No doubt about it, 2010 was a tough year for employers and the 10% of the working population looking for jobs. Things are looking up this year. More businesses are hiring and the economy is slowly moving forward. With this potential increase in hiring comes increased need for appropriate pre-employment screening to ensure that you’re getting the right employees for your small business.  There are a lot of potential Read More

One of the most daunting chores you can face as a small business owner is compliance with FMLA (the Family Medical Leave Act.) Just when you think you have a handle on it, something changes and you have to go back to the books to make sure you fully understand what is and is not covered. Make sure your supervisory personnel are fully aware of the requirements as well. To protect yourself and your business, make sure Read More

You’re excited about growing your business through a strong Web presence… You’re ready to invest in the growth of your business with a real deal web designer… But how do you know who to choose for this critical component of your marketing? These are the things you need to consider when making your choice: Are you willing to work remotely with a designer or are you looking for someone locally?  So much can be Read More

Your years of hard work have finally paid off.  The long hours, the networking, the devotion to your clients have all put you in prime position to open your own shop. But not so fast… Curb your enthusiasm for just a few minutes and think about how you should structure your business from a legal standpoint.  While starting out as a sole proprietorship and postponing any formal corporate structure may sound like a Read More

It’s that time of year again… Time to get all your ducks in a row to report your income to Uncle Sam… When you’re trying to take care of a family and run a business, the last thing you want to think about is getting all the paperwork together to deal with the Internal Revenue Service. But if you get yourself and your paperwork organized early on, it will make tax time a little less frantic. Here are a few tips to Read More

You’ve got a great idea for a business… It’s the dream of a lifetime… You can barely sleep for the excitement of finally running your own shop, calling the shots, and being independent. But once you get past the dream stage, reality sets in. Starting a business, virtually any business, costs money. One of the most important things you need to learn as an entrepreneur is how to raise capital. It can also be one of the Read More

Approximately 40% of marriages inAmericaend in divorce… Yet, when we start a business, how many of us really think ahead to what a potential divorce could do to our business? A divorce can have many of the same ill effects on your business that your death or disability would have. The best way to avoid these consequences is to plan ahead. Here are a few things to think about: 1.         Do You Live in a Community Read More

Everyone anticipated the start of 2011 as being a year of “big changes”. Estate tax issues… Whether or not the Bush era tax cuts would be continued… Healthcare legislation… But here are few issues that didn’t get as much press but should take top priority when deciding how your small business will operate this year. 1.         Unemployment Insurance Rates and Changes Unemployment insurance funding in your state may Read More

January is a great time to take a look at how your small business spends money. And as long as you’re looking at how you spend it, you might as well look at how to preserve some. Those small saving steps can add up to serious cash over the course of the next twelve months. Here are some tips on how your small business can easily save substantial money over the coming year: 1.      Negotiate In case you hadn’t Read More