Bad Business Habits That Small Biz Owners Want to Break | Small Biz Trends

March 25, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Of all the bad business habits out there, which one would you most like to break? Micromanaging? Overspending? Procrastination?

Would it surprise you to learn that “wearing too many hats” is the bad business habit that 35 percent of business owners say they’d want to kick?

Yes, that’s right. Taking on too many roles and responsibilities is what more than one-third of small business owners said they want to change.

That was the top choice of bad business habits to break, in the sixth annual Brother International Small Business Survey, conducted by Wakefield Research.

We small business owners are notorious for wearing many hats. Apparently, quite a few of us do not see that as a good thing.

What You Can Learn From 8 Kids Already Making a Million Dollars | Entrepreneur

March 9, 2015March 10, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There’s no age limit when it comes to being a millionaire these days, and a handful of kids have struck it rich well before they can legally vote. They’re small business owners, inventors and entrepreneurs. I started as an entrepreneur when I was around 11 years old with my first candy stand, which grew to four candy stands, but that was nothing compared to some of these kids!

There’s is no age limit, either, when it comes to learning from others. These impressive kids learned from their own failures early in life but determined to keep going and to do it better the next time around. If you haven’t made your first million yet, the teen next door might actually be able to teach you something.

Check out these eight kids who made a million, or more, and what you can learn from their success:

Small Business Taxes 2015: Everything You Need to Know | Business News Daily

January 30, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Following the most wonderful time of the year is a season that strikes fear in the hearts of many small business owners: tax time.

Shelling out a substantial percentage of the year’s income is stressful enough, but tax season also brings with it a great deal of complexity and confusion. Tax laws are constantly changing and being revised, and it can be difficult for small business owners to keep up. And what adds even more stress to tax filing is that even innocent mistakes or oversights can lead to big penalties.

5 Steps to Maintaining a Successful Company Blog | BusinessTips.com

January 27, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Today, when you start a business, you are also starting an online presence for your business. With that presence usually comes Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and often, a company blog. Though a blog arguably requires the most work out of the social networks your business partakes in, it also can reap the most rewards.

A blog truly is the voice of your business; it gives your otherwise faceless business a tone and personality unique only to itself. A blog is great for showcasing products, answering customer questions, and informing the masses on matters close to your particular industry, thereby labeling your CEO as an industry expert.

So how do you get started on the right foot and maintain a level of consistent success?

7 Unexpected Signs You Might Be an Entrepreneur | Entrepreneur

January 26, 2015January 26, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Remember Jeff Foxworthy? The comedian made a splash back in the ‘90s with his (slightly un-PC) “You might be a redneck” routine. Among his classic one-liners: “If you own a home that’s mobile and five cars that aren’t … you might be a redneck.”

Well, inspired by Jeff, I’ve been thinking about a “You might be an entrepreneur” routine—in other words, slightly unexpected signs you’ve got what it takes to go through the thrilling, punishing, life-changing experience of starting your own company.

Yes, you’ve got to be passionate, resilient and all that other good stuff. But there are more subtle qualities needed, as well. Networking with other entrepreneurs over the years through Hootsuite and working closely with young up-and-comers through my foundation The Next Big Thing, I’ve noticed that a lot of us share some common personality traits. So, without further ado, you might be an entrepreneur if…

Top business tips for 2015 | BBC News

January 20, 2015January 20, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As one calendar year draws to a close, and another is set to be begin, many business leaders are thinking about their challenges for the next 12 months.

They are weighing up any number of potential choices and factors; from expansion plans, to new products, whether to change suppliers, and how everything fits into the economic backdrop.

It is the time of year when forward planning comes to the forefront of people’s minds.

Here, 10 business leaders profiled in 2014 for the BBC’s The Boss slot, share their top tips on running or setting up a company in 2015.

Lower Employee Turnover and Improve the Bottom Line | Entrepreneur

January 14, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Employee turnover costs money.

A 2012 study by the Center for American Progress shows that it costs a business roughly one-fifth of an employee’s salary to replace that employee once they’re gone.

These costs show up in obvious and subtle ways.

They show up in the hard costs of hiring a new person (what’s involved with advertising, interviewing and screening). They surface in the training and management time spent onboarding a new employee. More subtly, but no less significantly, these costs also show up in the time it takes a new hire to reach a predecessor’s productivity.

The more turnover a company has, the more these costs eat away at the bottom line. While there’s no way to eliminate employee turnover completely, here are five strategies that companies can implement to make it the exception and not the rule:

10 Trends for 2015 You Better Pay Attention To | Inc.com

December 31, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Every large business in the world keeps a close eye on customer trends and demographics–they have to if they hope to be selling the right products and services to the right customers at the right time.

Ford Motor Company recently published its 2015 trend report, and no matter what size your company is–or in what industry it does business–the results are extremely valuable for any company.

Here, according to Ford, are the 10 trends to pay close attention to in 2015:

Public Relations Tips and Tricks for Your Business | Inc.com

December 16, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Creating an efficient PR and marketing plan is a cornerstone to building up your organization’s success. Marketing and PR, unfortunately, sometimes can be costly, particularly if you’re running a lean operation and just starting out. Thankfully, there will include a few affordable PR and marketing tips and tricks which may offer your small business a cost-effective way to successfully increase sales and grow your consumer base.

You may have an excellent service or product, yet if nobody has knowledge of it, generating sales might be difficult. Effective public relations and marketing include proactive methods for you to spread the message to your market and attract potential customers and clients.

Marketing is about discovering methods of reaching your targeted audience–these potential customers and clients who possess an interest in and possible necessity for what you are selling. Public relations includes obtaining positive press and publicity in regard to your business concerning its most recent services, brands, and innovations.

Predicting Self Control and Success with Sweets | Page 19

December 16, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Should you check your email just once more or keep on working? Jam that marshmallow in your mouth, or resist it? No matter how good instant gratification might feel, here’s a scientific case for delaying your rewards to double them.

If you’re one of the lucky ones endowed with strong willpower, you’re probably the envy of all your friends – and with good reason. Having strong willpower is a great predictor of success.

Self control depends on two systems: the hot system, which instantly reacts to the environment, and the cool system, which is responsible for controlled, rational behavior. It’s the hot system that gets us to give in to the temptation of eating that chocolate we shouldn’t or checking Facebook when we have a report due. By contrast, the cool system focuses our attention away from our impulses to instead engage in wholesome and productive behavior.