I finally bit the bullet and purchased an iphone.  Prior to this I had a standard cellphone, but was always lamenting how I couldn’t check my schedule or email unless I lugged my laptop everywhere.
I love the ‘cool’ factor it has.  And I am finding it easy to use.
Although the phone was not developed for business use, I know a lot of other small business owners using one.
But now that I have it, I am wondering how a startup or small business could best benefit from the iphone.  What applications are out there that can really help? And if you …read more

Yesterday, I talked about the new Staples survey, that said many small business owners are doing their creative thinking and problem solving while sleeping or showering.  (Read more here.)
But the reason that people are doing it, is because of time – or lack thereof.
The survey also revealed that the majority of US small business owners and managers are also working overtime on their own time:  98 percent reported working during the nights, weekends and vacations.
So why are we working like this? According to the survey, 38 percent of small business owners can’t remember the last time they took a vacation, …read more

Staples recently announced a results of a poll that said small business owners use their time sleeping to create plans and solve problems for their businesses while awake.
Fifty-one percent of small-business professionals said their work life has actually become a part of their dreams, and nearly 70 percent of those “sleepworkers” reported that they wake up and put their “work dreams” into action, according to the 2nd Staples National Small Business Survey.
Sleep isn’t the only time small-business professionals think about work. Nearly 40 percent of the respondents said they get some of their best ideas behind the wheel, and 72 …read more

In Joyce Rosenberg’s column, she reminded small business owners with employees that they should take the new year to check out their HR policies and procedures.
But when you are a startup or solopreneur, you don’t usually have a staff. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be reviewing your human resources, including an employee and operations manual.
Don’t think you need one? You’re wrong. Even a one-person company should have one. That way, if you do expand someday to even get a virtual assistant or part-time employee, you’ll be ready.
I created my HR policies and operations manual this past summer. And it …read more

A couple of weeks ago, I finished reading the 4- Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss.
Although I was planning on giving my thoughts on the book in 2008, I wanted to say that automating some business tasks can – and does – really make a difference to your bottom line.
Most small business owners skip over the crucial step of creating systems and processes. The most effective systems small business owners can put into place involve the elimination of unnecessary or duplicated tasks and the delegation to others of those tasks that don’t really merit an owner’s personal time and attention.
I …read more

As eyes look forward to a new business year, many small business owners and startup entrepreneurs are hoping that this upcoming year will be the one that catapults them into success. But businesses often overlook a key element when making their business plans and resolutions.
Most new businesses fail within three years and it’s often due to the fact that many business owners think that simply hanging up an OPEN sign and placing an ad in the yellow pages will attract customers. What it takes is a marketing technique thats effective – and in the case of many small business owners …read more

We know the rising cost of energy is effecting small businesses and startups – just like everyone else. But for many small business owners, the price is just too high too pay – and they end up closing shop.
The US Senate recognized this and  has passed an energy bill, H.R. 6, that includes a handful of provisions addressing the small business community.
The measure would establish loans for small firms to invest in use of renewable sources of energy in their business. It also would enable small businesses conducting energy efficiency or renewable energy research and development to be given priority.
Although …read more

The Internet has become a key part of running a small business, with 74 percent saying their business is highly reliant on the Internet, but managers are increasingly concerned about online fraud and vulnerabilities, according to a survey released this week.
The increased dependence on the Internet comes with risks, the survey found, with the majority of small business owners concerned about fraud in their connection to their business’s finances.
Specifically, fraud scams like online identity theft are at the forefront of small business owners’ list of worries and online hackers top their list of potential culprits, according to the survey done …read more

A recent survey by SurePayroll says that small business owners want Rudy Giuliani to be the next president. About 18 percent of small business owners picked the former NYC Mayor as their candidate of choice, followed closely by Fred Thompson and Hillary Clinton, who each received 16 percent.
Even more interesting (at least to me), more than 51% of respondents said they felt the Republican Party was more beneficial to small business. 27 percent said they did not think one party was better than the other in this respect, and 22 percent chose the Democratic Party.
So what makes the Republicans more …read more

I know we never like to think about it, but sometimes bad things happen to good businesses.
The fires in California got me thinking about it. Sure, the news is focused on the homes lost, but I haven’t seen much about the businesses that have been devastated by this disaster. And I am sure there are many.
Small business owners invest a tremendous amount of time, money and resources to make their ventures successful, and yet, while the importance of emergency planning may seem self-evident, it may get put on the back-burner in the face of more immediate concerns. An estimated …read more