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Small Business Insights STEPHEN PAREZO is the Media Manager for Fiducial.com, a leading small business portal that offers "nuts and bolts" resources and advice for today's entrepreneur. Now in his 29th year as a professional journalist, Stephen has been covering the small business sector for decades and has demonstrated a knack for taking complicated subjects and making them easy for entrepreneurs to understand. Articles
What's on Your Business Card?
Considering all the hand-held, high-tech devices in circulation, have traditional ice breakers like business cards now become obsolete? Not yet. It seems that just about anyone who owns a small business continues to rely on exchanging these handy door openers with potential customers. Small Business 2007: Time to Pull in Your Horns
By most accounts, 2006 was a pretty good year for the U.S. economy. While experts remain upbeat about the nation's economic outlook for the next 12 months, some industry watchers argue that caution should be the watchword for small businesses in 2007. Expanding Your Small Business Customer Base
Small businesses that are serious about building their operation realize that perhaps the best way to accomplish this is by expanding their customer base. Unlike a recent television commercial where the "easy" button is pressed when a situation gets tough, there are no easy routes here. Finding the Right Accountant for Your Small Business
Getting referrals has become part of life, so much so that most people won't visit a professional -- whether it's a doctor, dentist, lawyer or even an auto mechanic -- without a ringing endorsement from a friend, relative or co-worker. So why should this process be any different when it comes to a small business owner selecting the right accountant? Is Your Small Business Delivering Added Value?
When most business owners price their goods and services they usually have a fixed hourly fee or some sort of markup for a product. But added value goes beyond just delivering what the customer requests. Dealing with Debt: Trying to Get Back into the Black
Spotting the danger signs of debt is the key to start turning around a company's fiscal fortunes. Don't Risk It: Back Up Your Business
Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Fires. Floods. Mudslides. These are just some of the disasters that can put small businesses in jeopardy. But here's a far more likely scenario: failure to back up the business's financial records. Insurance: Is Your Small Business Protected?
Regrettably, many small business owners don't think about having sufficient insurance to protect their operation until some sort of disaster strikes. Small Businesses Stepping Up Recruiting Efforts
Before vacancies occur, it's important for companies to have a framework in place so they can recruit the best possible candidates for job openings. Pendulum Swinging Toward Stronger IRS Compliance
An investigation is underway by the Internal Revenue Service to identify potential abuses among S corporations. Tax experts maintain that this is part of the pendulum swing toward stronger IRS compliance, with more agency resources being directed toward compliance at all levels. Small Businesses Should Never Promise What They Can't Deliver
The name of the game in business is getting repeat customers to buy your products and services. In today's fiercely competitive market, companies are looking for a way to distance themselves from the rest of the pack. But there are limits on how they can do this. For instance, any business that claims they are the best at what they do had better be able to prove it -- or else risk an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Benchmarking Can Help Determine How Your Small Business Stacks Up
Benchmarking Can Help Determine How Your Small Business Stacks Up Many small businesses have turned to benchmarking as a way to gauge their business' performance against the industry as a whole so they can focus on what steps are needed to improve profitability and productivity. Does Your Small Business Have a Crisis Management Plan?
There is, of course, no silver bullet that can solve every crisis but experts contend that small businesses with a plan for dealing with the myriad of potential calamities that could impact their operation are much more likely to survive. New Energy Law Encourages Conservation, Offers Tax Breaks
The Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2005 recently signed into law contains a series of tax breaks aimed at encouraging conservation and fuel efficiency by individuals, small businesses and manufacturers. Frivolous Lawsuits: A Serious Threat to Nation's Small Businesses
Being a small business owner these days might seem like being in a shooting gallery when considering that they are easy targets for frivolous lawsuits. Coping With Rising Prices, Managing Cash Flows Go Hand in Hand Small businesses are founded for many reasons but no matter how successful the company appears to be, experts maintain that if entrepreneurs can't cope with rising prices while managing their cash flow, they will never turn a profit. How to Avoid Becoming a Mortgage Fraud Victim Mortgage fraud is a growing problem in the U.S. with the Federal Bureau of Investigation indicating that 80 percent of all reported fraud losses involve collaboration or collusion by mortgage industry insiders. Tax Schemers Prey on Those Trying to Beat the System What's the worst thing about falling victim to a tax scam? Finding out that even if you are swindled, federal law requires you pay your rightful taxes plus any penalty charges and back interest that accrued because of your use of questionable tax-relief techniques. How Much Control Should There Be on an Employee's Leisure Time? The January firing of four employees of a health care company for refusing to take a test to determine whether they smoke cigarettes has ignited a media firestorm in Michigan where one state lawmaker plans to introduce legislation that would ban employers from firing or refusing to hire workers for legal activities they enjoy on their own time that don't impinge on their work. Internet Bringing More Employers Together With Job Seekers
Recruiting experts say one thing is certain—almost every company is using the Internet to find new employees and almost every job seeker is using the Internet to find jobs. Entrepreneurs Should Plan Ahead When it Comes to Making Decisions
The decision making process is not an easy one but it's much more manageable if entrepreneurs develop a specific process or system in making a decision which can help them reduce the level of stress. Impact of SOX Being Felt By Some Small Businesses
Though SOX has become the benchmark against every company's financial and corporate governance practices will be measured, dealing largely with publicly traded companies, experts say some of its impacts are being felt by smaller businesses further down the line. Small Businesses Are Riding Crest of Current Economic Wave
With economists saying that the U.S. economy is in reasonably good shape and the prospects for near-term growth looking favorable, now's the time to take an early look at which small businesses have been making strides and which industries are poised for further gains this year. Tax Pros Say IRS Making Real Strides in Improving Customer Service
Tax professionals say they are no longer hearing any of the dreaded tales told about the tax collection agency. Small Businesses Are Pushing Economy Forward, Study Says
Small businesses led the way for the rebound in the U .S. economy during 2003 with more gains in sight, according to a just published report from the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Small Business Owners: Protect Your Operation From Identity Theft
Even with the new Identity Theft Enhancement Act, which creates a separate federal crime known as "aggravated identity theft," small businesses are still prone to becoming the latest victims. Expanding Your Small Business? Stop, Look and Listen to Your Counselor
With hiring on the upswing and the economy regaining some traction, small businesses need sound advice from experienced professionals to counsel them on how to expand their operations. Business Owners Should Be Wary of Disaster Fraud
Owners intent on repairing their businesses after a disaster should be wary of scams perpetrated by so-called building repair contractors. While most are reputable, others may take advantage of owners who are anxious to get back to work. Making Sure Those Expenses Are Deductible Business owners often lack a clear understanding of IRS business expense requirements. Fiducial outlines misconceptions and three guidelines. Getting the Small Business Up to Speed on New Overtime Rules
The U.S. Department of Labor's new rules on overtime pay go into effect August 23, but if small business owners were asked if they were up to speed on these regulation changes, odds are many would likely shrug their shoulders. Experts Agree That Outlook for Entrepreneurs Is as Resilient as Ever
If opinions expressed by a cross-section of academics, business experts, economists with national think tanks and large member associations representing micro-businesses are any indication, then the state of entrepreneurship in the United States appears as resilient as ever. |
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