At some point in the life of your business, you’ll likely need to borrow capital. That’s why it’s important to build and maintain a solid credit score now – so when the time comes to apply for financing you’ll be able to prove to a lender you’re a good risk. Here’s some simple steps you can take today to raise your credit score. Know your numbers A quick online search… Read more
It’s natural for small business owners to think that they won’t be victims of cyber attacks. Most of the news surrounding hacking and data breaches involves large corporations, but that is because that’s where a high number of victims are affected. Hackers may find they have an easier time going after small businesses and start-ups that aren’t prepared for a security breach. So while they might get less information from… Read more
Most people are familiar with the employment interview: a nervous candidate meets with a supervisor, answers a series of questions about their experience, strengths, weaknesses and education, and sometimes takes an aptitude test. Employers have used employment interviews to choose between potential candidates since before the development of human resources departments. There is only so much you can learn about a person in an interview, though, and hiring the wrong… Read more
If you’re like most freelancers, knowing how to price your services can be a real struggle. Charging an hourly rate can feel less scary than asking for a higher priced fixed rate package because you know you’ll be compensated for every hour you spend on a project. But there are drawbacks to trading time for money – not the least of which is that it limits your earning potential. Read… Read more
Many remarkable entrepreneurs, including Warren Buffet, Sheryl Sandberg, and Richard Branson, have credited their success, in part, to the advice of their mentors. An advisory board is an informal group of mentors whose collective business expertise—and objectivity—can help you make better, more informed decisions, thereby accelerating growth. Unlike business consultants (whose fees may well exceed your budget), advisory board members may agree to provide advice pro bono, for a small… Read more
Good people management comes through experience. Courses will teach you the theories, but there is no substitute for day-to-day practice managing staff and their issues. Giving yourself a head start with a common-sense approach and a healthy respect for everyone you come into contact with can help to develop a happy and productive workforce. Don’t micro-manage. Your employees were hired because they could do the job, so let them do… Read more
Hopefully you have long – and short-term plans for your company and you may even have a strategy for your own development, but have you considered having a personal development plan (or individual development plan) for employees? An employee personal development plan is an action plan that focuses on helping staff improve their knowledge, capabilities, and skills in areas related to your business. Creating such plans shows your staff you’re… Read more
There’s no denying the importance of face time—or the competitive advantage businesses enjoy when they can video chat with colleagues, remote workers, and clients from anywhere in the world. Video conferencing apps increase productivity and save time in innumerable ways. They reduce travel time for business meetings, optimize meeting attendance, and allow those in different time zones to chat in real time, helping to streamline sales and the decision-making process.… Read more
For small businesses, working with independent contractors can be a life saver. You can hand over tasks you don’t have time for – at a fraction of the cost of an employee. Unlike staff, you won’t owe a contractor payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, health insurance, or other employee benefits. Because contractors aren’t employees, however, they do need to be managed differently. They’re accustomed to being their own bosses, for one… Read more
Too many businesses brush over their job descriptions, and then wonder why they get so many unqualified applicants. Don’t make the same mistake. Read on to discover how you can craft descriptions that attract the best candidates, and boost your company’s reputation too! Don’t Exaggerate Companies know that attracting the best job candidates means they have to sell their company’s strengths. But this doesn’t excuse exaggeration. Job candidates will figure… Read more
When you’re reviewing your investments, it’s important to remember that income and returns come from two main sources, Capital Gains and Interim Income. Capital gain (or loss) This is the difference in the overall value of your investment between when you purchased it and now (or the date that you sold it.) You can work it out as: ((Current or sale price per unit – purchase price) * number of… Read more
When you run a small business, every cent counts. It can be difficult to spend money on anything you don’t consider vital. Hiring a lawyer during key times in your small business might seem like an unnecessary expense, but the money you spend now on a business attorney could save you time, money, and energy in the long run and could protect your business. When it comes to your small… Read more
It’s essential for any business to have a robust set of performance targets for its workforce. These will drive employees to achieve in the areas that are critical for success. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the targets are calibrated correctly in order to realise the desired results. Before introducing any new target, make sure you’ve answered the following seven key questions: Is it specific? A target is no good… Read more
Being a leader is not just about the habits you practice in front of others. It is often about the habits you practice behind closed doors that make you an easy person to follow. Accountability is a touchy subject that can make many people feel uncomfortable, but it protects you as a leader and can exponentially increase the level of influence you have over a corporation or group of followers.… Read more
When you are a leader, it is obvious to you that the success of your team can increase your own success. People often confuse having a sense of humility with being insecure. But in truth, being a humble person is simply about considering others more and thinking of yourself less. By being humble and thinking of the people you are expected to lead more, you can increase their confidence, security… Read more
A Canadian bank recently surveyed over 500 small business owners about what they love and hate most about owning their own business. Unsurprisingly, flexibility and feeling in control ranked first in the “love” category. Meanwhile, almost 60% said bookkeeping was hands-down their most hated task. Most business owners understand that effective financial management is key to their success. But lack of knowledge, frustration, and even avoidance can add up to… Read more
Fear is a natural, emotional response to distress. The evolution of humanity was dependent upon feeling and responding to fear. Unfortunately for some of us, fear is a stumbling block to unlocking our full potential and becoming great leaders. The good news is, courage is like a muscle and when you exercise courage often it becomes stronger and more natural. Here are a handful of ways to overcome fear, find… Read more
Perhaps you have noticed that it is not always the smartest or most capable person that gets a promotion or has management roles seemingly thrust at them. Studies have shown that a person with better communication skills can typically achieve a higher level of success than someone who simply has the highest qualifications on paper. This is good news for anyone looking to develop the skills it takes to stand… Read more
Okay, there probably aren’t a lot of people who need to be convinced that a shorter workweek is a great idea. Small business owners, however, might be on the list of people who need a little encouraging. After all, every day they take off could mean a longer day to make up for the missed hours. There are some very real benefits to working a shorter week and those benefits… Read more
Most investors would love to be the next Warren Buffet, arguably the most successful investor ever, and yet many investors ignore his investment methods. Instead, they follow simple tricks and use simple definitions that miss undervalued stocks primed for growth. Successful investors such as Buffet take a broader view of investing and consider many commonplace investment ideas nonsensical, including the idea that and risk and volatility are one and the same.… Read more