The more your employees hear about cash flow problems and recession-level unemployment rates, the more anxious they grow about losing their own jobs. Maybe you can't guarantee great cash flow through the recession, but you can manage the anxiety effectively. Here are a few tips from a recent BusinessWeek.com story:

1) Absorb the anxiety. Communicate quickly, openly and clearly about any challenges your organization faces.

2) Move quickly. Don't put off cutting costs -- even if it means laying off employees. This signals to your remaining staff that you are doing your part to protect the business.

3) Keep things light. Keep a calm attitude in the office, and make sure your staff lets loose once in a while. Laughing on the job helps calm anxiety.

For more information about managing workplace anxiety, click here.

Posted by Megan Pacella on January 19, 2010 02:28 PM

The home is the new hotbed of entrepreneurial activity, boasts this Wall Street Journal article. In fact, the article explains, more than 52 percent of businesses are home-based.

Laid off? Start a business from home. Looking for a place to trim expenses? Stop paying rent and just work from home. It makes sense.

Even if your business has a physical location, working from home just works, but only if you have the tools necessary to get the work done (like a fast Internet connection).

Actually, there's a lot more to working remotely, which is why we wrote an entire manual on the topic in the current issue of MyBusiness. Check out the Essential Guide to Flexible Work Arrangements to maximize working from home (or a coffee shop or a hotel lobby) for yourself and your employees. The guide features tips for managing a virtual workforce, rules to follow when working from home, pointers for interviewing at-home workers and more.

Posted by Lena Anthony on January 11, 2010 03:48 PM

With Christmas around the corner and a new year ahead, revenue is more important than ever, so what should you do if your customers are delinquent on payments, or worse, not paying at all? The New York Times recently spoke to small business owners who are encountering this issue and attended a seminar on collections, hosted by NFIB. Check out the article to read about creative solutions small business owners are using to get customers to pay—without jeopardizing their business relationships.

Posted by Emily McMackin on December 17, 2009 02:19 PM

In the past 10 years, Fog Creek Software has grown from two employees to more than 50. Some companies do that in one year, but Fog Creek CEO Joel Spolsky never wanted to do it that way. Slow and steady wins the race, he always told himself. But in this month's Inc., Spolsky explains why he's no longer going to be satisfied with slow business growth:

"If you're growing at 50 percent a year, and your competitor is growing at 100 percent a year, it takes only eight years before your competitor is 10 times bigger than you," he writes. "And when it's 10 times bigger than you, it can buy 10 times as much advertising and do 10 times as many projects and have meetings with 10 times as many customers. And you begin to disappear."

In an effort to increase his market share, Spolsky plans to pluck off the competition and beef up his sales force. It's a risky investment, but he says he didn't start a business to avoid risk.

What about you? In this economy, it seems like businesses consider themselves successful if they break even or didn't have to lay off someone this year. Could you deal with more risk? Spolsky's revelation on growth certainly inspires.

Posted by Lena Anthony on November 16, 2009 12:20 PM

Debt management is critical to the success of any company, and you need to have a plan in place in the event that clients are delinquent in paying their invoices. This recent Business Resources article on NFIB.com offers 12 tips to help with debt collection, including:

• Draft a clearly written payment policy to prevent problems, and have clients sign the agreement before work is begun on the project.


• Set up company procedures for collections, and specify whose job it is to follow up with customers and exactly when statements and reminder letters should be mailed and phone calls made.


• Email invoices instead of mailing them to shorten the collection cycle.


• When an account is past due, phone calls and face-to-face meetings are more effective than paper or email reminders.


• Be precise. Get a commitment to a specific amount by a set date.


• Hire a debt collection agency.

Posted by Megan Morris on October 28, 2009 04:58 PM

One of the keys to being a successful small business owner is knowing how to delegate well. Just because you think you should be able to do it all doesn't mean that you can or should. Delegating smaller projects/issues out to employees allows you to focus on the big picture without getting bogged down in minutia. But too often managers don't know how to delegate effectively. This U.S. News & World Report article lists five common mistakes managers make when delegating to employees, including:

1. Not staying involved to monitor the process.
2. Not being clear about the outcome/results you want.
3. Giving the project to the wrong person.
4. Feeling guilty about handing something over.
5. Micromanaging what you have given away.

Bottom line: Knowing how to delegate is about figuring out what needs to be done, finding the right people to do it, communicating what you need, following up to make sure you're getting results and creating accountability.

Posted by Emily McMackin on October 22, 2009 10:19 AM

Coworking is one of those concepts that, in theory, makes complete sense. Why would two small businesses hire two receptionists, buy two color copiers and rent two offices when they could split the expenses?

But what about in practice? Is it really as simple and as cheap as it sounds? According to this Wall Street Journal article, yes. And cheap is just one of the perks of coworking, which is a great low-cost way to start-up—or trim expenses in an uncertain economy. It also provides a great opportunity to forge business partnerships and network with potential customers.

Posted by Lena Anthony on July 28, 2009 01:23 PM

As many businesses tend to slow down during the summer, The Hartford Business Journal offers nine ways owners can ramp up productivity and turn the summer slump around, including:

• Develop a marketing plan. Use the downtime to work on strategy, marketing materials, lining up trade shows and advertising.


• Start social networking. Learn how Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn can help you reach new potential customers—and solidify relationships with current ones.


• Build your customer database. Putting all of your customer (and prospective customer) information into a digital format will help you market to these folks effectively.

Get more tips on how to make this summer a productive one at The Hartford Business Journal.

Posted by Megan Morris on June 25, 2009 10:50 AM

As Blackberrys and iPhones become more popular in the pockets of small business owners and their employees, the etiquette rules that apply to texting or Web surfing during meetings are starting to change. While a few years ago it would have been considered a major faux pas for your employees to answer e-mails or text clients during a company brainstorming session, many small business owners are starting to let up on those policies.

According to this New York Times story, technology advocates say the old rules about leaving phones at your desk during meetings no longer apply. Waiting a few hours to respond to an e-mail or text message is no longer acceptable in a constantly connected business world. So where do we draw the line now?

The small business owners in this story agree that phone use during a company meeting is one thing, but texting or checking e-mail during a client meeting is completely unacceptable. Be sure to communicate these rules to your employees--but first make sure they put their phones away. Otherwise they might not hear you.

Posted by Megan Pacella on June 23, 2009 02:41 PM

If you work as hard as most small business owners, you've probably thought about life after retirement—daydreams filled with visions of vacations, home improvement projects and maybe even another startup. But have you thought about what will happen to your business once you're gone?

Michele Hoskins, who sells flavored syrup through her South Holland, Ill.-based business Michele Foods, has. While she'd like to keep the company in the family, her daughters haven't shown interest in taking it over, so her best bet is to find a buyer. "I'd love someone to buy the company and help the brand grow," she tells Forbes magazine. Luckily for small business owners like Michele, now is a great time to sell, the article states. For three reasons:
1. Laid-off corporate executives are considering entrepreneurship and are looking to buy.
2. Foreign investors are hoping to scoop up bargains while the U.S. dollar is weak.
3. Prices are at rock-bottom lows.

To get the most monetary value for your "baby," take time to make your business as attractive as possible to buyers. This includes diversifying your customer base, getting an independent audit of your financial statements and assembling a strong advisory team to manage the sale. Check out the article for more advice on preparing to sell your business—and letting go of it gracefully.

Posted by Emily McMackin on June 11, 2009 11:04 AM

Usually when I read an article on one of my favorite small business sites, it's because I think it will benefit you. But when I saw this one posted on NFIB.com today, I read it for me. The topic is clearing the clutter.

Most of the readers out there have never seen my desk, but now you have a pretty clear idea of what it looks like right now. Hint: It's not clear.

Besides compelling me to follow the golden rule of de-cluttering ("Clear off your desk at the end of each day"), the article also taught me how to classify (and approach) all the papers strewn about my desk. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have action piles to create.

Posted by Lena Anthony on April 21, 2009 04:04 PM

Whether you have three or 300 employees, when it comes to having an employee handbook, size doesn't matter. It serves as an introduction for new employees and an essential reference guide for existing staff. If you're not sure where to start when creating your employee handbook, check out today's Tools and Tips article on NFIB.com for a simple checklist of must-have items, including topics like:

• General policies and procedures, including pay periods, performance reviews, workplace attire, vacation time, etc.


• Leave policies, including sick and maternity leave


• Employee benefits, including health and life insurance, if applicable


• Separation policies, including termination and job abandonment

NFIB members can also download at no cost the Model Employee Handbook for Small Business, a step-by-step guide to compiling your company policies from the NFIB Small Business Legal Center.

Posted by Megan Morris on January 29, 2009 04:20 PM

We at MyBusinessMag.com are getting ready to take a much-deserved break for the holidays, and we hope all of you out there do the same.

We'll be back in January, but it won't be all play and no work until then. We'll also be thinking about some of things we want to do better in 2009. What about you? Have you thought about your small business resolutions for the new year?

Maybe you want to be more productive? If so, this Entrepreneur.com article should help get you started.

Or maybe you want your business to be a little nicer to Mother Nature? This smSmallBiz.com article will help you add a sustainability section to your business plan.

Or maybe you've vowed that this is finally the year you'll be getting online and checking out all those new social media tools. If so, check out this piece from the Wall Street Journal on Web 2.0 marketing.

Whatever your resolution, we'll be back in 2009 with more helpful links and lessons to get you there.

Happy Holidays!

Posted by Lena Anthony on December 24, 2008 08:30 AM

With the way the economy is lately, nothing is certain. Even if you haven't been directly hit by the economic fallout yet, you can't take anything for granted. But instead of fretting over what will happen in 2009, devote your attention to fundamentals that will keep your business open through good times and bad, says business coach and columnist Becky McCray in a U.S. News & World Report online article. Here are three:

•Bookkeeping. Crunching numbers may not be your favorite task, but keeping an eye out for warning signs in your budget could help you head off a financial crisis.

•Learning. With the wealth of information online and inexpensive resources for small businesses, there is no excuse to be ignorant about any issue affecting your company.

•Connecting. Sure, you can't do much about the economy itself, but every day you come into contact with potential customers, employees, partners and people eager to refer your business to others. Take advantage of it!

For a great resource to brush up on these basics, check out NFIB.com's small business toolbox at www.NFIB.com/toolsandtips.

Posted by Emily McMackin on December 18, 2008 10:51 AM

As if a flat economy weren't enough to dread in 2009, this Wall Street Journal article brings even more bad news for small business owners—higher health insurance premiums.

"As small businesses begin to receive their annual renewal notices, employers and health-insurance brokers in the South, Midwest and California report noticeably steeper rises," the article says, citing health insurers' shrinking profit margins as the reason for the increase. "Some premium increases being quoted to employers are double those quoted just a few months ago."

You're facing your own shrinking profit margins, so how are you expected to cope with the increases? Now is a good time to reassess your health coverage. Look at lower-benefits options (or higher deductibles). It may not be the most popular decision among employees, but they know that it sure beats no coverage.

Whether with healthcare costs or any other problem facing your business, getting employees involved in the problem means they can help be a part of the solution. Be open and honest with your employees about the problems your business is experiencing in this economy—and don't be surprised when they respond with great ideas.

Posted by Lena Anthony on November 17, 2008 02:19 PM

Everyone has a story about working for an uninspiring boss. For me, it was a restaurateur, who screamed at me for cutting my finger while preparing a salad. For my best friend, it was a foreman in a medical supplies factory, who showed up hours late for every shift. Think there's no way you could be considered an uninspiring leader? In today's volatile economy, workplace morale is more fragile than ever, making it critical that you take a closer look at your management tactics.

Do your employees cower in their cubicles every time you walk past? Are you the first one to leave the office every day--even when you're under a tight deadline? Do you constantly forget the names of your employees' spouses and children? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you might want to take a different approach to your role as the boss. Check out this BusinessWeek.com story for other indicators that you need to clean up your act in the workplace.

Posted by Megan Pacella on October 14, 2008 01:11 PM

It's obvious that as a business owner, you need to always be on your toes and thinking of ways to compete with other companies in your niche. But what if you were to think of yourself as a competitor? This recent Tools and Tips article notes that some of the most successful small businesses often treat their own company as their competitor, and analyze it through the same eyes they use to size up their rivals. The article suggests:

• Define your weaknesses: Get together with your staff and pinpoint your business' top three to five weaknesses.


• Better your strengths: If you rest on your laurels, then your competitors will surely find ways to catch up with you.


• Don't fix what isn't broken: If you add a new service or product to your offering, make sure it's something that your customers really want and not just innovation for innovation's sake.


• Be open to criticism: If you're truly going to compete against yourself, you need to start viewing criticism as an opportunity.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on September 26, 2008 06:03 PM

No matter how much of an effort you put forth to prevent it, your business is, at one time or another, going to receive some complaints from customers. But according to today's Tools and Tips article on NFIB.com, you can turn the complaint into an opportunity to exceed customer expectations—and maybe even strengthen their loyalty to you—by following six steps:

1. Act fast: The sooner you respond to the complaint, the better.


2. Listen and learn: Show understanding and concern by listening with an open mind, taking notes and asking questions.


3. Apologize: You don't have to agree with a customer to emphasize with them or show regret for their displeasure.


4. Stay cool: Resist the urge to raise your voice in a heated conversation or return a nasty e-mail with a sarcastic reply.


5. Make it right: Apply company policies to the situation and make adjustments when reasonable.


6. Follow up: While the complaint may have stemmed from a rare, isolated incident, figure out what you can do to keep it from happening again.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on September 12, 2008 05:24 PM

It's the universal rule that most businesses live by: The customer is always right. But when is it time to stop stroking and start holding customers/clients accountable when they fail to live up to their end of the bargain? That's the question John Jantsch explores in today's Duct Tape Marketing blog post.

Sure, some people or companies may hire you to hold them accountable or give them the push they need to do their best work, Jatsch says. But if they don't give you what you need to do your job, should there be consequences? Jantsch suggests several possibilities for how to hold a customer's feet to the fire, but he makes one point clear: If customers don't allow you to do what they hired you to do, ultimately it will only damage your reputation and success.

Posted by Emily McMackin on September 12, 2008 12:18 PM

Kids aren't the only ones headed back to school this fall. Small business owners are learning valuable lessons themselves by enrolling in classes at local universities and community colleges according to this Reuters article. You don't have to give up a semester's worth of time to learn something new for your business. Many classes cost as little as $25 and last only a few hours.

Dave Horsley was confident that he would be successful at his business, Horsley Hot Rods in Boise, Idaho, when he opened it in 2007. But he quickly realized how little he knew about marketing. After a four-hour class, "Six Steps to Massive Growth in Your Business" at nearby Boise State University, Horsley is ready to conquer even more.

To find classes near you, contact your local Small Business Development Center, the Small Business Administration or SCORE (counselors to America's small business).

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 11, 2008 09:13 AM

Who loves meetings that last about 45 minutes longer than they should? I know I don't. As a worker bee, it's one of my biggest pet peeves, yet when it's my turn to run a meeting, I do no better of a job at staying on task. It's like when you're dieting and you go to the restaurant determined to order something healthy and somehow "onion rings" come out of your mouth as you're placing your order. You know better, but it's so hard to do better.

This New York Times article offers tips from various sources on how to make meetings more productive (and shorter) and less of a source of anguish. My favorite tip:

"Ask yourself, 'Why are you holding this meeting? Does the need for the meeting justify the investment of time and money?' Too often, meetings happen because they are the ‘weekly staff meeting’ or the ‘monthly sales review’ and ‘we always have them’ even when there is nothing significant to discuss.”

Posted by Lena Anthony on August 6, 2008 02:33 PM

When SuperGroup Creative Omnimedia, a Web site design firm, was first founded, employees didn't always have enough work to keep them busy, according to this article in the Wall Street Journal. But instead of sending employees home—or to the unemployment line—owner Chris Wallace and the company's co-founders decided to tell staff they could work on personal projects.

Whatever they wanted.

On the clock.

And instead of finding his employees passed out on couches or vegging out to Judge Judy, Wallace discovered that employees were using their spare time to pursue creative interests—interests that would come in handy later when the company was pitching ideas to potential clients. According to the WSJ, Wallace recalls "meetings with potential clients where 40 percent of the work he showed them was done by employees in their downtime."

Granted, this lax approach won't work for every company. But if you've got a talented group of self-starters with some time on their hands, it could be a useful motivation technique. For more ideas on employee motivation, visit NFIB.com's Tools and Tips section.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on July 31, 2008 11:15 AM

Almost half of small business owners polled in a recent survey said they plan to lay off workers, stop raises or offer days off instead of wage increases as a result of the slowing economy, according to this Wall Street Journal article.

But while trimming payroll might seem like the easiest move when times are tough, the article suggests business owners might want to think twice before handing out pink slips. Employees are valuable, especially skilled ones you've trained.

I liked the ideas such as switching up duties (why can't an account supervisor also help empty trash cans?), asking for volunteers who might want an extended amount of unpaid leave for the promise of their job back in a few months, or cutting your work week from five days to four.

Posted by Shannon McRae on July 28, 2008 09:00 AM

Many small businesses are a lot like a family--tight-knit, understanding and friendly. But at some point or another, you might have to deal with an employee who is not performing his or her job as expected, which can be difficult. To avoid a potentially awkward confrontation, this Tools and Tips article from NFIB.com offers some suggestions on how to approach the employee and work toward improving his or her job performance. Steps include:

• Reviewing the job standard with the employee to make certain it's known and understood


• Counseling the employee by implementing a plan that specifies what must be done to attain standard performance—and a reasonable timetable for doing so


• Regularly monitoring the individual's progress against the plan, and provide support and assistance


• Removing apparent obstacles to the employee's success, and make any reasonable accommodations needed to enhance employee performance

Posted by Megan Goodchild on July 22, 2008 04:20 PM

A good employee is hard to find, but that doesn't mean you should hire just anybody to join your team. For small business owners, choosing the wrong hire could cost more than wasted time and added stress--it could severely damage your bottom line.

So how do you go about hiring the right employees? This article on CNN.com's Fortune Small Business section offers tips for hiring well, including narrowing down job requirements, interviewing and checking references. But hiring the right employees is just the first part of building a winning team. According to this article on BusinessWeek.com, it's important to adjust as your company grows and your workforce's skills change, even if that means letting go of employees who no longer perform well in their positions.

Learn more about the importance of developing your hiring practices in this MyBusiness article.

Posted by Megan Pacella on July 15, 2008 09:45 AM

Do you ever feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to finish everything on your to-do list? Each day, small business owners face multiple demands—and the smaller your operation, the more you must juggle. How do you accomplish all you need to without going insane? You might find some good advice in this Entrepreneur article published on the U.S. News & World Report Web site. The biggest key to accomplishing more in less time is to stay in control of your environment—instead of letting it stress you out, writes Romanus Wolter, author of Kick Start Your Success and Kick Start Your Dream Business.

Other tips Wolter suggests include:
•Setting a 10- to 15-minute time frame to accomplish a specific task and eliminating any distractions
•Looking for alternative ways to work on tasks or achieve results
•Clearing your mind of obstacles by writing them down
•Managing interruptions by writing down your next action step
•Giving yourself time to regroup

For more time management tips, check out "Stress Management" in the "Growth and Planning" section of www.NFIB.com/toolsandtips.

Posted by Emily McMackin on July 3, 2008 12:41 PM

Here's one from the "I never would have thought about that" file: The Wall Street Journal's Independent Street blog suggests that different shaped conference tables will get you different results in a meeting. Buy a round one and you'll find yourself leaving a meeting with a lot of loose ends. Long and thin? Your employees will form cliques, which will hamper teamwork.

The perfect conference table, the blog says? Rectangular and about five feet long.

Posted by Lena Anthony on July 2, 2008 04:13 PM

When employees at my parents' small business want to talk about their job responsibilities, they go to my dad. When they want to ask for a day off or vent about a difficult client, they go to my mom. It's long been said that men and women manage differently in the workplace, and in my parents' small corner of the business world, there's proof that neither way is better--or worse. In fact, my mom and dad think their blended style is what keeps employees happy and turnover low. They get the best of both.

This post from today's Wall Street Journal blog Independent Street argues that a feminine management style is more effective because it emphasizes sensitivity to employees and openness. But what about the fear of being a pushover? To me, the bottom line is that whether you're a man or woman business owner, finding that perfect leadership balance is an everyday challenge.

Posted by Shannon McRae on June 9, 2008 07:46 PM

With most employees spending a minimum of eight hours a day at work, it's important to have clean, comfortable and secure working conditions. How happy employees are in their workspace can correlate with their job performance, which in turn reflects on the company as a whole. A recent Tools and Tips article on NFIB.com explores some of the top issues small business workplaces face, and offers questions small business owners should ask themselves when reflecting on the workplace they have created for their employees, including:

• Is the overall appearance of the building shabby or well maintained both inside and out? What conditions are the grounds in?


• Are there any maintenance issues, such as leaky plumbing, gaps in ceiling tiles, etc? (And don't forget those bathrooms).


• Have you taken measures to provide safety and security?

Posted by Megan Goodchild on June 6, 2008 02:07 PM

As an editor, I get a lot of books in the mail to review. Unfortunately, we don't get to use them very often in MyBusiness. Book reviews generally aren't our thing, and when we need an expert to quote, we usually just go to the best experts we know: small business owners with experience running their own operations.

I give the books a quick glance before filing them away on the shelf for future use, and I think this New York Times column sums up the impression I get from the business book genre as a whole:

"Books aimed at the small business and entrepreneur audience far too often fall into two categories," writes Paul Brown. "There is the 'how I made $27 trillion in business, and you can too,' genre or the ones that say you only need to take care of customers (or cash flow or sales or something else) and you will be the envy of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates."

Brown doesn't leave us with just that wisdom. He goes on to mention four business books that are worth your time (if for no other reason than they don't fall into one of the two aforementioned categories.

Take a look at one or all of his picks (at least one of which is sitting on my desk as I type). Who knows, you might take away a tip or two to help you run your business better.

Posted by Lena Anthony on June 4, 2008 02:50 PM

With the long weekend and the official start of summer just a few days away, I've had the beach on my mind. According to a recent survey, most small business owners are planning a vacation this summer, too. American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor (a semi-annual survey of business owners) found that 59 percent of of small business owners are planning a trip away from the office this summer--the same percentage as last year despite the difficult economy.

When do business owner schedule their getaways? Thirty-four percent say it's when they're stressed or they've had enough.

If you're feeling overworked and stressed out, getting away from the office a few days is a good remedy. Even if you're not overly exhausted, a break will leave you refreshed and revived like this business owner we featured in a MyBusiness article a few years ago.

Posted by Shannon McRae on May 19, 2008 09:04 PM

Postage rates went up this week, so I'm glad I got the Mother's Day card out to mom on time. But what about those invoices you're going to send out later this week? Not to worry. Over at the Wall Street Journal's Independent Street are some ways small businesses dealing with mass mailings—and reeling from the postage increase—can save money. Go check it out.

Posted by Lena Anthony on May 13, 2008 03:55 PM

Never fire someone on a Friday. It's one of the rules of business my dad has ascribed to in his almost two decades of owning a small business. His thinking is that if you fire someone on Friday, they'll spend the weekend worrying about their future and brooding over the fact they've been let go. But if you deliver the bad news on a Monday morning, they have the whole week to get their resume together and contact potential leads.

Whether dad's rule is right or not, he follows it because he feels terrible when he has to fire an employee (most of the time). As it turns out, the human resources expert in this Salt Lake Tribune article on making layoffs go more smoothly agrees. From the practical (contact your lawyer first) to the humane aspects (check the calendar and make sure it's not the person's birthday or anniversary), find tips on lessening the blow when you have to let someone go.

Posted by Shannon McRae on May 12, 2008 07:24 AM

Unless you live in Timbuktu, you've probably heard about the government's crackdown on the hiring of illegal immigrants in U.S. businesses.

The latest effort in this direction is the Department of Homeland Security's proposed no-match rule, which would require businesses to fire employees if there isn't a match between their name and Social Security number. After the rule was challenged in federal court, the government revised the proposal to offer a safe-harbor to businesses that follow the procedures.

So, what's all this legislation costing employers? A U.S. News & World Report brief points to a Chamber of Commerce study for that answer. In the study, a former Office of Management Budget economist estimates that these proposed rules could cost businesses an estimated 1 billion a year.

To learn more about how immigration affects your business or how you can get involved in the debate, visit the immigration issues section of www.NFIB.com.

Posted by Emily McMackin on April 25, 2008 03:42 PM

If you prefer not to handle your small business' IT needs in-house but aren't sure what steps to take when hiring an outside company, this article from The Wall Street Journal offers some great advice, including:

• Have an exit strategy. Think through what will happen in the event things don't work out.


• Meet the account team. Meet the account employees in person and find out about their skills, expertise in your industry and comfort with the technical environment they'll be working in.


• Find out how your data will be protected. Learn whether a vendor may expose customer data or your firm's intellectual property to another vendor, such as one outside the U.S. that may not have the level of security that you would want.
  Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 17, 2008 03:42 PM

After two years of billing errors from my cell phone company, I finally canceled my service this week when my contract ended. Each month I found I was being charged for a service I did not use (text messaging someone in Australia or downloading video ringers, for example), and would have to endure weeks of being bounced from customer service rep to customer service rep until finally someone begrudgingly agreed to reverse the charges.

It wasn't just the constant errors that bothered me---it was the company's attitude that they were doing me a favor by refunding my money and their refusal to acknowledge the recurring problem (I heard "It's only a couple dollars" several times) that irritated me to no end. If they would have just taken ownership of the issue and made me believe they cared about my experience with their company, I probably would not have canceled my service.

An important tactic when dealing with an angry customer is to simply acknowledge his or her right to be upset, according to this article from BusinessKnowHow.com, which lists 10 steps to diffuse situations with angry customers. Other tips include listening, being patient and owning the problem. The customer might not always be right, but you'll never find out if you just ignore him.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 10, 2008 04:56 PM

A few months ago I got a call from one of my colleagues who was supposed to have been in Chicago for a meeting. She called from Buffalo, N.Y. After asking her if she had eaten any hot wings yet (the answer was no, because it was 9 a.m.), I asked her how in the world she ended up in Buffalo when her flight was supposed to take her from Miami (where she had been visiting her family over the weekend) to Chicago. Turns out she was rerouted because of bad weather. But to Buffalo? She landed back in Nashville—after a stop in Baltimore—later that day. And yes, she missed the meeting.

Anyone who's traveled for business knows that anything is possible—and that anything that could go wrong very well might. That's probably why CNN put together this special section for road (and air) warriors. It's got tips on everything from minimizing your load at the airport to how to transition seamlessly once you're at your destination.

Whatever takes you on a business trip (think big sales presentation) is probably stressful enough; getting there doesn't have to be.

Posted by Lena Anthony on April 9, 2008 08:42 AM

If you're in real estate, you felt the pinch of a slowing economy months ago. But for many other small business owners, the only indication of a slowdown is in the news. Yet owners like Carol Yenne, who is profiled in this San Francisco Chronicle article, are thinking ahead and taking small steps to protect themselves from any potential setbacks.

For Yenne, it meant waiting to fill shifts left vacant by employees who cut back their hours. Not a drastic move--just one that makes Yenne feel more cautious. Check out these other commonsense tips on how to be smart in times of economic uncertainty.

Posted by Shannon McRae on March 24, 2008 09:17 AM

Taxes aren't much fun--or even remotely interesting--for most people, but putting them off until the last minute can leave you in a pinch, according to this recent Tools and Tips article on NFIB.com. Though you're probably already pushed to the limit with your free time, the article cautions against waiting until April to contact your accountant, who is most likely swamped this time of year and might not be able to fit you in before Tax Day. And, the article advises, if you practice "shoebox accounting" in your business (where you throw all of your receipts in a shoebox until it's tax time), make an appointment now. And then do everyone a favor and invest in a filing system for next year.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on March 18, 2008 01:11 PM

My family loves inside jokes. Spend an hour with more than three of us and you'll likely be left wondering what we're laughing about half of the time. It's not that our jokes are private--they're just those "you had to be there" moments.

This article in a recent WSJ blog says inside jokes like that can be good for business. One company took the concept so far that they've created a fictional character, Bob Archer, who they refer to as the founder of the company. Not wanting to name the business after themselves, the real founders chose the name the Archer Group because it sounded creditable. "Bob Archer" was always thanked for paying the tab for client lunches. He even has own voice on the company's blog.

“When you’re in on a joke, it’s kind of like you’re special,” says Lee Mikles, one of the founders. “When our clients are able to feel like they’re in on this Bob Archer joke, and they can play along with it, you really feel them kind of light up, and that’s kind of neat.”

Though inside jokes are often thought to be exclusive, if you can come up with one inclusive enough for your entire client base, you might find yourself laughing all the way to the bank.

Posted by Shannon McRae on March 17, 2008 01:11 PM

"Learn to delegate" is one of those business rules you've heard a thousand times. It's a truth that's so much easier said than done. That's why I liked Jonathan Field's take on the subject. He has a simple rule: Don't hire a dog, then bark yourself.

As he explains in a recent entry on his blog Awake at the Wheel, the more we care about something, the worse we are at giving up control. "It’s almost a sign that we’re invested in what we’re doing," he says. "We care so deeply about how a task or project comes to life that we have trouble letting anyone else do even a little sliver of the work needed make it happen. Because, we can’t deal with the possibility that they might not do it the way we wanted."

You won't find any earth-shattering advice on learning to delegate--it's just a really good reminder of why it's crucial.

Posted by Shannon McRae on March 3, 2008 07:06 AM

At least once a week, I get a call from my mom or dad with a question about how they should handle something at their small business. It's not that I'm an expert--they've run a successful business for almost 20 years. It's just that because they've been owners for so long, they sometimes like getting a "regular" employee's view on some matter. Whatever situation they're dealing with, at some point during the call, I usually remind my parents that their employees think about the business much differently than they do as owners.

This Wall Street Journal article strikes the same chord. In it, a business owner reveals the moment he realized his mistake of thinking that everyone in his company thinks like he does. He also talks about how he set out to change that. Through an aggressive campaign to educate employees on the value of company-owned stock, this owner persuaded employees to act more like owners.

Posted by Shannon McRae on February 26, 2008 10:41 AM

You might pay your employees well and offer competitive benefits, but if you're not creating a work environment that your employees take pride in, your retention percentage might not be as high as it could be, according to today's Tools and Tips article on NFIB.com.

The article give several tips on how you can improve retention at your small business, and discusses the PRIDE model:
P - Provide a positive working environment.
R - Recognize, reinforce and reward individual efforts.
I - Involve and engage everyone.
D - Develop the potential of your workforce.
E - Evaluate and hold managers accountable.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on February 21, 2008 03:49 PM

I recently started recycling paper at home. I know, I know. I shouldn't be bragging, because I probably should have been doing that years ago. But when you live in a small space with an open floor plan, there aren't many places to put an unsightly bin of paper.

But after hearing and seeing all the going green that's been going on, I put my dreams of living clutter-free aside and plopped down a gigantic plastic container in my kitchen. Within a week, it was filled. Amazing, really. I had no idea my household of two could produce that much paper. Just imagine how many bins your office could fill in a week.

The best part is you don't have to change out your fleet of cars to make an impact on the environment. In fact, as this Startup Nation series outlining 9 steps to a greener operation explains, you can even choose your shade of green. Right now, I'm probably at sea foam, but after spotting a sleek two-bin recycling container at Costco this weekend, I'll be on my way to lime in no time.

Posted by Lena Anthony on February 20, 2008 04:36 PM

You have to spend money to make money--and, it turns out, to save money too. As the economy slows, you're probably looking for some belt-tightening measures in your small business. This AP article offers several ideas--the catch is that all of them require you to spend a little upfront.

The Russo Group, a marketing firm in Lafayette, La., hired a CFO whose strict rules reduced expenses by 18 percent in one year. A PR firm in California outsourced all its HR duties to a professional employer organization--a move that saved both time and money. By outsourcing these time-consuming functions, executives could spend more time on their PR business--the best bet for a business trying to stay ahead of a recession.

Posted by Shannon McRae on February 18, 2008 09:06 AM

Doing something that matters is probably on everyone's list of life goals. But when you're focused on meeting payroll, pleasing clients, organizing your desk and keeping your tires rotated, it's easy for years to slip by without really feeling like you've made a difference. For one of the features in the latest issue of MyBusiness, we talked to small-business owners who have found ways to merge their passions with their paychecks. They are finding fulfillment in the place where they spend a large chunk of their lives--their work.

When we started this story, I was a bit cynical. Of course I'd love to start a business that helps strays dogs, saves the earth and makes all children feel loved. But most people probably don't start businesses to do any of these things, I thought. Yet what we found in talking to these business owners is that fulfillment doesn't lie in what you do as much as how you do it. Check out our tips on how to love your work more.

Posted by Shannon McRae on February 4, 2008 12:06 PM

When you hire new employees in your small business, do you just throw them into their new position? If you do and leave them to their own devices to find supplies and wonder when their first paycheck will come, you might consider establishing a structured new-employee orientation program to set them in the right direction. This recent Tools and Tips article on NFIB.com suggests several items to work into your agenda, including reviewing personnel and tax forms and taking the time to introduce the new hire to the other employees.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on January 24, 2008 03:19 PM

No small-business owner wants to deal with an unhappy customer, but giving complainers the brush-off can hurt your business in the end. Chances are, even if you only hear one person complaining about a particular service at your business, there are other customers walking out the door unhappy—and even though they aren’t complaining, they can still hurt your business. Offering a free service or product to a dissatisfied client can quickly diffuse the situation, but taking steps to fix their problem with your business can help boost your bottom line in the long run.

This USA Today article, offers tips from a small-business owner who enhanced her business by listening to her customer’s complaints. Read on to learn more about handling your unhappy customers—and growing your business in the process.

Posted by Megan Pacella on January 22, 2008 12:50 PM

Never ones to shy away from new media technologies, some of us around the halls of MyBusiness have been experimenting with Twitter, a Web-based service that allows users to publish text-only messages (called "tweets") of up to 140 characters. But Twitter's not simply glorified text messaging. In fact, this article explores 17 ways small-business owners can use the service to boost their business, including finding new hires, directing (Web) traffic, getting feedback, setting up meetings and networking.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on January 17, 2008 03:30 PM

Just before sitting down to work up this post, I made a list of all the things that I want to do before leaving the office today. It has 15 items on it. And it's 4 p.m. And I have to leave in 30 minutes.

Am I going to get all things done? No way. Am I setting myself up for failure? Yes, according to today's Tools and Tips column on NFIB.com.

Just like me and my lengthy to-do list or a dieter who wants to lose 20 pounds in two months, small-business owners have a tendency to set lofty goals—so unattainable that even conquering part of it ends up looking like a failure.

Posted by Lena Anthony on January 9, 2008 02:37 PM

A two-night stay in a hotel last week left me less than impressed. I'm sort of a neat-freak (my bare foot has never touched a hotel-room floor), but what I found when I checked into my room was outright disgusting. The hotel wasn't a budget brand, so why was the housekeeping staff so bad?, I thought to myself on several ocassions. Too bad I didn't have this article on hand to recommend to the manager when I checked out.

There are lots of articles written on how to retain workers. Offering perks like time off for family events, flexible hours and training opportunities are touted as good ways to retain key employees. But most of the ideas I read about seem geared to salaried employees. This article focuses on what one San Francisco hotel did to satisfy more of its hourly staff. Since two-thirds of hotel and restaurant staff turnover each year, finding ways to keep them around is a good idea for the industry--and any other that employs lower-income workers.

Posted by Shannon McRae on December 17, 2007 07:32 PM

I don't know how I survived before caller ID. Call me a screen-aholic, but if I can't see who's calling, I don't pick up. That's why you'll rarely catch me answering my phone before three or four solid rings. Marketing guru Seth Godin thinks that's bad for business, especially if you're in the service industry. In this blog entry he challenges businesses to answer their phones after just one ring. "When you need to answer the phone in one ring, you discover exactly what it means to provide a certain level of service. Either you're succeeding or failing," Godin writes. I love the idea, probably because I hate being put on hold. Take a look at the average experience of a customer calling your business. You might decide the one-ring system would improve your service.

Posted by Shannon McRae on December 9, 2007 07:45 PM

Hosting an office holiday party can become a legal nightmare if you don't take certain precautions, according to today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com. While many company events go off without a hitch, some situations can lead to big trouble for your employees--and for your business. If you're not sure the traditional office party will work for your company, read today's Tools & Tips for alternative ways to celebrate the season.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on November 29, 2007 02:25 PM

Growth is great for small-business owners who reap the rewards of hard work and savvy business decisions, but if your office space doesn’t expand with your business, you can expect your once-happy, diligent employees to start itching for more space—or a new job. If the break room is standing room only during lunch and the contents of filing cabinets are overflowing onto the carpet, then it’s probably time to invest in a larger workspace.

Although moving locations can put a dent in the company bank account, bearing the expenditures might pay off in the end. If your employees feel comfortable in the office, you can reduce turnover in the workplace and boost productivity. Not sure if your office is too cramped? Check out this Smallbiz.com article for 10 signs that it’s time to expand your office.

Posted by Megan Pacella on November 27, 2007 02:36 PM

I am your typical first-born child--responsible, punctual, an overachiever and a few people have told me I can be bossy. My younger brother is just the opposite. He's laid-back, kind-hearted and spends large parts of his days looking for stuff he misplaced. On the surface, I'd think would have a much better chance at business success than my brother. But this study says entrepreneurial success has nothing to do with birth order. Instead researchers found that your parents' career paths are more likely to influence your decision to start a business.

"Entrepreneurs are made, they are not born," says Michael Alter, president of SurePayroll which conducted the survey. "There's no DNA sequence that determines whether you will succeed or fail. But the earlier you start to think entrepreneurially, the bigger advantage you have. That's a gift that you receive naturally when you are fortunate enough to be raised by entrepreneurs."

Posted by Shannon McRae on November 18, 2007 07:33 AM

How important is intuition when making business decisions? It's everything, says Rob Walker in a recent Fast Company article. Everyone from pop culture characters like Tony Soprano to capitalist heroes like Steve Jobs rely on instincts rather than spreadsheets to push their enterprises forward. "Maybe it's true that at some point we all promised our parents that we'd be careful, rational, empirical decision makers, but beyond that, it's not easy to find evidence that ours is a society that frowns on gut thinking," Walker writes. He points to popular books on the subject to prove his point—Blink by Malcolm Gladwell and Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious by Gerd Gigerenzer. So what does MyBusiness have to say? Look for an upcoming feature on the subject in our Dec./Jan. issue to find out!

Posted by Emily McMackin on November 16, 2007 09:05 AM

Feeling fatigued, helpless and frustrated? You could be suffering to burnout, which, according to this article from Management-Issues.com, occurs when your intense focus on a specific goal "fails to produce the expected reward." While your business is your passion, working unrelentingly and never giving yourself a break can have negative consequences that can affect you physically, emotionally and professionally. Read the full article to learn more, including how to find out if you're suffering from burnout and what you can do to recover.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on November 15, 2007 02:56 PM

My parents have owned a small business for almost two decades and no matter how much their business changes, there's one constant: their search for effective leaders among their staff. I'm going to recommend they read this Fast Company article that addresses the difference between leadership development then and now. Author Jim Bolf (founder of an executive development firm) explains that most of today's leadership development focuses on success in business with some "touchy feely" aspects throw in for good measure. True leaders, Bolt says, must be three dimensional--possessing business, leadership and personal effectiveness skills.

Posted by Shannon McRae on November 12, 2007 07:16 AM

Your employees say a lot about you and your business, and hiring the right ones is important for many reasons. You want to hire someone who has the skills to get the job done, but you also want to make sure he or she meshes with the other employees and is a good fit, overall, for your company. Today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com offers several hints to get you on your way to making the right hire, including:

• If you have an open position only every few months, you won't be intimately familiar with interviewing. Recognize this reality and get some sound advice on how to interview.


• Never assume that everyone you interview is desperately seeking this particular job. Remember that many of the better candidates know they have other options.


• The potentially best hires usually ask the best questions. The better applicants will ask about the job and its challenges before probing into the personal side of possible employment. Think twice about any applicant whose questions are all about pay and benefits.


• In addition to discussing capabilities and experience, spend some time probing the applicant's reasons for seeking employment with you.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on November 8, 2007 03:53 PM

As I type this, I'm putting on a cat costume for a group picture we're about to take in the boss' office. For Halloween, we had a costume contest (my editor, who is dressed like Count Chocula, won by a landslide) and some treats in the kitchen. People are laughing, having a good time and probably learning a little more about each other. And somebody just walked by in a full-out gorilla suit. Yikes.

The point is, this is a reward for all the great things we do. And rewards are necessary for retaining employees. Luckily, it doesn't take hefty bonus checks to say thank you to your employees, says USA Today small-business expert Rhonda Abrams in this column.

Abrams, a small-business owner herself, has come up with a number of ways to reward employees without breaking the bank—like having a Halloween costume contest.

Posted by Lena Anthony on October 31, 2007 11:23 AM

Do you know who your high potential workers are today and who your future leaders will be tomorrow? That's the question this CNet News article asks as it explores how businesses can beat the predicted talent crisis our country faces. "The U.S. is estimated to face a 10 million worker shortage in 2010; the 500 largest companies are expected to lose 50 percent of their senior management in five years and the average tenure at one employer for U.S. employees is only three years," Tod Loofbourrow writes.

"Total rewards" packages (which don’t focus exclusively on monetary compensation) are considered one of the best ways to attract and retain star employees. Using benefits to attract talent might depress some small-business owners, whose sky rocketing health-care costs have forced them to cut back--or cut out--health-insurance offerings. But chin up: The article also touches on several ways companies can use culture to instill loyalty among employees.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 29, 2007 06:14 AM

Patricia Karter, CEO of Roxbury, Mass.-based Dancing Deer Bakery, decided at a young age that gender disparities would not limit her future as a businesswoman. Since launching the company in 1994, Karter has adopted a mission to produce quality all-natural baked goods, participate in community philanthropy and raise her bottom line.

While Karter has experienced business success in the past 14 years, like most small-business owners, she is ready to grow her business even more—seeking the help of other women to increase her capital. In her Entrepreneur’s journal for Businessweek.com, Karter explains, “It is my belief that more women controlling assets in the private sector will yield a net gain in performance and ultimately a better society for all.”

Believing that diversity creates a better business, Karter is relying on the help of female angel investors to help her bakery flourish. Read on to learn more about how small-business owners can find success through diversifying.

Posted by Megan Pacella on October 16, 2007 01:48 PM

Running a business on a shoestring budget can be tough, but there are some easy steps you can take to help your bottom line. Today's Tools and Tips article on NFIB.com offers five ways to save money in your small business, including:

• Make your office energy efficient. Install a smart thermostat to heat or cool your business only when you need to, and replace incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent lights, which can save you approximately $30 or more on energy costs per bulb.


• Hire interns. College interns can be great assets to your business, since they are eager to get valuable experience in their field of study--paid or not. While interns must receive something in return for their work, a stipend or academic credit is often acceptable. But be careful what tasks you give them--you can't just use them to make coffee and photocopies.


• Cut back on outsourcing. Consider eliminating services like couriers, travel agents and office cleaning or landscaping crews if you and your employees can tackle the jobs.

Find out more easy ways to save cash at NFIB.com.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on October 11, 2007 02:46 PM

I love starting the week with an organized e-mail in-box. Mondays are just easier when you know that you've answered, filed, forwarded or deleted everything you should. As good as it is to start the week on top of your e-mail, how great would it be to end the week with no messages at all? This USA Today story explains how some businesses are doing just that by declaring e-mail-free Fridays. In an effort to bring back more direct communication, employees are encouraged to pick up the phone or have in-person meetings instead of hitting send.

Though it's an invaluable form of communication at the office, e-mail can quickly overwhelm busy professionals. Every day 39.7 billion person-to-person messages are sent worldwide.

"I couldn't believe people who had never talked to each other but worked in the same office," says Scott Dockter, CEO of PBD Worldwide Fulfillment Services in Alpharetta, Ga., which adopted e-mail-free Fridays about a year-and-a-half ago. Since then, the number of messages his 400 employees send has dropped by 75 percent.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 8, 2007 07:53 AM

One of my favorite sites is Snopes.com, you know the one that debunks urban legends. Since I'm easily spooked, it sets my mind as ease about all those e-mail forwards warning me to avoid strangers asking for help in the parking lot at Target. A few clicks on Snopes.com, and whew, I realize they’re “False.” Maybe that's why I was excited when my editor came up with the idea for the cover story of the current issue of MyBusiness.

In "Debunking Small-Business Myths" we do our own bit of Snopes.com and set the record straight about the urban legends that run rampant in the small-business world--like that most small businesses fail, that you have to have money to make money or that small businesses aren't interested in exporting. Thanks to the NFIB Research Foundation for helping us disprove these myths and more.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 1, 2007 12:05 PM

Does size matter when you're trying to reel in a big client? No, according to a recent Entrepreneur.com/MSNBC article. In fact, the smaller your company is, the better, say small-business owners interviewed who do business with mega-corporations. Some of the reasons corporations prefer to hand their business over to smaller operations include:

•Fresh ideas and more creativity
•Closer attention to customer service
•Lack of bureaucracy

For those nervous about pitching their products or services to a big corporation, Gloria Irwin, who owns a one-woman promotional marketing firm that counts Harrah's Entertainment, Boyd Gaming and Isle of Capri Casinos among its clients, offers this advice: Don't apologize for your size—use it to your advantage.

Posted by Emily McMackin on September 28, 2007 10:35 AM

Men and women are different--and driving across the country with my husband only reinforced that idea. While I wanted to turn around as soon as we thought we were headed in the wrong direction, make hotel reservations before we arrived in a town, and stop to use the restroom more than once a day--he didn't. Both of our methods for cross-country travel would take one from point A to point B--just in different ways.

So I wasn't surprised at all to see a study released last week from the SBA Office of Advocacy that found while gender doesn't affect new venture performance in a small business, several factors vary between men and women business owners, including expectations, motivations and reasons for starting a business.

Posted by Shannon McRae on September 17, 2007 08:06 AM

Survey results recently released by the American Red Cross and FedEx found that while 94 percent of small-business owners can see their business being seriously disrupted by a disaster within the next two years, not nearly as many feel prepared. According to the Red Cross and FedEx, only 43 percent of small-business owners feel prepared to handle a one-week disruption to their business, and only 22 percent feel they could deal with a disruption lasting one month.

Noting that one in four businesses doesn't reopen after a major disaster, the Red Cross and Fed Ex have announced plans to develop tools to help small-business owners ready themselves.

For tips on how to prepare your business and employees for an emergency, check out NFIB.com's disaster planning section.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on September 13, 2007 03:00 PM

If you're one of the 500,000 or so early-adopters who bought an iPhone after its launch in June, you're probably a little perturbed by the $200 price drop that was announced yesterday. Industry experts have always quarreled over whether Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs is a genius or a madman, but they do agree on one thing: Apple customers are an extremely loyal bunch and always give the company a chance to redeem itself in their eyes.

However, as a small-business owner, you probably don't have the luxury to risk angering your customers, especially with sales mistakes that could have been easily avoided. Unless you posses Jobs' "reality distortion field," check out this Tools and Tips on NFIB.com to find out how to avoid making six common sales mistakes, including fearing the customer's reaction, rushing to judgment and approaching all complaints the same way.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on September 6, 2007 03:38 PM

As a small-business owner, you know how difficult it can be to hire the right employee. And while you don't always have tons of time to decide, you want to make sure you find someone who is a great fit for your company. This article from the Kiplinger Business Resource Center discusses keys to hiring effectively and offers tips on setting up a hiring system to help you narrow your heaping stack of resumes down to a few top candidates. For more tips on assembling the perfect staff, also check out the MyBusiness Manual section in the August/September issue of MyBusiness.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on August 16, 2007 03:17 PM

Driving along a fairly well-traveled road in Nashville, Tenn., I used to regularly see a middle-aged man dressed in a Target employee shirt walking on the shoulder. Every so often, he'd turn around and wave enthusiastically at passing cars, and then continue on, obviously on his way to work at the major retailer's store a few miles away. I always enjoyed seeing The Target Man (as I called him) and was impressed with him for his cheery outlook on life and with the store for employing someone who appeared to have a developmental disability.

This story in the Wall Street Journal's online CareerJournal.com proves Target isn't alone. Lots of businesses (big and small) are finding the benefits of employing people with mental or physical disabilities. "One thing we found is they can all do the job," says Randy Lewis, a senior vice president of distribution and logistics at Walgreen, who is quoted in the article. "What surprised us is the environment that it's created. It's a building where everybody helps each other out."

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 6, 2007 06:13 AM

Have you felt a need to take your business to the next level, but aren't sure how or when to proceed? Expansion Plans, a feature story in the current issue of MyBusiness, profiles small-business owners who sought more—and found it. If you're not sure when the time is right to grow your business, this article has signs to look for, as well as tips to get you on your way once you make the decision to expand.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on August 2, 2007 03:54 PM

We have several grammar gods on the MyBusiness staff--which is a good thing since our business is words. On any given afternoon, we're likely waging deep discussions on the correct use of past participle phrases. We all have our pet peeves when it comes to proper use of the English language. Misuse of quotations is high on my list. I cringe when I see billboards that promise "We Have The Best Deals in Town." Do you really need the quotes? (or the capitalization, but that's another pet peeve...)

If you feel like whipping out your red pen every time you read a newspaper, you'll feel a kinship with this writer who is shocked when smart people use bad grammar. You might wonder why good grammar matters, but it really does contribute to others' perception of you (and your small business). So next time you're torn between using "lie" or "lay" or "that" or "which," check out the list of common grammar usage questions on this Web site.

Posted by Shannon McRae on July 30, 2007 08:16 AM

Before I go on a vacation, I like to plan everything out: what I'm going to do on what day and where I'll eat each meal. But then when I get there, plans inevitably change. I still have a good time and I probably hit all the attractions, but just not in the way I had intended.

The same can be said for running a business, says USA Today's small-business expert Gladys Edmunds, so don't waste too much time planning—because something inevitably will change.

"Even the best plans can go awry," Edmunds says. "And you can't afford to waste a lot of time having too many meetings and brainstorming sessions about problems that might happen. It's possible that the very thing you find yourself dealing with was the very thing that never crossed your mind."

That's not to say planning isn't important, just don't get too bogged down in it.

Posted by Lena Anthony on July 25, 2007 10:00 AM

This article in USA Today suggests that business casual means different things to every generation, the article says, which means employers are seeing more halter tops and flip-flops than they'd like to. And they're fighting back.

"The number of employers allowing casual dress days every day has plunged from 53% in 2002 to a new low of 38%," the article explains.

The best way to avoid a business-casual mishap is to enforce a dress code. Nothing strict like at some schools, but guidelines for your employees to follow so they can be dressed appropriately for productivity and professionalism. And maybe a line outlawing tube tops wouldn't hurt.

This article, written by Beth Gaudio of the NFIB Small Business Legal Center and appearing in the current issue of MyBusiness, can help you establish a dress code flexible enough for any generation—and fool-proof enough that it won't invite a lawsuit.

Posted by Lena Anthony on July 11, 2007 03:19 PM

I'll admit--I'm an impatient person. I hate to wait in line for anything. I spend half my time at the grocery store jumping to what I perceive to be a faster checkout line. Just the other day, I bounced between three different lines before returning to the first register, all in an effort to get out of the store sooner (if you've shopped with a fussy 4-month-old, you understand).

This New York Times article discusses the science behind lines at retail stores. Organic grocer Whole Foods spent months designing new systems for its Manhattan-based stores in an effort to move customers more quickly. The result is a single line that filters into up to 30 registers during busy hours. Though as many as 50 people might be ahead of you (I think I'd faint), the wait is often only four or five minutes. Such a simple concept that makes a big difference for customers. Take a look around your small business. See if there are ways you could improve the experience for your customers like me--who live in a perpetual state of hurry.

Posted by Shannon McRae on June 24, 2007 12:34 PM

"Summertime's here, and the living is easy..." That might be true for the rest of the world, but it's not always so for small-business owners, according to a recent AP article published in the Houston Chronicle. Though summers are supposed to be slow for small businesses, owners often find themselves more stressed than ever while trying to coordinate staff vacations, balance their own family and child-care issues and reach vendors and prospective clients who are out on vacation themselves. If not handled properly, all of this can culminate in a cash-flow meltdown. The article offers helpful tips from small-business owners about how they overcame these obstacles and finally found time to kick back and enjoy the season.

Posted by Emily McMackin on June 22, 2007 04:00 PM

Looking for a little summertime fun at your office? Why not let employees bring their dogs in to work? After all, tomorrow is Take Your Dog to Work Day. According to an article on Entrepreneur.com, a recent survey found that 44 percent of dog owners would be willing to part with 10 percent of their salary if they could bring their dog to work with them. While it might not be a good fit for every business--nor something you'd want to do every day--it could be a good morale boost for your employees. Just make sure no one brings a cat.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on June 21, 2007 01:37 PM

I don't know about you, but over the past few months, my invitations to connect on the online networking site LinkedIn have increased substantially. Since I can't attribute it to some spike in my overall popularity, it seems like more and more people are using the site these days. I wrote a story for MyBusiness about online networking several years ago when networks like LinkedIn were just launching. I joined a few then so I could get a better understanding of the experience, but I have to admit--after I finished writing the story, I didn't monitor my accounts that much. Since I've started receiving more invitations lately, I (like Harvey King) have wondered: Is it really worth my time to connect to business associates, friends and people I went to school with who I haven't spoken to in years?

This story gave me 20 ways to use LinkedIn productively. While not all of the reasons apply to small-business owners, several might make you answer that invitation to connect a little faster next time. After all, what small-business owner doesn't want to boost business, check references for hires, get advice or improve their Google results? If you opened a account months or years ago, it might pay to dig around in your desk for the username and password and explore who else has joined since you did. If you've never opened an account, try using it for a few weeks to see how it works.

Posted by Shannon McRae on June 18, 2007 11:00 AM

With the conclusion of the critically acclaimed series, The Sopranos, last Sunday, it is safe to look back on the business management skills of mob boss Tony Soprano with a critical eye.

This article from USA Today asserts that Tony Soprano was by all means a bad boss. And although a comparison between a fictional crime family and a small business is a stretch, a bad boss in the former has many of the same qualities as a bad boss in the latter. Tony failed to reward loyalty in the workplace and was a terrible communicator, expecting his employees to read his mind rather than clearly outlining his expectations. Regardless of whether an employee is supposed to put the screws on a rival boss or create a template for a Web site, it is the employer’s responsibility to make sure that the employee knows exactly what needs to be done.

A recent online poll by authors Beverly Kale and Sharon Jordan-Evans asked employees just what exactly makes a bad boss. The top four qualities of a bad boss are:

• Belittling people in front of others


• Lying


• Being Condescending


• Humiliating and embarrassing others

Tony was easily guilty of all of the above.

Posted by Grant Thomas on June 12, 2007 11:52 AM

I've heard that taking a short power-nap in the afternoons can give you a jolt of much-needed energy when they day is dragging on—but meditating at work is a new one to me.

But the trend seems to be catching on, and the calm and collected folks at the Center for Leadership Performance held a conference Wednesday where CEOs and scientists gathered to discuss the growing trend of stress-reducing meditation in America's workplaces. According to the center, transcendental meditation, "a simple, effortless mental procedure practiced 15 to 20 minutes twice a day, sitting comfortably with the eyes closed," results in creativity, alertness and all-around better health.

Meditating for a few minutes at my desk to achieve "pure consciousness"? That definitely sounds more appealing—and practical—than trying to crawl under the breakroom table in an attempt to catch a few afternoon Zs.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on June 7, 2007 12:54 PM

On May 25, President George W. Bush signed the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 into law, raising the minimum wage of $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour by July 2009. The increase will occur in three phases:

1. Beginning July 23, 2007, the minimum wage will be $5.85 per hour


2. Beginning July 23, 2008, the minimum wage will be $6.55 per hour


3. Beginning July 23, 2009, the minimum wage will be $7.25 per hour

Many states have minimum-wage laws that differ from the federal law, but employees must be paid the higher of the differing wages. Read today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com for more information on the new federal minimum-wage law, including exceptions.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on May 31, 2007 09:25 AM

Any small-business owner knows how hard it can be to keep your work from spilling over into your personal life, and vice versa. While some companies might be OK with employees coming and going on an honor system, others may prefer to have in writing how many doctors' appointments or kids' soccer games they can leave for before considering it actual time off. Today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com offers some advice on how to craft a policy that helps determine that line between work and life, which can help keep your employees happy--and your business booming.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on May 29, 2007 12:39 PM

If study findings showing that Americans take the fewest vacation days (14) on average than people in any other country sounds unbelievable, listen to this. Entrepreneurs take even less time off, an average of 5.5 days, according to a recent study by Information Strategies, Inc.

A survey of 234 small-business owners/presidents showed that:

•41 percent had not taken a vacation of more than seven days in the past two years and the same number said their businesses suffered when they've been on vacation in the past.
•33 percent had not taken a vacation in two years.
•27 percent said they did not expect to take a vacation this year.

And perhaps the saddest statistic of all: 44 percent said their families had taken vacations without them.

Focus group discussions with these entrepreneurs revealed that many worried that taking time off would adversely affect their business. But it doesn't have to be that way. If a beach somewhere is calling your name, or you just need to get away for a few hours, check out our Feb./March feature, "Beat Burnout." Find out how other business owners learned to step away from their businesses without losing control of their companies and came back reenergized.

Posted by Emily McMackin on May 25, 2007 02:50 PM

I interviewed a small-business owner recently who told me about the moment he realized he wanted to run his own business. It was when the corporation he was working for, after a failed growth spurt, began laying off people right and left. And yeah, you guessed it, he was let go, too. But looking back, he said, it was for the best. Now that he owns his own business, he gets the freedom he never had as an employee, but he also knows how not to treat his employees—and that is in the exact opposite way he was treated as an employee before being let go.

This BusinessWeek article is about learning from what author Keith McFarland calls your anti-mentors.

"So the next time you get frustrated with that sleazy politician down the hall, that slippery vendor or that manipulative customer, take a deep breath and ask yourself what lesson this person is likely to teach you," he says. "Anti-mentors may represent the most important opportunity for learning we're given in life. The key is being willing to learn from them."

Posted by Lena Anthony on May 22, 2007 02:01 PM

When I was looking to buy my first house three years ago, I was referred to a real estate agent by a friend of a friend. But the second I walked into his office for our first meeting, I knew I could never bring myself to do business with him. His office was a mess—stained carpet, half-empty soda bottles discarded on the floor, file folders stacked sky-high, loose papers strewn about—and even though we'd just spoken over the phone a few hours before, he couldn't find his notes from our conversation anywhere. He was a nice enough guy, but if he couldn't even take the time to put his trash in a garbage can, how could I trust him to remember important details about a house I was going to purchase?

No matter how unfair it might seem, making a good first impression can be crucial to your business' success. Today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com offers some hints on how to spruce up the inside and outside of your business to make it more appealing to potential customers.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on May 17, 2007 10:41 AM

With so many corporate manufacturing plants moving overseas, it seems hard to believe that there is much room for small-business growth in the manufacturing sector. But a recent survey by the Kauffman Foundation proves otherwise. The survey found that manufacturing sales have risen 20 percent between 2002 and 2006 and 70 percent of all U.S. manufacturers have 20 employees or fewer.

So how are they managing to grow despite the overseas competition? According to this article by Phaedra Hines for Fortune Small Business, many successful small manufacturers are coming up with creative ways to produce products rapidly and keep customers happy.

Posted by Lena Anthony on May 16, 2007 10:15 AM

Finally, being environmentally friendly is no longer seen as a fad reserved for tree-hugging hippies--these days, individuals and businesses across the globe are getting into earth-saving acts. Today's Tools & Tips article on NFIB.com offers five tips on how your small business can go green, such as:

• Recycle, reduce, reuse


• Replace old appliances with "energy stars"


• Switch to renewable or high efficiency heating and cooling systems

Posted by Megan Goodchild on May 15, 2007 12:24 PM

Do you ever find yourself feeling anxious about how a pending disaster could ruin your business? In a post-9/11 society, business owners are more aware than ever that tragedy can strike at any moment. With statistics indicating that many businesses don’t survive disaster, it is imperative that owners be prepared for the worst.

Luckily, there is relief in sight. The Department of Homeland Security and various business groups have collaborated to launch Ready Business—a motivational program that keeps business owners prepared to handle disaster. The program allows small-business owners to communicate ideas about how to protect companies from any natural, medical or terrorist-invoked disaster through websites, phone calls and a mentoring program. “Business leaders owe it to their organizations, their employees and their communities to be prepared,” says Erin Streeter, active director of Ready Business, “It’s important to be informed about the different kinds of emergencies that could occur in your area.”

Read this article to learn more about keeping your employees and your business safe from any unexpected tragedy.

Posted by Megan Pacella on May 8, 2007 01:48 PM

The second I see that I have a new e-mail, I open it and, if it needs a response, I'll respond. Otherwise, it'll get buried in my inbox and found a week later, at which point I'll freak out because I just realized I never responded. But dropping everything for an e-mail might be more annoying to those around you than you realize, says a new survey by Robert Half Management Resources.

The survey found that 86 percent of senior executives polled said it is common for professionals they work with to read and respond to e-mail messages during meetings, and 31 percent of them disapprove of this practice. Another 37 percent said it's OK to respond to e-mails as long as it's urgent, but 23 percent said you should excuse yourself from the meeting before responding.

Robert Half goes on to list some tips on managing your e-mail around others.

Posted by Lena Anthony on May 4, 2007 10:33 AM

When I worked in New York City for a few years after college, one of my colleagues (who was born and raised in Brooklyn) was fascinated by my Southern roots. She'd never been south of Washington, D.C., and often asked me questions like, "Do you have stores in your town?" I'm sure she was imagining a land of cows pastures and dirt roads. While both of those exist in my hometown, so does a lot of booming industry--which is why for the second year in a row, the Southeast dominated the top 10 list of Forbes magazine's best places for business. Raleigh, N.C., snagged the No. 1 spot, while four other Southern cities ranking in the top 10 as well (including Nashville, Tenn., home of MyBusiness headquarters). Lower business costs, a highly educated workforce and affordable housing are just some of the criteria researchers used to rank the cities. Y'all are welcome to visit any time to see what all the fuss is about.

Posted by Shannon McRae on April 30, 2007 11:17 AM

The Small Business Administration recently relaunched its Web site. I have to say--it needed an update. The old site was jumbled and hard to navigate. At least the new one looks more organized. There you can find tools, tips and resources to manage and expand your business as well as links to all the programs offered by SBA. Still can't find what you're looking for? Check out USA.gov, the one-stop site for all things government. Formerly FirstGov.gov, this site got a face-lift too.

Posted by Shannon McRae on April 25, 2007 12:47 PM

So this horse walks into a bar...

Ok, telling lame jokes probably isn't the way to go, but according to Debbie Weil at BlogWrite for CEOs, injecting a bit of humor in your posts is good for your company's blog. Lightening up the tone of your writing "predisposes the reader to feel positive about the blogger," Weil says. "And that's a great way to start the conversation and strengthen the connection with your audience."

If your business doesn't have a blog yet, check out "Blogging for Business," an article in the latest issue of MyBusiness that offers several helpful tips on how starting one could help boost your business.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 19, 2007 02:12 PM

You dust off your desk periodically, eat only in the kitchen area, and wipe down your keyboard when it starts to feel grimy. But is that really enough? According to a 2002 study sponsored by The Clorox Company, probably not. The study found that the average office desk harbors hundreds of times more bacteria per square inch than an office toilet seat. So what can you do to combat menacing microbes? NFIB.com's Tools and Tips article today offers five steps you can take to have a germ-free office, including wiping down workspaces every day, keeping food in the kitchen and sending sick employees home.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 5, 2007 12:14 PM

It seems like new hires are bailing out on jobs faster than ever. In fact, according to a survey of 2,000 HR and training executives, up to 25 percent of newly hired employees are leaving their positions within a year of being hired. With turnover rates increasing, employers are starting to seriously wonder why their new employees seem so eager to walk out the door.

While it is easy to blame the people quitting their jobs, you might need to take a look in the mirror. According to executive consultant Tim Vigue, “there are managers who are not very good at describing and communicating to the candidates what the job and the organization is all about.” Management often seems to be the source of miscommunication, resulting in a quick turnover of new hires.

Kathy Gurchiek gives an overview of the survey in this article on SHRM.org. Take a look and find out ways to help keep your new employees around for a while.

Posted by Megan Pacella on April 4, 2007 12:59 PM

When you're your own boss, how much do you pay yourself? The New York Times, in an article published online today, found this to be a difficult question for entrepreneurs, especially those just starting up a business. Robert Chelle, director of the Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at the University of Dayton, tells the Times that "people who start small businesses should not expect any money that first year" unless, of course, they obtain venture capital or start making money right away. Andrew Corbett, professor of entrepreneurship and strategic management at the Lally School of Management and Technology in Troy, N.Y., says that once your business has started to make money, you can figure out what to pay yourself. Corbett discusses with the Times a formula he's created for determining a small-business owner's salary---a formula that suggests paying yourself about 50 percent more than what you'd make working for someone else.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on March 22, 2007 12:59 PM

Can you really fire customers? That's the question pondered by Fast Company blogger Valeria Maltoni this week. Referencing the 80/20 rule (20 percent of your customers account for 80 percent of your business), she asks: Wouldn't it be wiser to focus on loyal (but often high-maintenance) customers who bring the most profit to your business and cut the rest loose?

On the surface, the answer seems to be yes, but Maltoni takes a deeper look. Sometimes these "lesser" customers turn out to be the ones your sales reps spend the most time with in the field. Why? You may discover that these customers are the ones your reps love to call on because they are the least demanding and the most satisfied. So, do you take employees away from these marginal customers to concentrate on the bigger prospects? Maltoni analyzes the implications.

Check out our Aug./Sept. Manual on winning new customers for best practices on growing a loyal customer base and catching new sales prospects.

Posted by Emily McMackin on March 21, 2007 07:39 AM

One of my least favorite kinds of interviews to do is with business partners. When I'm doing the interview, I'm constantly struggling to figure out who's talking when, and when I'm writing the article, I'm constantly struggling to fit both of them—equally—into the story. It just makes me nervous. Why? Because I certainly don't want to be the cause of their demise. Now, I'm sure none of my articles have ever broken up a business partnership, but I always get the feeling that it could. Business partners are really no different than rock stars. You know, they start out as best of friends, but at some point creative differences and the like get in the way. And then it all goes down hill. Hello, the Beatles?

This article on Web Worker Daily discusses the pros and cons of mixing friends and business. Whether you're looking for a new partner or a new reception in your buddy, it's important to consider the effects on your business and your friendship first.

Posted by Lena Anthony on March 16, 2007 07:18 AM

If you're thinking about expanding your small business, be sure to look at the costs from all angles. Underestimating how much money you'll need can lead to trouble, especially if you do not have sufficient funds to complete the work. Today's Tools & Tips article on NFIB.com discusses several important cost areas to consider when preparing to expand, including taxes, contracts, inventory and equipment.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on March 15, 2007 11:30 AM

At my office a lot of us are really excited about the NCAA basketball tournament. You see, we have a few Vanderbilt alumni here and well, after a long enough wait, our men's team finally got in the tournament. Wow, I must have a case of March Madness!

Office betting pools during March Madness are big business in America, says this AP article, which cites an FBI estimate that office betting pools are worth $2.5 billion.

The article says that while it's illegal in most states, betting pools aren't frowned upon in most businesses—unless it starts to take away from worker productivity. So while everyone's waiting for the tournament to begin, it might not be a bad idea to send out a quick e-mail to your workers letting them know your company stance on bringing your March Madness into the workplace. Which reminds me, I need to go ask my boss if he objects to face paint in the office on game days. Just kidding.

Posted by Lena Anthony on March 13, 2007 12:57 PM

Tax season can be stressful for anyone, but nobody knows the demands of compiling records and poring over the books like a small-business owner. Without a dedicated finance or bookkeeping department, most small-business owners end up having to do the tax prep-work themselves—a task that a recent AP article on MSNBC.com says often is set aside until tax day is approaching.

Instead of thinking of taxes as a once-a-year event, the article says, small-business owners should integrate tax work into their regular operating routine to ease the pain of last-minute preparation. If getting your books organized—and keeping them that way—seems too daunting, the article recommends delegating the task. And though hiring the job out can sound expensive, it could save you lots of time—and money—in the long run.

For more helpful tax-time hints, visit the 2006 Tax Resources section of NFIB.com.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on March 8, 2007 09:21 AM

In today's digital age, many small businesses would be crippled if their IT services were interrupted or failed completely. From talking on the phone to conducting e-commerce, your company's IT needs should not be taken lightly.

Every business has different service needs, but how do you know when you should handle such needs in-house or outsource them? The answer will differ for every small business, but today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com can help you get an idea of how not to get in over your head--or how to get out if you're already there.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on February 16, 2007 12:47 PM

According to a recent survey by the Spherion Corporation, a staffing and recruiting company, 39 percent of U.S. workers said they have dated a co-worker and four in 10 workers have considered dating a co-worker. Thirty percent said their office relationships lasted several months, 15 percent said they lasted for several years, and for 25 percent of those surveyed, their office romances led to marriage.

Given the statistics, it probably wouldn't hurt to take a stance on romance in your business. According to another survey by the career Web site Vault.com, a majority of employees and managers think office romances are OK—as long as they don't interfere with work.

This 2006 MyBusiness article by Beth Gaudio, senior executive counsel with the NFIB Legal Foundation, can help you think about office romances—and how they could affect your business—whether or not Cupid sticks around.

Source: Society for Human Resource Management

Posted by Lena Anthony on February 13, 2007 11:06 AM

Eighty-two percent of business owners surveyed in the most recent NFIB Small-Business Economic Conditions poll said there were few or no qualified applicants to fill open positions within their businesses. Such a tight labor market forces owners to come up with creative recruitment methods.

Some start with proven success stories: star employees. Why not ask them if they have friends or family looking for a job? While this Arizona Republic article points out a few situations to avoid (don't hire someone's aunt just because she "needs a job"), asking reliable employees for applicant referrals might help you fill that open position faster.

Posted by Shannon McRae on February 12, 2007 08:54 AM

In today's global economy, it might be business as usual for you to correspond on a regular basis with clients from around the world. However, if you are meeting face-to-face with international clients--especially for the first time--you should take time to learn a little about their culture as to not offend or miscommunicate. Today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com offers some advice on global business etiquette, such as:

• Relationships are important. In most countries, businesspeople want to get to know you before getting down to business, particularly those from Latin America and Asia. Don't rush into business talk.


• Leave the trendy, loud clothes at home. Most of the world dresses conservatively in business, so dress appropriately modest. One exception is Hong Kong, where you might want to don a red tie or scarf--it is a much-appreciated symbol of good luck.


• Know when to kiss, shake hands and make eye contact. For the most part, you can't go wrong with a handshake in business circles around the world. However, how you shake hands does send a message: Americans tend to have a firm, quick handshake, with steady eye contact and a smile. But in Japan, this is considered a bit impolite--a light handshake is preferred. Always be prepared to bow or even to be the recipient of a hug or kiss in other countries.

Learning about the customs of different countries can be fun, and a little research can go a long way for your business.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on February 8, 2007 09:51 AM

Steve Martin’s “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is one of my favorite movies of all time. If your travel plans have ever gone worse than expected, you can relate to this movie. But instead of losing it at the ticket counter like Martin’s character, USA Today’s Business Traveler columnist Joe Brancatelli offers 12 tips for effective complaints when the airline, hotel or car rental company provides less than stellar service.

The first hint is to try to resolve it in person at the time of the problem. If that doesn’t work, try Brancatelli’s tips on writing a letter that will get read. The hardest piece of advice to follow: Be nice. Even though you’d rather use this time to vent and threaten and call the company a monkey’s uncle, doing so won’t help your case (even if it does make you feel a smidgen better).

Posted by Shannon McRae on February 5, 2007 08:28 AM

I thought I had heard it all when I read some time last year that Wal-Mart was "going green." The mammoth retailer announced it would begin selling organic products as well as working to find ways to reduce waste and cut its greenhouse gas emissions. "Whatever," I thought to myself. "Just another desperate attempt at some good PR." (Those of us around the halls of MyBusiness delight in being anti-Wal-Mart.)

But then I noticed that Wal-Mart wasn't the only one in corporate America clamoring to be known as environmentally friendly. Over the past few years, "green" has taken on a new meaning in some businesses. NPR's Marketplace interviewed Yale professor Daniel Etsy earlier this week about how some smart companies (including Wal-Mart) have realized that tree-hugging can be good for the environment and their bottom lines.

So how are small businesses fitting into this trend? Has your business--or one you know--adopted new practices that will sustain Mother Earth? If so, we want to hear from you. E-mail us at feedback@mybusinessmag.com.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 31, 2007 09:00 AM

"What did you do this weekend?" "Oh, raised $4.1 million in venture funding for my new Web site." I don't know about you, but I didn't have too many conversations like this in high school. Yet last week, investors announced they were sinking cash--and lots of it--into myYearbook.com, a site created by 17-year-old Catherine Cook that lets teens create their own digital yearbooks.

Teenagers today are proving that age isn't a barrier to the business world if you have a good idea and know how to execute it. The NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation hears stories of amazing young businesspeople all the time. Joe Pascaretta, a former winner of the Foundation's annual scholarship award, didn't waste his first semester of college skipping class and eating pizza. Instead, the University of Michigan freshman's landscaping firm grew more than 239 percent to gross more than $1 million in 2006. Kind of puts to shame that "B" in biology that I was so proud to earn my freshman semester.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 29, 2007 10:48 AM

I watched an old episode of ABC's "The Office" last night. In it, the inefficient Michael Scott solicited anonymous suggestions from his staff. They weren't very good suggestions, few people took the task seriously, and, oh yeah, he came up with the idea for all the wrong reasons. But you have to hand it to him, it was a pretty good idea. How else could he expect to get genuine feedback from his employees?

Conducting employee performance reviews is a common practice in many small businesses. Performed by your employees' supervisors, they're a great way to identify your employees' strengths and weaknesses and direct them towards long-term goals. They can also be a useful tool in deciding year-end raises and bonuses. But what happens when you're the owner of the business and you're as high up the ladder as it gets?

Have your employees review you, says this USA Today article (via Small Business Connection). It might be hard to stomach, but the criticism can help you in the same ways employee performance reviews can help your workers—by helping you identify your strengths, weaknesses and obstacles to growth. And hey, maybe you'll realize that you need a pay raise, too.

Posted by Lena Anthony on January 16, 2007 01:59 PM

Small-business owners ended 2006 on a serious note, according to the latest NFIB Research Foundation Small-Business Economic Trends Report. Declines in job-creation plans as well as a drop in the number of business owners who expected the economy to improve sent the Small-Business Optimism level down 3.2 points to 96.5 (1986=100).

October readings showed near record-high rates of business owners planning to create new jobs. But by December, that number dropped sharply to just 10 percent. Ten percent of the owners reported that the availability of qualified labor was their top business problem, down two points from November and five points from October, indicating that labor market conditions may be easing.

Read more about what the survey predicts about the first quarter of this year here.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 11, 2007 08:31 AM

No matter how great of a boss you think you are, chances are, lots of your employees would take a better offer if it came along. Two-thirds of all employed U.S. working adults are open to changing jobs in 2007, according to a new Yahoo/Hot Jobs survey. Low unemployment rates and rising wages were the main reasons why 70 percent of those surveyed think 2007 is an ideal time to find a new opportunity.

For small businesses, replacing employees is extremely time consuming. Every position counts--small employers don't have a lot of fluff in their staffs. If replacing a few employees sounds like the last thing you want to do this year, find ways to keep them satisfied before they actually pursue new jobs. We've all read the surveys on how salary isn't necessarily the No. 1 reason people are happy with their jobs, but check out this article from the latest issue of MyBusiness to make sure that money isn't the reason your employees start checking out the want ads.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 3, 2007 10:59 AM

My mom and dad have been married 33 years--and for the last 17 of those years, they've run a small business together. Staying happily married to the same person for more than three decades is a huge accomplishment in itself--working with that person day in and day out is close to miraculous. Only two years into marriage myself, I love my husband, but we both agree that newlywed feeling we still have would fade quickly if we started working together.

So what are the secrets to mixing love, marriage and business? This article on CNNMoney.com explores how running a business can be the best thing for your relationship. For my mom and dad, it's been about defining boundaries--both are good at different aspects of the business, so they stay out of each other's way most of the time. And when problems arise, they talk about them (or argue about them) until they're solved. Sounds like the recipe for most successful relationships--whether business, personal or both.

Posted by Shannon McRae on January 2, 2007 10:24 AM

I was surprised to read the statistic that one-third of online shoppers between the ages of 18 and 34 plan to buy gifts for themselves this Christmas. Only 14 percent said they enjoyed buying for their parents, while 25 percent planned to spend on gifts for their pets.

I'll admit--I'm a member of Generation Y (though, for the record, I love shopping for my parents. My mom is the easiest person on my list.). But this article made me wonder about the future of business. What are companies doing to prepare this self-focused generation for future leadership roles?

This article in Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge newsletter helps answer that question. According to advice from Harvard Business School Professor W. Earl Sasser, talented young people thirst for challenging assignments and just want to be listend to. Smart business owners looking for possible exit-strategy scenarios, or just looking to scale back over the next few years, ought to check out these helpful tips on how to teach leadership to a younger--and much different--generation.

Posted by Shannon McRae on December 20, 2006 12:41 PM

Telecommuting is nothing new to the staff of MyBusiness. While most of us are based in Nashville, Tenn., we have one employee who has worked from Austin, Texas, for more than five years. And a few months ago, I headed West to set up shop in Portland, Ore. Even though we're the only two who actually live away from the Nashville office, all of our other colleagues are just as well-connected as we are--and could work from China if they needed to (Editorial Director Jamie Roberts loves to travel so much, she just might try it one day).

Our editor, Rex Hammock, travels a lot for business, but he stays so connected that on most days, I don't know if he's in Nashville or New York--and does it really matter? We all maintain our productivity because we're used to working as a virtual team. That's why I was so interested when TP Wire Service linked to this article from Web Worker Daily on "Seven Habits of Successful Virtual Teams." I won't bore you by tooting our horn about how we already follow most of this advice, but I will encourage you to consider cutting the ropes in your office.

Small businesses are the perfect place to experiment with virtual teams. Maybe you don't feel comfortable allowing employees to move across the country, but why not let them work from home one day a week, or even one day a month? By just barely changing the way your office operates now, you'll see a huge increase in overall productivity.

Posted by Shannon McRae on December 18, 2006 11:12 AM

Holidays are a hectic time for small businesses as they're focused on wrapping up projects for the year while juggling the countless disruptions like parties and other pre-holiday distractions. But did you also know that the holidays can give your business the opportunity to build teamwork skills, attract better employees and improve your chances of holding onto the great employees you already have? Workplace volunteer programs, which are much more prevalent during the holidays, are a great way to accomplish these goals and more.

Today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com offers some ideas to inject that holiday spark throughout your business, such as holding a can drive, adopting an angel or making a monetary donation to a community organization.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on December 14, 2006 09:20 AM

None of us can see into the future (and that's not a bad thing when you think about it). But if you're working hard, yet feel like you're not getting anywhere with your business, good news. Forget about predicting the future. New research from Six Disciplines Corporation finds that success might can be boiled down to just five attributes.

Small Business Trends Blog editor Anita Campbell recently revealed the traits most often shared by successful businesses with 10 to 100 employees. The first four are no surprise: a strong leadership team, the ability to attract and retain quality employees, a disciplined approach to business and strategic use of technology. But like Campbell, you might be surprised by the fifth: the wise use of trusted outside providers.

If you're trying to do it all yourself, relax--and seek help. The smartest businesspeople know that no one knows everything. Find advisors you trust and tap into their knowledge. Your future will look brighter.

Posted by Shannon McRae on December 13, 2006 02:39 PM

Of all the things to accomplish on your to-do list before the end of the year (which, scary enough, is only about three weeks away!) don't forget to see if there are any financial moves you should make before Jan. 1 to help save on your 2006 returns. This article from the latest issue of MyBusiness outlines key steps small-business owners should take for maximum savings.

Posted by Shannon McRae on December 6, 2006 11:17 AM

Reading this post on the Diary of a Startup blog over at PeerSight Online gave me a case of deja vu. In a nutshell, it says small-business success comes from investing in the right people. In other words, your business can have all the fancy gadget in the world, but if you don't have the right people to work those gadgets, you'll be a lot less successful.

Hmmm. This all sounds so familiar. Where have I heard this before? Oh yeah, from people just like you.

For an upcoming MyBusiness feature I'm working on (See it here Feb. 1!), I interviewed the owners of four small businesses that had experienced unprecedented growth and managed it well. Of course, they all conveyed it differently, but each one of them said that hiring becomes a lot bigger of a priority and challenge when your business is growing.

That's because you can't just hire your best buds anymore; you have to hire people who have the skills, ability and personality to help you grow your business.

Read the Diary of a Startup post (which is a pickup from the PeerSight Resource Center) for some great tips on what kinds of things you should think about before hiring your first or next employee.

Posted by Lena Anthony on December 5, 2006 12:20 PM

Holiday scheduling--and having to balance the needs of your business with the needs of employees--can be your worst nightmare. Every worker, business owners included, wants time off during the holidays, but for some businesses, it's the busiest time of year. For other businesses, the holidays are dead. The phones don't ring and probably won't until after New Year's. But you probably still need a skeleton crew who can address anything that comes up. But how do you decide who's on that crew? Whatever decision you make, it's bound to make someone upset. So what's the best way to handle scheduling? Today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com addresses this issue, offering advice for small-business owners trying to be as fair and accommodating as possible during the holiday season.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on December 5, 2006 10:42 AM

When I was in high school, I worked at my parents' small business some during the summer. I filed, answered phones, drove my little brother to swim practice--you know, important stuff. My dad did let me write a few press releases, but I can't remember if he ever sent them to anyone (hopefully not). When I compare my work in a small business to what the teenagers in this StartupJournal.com story do, I'm embarrassed. These young people are doing more than helping their parents--they're running small companies themselves. Far beyond your average lemonade stand, one 15-year-old is even in negotiations to have her product sold at Wal-Mart.

The cover story of the Dec./Jan. issue of MyBusiness explores the link between your childhood and your business. Some researchers suggest that genetics play an important role in whether someone "makes it" as an entrepreneur. But like the young people in the StartupJournal.com story, the small-business owners we spoke to told us hard work and dedication give you a better chance at success than having the perfect small-business genes.

The NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation works to help young people cultivate their entrepreneurial skills. Through programs like Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom and the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Awards, the YEF is doing its part to ensure that young people have the tools they need to succeed in business—regardless of their DNA.

Posted by Shannon McRae on December 4, 2006 10:30 AM

Small-business owners are full of holiday cheer as we enter the last month of 2006. Two recently released surveys show small-business owners' confidence in the U.S. economy continues to rise.

The Discover Small Business Watch survey saw an increase for the fourth straight month, with almost half of respondents rating the U.S. economy as "excellent" or "good." November's spike came from a substantial spike in the number of owners who think economic conditions for their businesses will improve during the next six months.

The latest Small-Business Economic Trends report from NFIB's Research Foundation also measured an uptick in confidence last month, rising 1.3 points to 100.7 (which is close the 30-year average of 100.2). "The domestic economy is hardly on the ropes, even with a weak housing market," the Foundation says.

Posted by Shannon McRae on November 27, 2006 09:57 AM

If your business requires you to travel frequently, it's probably inevitable that you've found yourself working out of your vehicle. While not an ideal office, there are ways that you can outfit your car or truck to encourage productivity--and safety. Today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com offers several ideas on how to achieve this, including:

• Make sure your vehicle is mobile-office friendly. Do you have enough storage space? Will you have to take a seat out to make room for all your files and equipment? Do you usually have passengers or workers with you who would prohibit this? Depending on how much equipment you require, you may have to reconfigure seats in your car or van to make this work.


• Have the right equipment. The basic components of a mobile office are simple: You'll need a laptop computer, cell phone and a printer, all of which you probably already have. Most likely, you will also need wireless connection.
  
• Get organized. Having a mobile office means that all this stuff needs to be anchored down somehow, so it doesn't fly around the vehicle in case of a short stop or an accident. You also need to be very organized in such a small space.


• Make sure your vehicle is secure. With all this added equipment in your vehicle, all you need is to have a thief break in and take your vehicle, and you're done.


• Don't work and drive at the same time! In this age of multitasking while driving (and the sometimes tragic consequences of talking on a cell-phone and trying to change lanes), it should go without saying that if you have a mobile office, you don't work while the vehicle is moving.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on October 27, 2006 09:09 AM

What time did you leave home this morning? Most of us in the MyBusiness office are lucky. We live just a few minutes from work. But a new study released this week by the Transportation Research Board shows we're in the minority. The number of workers whose commute lasts more than a hour grew by 50 percent between 1990 and 2000. Men are more likely to be on the road before 7:30 a.m., while women commuters most likely leave home after 7:30.

The new commuter data shows once again that life in a small business is better than corporate America. NFIB's Research Foundation surveyed business owners and found that 60 percent take fewer than 15 minutes to reach work and 80 percent less than one-half hour.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 17, 2006 10:06 AM

Processing payroll is a tedious job--every dollar must be accounted for and deducted correctly. If you're not a CPA, it's easy to make mistakes. That's why the small-business owners in this recent MyBusiness story decided to outsource the dreaded task. Even if your bottomline is tight, hiring help (or at least purchasing software) to process internal payroll might be worth the expense. If you're tired of crunching numbers, check out these tips on AllBusiness.com about how to shop for the best solution.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 9, 2006 11:42 AM

In the event of an accident in your workplace, having a first-aid kit available can prove indispensable. While it cannot--and should not--take the place of medical treatment for a major injury, assembling a kit of certain medications and supplies can provide the relief you and your employees need in a pinch.

Today's Tools & Tips article on NFIB.com offers several examples of items to include in an office first-aid kit, including the following:

• Analgesics (anti-inflammatory, fever-reducing and pain-killing medications). Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen sodium each have forms of pain they're best at relieving.


• Antihistimines. Few people expect to learn suddenly that they're allergic to something the hard way. An antihistamine medication like Benadryl can potentially be a lifesaver––or at least of great relief––if someone around your office gets stung by an insect. Other potential emergency situations could include surprises such as learning you're dangerously allergic to strawberries when you've eaten one and can't breathe, or accidentally eating something with undeclared MSG in it.


• Antiseptics. For significant cuts and scrapes, prompt application of an antiseptic (disinfectant) can greatly aid healing.


• Bandages. The common Band-Aid might suffer overuse or be rarely used, but if semi-serious cuts are somewhat common in your line of work, you'll probably want a box of them to help staunch blood flow. If you choose to keep adhesives bandages on hand, make a variety of sizes available.


• Lotions. A non-allergenic lotion, specifically one lacking fragrances and containing aloe, can relieve symptoms of dry skin and skin reactions that can occur from soaps and other substances.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on October 4, 2006 02:14 PM

Finally, something from the federal government that is useful for small-business owners. Business.gov, dubbed as "the official business link to the U.S. government," relaunches today, providing one-stop shopping for business owners looking for information on how to comply with government regulations.

Managed by the Small Business Administration, Business.gov compiles information from 21 federal agencies in an effort to improve the way the federal government serves citizens and businesses.

First launched in 2004, Business.gov originally focused on resources for starting, growing and managing a business. But focus groups revealed that what business owners really wanted was help dealing with the all the paperwork and rules about running a business. The easy-to-navigate site is divided into topics and industries.

Posted by Shannon McRae on October 2, 2006 10:09 AM

What do business management and military strategy have in common? More than you might think, according to J.C. Smith, a columnist for the North Georgia Access, an online newspaper in Gainsville, Ga. He recently posted a copy of a memorandum that he said contained helpful advice for his small-business readers. An interesting tidbit about the memo? It was written on March 6, 1944 by G.S. "George" Patton, Jr., who was serving as lieutenant general of the U.S. Army at the time. A few of the memo's highlights include:

•Management: The function of staff officers is to observe, not meddle.

•Staff Conferences: Any person with a statement to make will do so briefly.

•Plans: Plans must be simple and flexible. They should be made by the people that are going to execute them.

•Reconnaissance: You can never have too much reconnaissance. Use every means before, during and after combat to tell the troops what they are going to do and what they have done. Reports must be facts, not opinions; negative as well as positive. Information is like eggs … the fresher the better.

Posted by Emily McMackin on September 29, 2006 11:51 AM

Though unpleasant, conflict in the workplace is inevitable when two or more people are present. Today's Tools & Tips article on NFIB.com offers several strategies appropriate for dealing with conflict in your small business, such as:

• Avoidance. Though it can be an escape mechanism, avoidance can be appropriate when: It isn't your problem; there's nothing you can do about it; it's inconsequential and not worth the effort; the disruption of facing it outweighs the benefits of resolution; or you see that the situation will correct itself if you wait it out. And temporary avoidance can be a correct call when at least one party is emotionally upset.


• Fight. There's often the temptation to fight, but doing so can be dangerous. A fighting posture often sparks retaliation and starts a "war." But an instant decision to fight can be appropriate when safety is at stake, or apparent ethical or legal violations occur.


• Surrender. Surrender may be the wisest course of action when: You know the other party is right; you have no stake in the issue; giving on a small item can mean winning a more important one later; harmony and stability can be achieved; or your chance of winning is slim to none.


• Compromise. This is the partial win strategy we all have to settle for on occasion. This allows all parties to get part of what they want, so there's some satisfaction for all. Union-management disputes, even international disputes, are settled by compromise. The downside is that no participants get everything they want.


• Collaboration. The basis for collaboration is established when the parties to the conflict agree to attack the problem rather than each other, and difficulty is approached through honest and open discussion. This true win-win approach to conflict resolution usually requires more creative solutions, but it often reveals that the best answer is one that neither side had thought to demand.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on September 28, 2006 10:01 AM

You put out fires every day. But let’s hope you never have to contend with a real fire in your small business. Disaster happens. But if you're prepared, you can recover.

A recent post on the Small Business Trends blog details what happened when the author was interviewing a small business for a podcast when, all of the sudden, the business owner had to evacuate his building to escape a fire.

Avoid the heat in your small business by checking out our latest MyBusiness Manual. It's all about preparing your small business for an emergency. Though you can't prevent disasters, you can plan for them.

Posted by Shannon McRae on September 25, 2006 06:15 PM

With the cost of health care rising, it's important to understand the different options available to small businesses. One such option is a health savings account, designed to maximize your savings on health insurance while providing you with a valuable tax break. HSAs have two parts: an eligible, high-deductible health-insurance plan and a tax-advantaged savings account. Funds placed into your HSA can be invested to earn tax-free income, and the balance will roll over from year to year until retirement age. Read more about the benefits of an HSA in today's Tools & Tips on NFIB.com.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on September 20, 2006 10:49 AM

At MyBusiness, we strongly believe the best experts on running a small business are the men and women who do it every day. Real small-business owners know exactly what it takes to be successful.

That being said, we still think this Nevada Appeal article on 10 common small-business mistakes is helpful. Writer William Creekbaum has been an investment management consultant for 15 years. During that time, he's witnessed business owners fall victim to common traps, such as not giving up on an idea that isn't working and trying to do everything yourself. Glance over his list and see if any of the common mistakes sound familiar--and quickly change your ways if they do!

Posted by Shannon McRae on September 18, 2006 01:26 PM

When a large corporation is sued, they usually can just call on their team of attorneys. For small business, however, it's not so easy. Since most small-business owners can't keep a staff of legal experts on hand, the NFIB Legal Foundation is here to help. Today's Tools & Tips article on NFIB.com offers advice on what to do after you've been served with a lawsuit, such as:

• Do not ignore the lawsuit. The most important point is to never ignore the claim, no matter who makes it or where it comes from; always be ready to act immediately.


• Contact an attorney. Despite any fears toward lawyers, do not hesitate to get legal advice. Call your attorney, or if you don't have one, find one quickly. Typically, an attorney will have around 30 days to respond to all the claims, leaving precious little time for delay.


• Organize information. Gather all documents together in a logical order that the attorney can easily access. Don't destroy any documents, including e-mails or other electronic records, related to the case.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on September 15, 2006 10:02 AM

Though it may not be accurate, customers often form opinions of businesses and their owners by what they see when they walk in the door. You might be the best in your field and offer deals no one can match, but if a customer is greeted by ripped carpet, messy shelves or an office piled to the ceiling with papers, there's a good chance they'll be turned off.

Today's Tools & Tips column on NFIB.com discusses several areas--inside and outside of your building--that should be evaluated for the impact they have on your business as a whole. Simple things like making sure your sign is fully intact and merchandise is neatly displayed can make a big difference when someone is deciding whether to shop with you. Fixing things like broken light fixtures, torn carpet or broken tiles are not only important in your business' appearance but can solve a safety hazard as well.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on September 14, 2006 02:19 PM

A new survey about the small-business take on the U.S. economy reveals similar findings to what we've been hearing recently: Things are OK, not bad, not great. According to a survey by Discover Business Card, small-business owners are more optimistic about the overall economy than the general population: 39 percent of business owners rate the economy as "excellent" or "good," compared to 34 percent for the general population. But in looking into their crystal balls, almost 60 percent of small-business owners surveyed feel economic conditions are getting worse.

This recent news is in-line with results from the monthly NFIB Small-Business Economic Trends. While small-business optimism took a dip in May and June, it crept back up again in July signaling that business owners aren't quite sure what to make of the current market. Luckily the Fed is responding by raising interest rates in hopes of slowing demand enough to keep firms from raising prices, thus staving any worries of rising inflation.

In the meantime, small-business owners will keep plugging away--and serving as the most reliable indicators to where the economy is headed.

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 30, 2006 11:33 AM

Last week, we pointed to a story about business owners who were struggling to survive in New Orleans a year after Hurricane Katrina's devestating blow. Today, a story in the Salt Lake Tribune highlights a different kind of survival: In the weeks following the disaster, these owners packed up their businesses and got out of New Orleans. Though some had plans to return, all of them ended up finding permanent homes for their businesses in new cities.

The panic of the early days is still fresh on their minds. "You think, this can't be happening, when you slip and fall in the grime and you're covered with who knows what, and there's no running water to wash it off with," says Christine MCAtte, owner of Adventures in Adveritising/Insignia Marketing, which is now based in The Woodlands, Texas.

Greg Mangiaracina moved his business, A-Pro Home Inspection Services, to San Antonio, Texas, and hasn't looked back. "I can't put my family through this again," he says.

Relocating wasn't easy, but facing the choice of a city without basic services and sky-high real estate costs, these business owners say they made the only choice they had.

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 28, 2006 03:25 PM

I'm not someone who quotes movies a lot. But there is one line from "The Shawshank Redemption" that has always stuck with me: "Get busy living or get busy dying"--or something like that.

A recent post by Small Business CEO blogger Steve Rucinski reminds me a lot of that line. As Rucinski points out: Those in business have two alternatives--get better or get worse. "While the thought of status quo might seem comforting," he writes, "status quo is really decay in sheep’s clothing."

A lot of small-business owners (and their employees) are resistant to change. The familiar is safer, easier. But it's not always innovative. "We are on the threshold of an entirely new way of thinking about change. Soon, there will be a generation that will resist the lack of change. Are we ready to manage people who think that way?"

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 23, 2006 09:51 AM

Finding and retaining good employess is a common challenge among business owners, especially in this age of skyrocketing health-care costs. If double-digit increases in your insurance premiums have forced you to drop coverage, you may be left wondering what other perks you can use to attract and keep star workers.

Retirement plans are one option for many owners. Employees enjoy the security of getting help with their saving. This USA Today post points to J.W. Hall Steak and Seafood Inn in Aliquippa, Pa., whose owner Joe Hall, has been offering IRAs since 1988. "I have many long-term employees and it was a way to reward their loyalty, and of course give them even more incentive to stay with us," Hall says.

A recent issue of MyBusiness covered another good retirement alternative for business owners and their employees: the new Roth 401(k) plans.

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 21, 2006 12:55 PM

Seeing the latest Gallup poll survey made me think of a hit country song by the legendary Alan Jackson (I can't help it, MyBusiness is published in Nashville). In the ballad, "I'd Love You All Over Again," Jackson promises his wife that if he had it to all over, he would still choose to spend his life with her. The Gallup poll finds small-business owners are crooning the same tune. A whopping 83 percent would still choose to become a small-business owner, despite the high stress and long hours. That's because business owners know all that hard work eventually pays off--nine in 10 say they feel successful, and 47 percent feel "extremeley successful" or "very successful."

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 14, 2006 10:31 AM

With unemployment at a low level, you're probably noticing how hard it is to find skilled and qualified workers. For a small business, hiring a new employee is a huge step. Not only does the person need to fit the job description, she also has to fit into your office. But how do you determine whether a candidate is a good choice? Everyone is on his best behavior during interview.

Small Business Trends blogger Anita Campbell recommends the best questions to ask to dig deeper into the person in your interview chair. If you're bored with the typical "tell me about yourself..." responses, try some of her tips.

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 9, 2006 01:47 PM

Is the other 25 percent really telling the truth? That's the first thing I thought when I saw this new Gallup poll that found 75 percent of American workers say they'd be happier if they made more money--exactly $33,000 more, according to the study. So what about the other 25 percent? Are there really employees out there who would say they wouldn't be just the slightest bit pleased with more money?

One of the study's more comforting finds for small-business owners: Though they might want more money, 63 percent of employees don't think they'd be happier in a different job. A more positive way to look at that stat? Employees are pretty satisfied. NFIB.com's Business Toolbox has an entire section on how to motivate and inspire employees. Check out the articles for ideas on how to maintain a happy (and productive) staff. And if the survey offers any insight into your workers, might as well browse the Business Toolbox category on employee compensation too.

Posted by Shannon McRae on August 7, 2006 11:02 AM

As a small-business owner, you've probably faced countless situations when you had to share some not-so-good news. No one looks forward to being the bearer of bad news, whether you're letting an employee go, telling your staff about a big account you've lost, or explaining a mistake you've made to a client.

Though you can't change the bad news, you can improve the way you deliver it. Check out these six ways to be good at giving bad news to learn dos and don'ts, such as never correct someone in front of others and always provide a strategy to help the person move on.

Posted by Shannon McRae on July 31, 2006 10:44 AM

Dream of having your product mentioned on Oprah? For some small businesses who lived through a mention on Oprah's Favorite Things, the dream becomes a reality--fast. An article on CNNMoney tracks a few to see what their instant success taught them.

Given just five days notice before its product appeared on the show, Pete Seltzer, CEO of Kashwére, anticipated a challenge. But after a Kashwere robe was mentioned on Oprah's Favorite Things, "for six consecutive weeks we could not get a call out, the phones were hammered and we did thousands and thousands of Internet orders."

MyBusiness tackled a similar topic when we found several businesses who'd spent 15 minutes in the spotlight. Read how fame affected their bottomline.

Posted by Shannon McRae on July 26, 2006 12:08 PM

What's your first reaction when employees ask to take vacation? Admit it, doesn't a little bit of you wish they wouldn't go, leaving you and other employees to do their work? In small businesses, fluff doesn't exist. Every person is important and needed every day.

But a story in the Triangle Business Journal proves once again that time off is good for us all--business owners and employees alike. At the Raleigh, N.C.-based accounting firm Hughes Pittman & Gupton, accountants work 10 percent to 20 percent fewer billable hours than at a typical large firm. Though that might make most bean counters gasp, these owners have a different approach: Cultivating a positive work environment is good for the bottomline. With 15 to 20 percent revenue growth rate over the past few years, the numbers add up.

As we enter the last month of summer, make sure everyone in your office (including yourself) feels comfortable enough to hit the beach for a long weekend. The results will be worth it.

Posted by Shannon McRae on July 24, 2006 05:34 PM

If you're like most entrepeneurs, you've dealt with your share of disasters. Whether they happened as a result of your mistakes or factors beyond your control, they can be discouraging enough to make you want to close up shop.

Well, you're not alone. Small-business owner Ruth King has owned seven companies over the past 25 years and admits to making plenty of mistakes. She wants to help other small-business owners to learn from her goofs, as well as the misteps of others. In her book, The Ugly Truth About Small Business: 50 Never-Saw-It-Coming Things That Can Go Wrong (Sourcebooks, Inc., 2005), King showcases the war stories of dozens of entrepreneurs across the country who have lessons to share. The book also offers critical survival strategies and commentary on the realities of dealing with business partners.

"This book is about reality," King said in a recent interview with Business Week. "There is no fluff in this book. It is true, honest, heartfelt stories that people are willing to share."

Posted by Emily McMackin on July 21, 2006 10:13 AM

The first few days of a new hire's employment can be exciting and overwhelming--but crucial as well. What better time to establish open lines of communication and get him or her started the right way?

Today's Tools & Tips column on NFIB.com explores the importance of an employee orientation program, and details the benefits the program can have for both the employee and your business. Additionally, the column offers guidelines for creating a program, and notes that it should:

Convey the company's expectations of performance and conduct

Provide an overview of the work environment, including locations of specific services and, in general, the conditions of employment

Provide an overview of compensation and benefits programs and advise employees how and where to obtain detailed information when needed

Emphasize the importance of cooperation, teamwork, flexibility and the ability to adapt to change as necessary

Posted by Megan Goodchild on July 19, 2006 08:23 AM

Dream of the day you ride off into retirement? Even though an NFIB Research Foundation poll found that 46 percent of small-business owners say they never intend to fully retire, chances are, you've thought about what you'll do "someday." If you're planning your exit strategy, check out a new series on eVenturing, a resource from the Kauffman Foundation. "Ready to Sell Your Company?" is a collection of tools and articles that help business owners navigate the challenging road to retirement.

Posted by Shannon McRae on July 13, 2006 10:10 AM

Every Monday morning, members of the MyBusiness staff gather with the rest of our publishing company to discuss the week ahead. We each give a brief report on where our projects stand. It's a good way to discern which jobs are hot and what's coming down the pipeline (as well as which new movie is worth seeing).

While once a week works for us, Marty Linsky of the Cambridge Leadership Associates thinks daily meetings are effective at some companies. This article in a recent Harvard Business School Working Knowledge newsletter lays out Linksy's formula for The Morning Meeting. Why daily? "When communication is stifled and turf protection the order of the day, an organization's senior leadership team is less than the sum of its parts and cannot grapple with strategic and operational challenges most effectively," Linsky says.

Check out the article for tips on conducting effective check-in sessions, including how to overcome the "we're too busy to meet" argument.

Posted by Shannon McRae on July 10, 2006 07:20 AM

Offering a retirement plan benefit can help you attract and retain employees, and provides tax savings for both your company and workers. However, there are several different types of plans to choose from. In her Tools & Tips column on NFIB.com, Kay Bell outlines the most common, including:

• SEP-IRA: The Simplified Employee Pension, commonly referred to as a SEP or SEP-IRA, is widely used because it is easy to establish and maintain. An employer contributes to a traditional individual retirement account set up by or for each eligible employee. The employee owns and controls the IRA, but does not put any money into the account.


• SIMPLE IRA: One of the easier plans to establish and maintain, a SIMPLE IRA is an acronym for Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees and includes contributions made directly to each eligible employee's IRA. A business with 100 or fewer employees can establish this type of plan, and a worker is eligible for a SIMPLE IRA if he or she earned $5,000 in any two previous calendar years and expects to make that much the year the plan is established.


• 401(k): These are familiar to anyone who has worked for a large company, but many smaller businesses also find that 401(k)s are an appropriate retirement option. Both company and employee contributions are allowed. As employer, you can contribute on behalf of all participants, match a portion of your employees' contributions or do both.


• Profit sharing: This plan allows you to share your company's success with your workers. There is no one model for a proft-sharing plan, and you will probably want help from a pension specialist to set up and maintain this benefit.
Posted by Megan Goodchild on June 27, 2006 10:00 AM

What could a mining company in Wisconsin possibly have in common with a credit union in California? A lot, according to the Society of Human Resource Management. Badger Mining Corporation and Pacific Service Credit Union were named the top two small businesses to work for in 2006 by the SHRM.

This week, SHRM in conjunction with the Great Place to Work Institute announced the 2006 50 Best Small and Medium Places to Work. In its third year, this list identifies some of the nation's small businesses that go above and beyond the call of duty in talking to, listening to and including their employees in the decision-making process.

Learn about some of the practical and creative ways that great companies treat their employees and see how you stack up against the nation’s best small and medium employers in key areas. Chances are, you'll see many similarities.

Posted by Lena Anthony on June 27, 2006 08:46 AM

Need a vacation, but don't think you can afford time away from your business? You're not alone. Many small-business owners are reluctant to plan vacations this summer, according to a USA Today article that references an April survey by American Express on the subject.

The biggest source of vacation anxiety? Business owners worry that time out of the office will mean jeopardizing a major client account or missing out on an important business opportunity. They also fear that employees won't be able to make the right judgement calls or handle customer demands that might arise during their absence.

If you're like most small-business owners, finding employees who can put out fires and make decisions while you're out is a big concern. The article cites NFIB research illustrating the challenge of finding qualified applicants to help owners grow and run their businesses and offers tips on how you can plan a stress-free vacation without neglecting your business.

Posted by Emily McMackin on June 9, 2006 09:31 AM

With today's modern technology making communications easier and more efficient than ever, utilizing remote workers can be a great business decision. Finding those remote workers, however, can sometimes be a difficult process. To make sure you hire someone responsible and with an excellent work ethic, consider the following tips from NFIB.com on screening employees:

• If you have a Web site, suggest the candidate visit it for insight into your company. Depending upon your business, ask the candidate to prepare a sample sales letter, product sheet or service pitch for your review.


• After reviewing the candidate's application--and if he or she appears qualified--set up a telephone interview. During the phone conversation, look for someone with good telephone skills, a pleasant speaking voice and the ability to answer your questions satisfactorily.


• Don't make a long-term commitment. Instead, schedule a probationary period for 60 or 90 days. Clarify in writing the exact terms of the contract, such as sales commissions, the return of unsold merchandise or base salary. Other issues to include may be reimbursement for mileage, long-distance phone calls and other important expenses. You might also want to have your lawyer carefully look over this agreement to make sure it is in your company's best interests.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on June 7, 2006 08:32 AM

Whether or not you realize it, negotiating is an everyday practice in anyone's life—especially that of a small-business owner. Whether it's discussing leave with an employee or working out a pricing plan with a customer, negotiation is all around us. And it's also this month's featured topic at eVenturing.com.

The series, "Understanding the Art of Negotiations," features how-to articles from experts and lessons learned from seasoned entrepreneurs on topics like creating due dilligence checklists, conducting international negotiations, getting the most out of negotiations and more.

Posted by Lena Anthony on June 6, 2006 09:50 AM

Customer satisfaction is vital to your business' reputation--and most likely its survival. It's not enough just to talk about great customer service; implement a plan that all employees--from entry level to management--will follow.

Today's Tools and Tips column on NFIB.com advises creating a system for customer satisfaction that all of your employees adhere to. Setting up your system involves:

• Picking the right employees. The path to customer satisfaction begins with employee selection. It ideally starts with hiring employees who exhibit a caring attitude. For many entry-level positions that involve considerable customer contact, it makes sense to hire primarily for manner and attitude and refine job skills through orientation and training.


• Implementing training. Orientation and training should strongly address customer satisfaction requirements, with your company's customer satisfaction principles covered face-to-face and provided in a published policy or employee handbook.


• Measuring success. Monitor the behavior of your customer-contact employees and provide immediate coaching for those who demonstrate shortcomings. Include customer satisfaction as a condition of acceptable performance and emphasize this by addressing customer satisfaction in performance evaluations.


• Handling complaints. Give properly trained employees the authority to resolve customer complaints whenever possible. The fewer people a complaint has to go through, the faster and more visibly it can be resolved.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on May 25, 2006 08:39 AM

Are you suffering from inbox overload? Both a necessity and headache at once, e-mail has infiltrated today's office. Online communication with employees, clients and vendors is one way to work faster. But when your inbox bogs you down, e-mail wastes more time than it saves. A story in today's StartUp Journal (from the Wall Street Journal's Center for Entrepreneurs) highlights new software tools designed to help small businesses manage their e-mail and online communications.

Posted by Shannon McRae on May 22, 2006 02:17 PM

Saying no to the request of a valued customer can be painful but necessary. Today's Tools and Tips column on NFIB.com offers advice from Darby Checketts, speaker and trainer to government agencies and hundreds of companies such as Gulfstream Aerospace, Intel and BlueCross/BlueShield of Arizona.

Checketts has devised a simple three-step process to avoid disappointing your customers by saying "no," as well as preventing the "occasional over-committment of a too hasty 'yes.' "

To let your customer down gently, Checketts suggests using the A-C-T principle:

• A: Acknowledge the customer’s requests and needs. A brief recap of what they asked for or an indicated appreciation of their point of view can buy you time to collect your thoughts, while reassuring customers that you heard them and understand their position.


• C: Ask questions probing the circumstances of customers’ inquiries or requests. “Before giving a knee-jerk answer, make sure you understand the why of what they're asking,” Checketts says.


• T: Tell them what you can do. Checketts notes that even partial solutions are better than a roadblock. They are a vast improvement over an otherwise negative response and indicate your willingness to work toward a mutually agreeable solution.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on May 22, 2006 09:51 AM

Having a well thought out plan can be essential to your business' survival. If you're not ready to look 10 years into the future, don't worry: planning can include thinking about any period of time in the future. On NFIB.com today, Charles R. McConnell describes business planning as encompassing six essential elements:

1. Vision. A vision statement can be a simple statement that serves as a rallying point for all employees.


2. Mission. An effective mission statement must be expressed clearly in a brief paragraph of simple language and cause people to understand why the organization exists and what its work is all about.


3. Goals. Goal statements encompass ends or conclusions.


4. Objectives. Objectives relate to milestones achieved on the way toward reaching a goal.


5. Strategy. Strategy is most simply described as a pattern of moves structured in a particular manner to take advantage of certain circumstances or avoid certain potential obstacles.


6. Action plans. An action plan describes the nuts-and-bolts process of how, step by detailed step, a particular objective is pursued.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on May 11, 2006 08:43 AM

You'd be hard pressed to find a large company without a board of directors—so why shouldn't you have one, too? A board of directors—or even an informal advisory board—can help you work through critical issues so you can make informed decisions about the future of your business.

In this week's eVenturing.com series, titled "Succeeding With Board of Directors," small-business owners and experts alike walk you through all aspects of implementing and utilizing a successful board of directors.

Learn how to recruit the right mix of advisers, conduct a successful board meeting, record minutes and more. Plus, hear firsthand accounts from real small-business owners on how a board of directors has helped them grow their businesses.

Posted by Lena Anthony on May 2, 2006 08:26 AM

John Mann’s fuel costs have almost doubled in recent months, and the owner of Buffalo, N.Y.-based 1-2-3 Delivery may have to his raise prices to keep up. With 52 delivery vans and three large trucks, Mann, like so many other small-business owners, has been hit hard at the pump.

If you’re worried about absorbing higher fuel costs in your business this summer, it might be time to think about trading in some of your vehicles for cars that get better gas mileage. CNNMoney.com picks the most fuel-efficient cars in five categories. The article also includes easy ways to pinch a few pennies when you’re picking out a new car, like opting for a smaller V-6 engine over a V-8 and passing up the four-wheel or all-wheel drive option.

Posted by Shannon McRae on May 1, 2006 07:16 AM

To ensure you are making the most of your resources and utilizing your staff efficiently, it is important to have a good grasp of your business' patterns of demand.

On NFIB.com today, Vicki Gerson explains that it's important for small-business owners to identify their busiest times of day and year in order to better schedule staff or order goods. Gerson also suggests some strategies to help get you through peak periods, including:

• Modify operating hours


• Hire part-time or temporary employees


• Offer a price incentive for using the service during non-peak times


• Allow customers to fax or e-mail in their orders instead of talking to an employee

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 28, 2006 08:09 AM

When a business decides to downsize products or services, the transition period can require additional attention to avoid unhappy customers or lost transactions.

On NFIB.com today, Tamara E. Holmes offers advice on how to make the downsizing process go smoothly for you and your customers. If approached about the discontinuation of a particular product or service, Holmes suggests the following to help keep customers happy and confident in your business:

• Point customers to similar products/services. They might find that the new product or service works just as well for them.


• Don't stop abruptly.If you have regular clients or customers that depend on the product or service, give them time to prepare for the change.


• Offer an explanation for the change. By explaining that the product or service is unprofitable for you, you'll be letting the customer know that you're not just discontinuing it on a whim.


• Help the customer find the product or service elsewhere. While you're technically steering them away from your business, they'll appreciate the service and think highly of you. When they need other products or services that you offer, they'll be likely to remember you then or even recommend you to others.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 27, 2006 09:08 AM

As summer approaches, high-school and college students will be taking a break from the books. Why not put them to work in your small business? Whether you're planning to hire your next door neighbor's child or your own, there are rules that limit the number of hours and the type of job teenagers can work. The Department of Labor created YouthRules!, a Web site full of resources, tips and frequently asked questions to keep employers straight. The rules aren't too complicated, but penalties for breaking them are substantial. The time students spend in your small business might inspire them to start businesses themselves one day. Help teenagers you know get a jump on business ownership by introducing them to the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation scholarship awards program, created to help fuel the future of America's free enterprise system.

Posted by Shannon McRae on April 24, 2006 07:08 AM

In a growing small business, situations can develop that may derail that success. Today, Dan Bobinski's essay at management-issues.com points out that office politics sometime supplant effective communication, and that's a formula for failure. Says Bobinski, "Sustained success requires a culture in which open and honest discussion occurs around even the most difficult topics. It requires focusing on the issues, not playing political games. It also requires discussing or debating the potential consequences of all the solutions on the table, not making deals to get your personal favorite approved."

Posted by Rex Hammock on April 20, 2006 09:26 AM

Many managers feel that employees exist only to serve them, but good managers often recognize that a give-and-take style of management works best. In order for employees to do their jobs well, they must be treated with respect and given what they need to get the job done.

On NFIB.com today, Charles R. McConnell writes that clients and/or customers can't be served efficiently or effectively "when the manager wastes employees' time with unclear direction and inefficient meetings. Nor can it happen when employees are treated as tools for the manager to use from time to time."

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 20, 2006 09:09 AM

In a recent blog entry, "10 Stupid Mistakes Made By the Newly Self-Employed," Steve Pavlina takes his 14 years of stupid mistakes, ahem, experience, and outlines 10 things to avoid as a start-up business owner. Some words of wisdom: "It’s a mistake to be too stingy with your cash. Don’t let frugality get in the way of efficiency. Take advantage of skilled contractors who can do certain tasks more efficiently than you can...It takes time to develop the wisdom to know when you’re being too tight or too loose with your cash, so if you’re just starting out, get a second opinion."

Posted by Jamie Roberts on April 19, 2006 03:03 PM

Though an easy start-up is probably the dream of most entrepreneurs, having to struggle to get things going actually can help you in the long run. On NFIB.com today, Jeffrey Moses discusses two reasons why immediate profitability and lack of hardship at a business' inception can spell trouble down the road:

1. Owners and employees may become complacent, thinking that it will always be as easy to make sales and maintain profitability.


2. A new company becomes strong by squeezing costs to a minimum, making the most of employees, securing the best terms from suppliers, negotiating tough terms for leases and loans, etc.

"If things are too easy right from the start," Moses writes, "a company can become downright flabby."

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 19, 2006 08:43 AM

According to Glenn Townes on NFIB.com today, yes.

"Entrepreneurs can push themselves so hard that it negatively affects stress levels and causes health issues," Townes writes. "Negative stress often creates chemical reactions in the body that lead to disease and other problems."

And since workaholics tend to come to work even when they're sick, that can lead to trouble for the rest of the employees, too.

Townes stresses giving your well-being top priority will be better for your business in the long run, and offers some suggestions for making time for yourself:

• Develop built-in, well-established safeguards in case of absences so if one person is out sick, another member of the team­­––not you––can assume the role and tasks in the absence of another.


• Lead by example. Employees watch and remember you say or do. If, as the leader/owner of the company, you take a sick day and are justified in doing so, this will send a message to your employees. Your staff will know that health is a priority and that, if they are truly sick and need to stay home, the action will not be frowned upon.


• Develop a well-advised, savvy team. Make sure that all of your employees know the basics and can cover for each other during times of crisis or company setbacks.


• Set limits and know the limits. Working when you're sick and not up to your best stifles and muddles creativity and depletes energy and stamina. Don't make hasty and rash decisions that may have lasting effects that could be detrimental to your business.

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 17, 2006 10:25 AM

One-hundred years ago tomorrow, the Great San Francisco Earthquake struck, touching off fires that burned for three days and destroyed more than 500 blocks of the city. Damage was estimated at $8.2 billion by today’s standards.

Small-business owners in this century certainly have witnessed their share of disasters in recent years. Yet a recent study by MasterCard found that the majority of small-business owners don’t believe a natural disaster will affect their business in the next 12 months. You know the old Boy Scout adage: Be prepared. Take a few minutes to check out the Small Business Administration’s disaster preparedness site to make sure you're covered.

Posted by Shannon McRae on April 17, 2006 07:21 AM

Today on NFIB.com, Jeffrey Moses offers insight into why it's so important to screen employees before hiring them. He writes that screening employees beforehand has been proven to "reduce theft, drug use, absenteeism and employee turnover," leading to savings, stability and profitability for your business.

Moses suggests seven areas to screen:

• Credit history


• Criminal record


• Job history


• Educational background


• Contact provided references


• Social Security number


• Driving record (if hiring drivers)

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 13, 2006 08:32 AM

Small-business owners know that the careful planning of all aspects of their company is crucial, and succession planning should not be overlooked, either. Today on NFIB.com, Charles R. McConnell discusses the importance of succession planning and offers advice on identifying someone to take your place.

He also writes about the importance of training successors, noting, "Planning for how your shoes will be filled when you are no longer there and even planning for knowledgeable coverage when you are ill or vacationing simply makes good sense."

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 12, 2006 09:35 AM

After almost 17 years in the same building, my mom and dad (who own a small business in Alabama) have decided to move to a new office complex that's under contruction in the town where I grew up. It's been so long since they've negotiated a new lease that I'm sure they'll be extra careful and cautious. In the April/May issue of MyBusiness, the NFIB Legal Foundation's Beth Gaudio lays out key points for small-business owners to consider before signing a lease on commercial space. If you're considering new digs for your office any time in the near future, it's a must-read.

Posted by Shannon McRae on April 10, 2006 02:15 PM

Today on NFIB.com, Charles R. McConnell discusses how unhappy employees often lead to unhappy customers. "Improvement in customer satisfaction is a direct consequence of improvement in employee satisfaction," he writes. "To begin boosting employee satisfaction, employers must learn how employees feel about their jobs and the company. The principal causes of employee dissatisfaction are:

inconsistent management practices

benefits

communication

advancement opportunity

workload

pay

Posted by Megan Goodchild on April 5, 2006 08:40 AM

A novelist I know says all stories worth telling have a failure to overcome. And so, when I talk to small-business owners and hear about their great successes, I often ask about their failures, too. I want to hear about a low point in their business-how they handled the experience, and what they learned from it. Almost every time I ask, I hear an inspiring tale told from the heart. As a small-business owner myself, I learn more from the conversations about failing than from hearing about the chain of fortuitous events that led to someone's success. For the April-May issue of MyBusiness Magazine, we talked with small-business owners around the country who have journeyed through failing without letting the experience label them a failure. Their stories will sound familiar. We hope it will help you realize such experiences can make your small- business story much more interesting to tell.

Posted by Rex Hammock on March 31, 2006 11:35 AM