In the rapidly evolving landscape of entrepreneurship, digital content creators are emerging as a powerful segment of small businesses, sparking discussions about the unique challenges and opportunities they face. During a recent hearing titled “Streaming Success: Small Businesses in the Age of Digital Influence,” Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, explored the complexities of this burgeoning industry and emphasized how these creators mirror traditional small business owners. Chairman Williams highlighted the profound impact that digital influencers have on the economy, stating, “Content creators are more than just entertainers. They are small business owners, job creators, and innovators who face the same challenges as traditional small businesses.” His remarks set the tone for a comprehensive discussion on key barriers like access to capital, regulatory hurdles, and high taxation.
Tag: small business owners
Accounting Mistakes Your Small Business Should Avoid | Business
When growing your business, few tasks matter as much as tracking your company’s finances. In the beginning, many small business owners try to manage their books on their own instead of using an in-house accountant or bookkeeper.
However, for many business owners, going it alone can lead to costly and easily avoidable mistakes. Here are some of the biggest accounting mistakes that can derail small businesses, along with some tips for avoiding them.
11 accounting mistakes to watch out for
Stay aware of the following avoidable financial accounting mistakes:
1. Failing to hire an experienced finance professional
Even experienced accountants and bookkeepers make mistakes — but they’re finance professionals, and chances are, you aren’t. Even if you are, is it really worth the extra time investment to manage your business’s books on your own? Hiring a professional minimizes the potential for errors in areas such as tracking expenses, paying vendors on time, reconciling bank accounts, and running payroll.
How to Deal With Difficult Customers: Practical Strategies for Small Business Owners | All Business
Dealing with difficult customers is an inevitable part of running a business. However, learning how to handle challenging interactions with professionalism and empathy can turn potential conflicts into opportunities to strengthen customer relationships and build trust. This article will provide practical advice and strategies to diffuse angry encounters.
Understanding Difficult Customers
To effectively manage difficult customers, it’s essential first to understand the challenges they present and the underlying reasons for their behavior. Types of difficult customers you may encounter include:
The Complainer
These people often express their displeasure over little problems. They want recognition and peace of mind knowing that their issues are being given weight. They may declare, for instance, “This is unacceptable,” or “I always have this issue here.”
How To Understand the Reality of Paid Advertising vs. Referred Business | Getentrepreneurial.com
In the words of Henry Ford, “I know half my advertising doesn’t work; I just don’t know which half.”
As small business owners, we face an overwhelming array of marketing options, with paid advertising being a common go-to method. However, the truth is that paid advertising can be a hit-or-miss approach, lacking guaranteed success. Fortunately, there is an alternative that can bring long-term value to your business: building high-quality referral relationships.
The Benefits of Referred Business
While I may be biased, there are several advantages that referred business holds over paid advertising. The foremost benefit is the level of trust that referred customers have in your business even before they meet you.
Accounting Mistakes Your Small Business Should Avoid | business.com
When you’re growing your business, few tasks matter as much as tracking your company’s finances. In the beginning, many small business owners try to manage their books independently instead of using an in-house accountant or bookkeeper.
For many business owners, going it alone leads to easily avoidable mistakes. Here are some of the biggest accounting mistakes that can derail small businesses, along with some tips for avoiding them.
7 accounting mistakes to watch out for
Stay aware of the following avoidable accounting mistakes:
1. Failing to hire an experienced finance professional Even experienced accountants and bookkeepers make mistakes — but they’re finance professionals, and you probably aren’t. Even if you are, is it really worth the extra time investment to manage your business’s books on your own? Hiring a professional minimizes the potential for errors in areas such as tracking expenses, paying vendors promptly, balancing bank accounts and running payroll.
How to Give a Presentation | businessnewsdaily.com
Business presentation skills are critical in the professional world, particularly for entrepreneurs and small business owners seeking new investments or trying to land important client accounts. A robust, exciting presentation can entice and sway your audience, but a weak effort can cost your business time, money and opportunities.
While many entrepreneurs aren’t necessarily excellent public speakers or even practiced sales professionals, everyone can learn how to improve their presentations by honing specific corporate presentation skills.
Apple’s New “Journal” App: A Boon for Small Business Owners | Small Business Trends
Apple’s latest innovation, the “Journal” app, is not just a technological advancement but a potential game-changer for small business owners. Launched with iOS 17.2, this app offers a unique platform for personal reflection and gratitude practice, aspects increasingly recognized for their positive impact on mental well-being and, consequently, business productivity.
The Journal app, designed for iPhone 15 Pro, stands out with its ability to help users document everyday moments and special events. It’s more than just a digital diary; it’s a tool that leverages on-device machine learning to generate personalized suggestions, encouraging users to engage in meaningful journaling. This feature is particularly beneficial for busy small business owners who often struggle to find time for such reflective practices.
Rising Prices on Main Street Erode Small Business Optimism | Small Biz Trends
A decline in optimism among small business owners is evident as the NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index dropped to 91.3 in August, reflecting 20 consecutive months below its 49-year average of 98.
Inflation remains a significant concern, with 23% of small business proprietors naming it their primary business hurdle, an uptick from last month. Meanwhile, average selling prices are also increasing, suggesting continued inflationary pressures.
Bill Dunkelberg, NFIB Chief Economist, commented, “With small business owners’ views about future sales growth and business conditions discouraging, owners want to hire and make money now from strong consumer spending. Inflation and the worker shortage continue to be the biggest obstacles for Main Street.”
How to Hire Seasonal Workers | AllBusiness.com
With the unemployment rate remaining low throughout the country, small business owners continue to grapple with the labor shortage, making it especially difficult to find and hire employees. And if your business experiences seasonal ebbs and flows, attracting employees interested in temporary or seasonal work is even more challenging.
But finding seasonal workers is not impossible. To get insights and advice about seasonal hiring, I talked to Natalie Dopp, chief people officer at HireVue, a hiring technology company.
How to hire seasonal workers
What You Can Learn From Infamously Bad Bosses | Business
Executives at Disney, Yahoo, and other companies show what NOT to do.
Being the boss comes with a lot of responsibilities. They’re the person everyone else looks to for leadership and direction. But what happens when the boss is caught doing things they shouldn’t be? That’s when scandals can hit – and public relations nightmares begin.
A great boss – whether a business owner or C-suite executive – is often not only a role model inside a company, but also the public face of the business outside the office. The person in this role is usually skilled at building brand awareness and bringing positive attention to the organization. Sometimes, however, company leaders make news for all the wrong reasons. Here are some notorious examples and what small business owners can learn from them.
Dispatches From The Front 