Category: Small Business
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Addressing grievances against government
This Independence Day weekend presents an opportunity to look back at how local citizens finally resolved their unaddressed grievances against government 240 years ago. This is the beginning of the text with emphasis on points that seem to me to be most relevant today: “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for…
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Seven alternate sources of small business funding
I’ve been talking quite a bit lately about the new equity crowdfunding possibilities for small firms but there are still plenty of other ways to raise capital for your small business. The key to success of all of these funding possibilities is good business planning. Online Lenders have high rates but may be good for short-term financing.…
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Business crowdfunding for newbies
If you are curious but mostly unfamiliar with crowdfunding for small businesses, I suggest that these three concepts are the most important points to understand first: Crowdfunding is evolving. It is still not the best financing choice for most small businesses, but that is changing. In the meanwhile, it makes sense to prepare your small…
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My marketing basics reconsidered
Three recently observed trends caused me to go back and reevaluate my online and offline marketing strategies. Fortunately the issues refocused for me easily and quickly tonight while I took an evening walk just before dark. This blog post is an effort to get it all recorded before I lose the thoughts. The three adverse…
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The most basic requirement of business success
What’s the one core thing that every business needs to survive? This is not a trick question. Every business needs a competitive marketable product or service. In other words, a business needs to offer something that other people want to have. This is a simple concept but one that is too often overlooked in small business…
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Remodeling industry survey results
The results of a major survey of the remodeling industry were released this week in the annual Houzz & Home study that is reportedly the industry’s largest survey of residential remodeling, building and decorating activity. I suggest that remodelers should compare the findings in the report with the assumptions built into their own business plans.…
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Fraud in crowdfunding
“There was a time when a fool and his money were soon parted, but now it happens to everybody on crowdfunding sites.” I modified this quotation from Adlai Stevenson to fit our modern times. The late statesman who died in 1965 would have no way of knowing the overwhelming challenges we face in dealing with…
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Security for rural homes and businesses
Recent national news brought a wave of follow-up stories about gun control, mental health and the risk of violence toward society. I add the unusual personal perspective of having been the victim of death threats and attempted manslaughter. The risk may well be past but it still lingers in my mind. New Yorker Magazine published a…
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The goals of compensation and benefits planning
It occurred to me over this weekend that over more than three decades I’ve produced hundreds of recordings, articles, columns and radio spots on various technical aspects of compensation and employee benefits planning, but that I’ve never talked about the basic primary goals that we all share in this work. There are four primary…
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Trends in U.S. economic migration
I’ve absorbed a flurry of input this week from news articles, NJTV, a symposium presentation and social media discussion all on the topic of economic migration trends within the U.S. The NJCPA has taken up this issue as it relates the the “wealth drain” in New Jersey. The pattern that is emerging is that the majority…