Starting a new business Archives - Page 6 of 9

27Jul 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

4 Lessons You’ll Learn From Your First 100 Customers

Customer Retention, Marketing, Office and Homeworking, Starting a new business

Starting a new business is often a big game of trial and error. Everything from creating custom business cards to getting your staff to fully understand your invoicing system is likely to involve some triumphs and a few mistakes. The good news is you'll learn a lot, especially while working toward obtaining your first 100 customers. Here are some things you'll learn during this exciting time:1. Set Reasonable Goals In your first few months of business, you will come to realize whether or not the goals you set for yourself, your company and staff are reasonable. For instance, you may have hoped to make $50,000 in your first two months. When you were just starting out, it's possible you thought this was attainable. Now that you've been handling operating costs and seeing how your…

23Jul 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Helpful Advice For Starting a Small Business

Starting a new business

Have you been tossing around an idea in your head for starting a small business? Once you get that itch it can be all-consuming as you think of the many aspects of potentially running your own company. Don't fret, you don't need to figure everything out at once. Much of being an entrepreneur involves learning things on the fly and adapting as you go. Here is some helpful advice for people considering starting their own small businesses:Thoroughly Develop Your Idea The catalyst for many small businesses is a realization that something needs to be fixed. Perhaps you noticed you can never get all the ketchup out of the bottle or that it's difficult to find pro-bono work as a veterinarian. You saw an issue and thought, "Huh. Maybe I could help!"…

20Jul 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Vacation and the Workplace

Starting a new business

As the owner of a small company, you are in charge of making a lot of decisions, including ones that can greatly affect your employees opinions on the business. You have to choose what health care providers to offer along with other important benefits like how much vacation time each person can take. A recent study from a staffing firm called The Creative Group found that offering employees the chance to take time off whenever they liked would likely increase productivity. This would only be allowed so long as the staff members' work did not suffer, and may prove to be a major draw to get new employees to join your company. Here are some other things to consider when choosing vacation benefits:Think of Your Staffs' Ages Different generations of people look…

13Jul 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

LinkedIn for Startups

Marketing, Starting a new business

There are so many social media websites out there, it's hard to know which ones your new company should partake in. LinkedIn is one of the most popular ones for businesses. Not only is it a great place to get your name out there, but you can use the site to make valuable industry connections, share updates on what you're doing and even find employees. Here are some tips for using LinkedIn for your startup:Establish a Business Profile You might already have a personal profile on LinkedIn, but it's necessary to create a business one as well. This is where potential job-seekers and possibly even customers may turn to find information on your company. Include your company name and logo as well as a summary of what you do. If you have…

06Jul 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Employee Growth Potential is Key for New Hires

Starting a new business

A study by the Society for Human Resources Management found that 47 percent of participants considered opportunities for employee growth of major importance when choosing a company to work for. Millennials and individuals in Generation X were particularly likely to consider this when searching for a new job. As a small business owner, you are looking to hire people that offer longevity, such as employees who you can train in an entry level and who will make their way through the company to a higher position. Here are some tips for talking with interviewees about potential growth:Discuss Their Goals Not every typical career move is the right one for each individual. Writers, for example, often consider upward mobility to be moving to an editing position. But this is not necessarily the…

30Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Tips for Finding a Business Mentor

Starting a new business

When you are looking for tips on how to run your business, where do you turn? You probably check websites like Forbes and Inc, and maybe even turn to our blog. While these are helpful, you may also benefit from having a business mentor. This person should have experience in your industry and some time to spare in order to be helpful to you. Here are some tips for finding the right business mentor:Ask Around While at networking events or visiting with other professionals in the industry, ask around to see who others consider their mentor. You may be able to also meet with that person to talk business. See if you can get their phone number or email address, or even have lunch with them. Once you meet, you can decide if you click…

23Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

6 Business Supplies Every Home Office Needs

Starting a new business

Whether you're starting a home-based business or just need a space outside of your workplace that you can get stuff done, creating a home office is more involved than you might think. Things like the furniture, lighting, setup and overall design are important aspects of building a comfortable yet professional space, but there are a lot of smaller items you'll need to think about as well. Office supplies, for instance, are going to be an important part of your space - you won't be very productive if you don't have everything you need at your fingertips. To that end, take a look at these six types of business supplies you should have to get your home office up and running:1. The Right Equipment Of course, some of the most important items in your office…

23Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

How to Keep Your Millennial Employees Happy

Starting a new business

In a world where startups are a dime a dozen and young, savvy workers are becoming more and more valuable, businesses are starting to have to make some changes. Millennials, more so than people in other generations, are more likely to switch jobs often and to do so for different reasons than you may expect. In some cases, this can lead to high employee turnover, which is extremely expensive for companies, whether they're new startups or large corporations. So why are millennials moving around so much, and what can companies do to keep them?A recent survey conducted by Atenga Inc. discovered that millennials are more likely to leave because of job dissatisfaction, including reasons like not having enough mentorship or not feeling fulfilled, than they are for financial reasons. That said,…

22Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier 1 Comment

The Benefits of Yard Signs

Marketing, Starting a new business

You may have seen eye-catching yard signs for construction companies, political candidates or even more personal matters such as birthday or graduation celebration. Here are a few benefits of creating a custom yard sign:Spread the Word When you are first starting a company, and even after the business has been around for years, it's important to do some marketing. One way of getting involved is by placing a yard sign on your lawn. Your friends and neighbors will see the sign and want to know what your business is all about. Depending on what your company does, you may also be able to put your signs up on your customers' lawns. For instance, if you are involved in construction, it is a great idea to make signs to put up during the…

15Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

4 tips to make your company more sustainable

Office and Homeworking, Starting a new business

As a small-business owner, you are at the helm of many important decisions. You choose what your logo looks like, the style of your company's address labels, what your office hours are and even where you work. These decisions are all important, but what about your business's environmental footprint? If you care about protecting natural resources and preventing climate change, here are some tips for making your business more sustainable:Recycle Many office products are available in new and recycled form. Most items that are made out of paper, such as custom business cards and Post-It notes, can be made on recycled paper. Choose these options when ordering office supplies. It's also important to recycle anything you can, from appliances like your printer or old toaster to items from your break room…

Category: Starting a new business