Loading

Grow Smart Business


teaserInfographic
Close

Search Articles

Most liked posts



Recent Articles

Popular Tags

accounting and taxes blogging blogs Branding Business Development business travel Capital Access Compliance Customer Service ecommerce Email marketing entrepreneur entrepreneurship Facebook Generational Marketing GrowSmartBiz Conference Grow Smart Business lead generation LinkedIn Marketing michael dougherty mobile marketing networking online marketing Raising Capital Resources retail sales sales process SBSI Search Marketing seo small business small business accounting small business hiring small business loans small business marketing small business resources small business technology Small Business Trends social media Technology Twitter Web Design Workforce

Categories

Posts Tagged ‘Entrepreneurs’

« Older Entries

Is the Multitasking Myth Hurting Your Productivity?

February 20th, 2013 ::

By Rieva Lesonsky

Are you a mad multitasker? You know what I mean—switching back and forth between 12 open programs on your computer while simultaneously talking on one phone, checking texts on a second phone and eating lunch at your desk. Women business owners are particularly prone to multitasking mania, probably because many of us are used to juggling dozens of tasks (overseeing the kids’ homework while working on the laptop and folding laundry) in our home lives. But that doesn’t mean we’re better at it than men.

Studies on male vs. female multitasking abilities are many and controversial. For every study showing that women are better at it, there’s one claiming men are. But the real question isn’t who’s better at multitasking, but whether multitasking is helpful or hurtful.

A raft of studies done in labs have indicated that while multitasking actually decreases your productivity, people tended to believe the opposite—that they were more effective when multitasking. An Ohio State University study went one step beyond to find out why people think multitasking is more productive. Researchers found that:

  • People feel more productive because they are emotionally satisfied by multitasking.
  • People tended to multitask when they had a specific task to do (such as studying); in other words, multitasking provided a way to avoid focusing on something that was rather unpleasant.
  • As a result, people feel emotionally satisfied by multitasking, which leads them to keep doing it.
  • As they continue multitasking, it develops into a habit, and the positive emotions that come from it plus the habit-forming nature makes them keep doing it.

So what can you do to break your multitasking habit? Like any habit, it will take time (about 21 days) to break the old habit and institute new ones. Try setting rules like shutting down your email and only checking it a few times a day; letting calls go to voice mail and checking them at set times; shutting your office door for short periods when you need to concentrate; and using online tools like Freedom or Concentrate to keep you from wasting time on the Internet.

Yes, I realize that these habits may be hard to institute, but start small. You’d be surprised at what just a couple hours a day of not multitasking can do for your productivity—and your business.

Image by Flickr user deux-chi (Creative Commons)

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Small Business, small business, Technology | No Comments »

Get Up, Stand Up: Why Your Employees Should Stop Sitting Around

February 7th, 2013 ::

By Maria Valdez Haubrich

The rising cost of health insurance, the need for greater productivity at work and the costs in both time and money of illness in the workplace are driving a growing trend: Small business owners are trying to get their employees to live healthier lifestyles. While being overweight, smoking and being inactive are all obvious causes of poor health, one factor that’s attracting more and more attention is the sheer number of hours most people spend sitting each day.

If your small business is office-based, chances are most of your staff spends 8 hours a day or more sitting hunched at their desks. New research is showing that prolonged sitting—even in otherwise active people—can be harmful to health. So how can you get your staff up off their chairs?

  • Offer standing desks for employees who want them. You could invest in ready-made furniture such as Focal’s standing furniture. Or, depending on how handy you and your employees are, you could also raise existing desks to an appropriate height by bracing them to the wall.
  • For the really committed, try treadmill workstations. These can be pricey (and most people won’t be able to walk all day, anyway), so you might want to invest in just one and let employees use it at different times of the day with their laptops.
  • For a less expensive solution, stability balls can provide many benefits by requiring employees to work their core muscles just to stay stable. Workers can alternate the balls with regular desk chairs as they build up stamina.
  • Make exercise part of the day. OfficeGym sells a chair-based exercise system that makes it easy to fit in a workout at your desk. You could also encourage employees to take quick stretching breaks instead of coffee breaks.
  • Hold standing or moving meetings. Holding your meetings standing up is a great way to not only get people off their chairs, but also keep the meetings shorter. Double the effect by starting the meeting with a group stretch. You can take it up a notch by holding walking meetings outdoors. (Just make sure someone is recording what’s discussed on a voice recorder or other device so nothing gets forgotten).
  • Walk around. Instead of shooting an email to the person next door, try actually getting up and talking to him or her. (If this gets too time-consuming, you could set a “no-email day” once a week to force people to actually walk around and talk to each other). This tactic can have benefits beyond just walking around as employees interact in new ways.

Image by Flickr user jseliger1 (Creative Commons)

 

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Health and Wellness, Small Business, small business, Workforce | 1 Comment »

Web.com Small Business Toolkit: LeaveNow (Time Management Tool)

December 18th, 2012 ::

LeaveNow

Can’t seem to make it anywhere on time? Is traffic always getting the better of you? Check out this time management app to make sure you’re never late to an appointment again. This free app posts a reminder message on the home screen of your iOS device (iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad) and tells you exactly when it’s time to leave for your meeting in order to arrive on time. LeaveNow calculates traffic for different modes of transportation, including walking, biking, driving and public transportation, and then adjusts your departure times and sends reminders of when to put down what you’re doing and go. It also sends out a text telling the people you’re meeting that you’re on your way.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Resources, sales process, Small Business, small business | No Comments »

Start Your Own Small Business Support Group

November 13th, 2012 ::

By Karen Axelton

Do you think of other entrepreneurs as your competition? Well, some of them are, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from them. In today’s economy, with big companies creating an ever-tougher environment for small business success, small businesses have to stick together—and sometimes, that might mean joining forces with people you typically consider your competition.

You probably already belong to one or more trade groups for your industry. But what if you created your own (smaller) small business support group? A smaller organization can meet more frequently, and gives you room for every member to be heard. Here are some ideas for starting your own group.

  • Figure out how big you want it to be. You want it big enough that even when everyone can’t come to a meeting, it will be worthwhile, but small enough that everyone gets to interact. Two dozen is a good general guideline.
  • Determine other parameters for membership. For instance, if your restaurant is in a popular downtown area, you might want to start a group only for downtown business owners. Or you might want to limit it only to restaurants.
  • Consider competition. Yes, it’s OK to have people within the same industry (two retail store owners) but if they are directly competitive (two children’s clothing store owners), they’re not going to feel comfortable sharing ideas and information with each other.
  • Set a schedule. You’ll want to have regular meetings or your group will quickly peter out. If monthly meetings are too much, make them at least quarterly.
  • Choose a location or rotate among different members’ locations.
  • Keep in touch online. Start a LinkedIn or Facebook group just for members so you can keep in touch between meetings. (Just don’t let online interaction substitute for in-person meetings; getting together face-to-face is crucial for give-and-take.)

What do you discuss in your group? Time is valuable, so it’s a good idea to set a basic agenda that you follow at every meeting. You can rotate so that one month you share marketing ideas, another you talk about employee management, and another you talk about cash flow issues. Be sure that when appropriate, you also talk about timely issues, such as new parking restrictions that are making it harder for customers to visit your shop and how your group should work with the city to change them. Share your challenges, concerns and insights, and you’ll all learn how to do things better!

Image by Flickr user emilio labrador (Creative Commons)

 

Tags: ,
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Small Business, small business | 1 Comment »

Web.com Small Business Toolkit: Focus Booster (Organization App)

October 10th, 2012 ::

Focus Booster

The right time management tool is such a matter of personal preference that it’s worth it to try and find the one that works for you. If you find yourself spending too long on certain projects or you forget to take a break, Focus Booster might be the app you’re looking for. Based on the Pomodoro Technique, a time management method created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, Focus Booster can be used for any kind of task. The tool separates periods of work into 25-minute intervals separated by breaks, based on the idea that frequent breaks can improve mental agility. The app lets you set how long of a break you want to take in advance.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Resources, Small Business, small business | No Comments »

Web.com Small Business Toolkit: National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Day (Mentoring Event)

October 1st, 2012 ::

National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Day

Are you an entrepreneur over 50 who could use some expert advice? In May 2012, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and AARP launched a strategic alliance to provide American entrepreneurs over the age of 50 with real-world, actionable information to start or grow a small business. Through this alliance, the two organizations have jointly committed to train 100,000 “encore entrepreneurs” over the next year. October 2 (that’s tomorrow), you have a chance to meet mentors from the SBA’s network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), and SCORE chapters, who can help you take your business to the next level. Click on www.sba.gov/mentorday to find an event near you.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Business Development, Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship, Resources, Small Business, small business | 1 Comment »

TheSelfEmployed.com: Information for the Self-Employed Businessperson: Small Business Resource

April 30th, 2012 ::

TheSelfEmployed.com

Getting helpful information when you’re running your own show can really put your business on the right track. Small business expert Steve Strauss’s new website, TheSelfEmployed.com, hopes to provide you with the tools you need to make informed decisions on taxes, technology, insurance and more. Strauss writes for USATODAY.com, has authored 15 books and has been featured on a number of high-profile business shows including MSNBC, CNN and CNBC. TheSelfEmployed.com’s blogs and forums can help you connect to other small business owners; a “Water Cooler” section keeps you entertained and informed about what other entrepreneurs are talking about.

Tags: ,
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Resources, Small Business, small business, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Small Biz Resource Tip: Developing a Personal Advisory Board

April 23rd, 2012 ::

Developing a Personal Advisory Board

Feeling a bit isolated out there on your own? Entrepreneurship can be a lonely adventure, but it doesn’t have to be. You can create your own personal advisory board and get the advice and support you need to make your business a success. Susan Hammond, CEO of SC Hammond Advisors, has created a step-by-step guide on how to develop a personal advisory board. This free e-book is necessary reading if you’re considering making a major business decision or need some crucial advice. Having a personal advisory board can help you fill in knowledge gaps and become a better leader and decision-maker.

Tags: ,
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Resources, Small Business, small business | No Comments »

How to Take a Vacation (When You’re a Small Business Owner)

July 29th, 2011 ::

By Rieva Lesonsky

It’s Friday, and if you’re planning to still be working tomorrow… and the day after…maybe you need some a vacation. But when you’re a small business owner, taking time off can be easier said than done.

Or maybe you’re not convinced that you do need a break. In that case, consider some interesting research Intuit compiled about why small business owners need vacations:

Health reasons: Women who don’t take vacations are 8 times more likely to suffer from heart disease. Men who take vacations are 32 percent less likely to die of heart attacks.

Productivity: 82 percent of people report they are more productive after a vacation. However, long weekends didn’t have the same effect on productivity as a more extended vacation.

Innovation: As you probably know from experience, you’re less likely to come up with creative solutions when you’re stressed out and on overload. Mental downtime, on the other hand, helps you be more innovative.

If you’re not taking vacations, you’re not alone. More than half (55 percent) of small business owners work on “most” or “all” holidays! But with mobile devices and cloud computing making it easier to stay in touch as needed, taking a vacation really shouldn’t be the end of the world for your business.

Here are some tips Intuit offers to help you relax while your business runs smoothly:

  1. Delegate. Trust employees to handle tasks without you.
  2. Plan ahead. Get big projects out of the way before you go. Have any data you’ll need to access on vacation available, either by taking it with you (such as on a USB drive) or using a cloud solution so you can access it anytime.
  3. Spread the word. Let clients and customers know when you’ll be out of town. You’ll find most are understanding and happy to work with your schedule.

Once you’re on vacation, of course, the key is to really be on vacation. Limit how often you check your email or voicemail. You might want to check it first thing in the morning and in the evening. Focus on urgent problems if any arise, but don’t worry about smaller issues. (You’ve got someone back at the office handling those, remember?)

You may want to set up a system with your team so they only contact you in an emergency, or they contact you in a certain way if there’s an urgent matter. That means you won’t have to jump every time your BlackBerry pings.

Truly unwinding on vacation can bring you back refreshed and full of new ideas for growing your business. You’ll be rested and ready to serve your customers and clients better…and that benefits everyone, not just you.

Image by Flickr user avrene (Creative Commons)

 

 

Tags: , ,
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Small Business, small business | 4 Comments »

What Traits Do Successful Entrepreneurs Have in Common?

June 9th, 2011 ::

By Maria Valdez Haubrich

Are entrepreneurs made, or born? In other words, are the characteristics needed to be a successful small business owner innate or can they be learned? According to a new study by Ernst & Young, the answer to this puzzle is…well, a bit of both.

The study, Nature or Nurture: Decoding the Entrepreneur, surveyed 685 entrepreneurs worldwide as well as winners of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award. The results challenge the notion that entrepreneurs tend to start businesses without a formal education and without experiencing corporate life.

Nearly half (45 percent) of respondents did not start their first business until they were age 30 or over. Almost 60 percent said they had previously worked in a corporate environment before striking out on their own.

Asked what was the most important source of learning that helped them with their business, one-third of respondents said it was their experience as an employee, 30 percent said it was higher education, and 26 percent said it was a mentor or mentors.

“Entrepreneurial leaders are defined as much by their early business experience, cultural background and external environment as they are by any innate personal characteristics,” said Maria Pinelli, Global Vice Chair Strategic Growth Markets for Ernst & Young, in announcing the study results. “Nurture, not nature, does appear to be more important in shaping the entrepreneurial mindset.”

But not so fast. At the same time, the study found that successful entrepreneurs share certain behaviors and attitudes that are differentiate them from the average corporate employee or CEO. When asked to name the top three most important qualities of an entrepreneurial leader, more than three-fourths of those surveyed said ‘having a vision’, 73 percent said ‘passion’ and 64 percent said ‘drive’.

“These findings highlight that most successful entrepreneurs share a unique combination of seeing opportunity where others see only risk,” said Pinelli. “And they tend to be optimists and believe they can succeed despite the fact that everyone else is telling them they cannot.”

For those who’ve got the entrepreneurial combination of nature and nurture, starting just one business is not enough. Sixty percent had started three or more companies, 20 percent had launched six or more and 10 percent said they had founded more than 10 companies so far.

Image by Flickr user Horia Varlan (Creative Commons)

Tags: , ,
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship, Small Business | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries