If the U.S. House approves the Marketplace Fairness Act, which requires Internet retailers to collect sales taxes on online purchases, the “big winners” would be major retailers and local brick-and-mortar stores, as Jayne O’Donnell and Hadley Malcolm write in USA TODAY. The bill is being considered in the House; the U.S. Senate approved it [...]
How Will Internet Sales Tax Bill Impact Small Business?
May 16th, 2013Can Your Small Business Star on a Reality Show?
May 14th, 2013One way to get a lot of publicity for your small business, without having to pay for it, is to have a TV reality show that is all about your company! As an Associated Press article in The Washington Post points out, cable shows featuring small businesses — such as “Duck Dynasty” on A&E [...]
JC Penney Brings Back Coupons and Sales
May 9th, 2013JC Penney CEO Ron Johnson lost his job recently because customers were not happy with the “no-coupons, no discounting ‘fair and square’ pricing” policy he has introduced in early 2012, as Brad Tuttle writes for TIME Business & Money. So now the department store chain is bringing back the coupons and discounts that customers [...]
10 Ways to Grow Your Small Business
May 8th, 2013Growing your small business does not have to cost a lot. Steve Smith, business coach at GrowthSource Consulting, says to first be clear about what you want your business to be, notes Jennifer Vishnevsky of BusinessNewsDaily. Once you know that, you can do the following: 1. Offer an incentive for people to sign up on [...]
Survey Finds Small Businesses Support Local Community
May 6th, 2013The most recent American Express Small Business Monitor survey found that 96% of small business owners polled were committed to supporting local communities. Of 933 small business owners or managers of companies with fewer than 100 employees, 70% said they donated to local causes, 49% participated in community projects, and 83% shopped at independently [...]
Pros and Cons of Using Coupons on a Date
May 1st, 2013By Judy Pokras Coupons are a great way to save money, but when you’re on a date, it might not always be the best time to use them. A survey conducted by Coupon Cabin found that 73% of 2,346 people questioned would stay on the date and go out with the person again if he [...]
Raising the Minimum Wage – Small Business Survey
April 26th, 2013Survey: Most Small Businesses Favor Raising the Minimum Wage A new survey by advocacy group Small Business Majority finds that most small business owners are in favor of raising the federal minimum wage, as Associated Press writes in a Washington Post article. The owners favor the increase because they believe it will help the economy [...]
11 Perks Your Small Business Can Give Employees
April 17th, 2013Happy employees are productive employees, and small businesses (as well as larger ones) can boost workers’ enthusiasm by offering them extras. Here are some ideas: 1) Catered Lunches Catered food has been a standard perk in the film industry for a long time, with “craft service” tables providing all kinds of treats for workers to [...]
Survey Lists Most Small-Business-Friendly States, Cities
April 12th, 2013Small business owners and entrepreneurs might want to consider relocating to Utah, Alabama, New Hampshire, Idaho or Texas, because those rank as the top five friendliest states for such endeavors, according to an annual survey by Thumbtack.com, as Frank Byrt reports for Accounting Web. In addition to the most small-business-friendly states, the survey lists the [...]
National Small Business Week to be Held June 17-21
April 8th, 2013The U.S. Small Business Administration will be holding its signature event, National Small Business Week, from June 17 through June 21 this year. Events to help small businesses start, grow, and succeed will take place in Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C., as well as in daily online forums, and all events will [...]