Be Part of a Small Business Revolution!

Small Business Revolution was a project started by Deluxe in 2015, aimed at showcasing the stories of 100 exceptional small businesses. The event was held again in 2016 and became even bigger, with a competition where one town would win a $500,000 main street makeover. Wabash, Indiana was crowned the winner, and now Deluxe is sharing a special eight-episode series about the town’s revival! This is certainly an inspirational story, but you will also be happy to know that nominations are now open for the NEXT $500,000 small town, small business boost! Find out more by checking out this article.

Click to read $500,000, 100 Stories, and a Small Business Revolution in Small Town America

It’s Time to Reach More Customers

“The companies that are winning are the companies that know their customers.” That’s a quote from Jamie Domenici, the VP of Product and SMB Marketing at Salesforce. Recently, Ramon Ray interviewed Jamie, who had great advice for small businesses that want to reach more customers. According to Jamie, the three pillars of sales and marketing are Find, Win, and Keep, and you can learn more about that by checking out this article.

Click to read Find, Win, and Keep Customers: 3 Pillars of Sales and Marketing Success

Advice for Startup Software Developers

With apps escalating in popularity, software startups seem to be popping up all over the place. There is fierce competition and only the strongest will survive. Want to make sure your small business is one of them? In this article, Ramon Ray interviews Vinay Pai, the VP of Intuit Developer Relations who shares tips for how to build an ecosystem.

Click to read How to Build a Community of Software Developers: Intuit Exec Shares Success Tips

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Join the Small Business Revolution, Reach Your Customers & More appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

2017 Small Business Marketing Forecast

The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are growing colder, and although we may not want to acknowledge it, 2016 will soon be drawing to a close. In this article, we’re sharing a little of what 2017 holds in the way of small business marketing. It covers 10 of the trends you should look out for – and enough forewarning that you can get ahead of the game today.

Become a Super Boss

A recent Gallup poll found that only 32 percent of American workers are actively engaged at work, while the remaining workers are either not engaged or actively disengaged. You can break the trend in your business by becoming the best boss you can be – one that inspires, leads, and manages workers to be their best. This article explores several things you can do to be a better boss and encourage accountability in the workplace.

Get Going on your Mobile App Startup

The growth of mobile shows no signs of stopping, and research finds that consumers spend 85 percent of their time on smartphones in apps. Could YOU be the next big app developer? If you immediately said no because you don’t know programming and coding, we have news for you: you can indeed follow your dreams into the world of app development – just follow the tips in this article.

An End to Procrastination

It’s the beginning of the week, but if you are like most people, you have already worked a bit of procrastination into your schedule. Whether you’re actively avoiding a task or simply bombarded with other things that seem more important, procrastination can hurt your productivity and your business’s success. In this article, productivity expert Hugh Culver explains how you can lower your procrastination by blocking your time. It’s a simple time management hack that you are sure to love.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Small Business Marketing, Operations, Technology & Lifestyle appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Tips for Improving Your Likability

In this intriguing Smart Hustle interview, Ramon Ray spoke with Dave Kerpen who shared the many ways that becoming more likeable can improve your business – building trust with mentors and business colleagues, developing a company culture that empowers your employees, and listening to your customers so you know what they value and how to help them.

Click to read Dave Kerpen’s 5 Simple Rules for Being More Likable and Successful in Business

Must-Have E-commerce Tools

There are around 110,000 e-commerce stores online. How can you stand out in the crowd and grow a profitable small business? By using the right tools! This article covers six of the most important e-commerce tools that will help your online store run smoothly.

Click to read 6 Essential Tools for Every E-commerce Business

The Importance of Non-Revenue Assets

When asked what drives the value of your business, most small business owners say it is revenue, but in fact, much of the value of your business is locked up in non-revenue assets – whether it is equipment, processes, intellectual property, customers, or something else. These assets are particularly important when selling your business to a strategic buyer, so it is essential that you understand the non-revenue assets that will drive up value. This article shares three tips for doing so.

Click to read The Hidden Value of Your Business in Non-Revenue Assets

Boost Your Startup Valuation

Valuation is essential for startups because it helps build buzz and draw in potential investors and lenders. However, it is now easier than ever to start a business, so competition is fierce. This article teaches you how to guard the value of your startup with three important tips.

Click to read How to Make Waves with a Startup Valuation

At Smart Hustle, we strive to provide tips and insights on all aspects of running a business – advice specifically for small business owners.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Increase Your Likability, E-commerce Tools, and More! appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Better Business Networking

Networking is a vital part of small business success because you never know where a new connection will lead you. As guest contributor, Jen Slaw, says, “Our connections will become our clients, team members, strategic partners, mentors, and advisors.” By networking, you can form relationships that will better your business. If networking isn’t your thing, take a look at this article. Jen Slaw is sharing five things you can do to immediately expand your business network.

Click to read 5 Steps to Form & Nurture Business Relationships

Relationships with Contractors

No matter how hard you try, you can’t do it all yourself, small business owner; you will occasionally come across tasks that are better handled by an expert rather than using a DIY approach. One such example is app development. More and more small businesses are understanding the benefits of creating their own app, but lacking knowledge of coding and design requires them to hire out. This article can help you form a better relationship with your app developer so you can clearly communicate your needs and help to create a stunning end product.

Click to read 5 Tips for Working with an App Developer as a Small Business Owner

Social Media Relationships

Social media is an ideal place to cultivate your relationships with your customers, and no one knows more about this subject than Ted Rubin, the Chief Marketing Officer of Brand Innovators and creator of the concept “return on relationships.” In this article, Ted offers tips to help you make better digital connections using social media.

Click to read Ted Rubin’s Advice on Building Personal Relationships through Social Media

Bonus Article: Workplace & Employee Relationships

Forming strong relationships with employees involves creating a culture within your small business where team members know they are valued and love to come to work. To create a better workplace environment, check out this article by guest author Randy Stocklin, the founder of One Click which was named one of Inc. Magazine’s 50 Places to work in 2016. Randy is sharing four tips that will help you build stronger relationships and culture in your business.

Click to read How to Build a Rock Solid Company Culture

So how are you doing on relationship management in your small business? Check out the articles above to get help in these specific areas! You can also get more advice at SmartHustle.com – or spark up new relationships with your business peers by joining the Smart Hustle Community.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Tips for Stronger Small Business Relationships appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

New Business Has Slowed? Here’s Why

The key to business growth is acquiring new customers, so if you’ve noticed that things have slowed down, it’s time to take notice. While slow business growth can happen for reasons like an economic downturn, there are often business missteps that are to blame. In this article, sales guru Adrian Miller is sharing five reasons why you might not be seeing the new business you’d like. Figure out which are applicable to your situation, then use her advice to fix it.

Click to read 5 Reasons Why You Might Not Be Winning New Business

Connecting with Customers via Facebook Live

Video marketing is a hot trend right now, but do you know what is even hotter? Live video. The thought of appearing live and unscripted on camera in front of your customers might sound daunting. However, when you understand the benefits of live video (and the fact that your fears are largely exaggerated!), you’ll be ready to take the first step into this promising area of marketing. In this Smart Hustle interview, social media expert Kim Garst shares the benefits of Facebook Live and five tips that will calm your fears and get you prepared for your first live video.

Click to read 5 Tips for Using Facebook Live to Get Closer to Your Customers

Enhance Your IT Security Today

A sobering statistic for you: in a recent survey of 500 IT professionals, 30 percent said they believe there is nothing they can do to protect the security of their company. If you’ve ever felt the same way, it’s time to eradicate that self-defeating thought and take charge because you definitely CAN improve IT security at your business! In this article, cloud service LogMeIn is sharing four simple things you can do to greatly enhance the security of your company.

Click to read How to Improve IT Security in Four Simple Steps

So what is troubling you these days? Winning new business and sales? Forming better relationships with your customers? The security of your business data? These articles are sure to help, and for more tips and advice, catch new content over at SmartHustle.com.

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Benefits of Mentorship for Small Business Owners

As a small business owner, you are already quite busy. Should you make time for mentorship? Is it really that important? If you want to succeed, the answer is yes. This article shares three important areas where a business mentor can help you learn and grow – a true eye opener for those of us who tend to do things on our own.

Click to read Don’t Go It Alone: How Having a Business Mentor Can Change Your Business

Tips for Attracting Mentors

A mentor is typically someone who is a ‘step ahead’ of you in the business world – they’ve been through it all and have lived to tell the tale. But how can you appeal to someone who is obviously very busy and get them to share their time and experience with you? The answer is by being a good mentee. In this article, guest contributor Ella Rucker shares five ways you can become a mentee that your ideal mentor cannot refuse.

Click to read 5 Smart Ways to Maximize Your Potential for a Business Mentor

Business Growth Tips from GlambitiousIAM.com

Glambitious I Am is an innovative network for female entrepreneurs who have a diverse set of professional experiences and are eager to share their advice with others. In this article, six members of the “Glambitious Power Circle” contributed their top tips for business growth. It’s no surprise that mentorship made the list (“Join a Group of Like-Minded Entrepreneurs” and “Find an Accountability Partner”), but to see what else made the list, you’ll have to read the full article.

Click to read 10 Business Growth Tips from the Glambitious Power Circle

An Inside Look at Entrepreneur Ramon Ray

Ramon Ray, Editor of Smart Hustle Magazine, is used to being the one who interviews others. In this twist, Ramon finds himself at the other end of the interview table! Zev Asch, President of Ledaza, sits down with Ramon to ask him about his entrepreneurial journey and other personal questions, like his biggest wins and mistakes, and who inspires him the most.

Click to read Zev Asch Interviews Smart Hustle Magazine Editor Ramon Ray: What the Entrepreneurial Journey Is Really About

The four articles listed above all have a common theme: mentorship. Having other entrepreneurs around you who inspire and push you is an important part of running a small business. In fact, we felt so strongly about this that we created the Smart Hustle Community to help business owners network and learn from each other! Check out the community here, and for more great articles, head over to SmartHustle.com.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: The Power of Business Mentorship appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Businesses large and small love free marketing, where customers are willing and eager to sing your praises based on the positive experiences they’ve had with your company. But besides just providing great products and services, how do you drum up word-of-mouth marketing? This article explores five actionable things you can do to get more people talking about your business.

Click to read 5 Ways to Get People to Talk about Your Business

Instagram for Business

As a newer social media platform, Instagram still has many business owners scratching their heads. How exactly do you use a platform that focuses on pictures and hashtags to grow customers and awareness? The launch of “Instagram Stories” is actually opening up new marketing potential for small businesses, provided you know how to use it. This article explains what Instagram Stories is and how you can leverage it for your biz.

Click to read How to Market Your Business with Instagram Stories

Small Business Video Marketing Ideas

If you follow marketing tips, advice and news, then chances are that you run into the subject of video marketing all the time. Unfortunately, many small businesses aren’t sure where to get started. We’ve covered basic tips in other articles, but this one gives you specific videos you could create to promote your business, including new product teasers, customer feedback, and more. It is sure to give you some great ideas to help create your first marketing video.

Click to read 6 Engaging Video Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

Bonus Article: Must-Have Financial Roles

As promised, we also wanted to share an informative article for business owners who feel like they already have control over their marketing – and who couldn’t use a finance lesson now and again? This article, written by finance expert Jonathan Ankney, covers the three financial roles that you must have for your small business – and what happens if one of these crucial roles is missing.

Click to read 3 Financial Roles Every Business Needs to Maximize Success

Smart Hustle readers asked for more marketing articles, and we have been happy to deliver pieces on word-of-mouth marketing, Instagram, videos and more. What other topics would you like to see us cover on Smart Hustle? See what’s available on SmartHustle.com then share your opinion over at the Smart Hustle Community.

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Protecting Your Small Business from Security Threats

Hackers are becoming more sophisticated, and new threats are popping up every day. How can you keep your small business safe? In this interview with Norman Guadagno from Carbonite, Norman shares three small steps any small business owner can take to prevent security threats including viruses, malware, ransomware, and hacking attempts.

Click to read How Small Business Can Prevent and Recover from Security Threats: An Interview with Norman Guadagno

Generating Buzz with Your Branding

Branding is one of the most important elements of creating a successful small business. Can customers immediately recognize you when they glance at your logo? How do you set yourself apart from the competition? What sort of conversations are customers having about your brand? This article shares five secrets of becoming a brand that people love and want to talk about it.

Click to read How to Develop a Brand People Will Love to Talk About

Selling Your Home-Based Business

When we think of selling a business, many of us picture a business that has a physical location in which the keys are literally passed on to the new owner. However, many small businesses in the United States are home-based. Is it possible to tell a home-based business too? Yes! This article covers some of the basics of selling a business as well as factors that are unique to home-based businesses. Follow these tips and you’ll be prepared to sell when the timing is right.

Click to read How to Successfully Sell Your Home-Based Business

The articles above will give you a lot to think about, whether it is protecting yourself against security threats, improving your branding, or preparing to sell your small home-based business. For other intriguing discussions on topics like operations, finance, marketing, technology, and sales, head over to SmartHustle.com to get the scoop.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Security Threats, Branding, and More! appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

10 Biz Expert Tips on Video Marketing

Video marketing is a hot topic right now, and we know that many small business owners are eager to hop aboard the trend but are not sure how to get started. In this article, marketing expert Roberto Blake shares some of his best tips. His advice will answer all of your most frequently asked questions, including what sort of video content should you create, how to tie it in with your website and blog, and how to use video to generate leads and grow your list.

 Click to read 10 Simple and Effective Tips to Grow Your Business Using Video Marketing

Biz Expert Tips for Time Management

Do you ever feel like there are never enough hours in the day? That distractions are eating into your productivity, and you’re always a few steps behind where you’d like to be? In this article, productivity expert Hugh Culver argues that how you manage your time is tied to the stories you tell yourself about time. In a three-step process, he’ll walk you through admitting that you make up stories, changing those stories, and then making them stick so you can get more out of every workday.

Click to read Why You Need to Change Your Story About Time

Biz Expert Tips for Small Business Blogs

A blog can be the key to getting more business, closing more deals, and generating more leads. However, as a busy small business owner, you might wonder if it’s a good area to focus your efforts. In this article, biz expert Megan Totka shares three important ways that a blog can help your small business. Before you officially say “no” to blogging, you definitely need to read this article.

Click to read 3 Ways Your Small Business Can Benefit from a Business Blog

If you like biz expert articles like the ones you see above, stay tuned because Smart Hustle has been reaching out to more biz experts for contributions and we are going to start sharing at least one each week on SmartHustle.com!

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Biz Expert Tips on Video Marketing, Time Management & More appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Using Google Analytics to Track Social Campaigns

Even though there are several social media management tools, the richness of Google Analytics reports make it ideal for tracking your social campaigns. Did you know that you can use Google Analytics to track network referrals, conversions, landing pages, and social plugins? This article tells you how to get started with Google Analytics, set up goals, and five top Google Analytics reports to look at to understand how your social media campaigns are going.

Click to read How to Track Social Media Analytics with Google Analytics

Recovering from a Sales Slump

Unfortunately, everyone will experience a sales slump at some point in his or her career. Biz expert Adrian Miller says the first important thing is to understand why the slump happened so you can address the cause! However, if you find yourself in a slump, there are plenty of things you can do to recover. Adrian reviews four of the best things you can do to get the sales ball rolling again.

Click to read How to Revamp Your Business in a “Sales Slump”

Small Biz Owner: Don’t Focus on Going Viral

The gold standard in content marketing is a phenomenon known as “going viral” – when your content (whether it is a blog post, video, social media message, or something else) gets the attention of mass audiences who flood to your site and “discover” your company, making you an overnight sensation. While going viral is definitely a good thing, there are many reasons why small business owners should not focus on going viral. This article explores the reasons and what small business owners should do instead to make sure their content is a hit among the target market.

Click to read Content Marketing 2016: Why Small Businesses Shouldn’t Focus on Going Viral

Smart Hustle Magazine is committed to helping small business owners through all the twists and turns of running a business – the high points (like going viral), the low points (like experiencing a sales slump), and all of the experimentation that goes on in between (including tracking campaign analytics on platforms like Google Analytics). For more advice – no matter what stage of the game you’re at – check out SmartHustle.com or join the discussion in the Smart Hustle Community.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Google Analytics How-To, Recovering from a Sales Slump, and More! appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

It’s understandable that you might want to take care of applying for worker’s compensation on your own but hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer in Santa Ana will ensure that you dont make these mistakes.

Identifying the right lawyers to handle your claim is important, as you want local attorneys who are knowledgeable about all aspects of the law, and who can work with your employer to file a proper claim. Interviewing attorneys can be laborious and time-consuming so it is important to have a list of questions ready for any potential lawyers before making contact. There are lots of lawyers in your area, not all of them specializing in workers compensation. Be sure the attorneys you contact have plenty of experience with workers compensation cases. You may wish to ask for education and experience references to see if the attorneys have worked in your area previously, or if they received training in another state or city. Ask how your potential lawyers handle difficult cases and what kinds of fees are charged. Look for attorneys who have experience specializing in workers compensation and are familiar with the government regulations.

Most workers’ compensation attorneys advise employees to inform their employers every time they get injured in the workplace, however minor the injury may be. Such injuries may result in serious complications later on, so if they do not file them early on, it may be more difficult for the employees to seek compensation.

Top Small Business Organizations

Help is available, small business owner! Whether you are looking to boost your knowledge with tutorials, videos, and lessons, improve your networking by connecting with other small business owners, or secure funding in the way of grants. In this article, we cover 23 of the top small business organizations that offer free and paid resources to help grow your small business.

The Most Common E-commerce Mistakes

You’ve started an e-commerce store and are delighted at the possibility of reaching a wider market and increasing your profit potential. However, if you’re not careful, you can make crucial mistakes that eat into your profit margin and hurt your business. In this article, we look at three of the top mistakes that small business owners make when running an e-commerce store, and we share an infographic that has tons of advice on how to fix a leaky e-commerce faucet.

Click to read 3 Mistakes that Cost Your Ecommerce Store (And How to Fix them)

Do You Know What the FICO Liquid Score Is?

Understanding your credit score is important for securing the funding you need both in your business and personal life. However, financial terms are often confusing, so it can be difficult to make sense of it all. Put yourself on a better financial path by reading this article that details the difference between your personal and business credit scores and how they combine to create your FICO Liquid Credit Score, which many lenders are using today to make their funding decisions.

Tax Tips for Small Business Owners

Taxes are an unfortunate reality that every small business owner must deal with. Should you set money aside for your tax payments, and how can you prepare for taxes without hurting your cash flow? This article covers three scenarios of when taxes and cash flow collide. You’ll learn how to plan for taxes in a way that will keep your business healthy and prepare you for tax day. If you still find your business struggling with taxes then consider getting help from tax relief services or you could get yourself prepared and take some tax planning courses.

It can be easy to get lost in the passion you hold for your business ideas – to focus on your products or fun elements like marketing and social media. However, a smart small business owner should always have a good eye on the finances, and these articles are guaranteed to help.

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If you are planning on starting a restaurant or something similar, then you should checking out and EXPLORE OUR HEALTHY SANDWICH FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY | PITA PIT FRANCHISE. 

Entrepreneur Advice on Leaving Your Full-Time Job

Many entrepreneurs and budding small business owners face that point in their career when they have to make the decision to stay in the 9-5 or to leave that full-time job and pursue their business idea full time. No matter how confident you are in your ideas, this is a tough decision because it means saying goodbye to the structure and safety of a regular job with a regular paycheck. In this interview with Jessica Mah of the accounting company InDinero, Jessica gives advice for making a smoother transition into entrepreneurship. She also comments on the importance of refining your product and creating a long-term business plan.

Click to read Advice to Live by for Startup Entrepreneurs from Jessica Mah of InDinero

Entrepreneur Advice on Creating a Niche Business

If it’s been said once, it’s been said one hundred times – small businesses shouldn’t try to be everything to everyone; instead, they should find a specific niche and focus on bringing a unique product or service to a distinct market. If you are starting (or dream of starting) your own niche business, check out this entrepreneur advice from junk pickup Phoenix, an eco-friendly junk removal company. Josh talks about the importance of niche businesses to focus on one thing, partner with the right people and enhance your customer care so you can benefit from referral marketing.

Click to read Business Growth Strategies for Niche Businesses: An Interview with Josh Cohen of Junkluggers

Entrepreneur Advice on Franchising

Other readers may be further ahead in the game. Perhaps by now you have set up a steady and successful business but are curious as to how you can take it to the next level. Have you ever considered franchising as a way to expand your brand to a wider market with the help of others like you who dream of running their own business? In this interview with Ciarra Stockeland of MODE, a discount fashion store, Ciarra shares her advice on becoming a small business franchise. She speaks about the differences between franchising and retail, the limitations of a franchise, and the importance of mentorship. Her advice is helpful for those who want to create a franchise out of their own business as well as those who want to buy into a franchise to become a business owner.

Click to read Entrepreneur Ciarra Stockeland on the Challenges and Nuances of Starting a Franchise Business

The articles above will provide you with excellent entrepreneur advice, and if you’re looking for even more, I want to remind you about the Smart Hustle Small Business Conference that takes place October 20^th in Midtown NYC. The conference will feature speakers including Joe Connelly, Peter Shankman, Ramon Ray, Gene Marks and other entrepreneurs who are going to share their best advice with conference attendees. Tickets are on sale but are selling fast!

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Entrepreneur Advice to Grow Your Small Business appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Finding Your Niche

As a small business, it is important that you define your identity, values, and market. It not only helps people understand who you are, but it also gives you a roadmap for how to drive your company forward, including marketing and product development. In this interview with James Hill of High Cotton, we learn about a company that “started with a yard of fabric on the kitchen table” and then grew into a million dollar business. They did this by targeting a very specific market and building an identity that would resonate with this group. If you could use some help finding your niche, this article is for you.

Click to read Developing a One-of-a-Kind Brand: James Hill and the Story of High Cotton

Small Business Legal Issues (And How to Avoid Them)

Your small business is driven by your passion but, unfortunately, if you make the wrong legal choices the business can quickly go off course. This article explores five of the most common legal mistakes that small business owners make, regarding legal structure, intellectual property, shareholders, investors, and payroll taxes. VanillaLaw firm is an international law firm for the for the global business community.  You’ll learn more about each of these important small business legal issues and also how you can avoid making disastrous legal mistakes.

Click to read 5 Common Legal Mistakes that Can Hurt Your Small Business

Lessons Learned About Becoming an Entrepreneur

The road to becoming an entrepreneur isn’t paved, and each person who sets down that path experiences his or her own bumps along the way. In this interview, we speak with Inger Stapleton, the owner of Inga’s Lingua, an educational program helping busy professionals learn the Spanish language.  Inger shares three of the most important lessons she’s learned from becoming an entrepreneur. Some of her points will be familiar for those who have entered the world of entrepreneurship, and other points just might surprise you.

Click to read Lessons Learned and the Importance of Setting Goals and Being Flexible – An Interview with Inger Stapleton

You may have noticed a theme in the articles chosen for this week’s Smart Hustle Recap: all are about the road to becoming a small business owner or entrepreneur, and how the choices you make along the way can either drive your success OR your failure. Finding your niche, avoiding legal issues, and learning as you go are all strategies that can drive your success. As you’re cruising down the road of entrepreneurship, take a quick break to get these and other lessons on SmartHustle.com.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Finding Your Niche, Avoiding Legal Issues & More appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

 On Passion and Humility

Many a small business is driven by passion, but for every passionate business owner who starts out, there is another waiting in the shadows, uncertain of how to take that passion and turn it into a realistic business idea. Our interview with Alvin Perry of P5 Designs shows how it can be done. We chronicle Alvin’s journey from Corporate America to successful business owner, showing how a little humility and hard work can make your dreams a reality.

Click to read Be Passionate and Humble: Business Advice from Dr. Alvin Perry of P5 Designs

On Handling the Logistics

Our next interview almost takes off from where we left you in the Alvin Perry interview (although not intentionally). So you have passion, and you have found a way to turn it into a viable business idea. How do you deal with the logistics of actually getting your product made and your business off the ground? Like Alvin Perry, Laina Gossman started a product-based business and was challenged with figuring out how to actually get that product manufactured. Her interview shares the steps she followed to find manufacturers, select the right one for her product, and then get the product made and out to customers.

Click to read Using the Power of the Internet to Build a Manufacturing Business: An Interview with Laina Gossman

On Executing Your Vision

If you’ve followed this series of interviews, you’ve learned how to take your passion and make it into a business, and how to iron out the logistics of getting your products made. But what happens after that – when your business is up and going, but you encounter people who have other opinions about how you should run the business and what the ‘end goal’ should be? Should you stay true to your vision, or pivot based on the ideas of others? In this interview with Dawn Dickson, we learn that it’s best to use a mixed strategy. Dawn shares with us her unique vision for her company, and how she is carrying out that vision, but also how pivoting slightly from that vision at critical moments has helped her survive.

Click to read Following Your Vision & Knowing When to Pivot: Small Biz Advice from Dawn Dickson of Flat Out of Heels

Smart Hustle interviews are what makes Smart Hustle such a unique website for small business owners. The business stories we are used to hearing are those of wildly successful entrepreneurs whose status many of us will never obtain (nor do many of us want!) There are actually thousands of small business owners just like you who are dealing with the same challenges you are facing and whose inspiring stories can motivate you to keep pushing forward, even on your toughest day. Check out the interviews above (which contain written text as well as audio if you’d rather listen!) and for other Smart Hustle interviews, visit SmartHustle.com.

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Do You Need a College Degree to Start a Business?

Instead of going to college, Charles Bonfiglio went to work for a franchised automotive company right after high school. He worked his way up to becoming the top performer, then became a franchisee himself. After decades of experience in the franchise, he left to start his own company in 2007. So can experience alone set you out on the path to success or do you need a college degree? Join the discussion by checking out this article.

Click to read Do Entrepreneurs Need a College Degree? An Interview with Entrepreneur and Franchisee Charles Bonfiglio

How to Grow Through Clever Use of Content

Is content a tool for every business, or does it only work in certain industries and areas? In this interview with Julie Tupler of Diastasis Rechab, she argues that everyone, regardless of industry, can use content to grow. Julie is a nurse who focuses on one specific ailment – diastasis recti. Using a combination of books, DVDs, guides and more, she has created a booming business in this specific niche. The article explores how you too can use content to grow, even if you don’t consider yourself a writer or a videographer.

Click to read Boosting Your Biz through Content: An Interview with Julie Tupler of Diastasis Rehab

Your PR Cheat Sheet

Every business owner wants media coverage, but getting the attention of PR is another thing entirely. If you’ve ever tried to navigate the scary world of PR, this article for you. This cheat sheet covers all the basics of how to get your business in the spotlight, including developing a story, finding media contacts, writing a pitch and following up.

Click to read The Power of PR: Your Cheat Sheet to Getting Media Coverage

So what do you think? Do you need to go to college to start and run a successful business? Is content a good strategy, no matter what industry you’re in? Could adopting the right approach help you get the media coverage you’re looking for? Come contemplate these issues with us by reading the fore-mentioned SmartHustle.com articles – and if you have a comment to share, join the discussion in the Smart Hustle Community.

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Establishing Culture in Your Business

Culture is what differentiates those companies where the employees love to come to work from those where the employees dread ‘punching in.’ How your employees feel about their job is then reflected down to the customers, which is why every business owner should think carefully about the kind of culture and the core values they want the business to represent. Need a little guidance? This article offers four great tips for how to improve your work environment.

Click to read How to Build a Rock Slid Company Culture

Making Analytics Work for Your Business

Business data provides valuable insights into how to improve your business, but many times, business owners collect data and then aren’t sure what to do with it. Ideally, analytics should be the driving force behind the decisions you make, and all employees should understand how to use analytics. This article will help, with four training tips that will teach your whole team how to use analytics effectively.

Click to read How to Train Your Team in Better Analytics

Upgrading the Point of Sales Experience

The point of sales is that final moment in the journey where a person officially becomes a customer. Think now to the point of sales experience in your business – does it positively add to the customer’s experience or does it hurt your chance of making a sale? This article has a valuable lesson on what not to do, then some tips for improving the experience, like upgrading your point of sales technology and empowering your sales staff.

Click to read 3 Ways to Improve the Point of Sales Experience

Business Tips for Artists

Although artists funnel their passion into their artwork, interview guest Crista Cloutier says that artists are also entrepreneurs and they must learn how to build their business if they want to be successful. An artist herself, Crista also runs a program called The Working Artist which teaches artists the business skills they need. In this interview, Crista gives tips for how people in creative industries can plan out their business and execute their marketing.

Click to read The Working Artist, Crista Cloutier, Shares Business Tips for the Creative Industries

Successful business owners know they have to pay attention to those important details, including creating a positive culture, listening to analytics, and giving customers a good point of sales experience. What little details in your business could use some TLC? Chances are you’ll find the tips and advice you need on SmartHustle.com.

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The Importance of Existing Customers

These days, people do business with companies that they’ve formed “relationships” with, which means that a focus on existing customers can boost your customer retention, customer loyalty and, therefore, your profit. This article features four best practices for paying attention to existing customers, including how to deepen your relationships, stay in contact, and give your customers exactly what they’re looking for.

Click to read Why and How Successful Businesses Grow Revenue by Paying Attention to Existing Customers

Should You Surcharge?

Surcharging has definite benefits and costs. On the one hand, it helps you recoup the costs of credit card charges. However, on the other hand, your customers might not appreciate these extra fees. This article is designed to help you decide if surcharging is right for your business, sharing pros, cons, considerations, and alternatives to surcharging.

Click to read Surcharging Credit Cards in Your Small Business: What You Need to Consider

Boost Your Training with a Learning Management System

Training is an important part of bringing new employees aboard, implementing new systems and procedures, and keeping all of your team members at the top of their game. Have you ever considered a learning management system? These online systems help you create training programs that standardize the training process in an online e-learning program that you can customize to employees and also use to track their progress.

Click to read Why Your Company Needs a Learning Management System

What Is Holding You Back from Success?  

Do you ever feel frustrated because you seem to be hitting an invisible brick wall – that there is something holding you back, but you can’t quite pinpoint what it is? It’s time to let go of these hidden blocks so you can find the success you deserve! This article reveals three potential sources of your hidden blocks, so you can resolve the issue and move forward in your business.

Click to read 3 Ways to Uncover Your Hidden Blocks to Business Success

Smart Hustle aims to tackle the various problems that small business owners face, whether related to sales, marketing, business operations, technology, or any other area that is crucial to small business success. So what is on the top of your mind these days? Bring it to our attention in the Smart Hustle Community, and for other great stories, visit SmartHustle.com.

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Snapchat Announces a New Advertising Option

If millennials are your target market, you probably know about Snapchat by now. This social media platform is a hit among 18-34-year-olds, who use the platform to share pictures and videos. Snapchat has offered various advertising options for a while now, but on June 13^th, they announced a brand new option that shows promise for reaching the millennial market. This article explains your new Snapchat advertising option, and also presents an infographic full of tips on how you can use Snapchat to market your business (both organically and paid).

Click to read New Snapchat Advertising: Target Millennials with Video Ads

Pitching the Media

Another way to market your business is to get coverage in the media. Although small business owners typically don’t have the budget to hire a PR person, the DIY strategy can work when executed properly. This article shares tips on how to pitch the media, including where to pitch as well as the length and timing of your pitch.

Click to read 3 Ways to Pitch Your Small Business to the Media

Improve Your Sales with Negotiation Skills Training

Sales are the most important aspect of building a successful business. Think about it – no matter how great your marketing is, you won’t get very far if your sales team can’t seal the deal. In the days of fierce competition, your sales team must be able to build a strong argument for your product and service, but they also must be prepared to negotiate the final terms and price. This article presents six reasons why you should provide negotiation skills training to your sales team to set them up for success.

Click to read Negotiation Skills Training: Why Startups Need It

Growth Hacks to Try in Your Small Biz

Growth hacking refers to a wide range of activities spread across marketing, sales, programming, and design that help a business grow FAST. Taking examples from successful startups like Apple, Google, Dropbox, Pinterest and more, this article shows you how you can also use growth hacks like referrals, email signatures, communities, piggybacking and more in your small business.

Click to read 9 Growth Hacks from Your Favorite Startups (And How to Use Them)

What do you say – are you ready to market your business and bring your sales to the next level? Get guidance in the articles above and for more ideas and inspiration visit SmartHustle.com.

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The Reasons Behind the Deal

The purchase of LinkedIn was the first acquisition for Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. In an email, he explained the move, saying:

“With the new growth in our Office commercial and Dynamics businesses, this deal is key to our bold ambition to reinvent productivity and business processes. Think about it: How people find jobs, build skills, sell, market, and get work done and ultimately find success requires a connected professional world. It requires a vibrant network that brings together a professional’s information in LinkedIn’s public network with the information in Office 365 and Dynamics.”

Others say that Microsoft sees LinkedIn as a way to access a professional network of over 433 million members, and if they can leverage that platform then they can drive usage for their many business apps and programs. Some say that this is part of a broader shift that has been taking place for a while but had gone relatively unnoticed by consumers – a shift away from PC software to online services for business owners.

The Future of LinkedIn and Microsoft

Although LinkedIn will operate as “a full independent entity within Microsoft” we are sure to see integrations in the months and years to come. However, experts say that these integrations will likely roll out slowly, for fear of alienating LinkedIn users.

Many of the possible integrations were outlined in a presentation to investors. This includes:

• Gathering data to create complete professional profiles, which you can call up using Microsoft products like Outlook or Cortana.
• Creating a more intelligent newsfeed so professionals can stay connected with what is happening in their network, industry, and profession – and integrating the LinkedIn newsfeed with Office 365.
• Connecting the LinkedIn Sales Navigator with Microsoft’s Dynamics CRM to improve social selling.
• Providing insights about your employees and team members to better understand their capability and productivity.
• Integrating LinkedIn Learning (Lynda.com) with Office to provide educational experiences and on-demand courses.

What The Microsoft LinkedIn Deal Means for Businesses

First and foremost, the acquisition demonstrates Microsoft’s shift away from the consumer market and toward business customers. It reaffirms that Microsoft is putting businesses first in product creation, so we should see even more online and cloud-based services that improve productivity, efficiency, and connection.

While those who don’t like Microsoft products may find the acquisition annoying, many experts say that the move will be good for businesses. For example, Lee Odden, the CEO of TopRank, says,

“I think the combination of Microsoft, especially Office 365 and Dynamics, with LinkedIn’s network will create opportunities for companies and marketers on several levels. Empowering individuals with customized news, learning and access to relevant professionals, to increased advertising options and sales through Dynamics CRM and LinkedIn Sales Navigator, are a great start.”

The Wall Street Journal echoes this sentiment, saying, “We now work by toggling between our productivity software and our social networks. But why should the two be separate?”

When announcing the acquisition, the presentation to investors pointed out that Microsoft and LinkedIn share a common mission of empowering people and organizations. If the acquisition plays out correctly, it should create several products, services and features that empower small businesses and improve business operations.

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Smart Hustle Conference – A Must-Attend Event

Ramon Ray recently announced the 11^th Annual Smart Hustle Small Business Conference, a day-long event specifically for small business owners and entrepreneurs. On October 20, 2016, over 400 will gather to learn from some of the smartest small business minds of our time, including Peter Shankman, Joe Connolly, Gene Marks and more. The Smart Hustle Conference will feature lessons, seminars, and an exhibit of the latest small business products and services. Early bird pricing is available until August 20, so click to learn more about the event and buy your ticket.

Click to read 11^th Annual Smart Hustle Small Business Conference Launches October 20^th – NYC

B2B Marketing Mistakes

We often cover marketing from a general perspective, but if you’re a B2B business, you’ll want to check out this article that is just for you. Mobile marketing is hot right now, but it’s only effective if you do it correctly. The article covers the seven top mobile marketing mistakes that B2B businesses make – and how you can avoid them.

Click to read 7 B2B Mobile Marketing Mistakes that Chase Away Buyers

Digital Tools for Small Business

Let’s be honest – there are way too many digital tools available for the average small business owner to sort through. However, choosing the right digital tools is important to the success of your business. This article is meant to help by offering a three-step system for evaluating, choosing, and implementing digital tools (such as CRM social media managers, project management systems, etc.). If you want to cut right to the chase, Ramon also offers up his five favorite digital tools for communication and connection.

Click to read How to Choose the Right Digital Tools for Your Small Business

The Conversations You Need to Have Before You Start a Business

Starting a business is a decision that will impact the whole family, and we’ve all heard stories of families who have been torn apart, unable to withstand those hard start-up years. To ensure your family makes it through the hard times, there are several conversations you must have upfront. This article covers the three most important discussions to have before you dive into entrepreneurship.

Click to read 3 Important Family Discussions to Have Before Starting a Business

At Smart Hustle, we like to cover a range of topics including marketing, technology, lifestyle, sales, operations, finance and more. If you like staying up-to-date on these topics, then I know you will also love what we have planned for the Smart Hustle Conference! Get more information by clicking that link above, and for other information and inspiration, check out SmartHustle.com.

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The 3 Biggest Mistakes in Pricing Strategy

Finding the right pricing for your products and services is vital to your success. Price too high and your target market won’t be able to afford your product; price too low and your target market won’t trust your product. To increase sales, you must find the right pricing strategy – and to help you out we spoke with Lisa Hendrickson of Spark City, who shared the biggest pricing strategy mistakes and why you should be careful about adopting the lean startup model.

Click to read Why Small Business Needs to Rethink Pricing Strategies and the Lean Startup Model

Branding: Design & Color

Your branding elements are the visual representations of your business that will drive brand awareness and customer loyalty. Since many of us need help with design, we conducted an interview with Pam Webber of 99designs. In our discussion, Pam gives advice on the role of color in branding and the importance of design for small businesses.

Click to read The Importance of Color and Design When Branding Your Business

Review of Robert Herjavec’s Latest Book

You know Robert Herjavec as an investor on ABC’s Shark Tank, but according to his new book, you DON’T have to be a shark – success is available to anyone who is willing to work hard enough for it. The book touches on issues such as hard work and the importance of selling effectively. As a small business owner, will the book help and inspire you? Should you add it to your reading list? Find out by checking out Ramon’s review.

Click to read You Don’t Have to Be a Shark: Review of Robert Herjavec’s Latest Book on Sales, Hard Work, & More

Do You Have an Accountability Partner?

An accountability partner is somebody who helps you stay on track and reach your goals. It could be a mentor, a group of advisors, a business coach, or some other confidant whom you can turn to for a fresh perspective. Being an entrepreneur means that you are your own boss – but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have someone who will help you stay accountable. Find out why you need an accountability partner and how to do accountability the ‘right way’ in this article.

Click to read Why Every Small Business Owner Needs an Accountability Partner

Small Business and Health Insurance

The current rules say that small businesses that have fewer than 50 full-time employees do not have to offer health insurance to employees – but should you offer it anyway? This article looks at the pros and cons of offering cheap viagra from mexico employee health care benefits and also shares information on how and where to explore health insurance for your employees.

Click to read Should Small Businesses Offer Employee Health Benefits?

This issue of the Smart Hustle Recap will help you take control of sales with the right pricing strategy, create beautiful branding elements for your company, contemplate thought-provoking topics like health care and accountability, and even add a new business book to your library. In addition to that, there are plenty of other stories you may have missed in the past couple weeks while we took a break from our weekly Recap. Take a few minutes to catch up at SmartHustle.com.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Developing the Right Pricing Strategy, Using Color in Your Branding, & More appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

On Wednesday, Mау 12, Ramon Ray аlѕо hаd thе opportunity tо testify tо Congress, sharing hіѕ experiences аnd thе struggles оf small business owners tо thе Small Business House Committee. Yоu саn listen tо hіѕ testimony hеrе, аnd fоr оthеr small business articles, check оut оur lineup bеlоw.

Robert Herjavec Interview – Small Biz Advice from a Shark

Robert Herjavec іѕ known аrоund thе country аnd thе world аѕ оnе оf thе main investors оn ABC’s Shark Tank. Recently, Ramon caught uр wіth Robert аnd conducted a ‘rapid-fire’ style interview, soliciting hіѕ advice оn fіvе important small business questions. Thіѕ Robert Herjavec interview hаѕ shark advice оn topics ѕuсh аѕ entrepreneurship, scaling, аnd business expansion.

Click to read A Rapid-Fire Interview with Robert Herjavec: Small Business Advice & Why Businesses Are Like Sharks

Hiring the Right Team for Your Small Business

Nо small business owner саn dо іt аll thеmѕеlvеѕ – еvеn solopreneurs hire оut occasionally fоr one-off tasks аnd important projects. Sіnсе thе success оf уоur business іѕ dependent оn thе success оf уоur team, it’s important thаt уоu hire thе right people tо begin wіth. Thіѕ article shares ѕіx tips thаt wіll help simplify thе hiring process ѕо уоu саn locate thе best candidate fоr thе position.

Click to read Build Your Team: 6 Small Business Hiring Tips

What Can Happen to Your Biz in a Divorce?

Whеn you’re officially beginning уоur life tоgеthеr wіth уоur partner, thе lаѕt thіng уоu want tо think аbоut іѕ a divorce. Evеrуоnе thinks hіѕ оr hеr relationship саn defy thе odds – but taking a mоrе realistic approach соuld just save уоur business. Aѕ thіѕ article points оut, a divorce hаѕ thе power tо ruin еvеrуthіng you’ve created, but bу taking a fеw extra steps іn уоur prenup, уоu саn bе protected.

Click to read How a Prenup Can Save Your Business in a Divorce

Each week at Smart Hustle, we strive to provide a mix of interviews, business tips, inspiration, and relevant news. Whаt аrе уоur favorite things tо rеаd оn Smart Hustle аnd оthеr small business websites? Let uѕ know іn thе comments ѕо wе саn kеер providing уоu wіth thе best articles оn SmartHustle.com.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Robert Herjavec Interview, Hiring Tips, & Protecting Your Biz in a Divorce appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

The Quest of an Unlikely Entrepreneur

This first interview tells the inspirational story of Fred Magnanimi, the owner of the jewelry company Luca + Danni. As we learn in the audio, Fred went on a quest to save the family business after his brother died from cancer – even though Fred had previously sworn off the family business and took a career in investment banking. In addition to inspiration, you’ll learn some tips and strategies for how you can transform a business that uses dated methods into one that is capitalizing on the latest trends and technology.

Click to read Reinventing the Family Business to Find Success in a New Era

The Importance of Online Reviews

In our next interview, we take a trip to SXSW 2016 where Ramon learned about a new company that can help small businesses manage their online reviews. ReviewTrackers is a software platform that gathers customer reviews from all the major review websites into one dashboard, where you can monitor what people are saying, respond to comments, track analytics, and encourage more reviews. Founder Chris Campbell also shares two tips for managing customer reviews that every small business owner needs to hear.

Click to read Why ReviewTrackers Says Asking for Customer Review Is Critical

Building the Best Small Business Team

In our final interview, Ramon has a chat with Erin Walter of Nuphoriq, a Chicago-based marketing company that focuses exclusively on catering companies. As Erin explains, Nuphoriq is a company that was first and foremost built around its team, and after years in business, Erin still attributes the success of the company to her team. In the audio interview, Erin explains why having a great team is essential, and from her experience, we extrapolate 3 team-building tips for small business owners.

Click to read 3 Team-Building Tips to Create an Active and Innovative Team

This selection of recently published Smart Hustle interviews demonstrates how we can lean on other small business owners for both inspiration and information. To join forces with other small business owners around the country, make sure to join the Smart Hustle Community and subscribe to the newsletter to stay informed about the latest Smart Hustle interviews and articles.

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Small Business Week Events

Small Business Week is an initiative of the SBA so they are running a special series of Small Business Week events which includes live events (with live streaming online) and webinars to educate small business owners. However, many other companies are joining in on the fun with their own events, including contests, promotions, training, and dedicated content. This article covers all the main events so you can participate.

Click to read Small Business Week 2016 Events.

The Importance of Follow-Up

In this interview with SCOTTeVEST founder Scott Jordan, he tells us about what he says is the “one reason for my success” – following up on every opportunity that comes his way. He explains how follow-up is important in nearly every aspect of your business, whether it is customer and advertising inquiries or daily business operations. The informative audio interview is bolstered with a list of Scott’s top 6 tips for successful follow-up.

Click to read Follow-Up: The Most Powerful Tool for Your Small Business Success.

New Tool to Generate PR Buzz

As it stands right now, the PR process is pretty messy. Businesses want media coverage, but reporters often feel ‘spammed’ by PR teams who fill up their inboxes with pitches. At SXSW 2016, Ramon learned about a new tool called Babbler that is aimed at improving the process. Babbler works like a social media site and helps to connect business marketers with right reporters who are looking to cover stories on that topic. The result – reporters get content they need to make great stories, and businesses get the media coverage they are looking for.

Click to read How Babbler Can Help You Generate Buzz about Your Business.

It’s Time to Grow Your Business

In this video interview, Ramon gets the opportunity to chat with Amanda Holmes, CEO of the business growth company Chet Holmes International. The video full of tips on how to take your business to the next level. In the article, we’ve also pulled out some of Amanda’s tips as the must-follow rules for business growth. This article is sure to put you on the path to success.

Click to read 5 Rules of Business Growth from CEO of Chet Holmes International.

What Small Business Week events will you be participating in? Which interview are you going to check out first?  Let us know in the comments and check out SmartHustle.com for help on your other small business questions.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Small Business Week Events + 3 Amazing Interviews appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

SXSW 2016 Coverage

SXSW 2016 took place from March 11-15 in Austin, TX, and Ramon Ray visited to learn about the latest technology relevant to small businesses in order to report back to readers. Some of the SXSW 2016 coverage featured recently includes:

• Fluidstance – An innovative product helping to incorporate more natural movement while you are using a standing desk.
• Knokal – A new B2B website that uses a “Match.com” approach to connect small businesses.
• United Airlines – New developments in first-class seating that make your travel more comfortable and productive.

Mark Cuban Loves Hustle

At SXSW 2016, Ramon also ran into Mark Cuban, billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks and investor on ABC’s Shark Tank. In a short video interview, Ramon asks Mark why he loves hustle so much and Mark delivers another quotable answer. In this article you can listen to the interview and hear his new quote – and we also explore a range of other quotes that demonstrate how much Mark Cuban loves hustle.

Click to read 8 Reasons Why Mark Cuban Loves Hustle.

The Importance of Clarity & Consistency

Finally, in a recent audio interview, Ramon spoke with Dr. Will Moreland, a speaker, author and coach who focuses on leadership and personal development. When asked about the problems he sees small business owners make, he mentions that many business owners come to him lacking clarity and consistency regarding the values and goals of the business. Knowing these things is important because they will help guide all the other smaller actions in your business. This article will help you focus in so you can solidify and execute your business identity.

Click to read Clarity and Consistency: 2 Keys to Finding Small Business Success.

Once again, the weekly Smart Hustle roundup provides both information and inspiration to help propel your own small business forward. For more knowledge – and more SXSW 2016 coverage – visit SmartHustle.com.

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Smart Hustle Small Business Community Launched

Smart Hustle is proud to serve the small business community by providing informational articles and inspiring stories. Earlier this year, we conducted a survey to find out what other things our readers would like to see, and an overwhelming majority relayed their interest in more community activities. This week, Smart Hustle answered the call by launching a small business community on Facebook. Everyone is invited to join this group, where you can ask questions, give advice, discuss small business topics, participate in live video chats, and even win prizes!

Click here to join Smart Hustle’s Small Business Community

Peter Shankman Joins Smart Hustle

Peter Shankman is the epitome of a smart hustler. As a successful entrepreneur, Peter created HARO (Help a Reporter Out), a service that helps journalists connect with small business owners (who can then benefit from free marketing). He is also an author, speaker, consultant, and an entrepreneurial investor whose projects include SCOTTeVEST.  This week, Smart Hustle announced that Peter will be joining the Smart Hustle team as an advisor and contributing expert. Stay tuned for great things – Peter Shankman and Smart Hustle will be an unbeatable team!

Click to read Celebrity Author & Entrepreneur Peter Shankman Joins Smart Hustle Magazine as Contributing Editor & Advisor

The Little Steps that Lead to Success

Have you ever given up on a dream because you were intimidated by the journey you would have to take to reach that dream? It’s true: our biggest goals are the hardest to reach, taking countless days, months and even years of our blood, sweat, and tears. That shouldn’t stop you, though. In this interview with Chris Capehart, you’ll learn about his new book that breaks down the ‘proverbial mile’ to your goal into smaller, achievable steps. As Chris explains, if you focus on the small steps instead of the long journey, you can reach any goal you have.

Click to read Pursuing Your Dreams One Small Step at a Time – An Interview with Chris Capehart

Team Collaboration with Intraboom

Today’s technology has made it easier than ever to collaborate with your small business team members. The problem is that there are so many collaboration tools to choose from that it can be difficult to know which will work best for your business. In this article (and video interview) we learn about a new collaboration tool called Intraboom which offers features such as messaging, calendars, file sharing, a main dashboard and more.

Click to read SXSW 2016 Interview: How Intraboom Is Changing the Way Teams Communicate

As I mentioned, it was a very busy week for the Smart Hustle team! In addition to the articles and announcements listed here, there were several other articles and interviews, including what you need to know before starting a business, how to create a positive work environment, Kevin O’Leary’s 3 rules for giving a perfect business pitch, and so much more! Check out the Smart Hustle website to catch up on these and other stories.

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If you’re still looking for marketing ideas to try (and master) then this is the Smart Hustle Recap for you! Today we will be featuring a number of marketing strategies that work for small business owners, including developing a return on relationships, designing personalized products, creating a stunning business logo, and using hashtags to your benefit.

Marketing Strategies that Work #1: Return on Relationships

You have likely heard of ROI, or return on investment, but what about ROR? ROR stands for return on relationships, and in this Smart Hustle interview, Ted Rubin (who coined the phrase) will tell you what it is, how you can grow ROR through social media, and how ROR will impact your bottom line.

Click to read Ted Rubin on How to Maximize Your Return on Relationships (ROR)

Marketing Strategies that Work #2: Personalized Products

In this second Smart Hustle interview, we hear from Gustav Reyes, who has found success creating wooden rings. In addition to inspiration, the article will teach you about the benefit of creating your own niche, including personalizing the customer experience with customizable, intimate gifts that are sure to draw the customers in.

Click to read How to Pursue Your Business Dreams – An Interview with Gustav Reyes

Marketing Strategies that Work #3: Business Logo

Your business logo gives your company a visual identity. It sends a message about what your business is about, and it helps customers recognize your brand when they see it. Certain elements of the business logo, (like meaning, color, representation, design contrast, and a timeless appearance) should be planned out in advance to get the biggest impact. If you’re just starting out (or looking to rebrand with a new logo), this article has the essential design information you need.

Click to read 5 Essential Elements of an Eye-Catching and Memorable Business Logo

Marketing Strategies that Work #4: Hashtags

Hashtags were made popular on Twitter almost a decade ago, but now they are a staple of all social media sites. Used correctly, hashtags can help categorize and publicize your social media messages to reach a wider audience, but if done wrong, they can scare your followers away. If you’re still struggling with hashtags in your small business, this article offers 3 simple ways to use them effectively.

Click to read Hashtags Can Help Your Small Business Be One of the Big Guys

Marketing will always be somewhat of a mystery because it is not an exact science, but if you take the time to do your research, you can create a solid marketing plan for your small business. Explore the above articles to learn about these marketing strategies that work, and for help with other marketing and business questions, check out the Smart Hustle homepage.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Marketing Strategies That Work Including Return on Relationships, Hashtags, Logos & More appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

How to Use Landing Pages

Landing pages are an important tool to use in the middle of your marketing funnel. They help you capture website visitor information so they become leads that you can contact – and then they help move those leads into paying customers. In this interview with Robert Nendza of LeadPages (a landing page tool), he explains how to use landing pages, detailing the process so you can replicate it in your own business. This article (and the accompanying audio interview) is sure to change the way you think and execute your marketing.

Click to read How to Build a Powerful Marketing Machine: Tips from LeadPages VP of Marketing

The Inspirational Story of the Kauffman Foundation

The Kauffman Foundation is a philanthropic organization that is devoted to the advancement of education and entrepreneurialism. As a small business owner, you may have come across the name before and even visited the website for resources like the ‘Founders School’ which provides valuable information to entrepreneurs. In this article, we get the full story of the man behind the Kauffman Foundation. In an exclusive Smart Hustle interview, Matt Pozel from the Kauffman Foundation tells the inspirational tale of Ewing Kauffman whose sales expertise and business savvy helped him earn the money to start the foundation. This is a tale that is sure to inspire and motivate your own journey.

Click to read Matt Pozel of the Kauffman Foundation Shares the Story & Legacy of Ewing Kauffman (Interview)

Stop Aiming for Perfect

Small business owners are a highly ambitious group, a fact that makes many of us prone to perfectionism. While ‘perfect’ may be the standard you have set in your business, this article explains why perfectionism can actually hurt, not help, your business. If you need convincing, this article has 5 reasons why perfectionism isn’t a good model. It also offers help to those perfectionists who have to learn how to let go.

Click to read 5 Reasons You Need to Stop Aiming for Perfect in Your Business

Knowledge, inspiration, and reality checks – that’s what we are offering you in this edition of the weekly Smart Hustle Recap. For help on your other small business issues and questions, make sure to check out the full Smart Hustle website here.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: How to Use Landing Pages, the Story behind the Kauffman Foundation, and More appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Small Business Administration Interview

Maria Contreras-Sweet is the administrator of the SBA. In this interview, she is sharing information about SBA resources and the general mission of the SBA – “to amplify the voice of small business.” She also gives some small business advice and speculates about the future of global business. Take a few minutes of your day to listen to this important information.

Click to read SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet Shares How the SBA Can Help Your Small Business Succeed.

How to Make Your Marketing & Sales Work Together

In this article by Biz Expert Adrian Miller, she explains that marketing and sales should go together like peanut butter and jelly. Only when they work together can you see the results you want in your small business. Why is an integrated strategy so difficult – and what can you do to make sure they work together and you don’t waste your marketing budget? Find out in this article.

Click to read Don’t Waste More Money on Marketing.

New Social Media Marketing Option – Facebook Instant Articles

Facebook Instant Articles has been around for about a year, but up until this point it has been restricted to certain large publishers, like the New York Times. However, on April 12, 2016, the platform will open to ALL publishers – meaning that if you have a business blog, you can publish and gain new readers and followers on this platform. Normally that would be tricky to do, but there is a new WordPress plugin (also launching on April 12) that will make it super simple. In this article you can learn more and ready your business for the launch date.

Click to read Facebook Instant Articles WordPress Plugin Makes Small Businesses Reach Bigger Audiences.

Seizing Small Business Opportunities

As a small business owner or entrepreneur, you need to be ready to grab unexpected opportunities when they appear. However, you also need to go out and make those opportunities happen! This article features four ways that you can prepare, thus allowing you to grab the next opportunity that falls in your lap.

Click to read When Opportunity Knocks: 4 Ways to Grab Small Business Opportunities.

This week’s Smart Hustle Roundup is full of valuable advice, including how the SBA can help your small business, how to get the most out of your marketing budget, how to take advantage of the latest Facebook marketing tool, and how to grab those important small business opportunities.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Small Business Administration Interview, How to Seize Small Business Opportunities, and More! appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Intel Small Business Advantage Features

To learn more about Intel Small Business Advantage, I recently interviewed Chad Constant, Director of Business Client Marketing at Intel Corporation. With over 17 years’ experience working at Intel, Chad is particularly excited about this latest offering for small business owners.

According to Chad, Intel Small Business Advantage has been developed to help small businesses better connect with their employees while better understanding the security and health of their computers and devices. It includes:

• A built-in chat feature for inter-office communications.
• File sharing and screen sharing to assist with employee collaboration.
• An array of security features including data backup, a PC health center and a software monitor.

As you can see, some of these features will help you boost the productivity of your business by simplifying collaboration and communication through a single platform. Other features will boost your business security. For example, there is a feature that allows you to turn off the USB access ports throughout the business, and a central backup system that will protect your files if something happens to an employee’s computer or device.

An added benefit is that Intel Small Business Advantage is designed to work on any device that you are carrying. It is mobile compatible, so you can download the companion apps for Android, Apple and Google devices to access the system.

Want to learn more about Intel Small Business Advantage? Grab a cup of coffee and sit back while listening to my short 8-minute interview where Chad Constant explains more about the new software.

Many small business owners love the technological solutions that are available today, but they are sick of having to go to different applications for all their main business functions, like chatting, file sharing, and data security. If you are looking for a simple solution that just sits on your desktop and helps you run your business more productively, Intel Small Business Advantage may be the solution for you.

The post Intel Small Business Advantage: A One-Stop Solution to Boost Productivity and Security (Interview with Intel’s Chad Constant) appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Promote Your Well-Being Through a Healthy Work-Life Balance

Although you live a busy life, the time that you spend ‘disconnecting’ from work and enjoying personal and family time is particularly important to your well-being as well as your concentration and morale. For those who struggle, check out this article that has seven easy-to-follow tips for developing a better work-life balance. Scheduling, prioritization, organization and automation are key ways to make it happen.

Click to read 7 Hands-On Tips for Better Work-Life Balance.

You Don’t Believe These Security Myths – Do You?

Security of business and customer data is of utmost importance to every business. However, small business owners sometimes get caught thinking things like “Data breaches and hackings only happen to large companies.” This is untrue, and believing this myth can put your business at risk! This article reviews six of the most common security myths believed by small business owners. Knowing the truth will help you keep your business safe.

Click to read Business Beware! 6 Common Security Myths You Must Know.

Review of Gary Vaynerchuk’s book #AskGaryVee

Gary Vaynerchuk is an entrepreneur, author, and speaker, as well as a role model for many business owners. Gary became famous for growing his family’s wine business from a $3M to $60M in just five years by cleverly using marketing and social media. He now helps other business owners grow their businesses too. In the #AskGaryVee book, Gary gives advice on a range of topics like social media, entrepreneurship, running a business, marketing and more. What does Ramon Ray think of the new book? Find out in this article.

Click to read Book Review: #AskGaryVee – Relentless Hustle and Other Advice from Gary Vaynerchuk.

This issue of the Smart Hustle Recap reminds us that the best business owners are well rounded. They care about their business (and important issues like data security.) However they also take the time to grow by reading and learning from other entrepreneurs, and they know the importance of striking the right work-life balance. For these and more small business stories, head over to Smart Hustle Magazine.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Tips for Work-Life Balance, Security Myths to Avoid, #AskGaryVee Book Review appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

How to Get Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Small busineses can fork over a lot of dough for marketing, but arguably the most effective type of marketing is free: word-of-mouth marketing. This article is based on an interview with Olga Kay, owner of a business that makes fun socks for millennials, called MooshWalks. Olga has successfully engaged her loyal customers and social media followers to do the marketing for her company. This article combines advice from that interview plus extra tips so you too can activate word-of-mouth marketing for your business.

Click to read Simple Ways to Get your Customers to Do Your Marketing for You.

Just in Time for Filing: Tax Tips for Small Business Owners

Small business tax filing is not something that most of us look forward to – but once again, we find ourselves nearing the deadline for 2015 tax filing. If you are still gathering your documents, you will appreciate these small business tax tips from Candace Klein of Dealstruck.

Click to read 5 Solid Tax Tips for Filing as a Small Business.

Become a Better Manager Today

When you start a small business, you inevitably throw yourself into the role of ‘manager,’ whether you are leading a small team of employees or working with freelancers online. How the manager handles employees and work situations can greatly impact the success of the business operations – and no matter how good you are, we could all stand to improve our managerial skills. This article shares advice from Michael Riley of Vayner Media – ten tips that will help you successfully lead a team of workers.

Click to read 10 Tips for Becoming a Better Manager.

Marketing, managing, tax filing – what is on your small business to-do list this week?

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Word-of-Mouth Marketing, Tax Tips & How to Become a Better Manager appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Small Biz Success Story – Hannah Perry of the Giggling Pig

Small business is the engine that drives America’s economic progress, and it’s no secret that people come from other countries in search of the American Dream. In this inspirational story you’ll learn about Hannah Perry, who came to the United States from England with just $15 in her pocket to last her a week. Life was tough but she struggled and found success with her children’s art and after-school studio called Giggling Pig. In this article you can learn about her recipe for success and business advice, plus watch the video interview.

Click to read How Hannah Perry of the Giggling Pig Turned $15 Into Small Business Success.

5 Tips to Become More Profitable

As an entrepreneur, profit is one of your main goals; however, there are many ways you can unknowingly let that profit fall through the cracks. This article has five tips that will improve your profit by filling those cracks, careful planning, and developing healthy financial habits.

Click to read 5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Become More Profitable.

Cloud Security Tips

These days 77 percent of business owners are using cloud technology. Cloud software and apps feature benefits such as easy access to business data on the go – however, with that convenience come additional security risks. If you use cloud technology in your business, you’ll want to check out this must-read article that covers 5 important things you should do to increase the security of the business and customer data you store in the cloud.

Click to read 5 Security Tips to Keep Your Business Data Safe in the Cloud.

So what are you looking for this week – perhaps inspiration for your small business journey, financial tips, or cloud security strategies? Explore the articles above, plus check out Smart Hustle for more important small business information.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Small Biz Success Story, Ways to Increase Profit & Cloud Security Tips appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Small Business Owners Can Capitalize on Freelance Workers

Freelance workers currently make up 34 percent of the United States workforce. Is your small business capitalizing on this group of skilled workers yet? If you said no, you probably aren’t sure what freelance workers offer your company and how to find them. This article will clear up all of your questions.

The article includes an interview with Constantine Anastasakis, the Senior Director of Business Development at Fiverr. Constantine is sharing more about how Fiverr works and how you can use freelance workers to push your own small business ahead. This is a trend every small business owner should be embracing! Learn how to do so by reading this helpful article.

Click to read Fiverr Interview: How to Use Freelancers as Your Competitive Advantage.

Boosting Your Small Biz Security

Hackers do not discriminate – your small business is just as vulnerable as your larger competitors (and perhaps even more so). Security breaches cost money ($3.79 million total in 2015) and they can also cost your customers’ trust. Fortunately, boosting your small business security does not have to be costly or complex. This article covers 6 of the best ways that you can secure and protect your small business.

Click to read 6 Easy Ways to Secure Your Business and Find Peace of Mind.

Calming Down Angry Customers

No matter how focused on customer service your business is, an angry customer will eventually fall through the cracks and you have to know how to successfully deal with them. When someone is yelling at you, it is easy to become frustrated and yell back, but this only makes the matter worse. So how should you deal with angry customers? This article is full of tips on what you can do when things heat up to turn the negative experience around and turn that angry customer into a loyal supporter of your business.

Click to read How to Calm Down Infuriated Customers to Your Advantage.

So what’s on your mind this week – building a remote team of workers, boosting your business security, or dealing with angry customers? Get help with the articles above, and check out the Smart Hustle homepage to read the latest stories.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Capitalizing on Freelance Workers, Boosting Biz Security & Calming Angry Customers appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

The study was a survey of 3,210 small and medium sized businesses with between 10 and 999 employees from 11 countries around the world. The survey asked respondents about their companies’ usage of digital technology and how it impacts the business.

Many survey sites lure with the promise that you can make a lot of money on their websites. They sometimes speak of several hundred euros a day, which you can easily generate on the side. But does that really correspond to reality? The answer is: mostly not . Nevertheless, paid surveys can be interesting for some people, especially to make a little money on the Internet without knowledge or previous knowledge. In addition to completing surveys, more and more sites are offering other methods of making money – for example, by watching advertisements or testing video games. It can be even more attractive to test products for which companies are willing to pay significantly higher amounts than for filling out a survey. Product tests are therefore usually much more profitable than online surveys, which is why we also offer you this service on our website. Go through produkttester to know more about the Earning money with surveys (online).

Among the findings, arguably the most important was the link between digital technology usage and growth. One third of all SMBs (and 45 percent of SMBs with between 500-999 employees) say they are “well under way in applying technology to connect people, devices and businesses” – and these companies also saw revenue growth of ten percent or more in the last year. The most popular digital technology in use is collaborative software (used by at least 50.6 percent of SMBs) followed by CRM (38 percent) and business analytics software (37 percent).

Other findings include:

• Over 39 percent of SMBs agree that “active participation in the digital economy will be essential to our company’s survival in the next three to five years.”
• Varying by region, between 52.5 and 60.2 of SMBs say that digital technology helps them streamline operations and improve productivity.
• Despite depending on digital technology, between 35 and 45 percent of SMBs are concerned that their company relies too much on data to make business decisions.Visit testerheld.de to know more.

Overall, the study shows that small and medium sized businesses are embracing digital technology and reaping the benefits in terms of business growth. If your business hasn’t made the switch yet, 2016 is the perfect year to hop aboard this important trend. If you’re not sure where to start, you can begin by exploring this list of the top 50 digital technology tools for small business owners.

The post New Survey Finds Digital Technology Usage Linked to Small Business Growth appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

SmallBizTechnology has a long history of promoting technology use among small business owners. In the years since our launch, we’ve covered small biz tech tools for just about every aspect of businesses, and we love to spread the message that leveraging technology can help you pull ahead of the competition.

Okay, you read the news everyday and follow how things are going on around the world. You go on holiday and see some beautiful hotels in other countries. But, most likely you haven’t experienced other parts of the world like Digital Nomads do. As the experience of living somewhere is very different than taking a vacation in the same place.

Luckily, all that changes when you become a digital nomad blog. You travel to any part of the world to feel how living in other countries feels like. Once you do that, you either confirm some of the many things you may have heard about a country and its people, or totally realise that all that you heard (or maybe most) are rarely true. You are given the opportunity to learn a lot of languages and live with a lot of people that will reshape how you see the world. Indeed, the Digital Nomad Lifestyle really opens your eyes to a bigger world outside the places that you already know.

Yes, we Digital Nomads work, and often work hard, sometimes harder than in an office job. But on our days off we don’t have to visit every birthday party, mow the loan, clean our houses and fix the long waiting tasks. We go and climb mountains, volcanoes, see one of the world wonders. We go and explore new cities, in my case I go and look for abandoned houses to explore. There’s a whole new world in front of your doorstep, a world which needs to be explored.

In this week’s Smart Hustle Recap we have an amazing article covering the top 50 small biz tech tools available – no more searching and wasting time trying to find out what works, this list has taken the guess work out of the equation so you can dive right into the technology that will help grow your business. Our other stories feature creative marketing ideas and tips for using market segmentation to grow your business. Check out our top Smart Hustle stories below.

50 Small Biz Tech Tools

Stop wasting time on dead ends – this list provides the ultimate small biz tech tools that have proven effective for small business owners like you. The list is broken down into:

• Productivity Tools
• Collaboration Tools
• Project and Task Management Tools
• CRM & Email Marketing Tools
• Financial Tools
• Website Design Tools
• Social Media Sharing & Management Tools
• Webinar Tools
• Video Creation & Sharing Tools
• Travel Tools
• Hiring & Outsourced Help Tools

Just choose the area you most need help with to learn about the best tools that will help you reach your goals.

Is there a ‘Right’ Kind of Marketing?

Our next story will have you rethinking the type of marketing you think is ‘right’ for your business. Each business may rely on its own type of marketing, but sometimes when you expand beyond your comfort zone you can achieve bigger results. This article has three examples from the Business Circle solutions that will jumpstart new ideas on how you can market your small business.

Market Segmentation Can Help You Grow Your Business

Segmenting your market involves looking at all the different types of customers you serve and trying to find other ways to reach them and drum up extra business. This article will give you tips on developing a strategy so you can understand your market segments and use that information to grow your business.

So which article will you explore first this week? Get more information via the links above, and for other current stories visit Smart Hustle here.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: 50 Small Biz Tech Tools & Other Hot Stories appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

In 2007, Bo Burlingham coined the term to describe these businesses – small giants. Although these companies were choosing to remain small, the things they were able to accomplish made them giants in their industries. In his 2007 book Small Giants, Bo Burlingham told the story of fourteen of these small giant companies.

2007 may seem like yesterday to some of us, but it was actually a decade ago! Because there are still so many amazing small giants out there, Bo Burlingham and Forbes have teamed up to bring a new list of small giants for 2016.

The post New List of Small Giants Provides Inspiration for Small Business Owners appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Turning Your Hobby into a Business

They say you need to be passionate about your business to make it successful, but does this mean you can take something you enjoy as a hobby and turn it into a business idea? For the dreamers out there, we have a story of inspiration that proves you can. In this feature story, you’ll learn about Cassy Saba from Cassy Saba Jewelry. A bead kit she received at the age of 12 gave her the push to become a childhood entrepreneur and as a young adult she’s still hustling to make her dreams come true today. This story will provide inspiration to childhood dreams and smart hustling small business owners alike.

Click to read Cassy Saba Jewelry & the Journey from Childhood Hobby to Successful Business.

Who Is the On-Demand Economy – and Will the Government Step In?

Although the full time job is still the norm, a new group of workers called the on-demand economy or the gig economy is redefining how you can make a weekly paycheck. These workers are classified as independent contractors and you likely have experience with them in your small business – whether you have called an Uber driver to get a ride or have hired a freelancer to help you with small business tasks. A new Intuit survey is shedding light on who this group of workers is – but the on-demand economy is also catching the eye of the government, who is considering whether or not to reclassify independent contractors. Learn about this top small business news story here.

Click to read The On-Demand Economy & the Changing Face of the American Workforce.

Get Outsourcing Help in this Outsourcing 101 Guide

Outsourcing can help small business owners and solo entrepreneurs find the team of workers they need to execute small tasks and push the business forward – without the need to hire full-time staff. If you need help leveraging the power of outsourced work, check out this Outsourcing 101 guide that looks at four strategies that can make outsourcing work for your small business.

Click to read Outsourcing 101: Find the Right Partners to Help Build a Business.

There you have it, the top Smart Hustle articles from the week of February 7-13. Stay informed by clicking to read one of the articles above, or check out the homepage to read other recent stories.

The post Smart Hustle Recap: Outsourcing 101, the Changing American Workforce + Taking Your Business from Hobby to Reality appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Valentine’s Day Marketing

If your business hasn’t done any Valentine’s Day marketing yet, you probably think it is too late to capitalize on the holiday. Not so fast! This Smart Hustle article shares ten Valentine’s Day marketing ideas that you can try at the last minute. The list includes ideas for boosting sales and customer engagement, applicable to both online and brick-and-mortar stores.

Click to read 10 Last Minute Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas

Tech Twitter Chat

Did you hear the news? Staples has recently unveiled a new feature called Staples Tech Services where you can get next day service on PCs brought to their store by noon. To explore the topic of how technology downtime impacts businesses, they are holding a tech Twitter chat on February 17, hosted by Ramon Ray and Denise O’Berry. This article will tell you everything you need to know to participate in this tech Twitter Chat – including some helpful information for those who have never participated before.

Click to read Staples #MakeMoreHappen Twitter Chat: Avoiding & Reducing Tech Downtime

Tips to Compete With – and even BEAT – Bigger Businesses

As a small business owner, you probably feel that you are at a disadvantage compared to the power and resources that your bigger business competitors have. While bigger budgets and more manpower are to their advantage, there are also several advantages that YOU hold over THEM. This article explores five key ways that you use your own small business strengths to your advantage.

Click to read 5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Beat Bigger Businesses

Making Pivotal Changes in Your Business

After you’ve established your businesses, making changes can be a risky endeavor. However, if planned carefully, pivoting your business can lead to greater success. This article gives a few examples of companies that have successfully pivoted and outlines how you too can use pivoting to give your business a fresh start.

Click to read Why Your Small Business Needs to Pivot

Marketing, technology, sales – what is your business focused on at this particular moment in time? Click to explore the articles that will help you the most, and stay tuned next week for another Smart Hustle recap.

The post Smart Hustle Recap – Valentine’s Day Marketing, Upcoming Tech Twitter Chat & More appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Standing desks are a current fad sweeping offices and schools across the country. However, surprisingly enough, standing desks aren’t new at all. The history of standing desks dates back to the 1400s and in the 18^th and 19^th century they became especially popular among the rich. Several famous people throughout history have used standing desks, including Thomas Jefferson, Ernest Hemingway and Donald Rumsfeld.

Today there are several companies that make standing desks, including Varidesk, Ergo Depot and others. These desks are designed to be used while standing up or while sitting on a high stool. While designs vary, these desks are purported to have several health benefits – but others say they offer health consequences too. In modern working condition mostly traditional or sitting desks are used this leads to gaining more weight as there is no metabolism or activity and even only doing exercise with proper diet is not the perfect solution so if you want to avoid this obesity take a safe fat burner like Ultra Omega Burn. There are many fat burner available in market, checkout the Fat Burner list here.

High Quality Educational Furniture are getting the spotlight once again this year because of a recent study about the effects that standing desks can have when used at school. The study measured high school students on a number of neurocognitive tests – both before and after they had used standing desks for an entire semester. The study found that using standing desks changed the students’ brain activation patterns and boosted their cognitive skills such as memory, concentration and problem solving.

That study aside, there are some people who claim that standing desks can do more harm than good. To present you with a fair and balanced discussion of the topic, we’d like to share the benefits of standing desk to help you decide if a standing desk is right for you.

Pros of Standing Desks

According to the recent study we mentioned earlier, standing desks can possibly help your cognitive functioning. Having better concentration, problem-solving skills, and memory are certainly pluses no matter what industry you work in. If the study results are also applicable to adults in working situations (not just students in school), then a standing desk could improve your productivity and efficiency on a daily basis.

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The other benefits of standing desks have to do with physical health. It has been found that the average worker spends 5 hours and 41 minutes per day sitting at their desk, and another 7 hours sleeping at night. That’s a whole lot of sitting and laying around, which can have negative health consequences. Therefore, a standing desk can help to:

• Improve your metabolism (thereby lowering your risk of obesity)
• Reduce your risk of metabolic problems including Type 2 Diabetes
• Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduce your risk of cancer
• Lower your long-term mortality risk (the risk of dying within a given period of time)

Cons of Standing Desks

The pros of standing desks demonstrate that they can help your physical and cognitive health, but that doesn’t mean the issue is a closed case. Some people say that standing desks can also have harmful effects on your health. This includes:

• Pain including sore feet and lower back problems.
• Health risks such as increased risk for cardiovascular problems like carotid arteries, varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis (because the heart has to work against gravity to keep blood flowing from the toes up).
• Some tasks are better performed when sitting down, such as those that require fine motor skills, so a standing desk may impact your work on some tasks.
• Standing burns 20 percent more calories which means you will likely tire more quickly during the day.

So is a standing desk right for you? We asked this question to Austin Chiropractic services and according to them, only a user can buy accutane eu decide based on the pros and cons listed above as well as your job and individual preferences. The one thing that can be certain is that no matter what desk you choose – a traditional desk or a standing desk – you need to switch it up throughout the day. You shouldn’t be sitting all day and you shouldn’t be standing all day either. Try to work both into your daily routine so you can enjoy more health benefits and avoid the consequences.

The post Should You Switch to a Standing Desk? A Look at the Pros and Cons to Help You Decide appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

The survey involved gathering opinions from more than 1,000 small business owners from across the United States. The ten-question survey asked about small business marketing in 2016, including goals, priorities, challenges and tactics.

Results show just how tough small business marketing is. Some of the interesting findings include:

• Nearly 47 percent of small business owners handle marketing on their own. That’s a big duty for someone who already wears so many hats.
• Nearly one in five small business owners don’t plan on using digital marketing in 2016. Digital marketing includes things such as websites, social media, digital advertising and email marketing – techniques that are popular among larger businesses but harder for some small businesses to manage.
• Over 20 percent of small business owners don’t store customer and lead information at all and only 24 percent use a customer relationship management (CRM) tool.
• Small business owners are challenged with measuring the results of their marketing campaigns. Almost half aren’t sure if their efforts are effective, and 13.9 percent know for sure that they aren’t.

Despite these statistics, small business owners are well aware of the potential benefits of a good marketing strategy. About half will be using digital marketing in 2016 to drive sales and brand awareness, and about one in three will focus on goals such as collecting leads and retaining customers. There are many one of the top agencies in legal firm marketing that specialize in working.

The survey clearly shows how difficult small business marketing is. One potential reason is demonstrated in the following finding: “Most small businesses are still using a fairly unsophisticated digital marketing stack.” Fourty-one percent use only one or two software applications, and another 26 percent use three or four.

However, there are plenty of tech tools available for small business marketing, including tools to help manage customers and leads, tools to help measure marketing results, and tools that make specific strategies (like blogs, social media, and emails) easier to implement. Small business marketing is definitely one of the biggest challenges your company will face – it’s time to embrace the technology that will make it simpler and more effective.

The post Overwhelmed by Marketing? New Survey Shows Just How Tough Small Business Marketing Is appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

• The ability to link mobile payments with loyalty programs and other incentives
• The ability to track customer trends as well as your inventory
• Mobile payments are an easy way to extend payment options from cash-only to credit cards
• Mobile payments typically have lower processing fees than traditional credit card processing
• Mobile payments offer your customers a faster checkout experience

Benefits to consumers (like convenience and security) also mean that business owners will eventually jump on board this trend as more and more consumers come to demand mobile payments and expect it as a payment option.

At this point in the game, it’s not a question of if mobile payments will take off – it’s a question of which company will end up winning the mobile payments race.

Currently there are several options for mobile payments from some of the biggest names in business – Apple Pay, Google Wallet and PayPal, for example, are all fighting for a piece of the mobile payment pie. As mobile payments grow in popularity, one thing is certain – whoever wins this race will take home a pretty hefty prize.

“Who Will Win the Mobile Payments Race in 2016?” is the topic up for discussion in the latest ShopKeep video where Norm Merritt and Ramon Ray discuss this question, as well as how to be a successful retailer now that cash is out and mobile payments are in.

Whether you currently accept mobile payments or not, as a business owner, this is a trend you NEED to stay on top of.

The post New ShopKeep Video Eyes the 2016 Mobile Payments Race appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

However, if you listen to the stories of many successful business owners, you’ll quickly learn that money does not make success – and there are many among us who have in fact lived the American Dream. Daymond John – founder of the brand FUBU and investor on ABC’s Shark Tank – is a perfect example.

On January 19, 2016, Daymond John will be releasing his third book – The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage. The book shares details of how Daymond John achieved the American Dream. With a $40 initial budget, a little help from friends, and a lot of determination, Daymond turned FUBU into a $6 billion brand.

Daymond credits his success to his ability to tap into ‘the power of broke.’ When you can activate the power of broke you:

• Focus on your goals and work hard to reach them.
• Find creative solutions to problems.
• Become mindful of all the other resources at your disposal – time, effort, mind power, manpower, and determination to succeed.
• Discover innovative ways to market and connect with your customers.

As the title of the book suggests, Daymond believes his ability to harness the power of broke was his greatest competitive advantage and the reason why he has become so successful.

Now, if you’re thinking that Daymond is the exception to the rule and the American Dream is unachievable for most of us, you’d be wrong. After discussing his own story, The Power of Broke goes on to provide dozens of examples of other entrepreneurs and business owners who have also activated the power of broke to reach success – music executives, clothing designers, culinary masterminds and other top professionals in a range of industries.

Taken together, Daymond John’s The Power of Broke will inspire you as well as teach you how to harness the power of broke to achieve your own goals. It is a reminder to us all that the American Dream is still alive for those who are determined and willing to put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

The post Daymond John’s The Power of Broke – Evidence That the American Dream Is Still Alive appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Gary V. on Marketing and Doing Business

You have to market and do business for the year we actually live in. Gary demonstrated this throughout his career in many ways. In 1997 he knew that computers were starting to get big. He focused his business on creating a website, doing email marketing and using Google Adwords. Nowadays what you have to do is get a gmb listing verification.  Always focusing on what is relevant at the moment has led to his success. Let the team help you develop an online marketing strategy to drive more qualified visitors to your site and convert those visitors into leads and sales.

Gary V. on Patience and Persistence 

Gary has gotten a lot of emails from entrepreneurs over the years who claim they are being patient and wonder how long until they should just throw in the towel. Basically you just have to keep at it, and don’t quit! Want some inspiration? Consider that Gary did Wine Library TV for 19 months before it was really recognized on a large scale.

Gary V. on Criticism

Before writing his new book, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, Gary was looking through Amazon reviews of his first two books – getting angry about one and two star reviews. But he used that anger to fuel himself to do something better. He listened to the reviews to figure out what people were looking for, and then delivered it to them in his latest book.

Gary V. on New Trends

Although Gary started his Wine Library TV using Youtube, he let it go and ended up moving to another platform instead – a move he admits was a mistake. He did vow that he wouldn’t let the next big thing pass him by though, so when Twitter came out he recognized it as something great and decided to angel invest in it right away. And if you’re going to go into a new trend he says go ALL in. He spent hours every day when Twitter came out, just talking to people and answering their questions in order to build a following.

Gary V. on Family Business

Frustrated with your family business partners? Gary loved working with his father, currently loves working with his brother, and hopes to have the chance to work with his kids someday. “Family businesses, if you over-communicate and you care about the other person more than you care about yourself, are the single best thing you can ever do.”

Gary V. on Social Media Strategy

Social media platforms aren’t a place to just push your business out there and expect to get results. You have to create quality content that is native to the platform – for example, great pictures for Instagram, infographics for Pinterest, hashtags on Twitter, etc. You have to know who you want to reach and go to the platform where your target group is spending their time. If you know what you’re doing and understand the nuances of that particular social media platform, you can create stories about your business that are a perfect match for the platform…and that you engage with your target customers.

Gary V. on Social Media Content

Social media isn’t a place where you should run to beg for business or to brag about yourself. The point of Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook is that you should GIVE, GIVE, GIVE to your followers and fans. It’s a way to gain leverage with them. When you give and keep on giving, it gives you permission down the road to ask for business. It’s all about developing the relationship with all the key components that you want in any good relationship – trust, respect and connection.

Gary V. on Entrepreneurial Entitlement

With the creation of Facebook by college student Mark Zuckerberg, now everyone thinks they can create a startup. And when they have a business they believe that they are entitled to everything that comes along with it, including customers. But you aren’t entitled to anything – you have to work for it.

Gary V. on Storytelling to Make Sales

Storytelling can help you sell a product or a service to a customer. “You have to understand what’s the commodity and what’s not. What’s not is where you need to story-tell.” And a good story WILL translate into sales.

Gary V. on Social Media for Start-Ups

The first thing you have to do is figure out who you want to reach. Narrow it down to the demographic that you want to target, and then use social media to find them. You can use Facebook ads to find that exact demographic. You can also use options like Twitter search. But you have to win new followers and fans with interesting and quality content. You could start out by running an offer, but then you’ll get the “lowest common denominator fan” – the one who is following you to just get the offer. Instead you want to find people that are interested in your topics and truly want to connect with your business. Giving them the content they want will get them in the door, and you can market to them later.

Gary V. on What Social Media Platform You Should Start With

There isn’t one place that everyone should start if they’re looking to get into social media marketing. You have to look deep into what you want to accomplish and who you want to sell to – then go where those people are. So, for example, if you want to sell to 12-18 year olds you should start on Vine, but if you want to sell to 42 year old women you should start on Pinterest or Facebook.

Gary V. on Gaining a Twitter Following

You have to work to build a loyal following. Gary V did it by spending a lot of time on his Twitter profile, then searching and finding people who were interested in wine. He then took time to answer their questions – to jump into the conversations they were having and provide information and advice. Those people began to follow him and with time the base grew.

Gary V. on Facebook

Whereas some social media platforms are best for certain things – like animated gifs on Tumblr, real life pictures on Instagram, infographics on Pinterest – Facebook gives you a lot of freedom to do what you want. One new feature he recommends is Facebook dark posts – unpublished posts that can be used to target specific groups. That way you can send relevant, targeted posts to different groups, even if they’re not fans of your site yet.

Gary V. on Social Media Tools (Hootsuite, Google Analytics, Buffer, LocalResponse, etc)

All of these tools are fine and can work for your business if there is a good match between what you need and what the tool offers. You also have to know how to use the tools properly or you’re never going to see good results. You should also weigh the tool properties to what you want to achieve. For example, Hootsuite allows you to send out your messages to all networks at a click of a button – but Gary is completely against that because he believes you have to match the content with the specific platform to get the best results.

Gary V. on Investing

Gary has made a lot of investments in the past. Some are successful (for example, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr) and some not successful. But when choosing who to invest in, he likes to “bet on the jockey, not the horse every time.” That means he likes to bet on entrepreneurs themselves – those that have the fire, the spark, the determination to succeed. One example is his investment in Birchbox, a female-owned startup that got a lot of “no”s before they got a “yes” from Gary.

Gary V. on Business Advice for Women, Minorities, etc

Being an immigrant to the US, Gary understands the difficulties certain groups face. But he boils it all down to execution. If you can execute your plan and make things happen then nobody will care. Underdogs can use their status as a motivator for the climb to success.

These are the main points from Startup Grind’s Fireside Chat interview, but if you’re hungry for more you can watch the full interview here. As you go forth, ready to try some new things in your own small business, remember the most important point – success doesn’t come easy, but if you’re willing to work hard, you may find it – just like Gary V. did.

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