talked about, pertains to small business.

Small business and entrepreneurship are at the center of creating jobs and growing the economy, which are key pieces of Trump’s stated focus. While previous presidents, including President Obama, have raised the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to a Cabinet-level position, Trump should continue his out-of-the-box thinking and make a small business Cabinet position even more front and center in his own administration.

As a leading small business advocate for the greater part of the past decade, I’ve identified several key areas that Trump’s appointee should be able to navigate in order to add full value to the administration, as well as the 28 million small businesses (and tens of millions of freelancers) currently at the center of our economic engine.

 

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Small Business Saturday

November 22, 2016 by

small-shopNovember 26, 2016, is Small Business Saturday.   More than 16 billion dollars were spent last year at small retailers across the nation according to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and this year many believe will be bigger.  If you are a small business, this holiday weekend is sure to provide you with the extra sales you were hoping for and the extra income many small businesses need.

For more about Small Business Saturday, follow the links below for more information.

8 Ways To Boost Sales Using Social Media This Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday, the day after Black Friday, was created to shift attention from big box stores to the smaller mom-and-pop shops offering carefully curated product selection and gift ideas you won’t find anywhere else. It’s a celebration of everything that makes small businesses special.

To take advantage of the spotlight being shone on Small Business Saturday on Nov. 26, 2016, make sure your business is leveraging social media to get the word out. Here are eight tactics to use:

1.Use The Hashtag #ShopSmall

On Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, use the hashtag #ShopSmall to allow customers to easily find information about your business and to alert them that you’re participating in Small Business Saturday. And use the hashtag yourself to search social media for other ideas for promoting your small business during this busy time of year.

Small Business Saturday is expected to be busier than ever

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Politicians and the Small Business Administration’s District director visited several small stores in Lakewood on Monday, a grass-roots marketing effort to bring attention to Small Business Saturday this weekend.

“We were in Lakewood to highlight Small Business Saturday which comes after Black Friday and before Cyber Monday because we want to encourage people to shop small this coming Saturday,” said Gil Goldberg, the SBA district director. “But we could have been in any town, city or village in Northern Ohio to illustrate the support that merchants in the community provide.”

Goldberg was joined by Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Lakewood Mayor Mike Summers.

Last year, Small Business Saturday packed a big punch to the U.S. economy: 95 million consumers shopped in small and local retailers and restaurants and spent $16.2 billion, nearly triple ($5.5 billion) what consumers spent  with small retailers in 2012, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The shopping day was first started by American Express. The idea came about during the recession in 2009, and officially launched a year later. At the time, the nation was still recovering from the financial crisis, and eventually lost about 200,000 small businesses.

Rosenberry: Shop small business Saturday

Black Friday is almost here, which means the Christmas shopping season has officially begun.

More power to you if you want to fight the traffic and the crowds. But don’t forget: You also can get deals on Small Business Saturday — which happens just one day later.

In the spirit of the holiday, I wanted to scope out a small business that’s new to me, someplace I’ve never been; and I found the perfect place — a cute little craft store with a big heart.

Craft Bits & Pieces is located in Fairport’s Village Landing plaza. Unlike most places you may shop this holiday season, Craft Bits & Pieces’ sole purpose is a charitable one. It raises money for Perinton’s Senior Options for Independence, care management and transportation programs.

The shop relies on more than 50 volunteers to collect, sort, clean, package and shelve thousands of items donated every week. The shop has three part-time managers and is overseen by Joanne Haag, executive director of the Fairport/Perinton Senior Living Council.

True to its name, Craft Bits & Pieces is a crafter’s dream store, stuffed with fabric, notions, buttons, scrapbooking supplies, yarns, needles, dried flowers and more. Plenty of delights for non-crafters also line the shelves, including home decor items, glassware, jewelry, puzzles and books.

 

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What You Need To Know About Motivating Employees

October 27, 2016 by

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The January 2016 Gallup poll about employment engagement in 2014 and 2015 shows a .5% increase in 2015.  That said, employment engagement in the United States is still only 32%.  The small increase is minimal, and employment engagement has been flat since 2000 according to them.

Also, according to the Gallop poll information, “Engaged employees are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work” in other words, only one-third of employees in the United States are enthusiastic, or committed to their job.  Many employees believe they have very little or no say in the way they do their jobs, and that their work lives are not in their control.  Many believe the impact they have in their place of work is minimal if any at all.  As a manager, what can you do to improve employment engagement, or motivate them to do better?  Follow the links below for more about this topic.

How to Motivate Employees to Work

Motivation can simply be defined as your willingness or eagerness to accomplish a task. Motivation is what enables you to take action instead of procrastinating about doing something. Motivation isn’t the same as inspiration. A lot of people might be inspired to do something but that does not mean that they will be motivated enough to get started on the work that needs to be done in order to achieve the goal.

So what keeps people motivated at work? Although we need motivation to do almost everything other than just work but since work is what we do in order to make a living, we’ll keep this article to what it takes to ensure your employees are motivated to work and be productive.

First of all, the stress of not doing something that needs doing can sometimes in itself make people motivated to get work done. But not everybody performs so well under stress plus constant stress can affect the health badly.

Have you ever noticed that you don’t feel like doing anything until the deadline of submission comes really close and then you panic and start working all hours of the day. Well that’s the kind of stress some people feed on in order to get things done. So a positive way to ‘push’ people to perform can be by fixing a deadline to tasks. When they know that they don’t have unlimited time to complete the task they’ll be more motivated to work on it.

4 Ways to Motivate Employees to Achieve Phenomenal Results Every Day

Motivating your employees day-in and day-out is no easy task. But, if you want to keep them engaged, productive, and happy, then it’s a necessity if you want your business to thrive. Not only will your employees give you their all, they’ll also be more inclined to stay with you, which reduces the cost of hiring and training new employees.

If you’re looking for a good starting point, here four ways to motivate your employees to be phenomenal every day.

1. Identify and retain your A-Players.

Arguably the most important way to motivate your employees everyday is to make sure that you have people who are talented and can fit your company’s culture. In other words, you want to surround yourself with people who are, asBrent Frei, executive chairman and co-founder of Smartsheet, describes as “A-Players.”

Three steps to making employee motivation work

Engagement is key to employee happiness, says a workplace psychology expert.

Numerous works have been written about how to keep staff happy, motivated and productive. Adrian Furnham, professor of psychology at University College London for the last 25 years, can write his principles of good people management on a small piece of paper.

First priority is setting clear objectives. The second is supporting employees to do their job. The third is providing constructive feedback.

Stick to these and you won’t go far wrong, he says, even in a disrupted working environment where the pace of change is breakneck and managers are struggling to separate threats from opportunities.

“People always think that change is faster in their generation than in any other,” Furnham says. “However, I think there is reasonable evidence to suggest things are changing faster than ever before, particularly in relation to technology. We are all so interconnected now that changes in one part of the world create changes everywhere else.

 

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Marketing Your Business And Products Using Social Media

October 13, 2016 by

Customer Relationship Management business chart on a digital tab

If you are a small business owner and need to market your business, what better way to do it  than to use social media?  Many small business owners have realized than marketing their business using social media is easier than they thought at first. They do not need to be computer savvy to do it, they do not need to understand the code behind a WordPress post, and they do not need to be afraid to try it for the first time.  Using social media to market their business is the best way to reach millions of customers without investing too much time and money to do it.

For more about this topic, follow the links below.

Almost Half of Small Businesses Marketing Products on Social Media (INFOGRAPHIC)

Small businesses are waking up to the potential for using social media to market their products, a new study has found.

How Small Businesses Are Using Social Media

According to the report by SCORE, a nonprofit association for small businesses, 45 percent of these small companies use social media marketing to promote a specific product or service.

Apart from product promotion, small businesses use social media marketing for the following purposes:

To share information about sales and discounts (38 percent).

To gain likes and fans (38 percent).

To solicit/respond to customer feedback (34 percent).

Other purposes include providing videos to highlight products or services (29 percent), sharing a company blog post (20 percent) and establishing their personal expertise (23 percent).

5 Ways To Use Video Marketing For Small Business Growth

The power of video can’t be ignored. It’s the most engaging type of contentavailable today. And it’s never been more affordable to create one. There are many ways in which you can use a video to grow your small business. This guide is going to show you how to do it.

Implant A Video On Your Landing Page

The majority of small businesses will invest in online advertising. These ads will lead to a landing page, where customers can begin to crawl through the sales funnel. Improving landing page conversion rates is always a major matter of concern, but with a video, this is relatively easy.

Studies have shown that a video placed on your landing page can increase conversions by 80%. This is because the content is engaging and it encourages people to watch. What you have to bear in mind is that this video shouldn’t automatically play.

Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses: An Interview with Douglas Geller

The following social media marketing industry interview is with Douglas Geller, author of The Dreamer and an experienced PR professional who is currently serving as a Social Media Coordinator for The University of Mixed Martial Arts.

Andrew: Do you think that Social Media Marketing is useful for small businesses? Why or why not?

Douglas: I think social media marketing is extremely useful for small businesses. It allows businesses to not only target a specific audience but engage with the audience as well. It also allows for a connection that can’t be bought through a TV or magazine advertisement. People can make an emotional connection and will remember when the brand reaches out or reacts on social media. Social media also creates the opportunity for content to go viral which other mediums are not able to offer (though this should never be counted on). There are so many positives in my opinion that the negatives such as bad reviews are outweighed and can be turned into positives. Bad reviews simply tell you what is wrong and how to fix it, without social media, you can’t hear what everyone says about you and offers a chance to make adjustments and be recognized for it.

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News To Help You Make Your Small Business Stronger

September 27, 2016 by

59948705

Small businesses, many economists believe are the driving force of the US economy.  From the business owner with no employees, to the companies that have 500 hundred, it is certain the United States economy benefits from the entrepreneurship of the 27 millions of Americans that start a business, or are running one. 

For more information about small business, follow the links below.

 Better Serving Small Business

Small businesses have to go through too many regulatory obstacles to fund themselves.

While it’s new firms that tend to drive job creation, small businesses overall play an important role in the economy. In 2013, roughly half of all jobs and wages earned were through small businesses. And as Goldman Sachs’ Head of Global Investment ResearchSteve Strongin pointed out earlier this year, as of 2013 there may be more than 600,000 fewer small businesses than if we’d not had the 2007-2009 crisis. Since politicians often blame others for economic woes or claim responsibility for economic successes, it’s no surprise that small businesses serve as a talking point this election season.

For instance, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pledged to “break down barriers so that starting a business can be as easy as setting up a lemonade stand in the front yard,” though regulations even seem to be getting in the way of that these days. Nevertheless, the objective of making it easier for small businesses to fund themselves has broad appeal with Americans of all political stripes. Figuring out how businesses fund themselves and what obstacles they face is the first step toward thinking about effective solutions to address the constraints on access to capital for small businesses.

How to maximize your tax deduction for business use of a car

Anyone who uses a car for business should know the costs associated with the miles you drive for your business are tax-deductible. Most years, when the IRS publishes its deductible cost-per-mile rates, the figure rises as the cost of owning and operating a motor vehicle rises.

But not for 2016. For this tax year, the IRS has dropped the standard mileage rateto 54 cents per mile from 57.5 cents in 2015, thanks to sustained low gas prices.

However, you may find that your actual operating costs are higher than the deduction the IRS allows in its standard mileage rate.

So why do so many taxpayers use the standard mileage rate to figure their deduction for business use of a vehicle? Well, for starters, most people think it’s easier, requires less documentation and has less chance of an IRS audit. But none of that is true.

You might think the standard rate overcomes a lack of keeping detailed expense records. But it doesn’t. In fact, most people who use a car for business purposes probably have most of the expense records they need to use the actual-expense method.

Your Small Business Should Have a Board of Directors

You may have the best small business ideas in the world, but succeeding in business requires you to understand the business of running a business. Operating a business of any size is not like mixing together the right ingredients for a casserole and then letting it cook in the oven. It’s a continual, evolving process, and you have to develop and tweak your processes and systems to make it work. One of the best ways to learn to run your business better is to pull together a board of advisors.

It’s important to be honest with yourself about what you don’t know. Once you identify learning gaps, it’s best to pull together five or so people who know more about business than you. When you start thinking about who might be the best suited for your advisory board. Start with an existing entrepreneur, an existing or potential customer, a mentor who may not be in your industry, a lawyer and an accountant to recruit to your board.

You can always realize a strong return on investment by allowing specialists to advise you in areas in which you are not trained. As the business owner, you always need to be focused on your most valuable tasks. In addition to specific skills and processes, your business can benefit from small business advice on a broader, more holistic level. Using a board of advisors is invaluable guidance for your business.

 

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Small Business Hiring And News

September 1, 2016 by

64002400Small business owners across the United States are being careful after the dismal reports of hiring across the country.  They are holding off any hiring they may do, and are still reticent to make any moves that will put their financials in jeopardy.  Economic growth seems to be inching forward a bit slowly, and some small business owners are still holding off till elections are over.

To read more about this and other stories follow the links below.

Dear Donald Trump: I’m a Small Business Owner, and I Want More Regulation

We love the election-year attention but the presidential candidates are focusing on the wrong things

In election years, I love calling myself a “small business owner.” It’s the one time when the act of selling falafel, building a website or otherwise trying to make a buck comes off as heroic. We’re the “backbone” of the economy, you know, and the “heart and soul of equal opportunity,” as Fran Tarkenton told the Republican convention.

It’s the season when politicians shower us with love and policy papers. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have put forward proposals to make our businesses great again, together. I prefer Clinton’s, but mostly I think the election-year pandering to small businesses misses what really matters.

 Trump, like most Republicans, focuses on tax relief. He proposes lowering the top rate for pass-through business income to 15%. This doesn’t move me. Why? My company doesn’t earn enough for the proposal to make much of a difference, as is true for most small business owners. The lion’s share of pass-through income is earned by a small percentage of businesses, which means wealthy individuals would catch a giant tax break while the majority of small business owners are unaffected.

Columbus, Ohio: A growing mecca for small business

In a prior life, Joe DeLoss worked as a banking analyst, but today, his day job couldn’t be more different. DeLoss owns the wildly popular Hot Chicken Takeover in Columbus, Ohio, serving up Nashville Hot Chicken, a spicy style of fried chicken.

 But it’s not the leap from banking to fast food that makes his story so interesting. It’s the fact that his two-year-old restaurant is staffed by a nearly 50-person workforce that has largely experienced incarceration. Some employees have criminal arrest records, while others have served time for everything from misdemeanors to felonies. DeLoss admits they might be overlooked by other employers, but he’s a firm believer in second chances. Make no mistake, though; it’s no charity.

“We created Hot Chicken Takeover to be a fair chance employer. A large part of our workforce has been affected by incarceration in the past, but it’s not what defines our future. We have a team that works harder, is more productive and more motivated than most people in our industry,” DeLoss said.

 State lawmakers OK parental leave for small-business workers

SACRAMENTO — California parents who work for small businesses would be eligible for six weeks of job-protected leave under a bill heading to Gov.Jerry Brown.

The bill was among the myriad of proposed laws sent Wednesday to Brown on the final day of the two-year legislative session. Brown has until Sept. 30 to act on the hundreds of bills on his desk.

With Wednesday’s adjournment, lawmakers concluded a year in which they raised the minimum wage, extended greenhouse gas reduction targets to 2030, added gun control measures and approved $2 billion in bond money for housing and treating mentally ill Californians who are homeless.

On a lighter note, lawmakers approved a bill Wednesday declaring denim as the state’s official fabric under AB501 by Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael.

 

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Business News For The Small Business Owner

August 17, 2016 by

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It is perhaps the ability of a small business owner to keep optimism at high levels to be able to do what they do every single day.  There is no other people telling you what to do, or what jobs require top priority.    As a small business owner, the credit and blame stop with them.  There is no employee that works in a small business, that is not the responsibility of the owner.  The successes and the failures mean something else for them as well.  To be a small business owner is to be different.  To have the courage to do what many others wish to do, but are afraid to take the first step.  Read more about business news by following the links below.

Abrams: Small businesses have already won the gold

Small-business owners: If you’ve been watching the Olympics, you may be getting the wrong message. I’m here to tell you that you’re winners, even if you never get the business equivalent of an Olympic gold medal.

For the past week, I’ve been mesmerized watching swimmer Katie Ledecky breaking world records with ease. Usain Bolt running faster than any man on Earth, and smiling as he does it. Those amazing, fearless gymnasts, led by Simone Biles, risking life and limb.

But one aspect of Olympic coverage that frustrates me is when someone asks a silver- or bronze-medal winner if they’re disappointed because they didn’t win the gold.

Most of these fantastic athletes react the way American swimmer Nathan Adrian did when asked whether he was upset that he “only” got a bronze. He looked surprised, then, with an endearing grin, he reminded the correspondent that hey, he was at the Olympics and he won a medal. How great is that?

The Truth About Hiring Friends in Your Small Business

Hiring friends must be done with care to be successful.

Small business ideas are often mulled over by friends long before you take the plunge and say, “I’ve made the decision. I’m starting my own business.” Friends’ reactions may range from encouragement to total negativity, but there’s a good chance at least one friend might be interested in working for you or with you.

While mixing business with friendship can work out, many people choose to keep business separate from friendships. Business relationships gone sour can ruin relationships, and some people avoid this risk by starting out with a “no hiring friends” policy. Most people fall between the two extremes of wanting to hire friends and refusing to do so. With strict boundaries, it’s possible to successfully hire friends for your business.

Hiring a Friend Will Be Fine, Right?

Maybe? After deciding to start your own business, it’s intuitive that many people want friends on board to help build the business. And since close friends tend to be vocal supporters of your ideas, and may be willing to work long hours with little or no pay it makes the choice a quick solution.

Aetna ditching 70% of its ObamaCare business

Insurance giant Aetna won’t be offering coverage under ObamaCare next year in 11 of the 15 states it now serves — an announcement that instantly became an issue in the presidential race.

Aetna’s decision led Donald Trump to charge that President Obama’s health care reform was “imploding.”

“Aetna’s decision to leave the Affordable Care Act’s public marketplaces is the latest blow to this broken law that is slowly imploding under its regulatory red tape,” said Trump campaign deputy national policy director Dan Kowalski.

“Millions of Americans have lost their health coverage under this disastrous policy, eliminating their ability to choose their doctors. Thousands of businesses have been forced to cut employment or shutter their doors in response to Obama’s signature achievement,” he added.

The company had previously warned that it expected to lose more than $300 million this year on the 900,000 patients it covers under the Affordable Care Act.

Aetna said it is pulling out of ObamaCare markets in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas.

 

 

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