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Characteristics of an Entrepreneur…

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Entrepreneurship is defined as exhibiting one’s vision, taking action, and pursuing that vision as a goal.  This means getting your butt out of that couch, doing something spectacular rather than being a couch potato. Here are some attitudes an entrepreneur should positively have:

blouknoppieOptimism – is the propensity to look at the bright side of any situation and expect the best possible outcome.  Optimism is powerfully motivational and is one of the cornerstones of success.

blouknoppieCreativity – is thinking outside the box. Do you have the power or ability to invent something unique or to see things from another perspective?

blouknoppieStability – either physical, mental, social or emotional, a leader must possess a stable life which means you can handle tough situations during tough times

blouknoppieCharismatic – The potential to be a charismatic leader is within you.  A good entrepreneur must have magic glistening in his eyes and convey enchanting words to get hold of that convincing power no one care or dare resist.

blouknoppieRisk-taker – as someone beginning his own dream. Are you prepared to engage in exciting, risky pursuits? When opportunity strikes nothing must hold you back.

blouknoppieEnergetic – suggests sustained enthusiastic activity. Do whatever it takes and your enthusiasm never diminishes.

blouknoppieTime bound – an entrepreneur is always on the top of every innovation.  By looking at your past, you can predict your future.

Beginners have to stay positive about their endeavors.  You must be very observant of what your environment lacks and needs.

red-tape-entrepreneurThink Big. Act. Make Your Dreams Come True!

 

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Is Social Media Consultancy Worth the Investment?

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For many, social media poses a novel challenge in the business world today.  It simply doesn’t work according to the established rules of traditional marketing; and learning to get the most out of this strange new system is an intimidating and time-consuming proposition.  Therefore, the field of social media consultancy has lately arisen, offering a quick fix for companies struggling to make sense of online marketing.  Among other things, these consultants promise Facebook Likes, better brand exposure, and increased sales.  However, are their services worth the steep price tag?  Or is this simply a case of self-called ‘experts’ feeding off the insecurities and ineptitudes of professionals who are lagging behind today’s fast-changing technological landscape?

social media consultancy

Fake Likes?

Look out for so-called professional consultants who deliver dubious results.  Facebook Likes are a prime example.  Ideally, Likes reflect interest in your company and indicate a large following, which is not only viewing your content, but also actually engaging with it.  However, some consultants use other client’s profiles and fake accounts to artificially generate Likes.  In this case, while it may have a small positive impact on Google ranking, you are ultimately paying for a worthless and illusory service.

Lasting Value

Another thing to look for in social media consultants is an ability to deliver lasting value.  A good consultant will not only help you establish a social presence online, but will also educate you and your team about maintaining and expanding that presence.  Social media is a long-term investment.  Its value is in its ability to generate interest and build a brand over time, gradually adding new connections and expanding your company’s network.  So be sure to find a consultant who makes training a priority and orients their services toward long-term goals.

 Time is Money

Social media marketing is astoundingly time consuming, especially for those who are new to it.  So keep this in mind when weighing the value of a social media consultant.  If the fees seem steep, consider them in light of both the direct sales value they can generate and in terms of the time and headaches they will save your company.

Branding is Everything

If your company lacks a quality brand or is struggling to establish brand recognition online, a competent social media consultant can be a wonderful resource.  Part of their job is focusing on your company image, revamping your brand’s aesthetic, and finding ways to clearly convey your business ethos to the online community.  Social media success is impossible for companies without a clear branding strategy.

 A Targeted Approach

What many businesses also fail to realize is that social media isn’t just a numbers game.  It is about building quality connections and networking with a community of interested individuals.  A few dedicated followers, in other words, are far more valuable than a mass of un-invested and unengaged viewers.  Consultants can help companies build these worthwhile connections and focus their efforts toward the sites and strategies that actually produce results.

As every businessperson should know, making a good deal depends upon knowing what you are buying.  Unfortunately, the reason we hire consultants is that they know something we don’t (or purport to, anyway).

So is social media consultancy worth the investment?  To put it simply: yes, but only if the consultant is skilled at what they do.  It all depends upon finding the right person.  Ultimately, social media is a complex, multifaceted, and time-intensive marketing platform.  Therefore, it truly does pay to hire an expert to construct a marketing strategy, train employees, and point your business in the right direction.  The trick, however, is finding a true expert and avoiding the overrated imposters.

About the author: Kirsten works for leading voucher site vouchercloud.com. She works within their in house social media team and works to deliver money saving deals to customers. She is currently working on the Travelodge discounts campaign.

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Hot Conferences for Entrepreneurs to Attend in 2013

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People attend conferences for a number of different reasons, the most popular reason being to network with potential clients and suppliers.

If you have no reason to network at a conference event, you may want to consider attending one just to understand the latest trends in the chosen subject matter, the knowledge you learn at a conference event can be extremely valuable when entering the business world.

Get ahead of the game and start planning what conferences you are going to attend in 2013, as they are full of valuable information and opportunities for entrepreneurs and marketing professionals.

The Small Business Summit  – August 2013

During August 2013, The Small Business Summit will be holding their eight annual conference at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City, NY.

The Small Business Summit is a must go event for all small business. The premier event runs through the course of the day, bringing together small business owners from all around the world. Experts encourage business leaders to share ideas, insights, and tips to grow their businesses successfully.

The anticipated turn up for this event is more than 500 people. Make sure to add your name to this guest list. You will also get the opportunity to view exciting panels and presentation, make new connections, and learn new ways to promote your business.

RISE Week Austin – May 2013

RISE week is held during May 2012, in Austin, Texas. The conference will last for 5 days, with a number of different activities taking place.

RISE week is especially helpful for small and medium sized business. The high profile event offers entrepreneurs a combination of interactive learning session, inspiring keynotes, unique competitions, funding opportunities and a variety of networking events.

As not all business owners are going to be available for a 5-day conference, an online platform has been built to allow business owners to manage their business timetable and schedule.

CEO Space – May 2013

CEO Space is held five times a year in Henderson Nevada. The aim of the signature week-long conference event is to teach attendee’s how to reach professional goals easy and fast.

CEO Space offers a number of different services to attendee’s, from focused training to entrepreneurs to offering trade show experience to executives.

To attend this high profile event, you will have to become a member to the CEO Space group. Berny Dohrmann is the founder of CEO Space and he promises guaranteed positive results from attending this conference, if not he pledges to give you your money back.

Kerry hired conference logistic services from http://www.24-7exhibitions.com/ to organise her conference equipment when going to the top rated conferences.

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Tips on Using Your Own Car for Business Travel

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Cutting expenses is always important for small business owners. Even slight reductions in the cost of operations can be a big help. Many owners have found one way to reduce expenses is to use their own personal vehicle for business purposes. If done right, this move can provide several advantages for the company.

own car for business travel

There are several aspects to keep in mind when deciding on whether to use a personal vehicle for business purposes.

*Taxes – If a personal vehicle is also used part-time for business reasons, then it is eligible for tax deductions based on Standard Mileage Rate. The owner can be reimbursed a certain mileage amount based on an amount set by the federal government. The actual mileage must divide the expenses. In addition, owners can deduct interest they pay on the auto loan and registration fees. Parking and toll costs can be deducted as long as it can be shown they were paid for business purposes. Oil changes, tire rotations and other repairs may also be eligible for deductions. It is important to keep receipts and excellent business records for these transactions.

*Insurance – When using a personal vehicle for business, be sure to check with the insurance provider to see if a commercial auto insurance policy will be needed or if an endorsement of the personal policy is required. This can be especially true for owners of businesses such as food delivery, landscaping, or day care. In addition, extra coverage may be required if any of the employees of the business are also going to be driving the vehicle.

*Qualifications – It is important to understand what qualifies as “business use.” While normal trips to and from the office are not allowed for deduction, those journeys to visit customers or anything that needs to be done to carry out the work of the day often can be included.

*Leasing versus buying – How the vehicle is being financed can also change its tax status. The lease payment on a business vehicle may be fully deductible as an expense. Again, this will also depend on how much the vehicle is also used for personal reasons.

*Statements – Financial statements for businesses will only show assets, so personal vehicles should not appear on them. If the car is a business asset, then their cost, liabilities, and total depreciation will show up on the company’s balance sheet.

Using a personal vehicle for business travel can provide many advantages, including helping to reduce some expenses for the company, especially at tax time. The steps to do so must be followed properly, including good record keeping and additional insurance coverage if necessary. Any business owner thinking about using a personal vehicle as a company car should carefully consider all the factors involved.

Author Bio

Charlotte Fletcher writes on behalf of Monkey, a car insurance comparison website.

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5 Ways To Grow A Successful Startup Fast

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So you want to get your new business idea off the ground? Thousands of startups are launched every year, yet only half of them succeed. However, if you are passionate and devoted you can expect better chances than 50/50. Implement the following to get your startup growing fast.

grow your successful start-up fast

Launch Early

If you have what you think is a brilliant idea, get it out to consumers as soon as you can. This isn’t so much for the purpose of making money quick, but rather you will be able to generate valuable feedback. If you take time to fully develop a product in secret, you may find when you release it that it’s not what consumers are looking for at all. Talk to as many people as you can to generate discussion on the product and take their feedback into consideration. This will also give you a head start on potential competitors. Through your experience you will be able to release a much more refined and desirable product to beat out similar products.

Stay Positive About Negative Feedback

As feedback starts to come in, stay humble about it. You may think you know what people want, but you could also be way off. Don’t get frustrated or upset when people tell you they don’t like a certain feature of your product. Rather, be grateful that you now know what to change. Think of it as chiseling away a beautiful sculpture. It takes time, patience, and a whole lot of refining to end up with your final product. It may be hard to hear complaints at first but in the end it will be worth it.

Hire Several Expert Employees

Startups need investors to like their ideas. In order to get the attention of potential investors it wouldn’t be a bad idea to hire a few people who know what they are doing. It will give you some more legitimacy when you are pitching your ideas. Not to mention experienced employees will help the company grow in other ways as well. Make sure you are always learning and growing your industry knowledge as well as the business basics. Subscribing to small business news sources and magazines is a great way to keep up with the times.

Set Strategic Goals

Know from the very beginning where you want to be in 3 months, 6 months, and 2 years. Those goals can act as a measuring stick and help you record your progress. If you don’t establish specific goals early on, it’s easy to become relaxed and casual. Your company will fall into a rut, get bogged down in the details, and get off to a very slow start, if it starts at all.

Devote All of Your Attention to the Startup

If you really want your startup to take off you will have to devote a lot of time and effort. It’s usually not something you can do on the side for fun. This may require you to quit your day job so you can focus. Doing so will certainly require some financial sacrifice. If you don’t think you or your family can handle not having a paycheck for several months, you may want to wait for a time when you can.

About the Author: Robert Cordray is a freelance writer and expert in business and finances. He has received many accolades for his work in teaching and small business consultation.

Do You Have Any More Valuable Tips to Add? Why Not Share Them Here and Inspire Other Entrepreneurs?

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Take Your Business Idea From Paper To Reality

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Writing A Business Plan

Turning a great idea into a business is not something that can be achieved over night. Preparing to benefit financially from an idea takes months and sometimes years and can often be the thing that separates the winners from the never-even-tried.

Having an idea in the first place is essential. Sometimes waiting for inspiration or the perfect solution can be the quickest road to failure. You might have the market research done, a basic bank account set up for business and a trading name registered, but without the seed of inspiration, your efforts will be wasted. Whether your idea is a concept, a service, a product or a philosophy there will be some way to turn it into a profitable enterprise. Often it’s finding that connection that proves the hardest part for some people.

To begin finding a market place for your idea, first of all you must determine who the market is and what problem you’re solving.

Who is it for?

You might first think that your idea isn’t solving anything, but all you need to do is jump outside the box and think laterally about who might need it, where they are and why there’s nothing else like it available.

There’s no point reinventing the wheel as they say, unless of course your wheel can do something new or different. Identify the thing that makes your wheel special and then set about researching who needs a wheel with those special properties.

Research can save you from wasting lots of money trying to develop something that won’t work or sell. There are many free available to help you find all you need to know.

Talk to people who are in a similar industry and see what they think of your idea. Talk to the competition and find out what problems they face. Talk to would-be customers and see what they think. Collect the data and use the feedback to improve upon your idea or take it in another direction.

While this can be a painstaking and sometimes defeating process, it’s better to know your market before spend the money on trying to break into it. Further more, having a well thought out market plan will help when you go to prepare your business plan.

Protect your idea

Once you’ve established that your idea is truly unique, has a genuine market and is worthy of development you can make steps to protect your idea.

Ideas for goods or services, whether it be in the form of a website, a product, a book or a new experience, are known as intellectual property and should be protected. The sort of key words you’ll need to for your research are ‘trademark’, ‘copyright’, ‘intellectual property’ and ‘patent’. Before you get in touch with private companies, find unbiased and free information about this on various governmental websites.

Get the look

Marketing is an essential tool in selling any product or service. To make your idea stand out and ready for the market, engage the services of a designer. You might know how you want your widget to work, but do you know how to make it look good? Designers are there to turn your idea into something that looks professional and worthy of sale. If your gadget or website or service looks amateur, then it simply will not stand up to market scrutiny.

You might not be able to afford the full range of design services, but do consult with someone who knows about design for at least a one off meeting to determine ways you can bring your idea up to scratch. Perhaps you’ve got a friend who can help, or you could approach a design student. Maybe you could negotiate a share in the profits or a delayed payment, or trade for services in kind. There are ways avoid exorbitant fees, but what ever you do don’t avoid this crucial step.

The business plan

This last step is probably the most crucial in getting your idea from paper to reality. Without funds to move forward, your idea is dead in the water. But don’t fret, if you’ve taken the time to prepare and research, you will be half way there. There are many websites to help you create a business plan and while it might mean a small investment, it will no doubt be worthwhile when you approach your bank or angel investor with your plan.

Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://photodune.net/licenses/regular

Reporting from London, William Masters is a finance journalist specialising in a wide range of financial topics from international economics to personal finance. Masters frequently points readers interested in a basic bank account in the direction of www.eccount.com, a provider of financial services in the UK.

Great Free Resource to Assess your Business Plan: BUSINESS PLAN ASSESSMENT: COMPLETE EVALUATION OF EACH COMPONENT

DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS ON CREATING A SUPER BUSINESS PLAN? SHARE WITH US THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON YOU HAD LEARNED ABOUT CREATING A BUSINESS PLAN.

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Does Your Small Business has a Fraternization Policy?

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It’s common knowledge that interoffice romances are taboo. Most people even swear by a hard and fast rule that they will never date someone they work with. However, there is still some question over just how far managers should go in interfering with the private lives of employees when it comes to dictating who can and can’t have a romantic relationship, and many employers tend to skirt the uncomfortable issue. Does your small business have a fraternization policy? It should. Here’s why:

fraternization policy

What is a Fraternization Policy?

As you might be able to guess, a fraternization policy is an official business policy that outlines the rights and responsibilities of both the employer and the employees in regards to non-professional relationships. Fraternization policies are also called dating policies, workplace romance policies, and non-fraternization policies. All of these terms mean the same thing–they are all aimed at keeping office relationships as professional as possible (at least, on the surface).

Is a Fraternization Policy Really Necessary?

Many business owners can tell you that they learned, the hard way, that the answer to this question is a resounding, “yes.” Why? It is a fact that office relationships that go south equate to improper and disruptive behavior in the workplace. This behavior may be as seemingly harmless as stolen kisses here are there, or renegade chat sessions, or it may be much more destructive for the company. For example, many employers report that interoffice fraternization has led to shouting matches, sexual harassment lawsuits, restraining orders, and firings. These issues are inarguably bad for business in more ways than one.

What Should a Fraternization Policy Include?

Company fraternization policies must outline, specifically, what is expected of both supervisors/managers and reporting employees. Managers should not date reporting employees, as that presents an obvious conflict of interest and can lead to sexual harassment charges, even on the behalf of other employees who feel that they are being denied certain privileges because they are not in a romantic relationship with the boss. Employee-employee relationships are treated a bit differently in a fraternization policy. It is understandable and acceptable that employees often meet their mates at work, among their coworkers. Therefore, when it comes to dictating employee-employee relationships on the job, a fraternization policy should outline which behaviors are inappropriate for the office (fighting and displays of affection, for example). A fraternization policy should also detail specific consequences for not adhering to the rules.

As you can see, romance in the office may be unavoidable, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take precautionary measures when it comes to the fallout. By developing and executing a strict fraternization policy in your small business, you can avoid the negative aftereffects of interoffice love gone wrong.

About the Author: Emerita Glosser is a HR manager in charge of hiring, recruitment management system monitoring, and the enforcement of the employee policies set in place to keep everyone in the workplace safe.

Image by www.greenberg-art.com

What is your views on “love in the workplace”? Have You ever had an interoffice relationship? Feel free to share your views and/or experiences!

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The Impact of Social Media for Charities

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In 2013, social media is one of the strongest mediums of media in the world. Everyday millions of people connect on online social sharing platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter; viewing content from all kinds of different sources. For charities and non-profit organisations, which don’t have access to a vault of funds, social media is possibly the most cost-effective way of marketing. By using social media effectively, any organisation can raise awareness and drum up support without having to spend a penny.

social media for charities

Social Media Marketing

Social media has changed the way we interact with each other. When ‘Word of Mouth’ used to be one of the strongest ways to strengthen a brand and raise awareness, it now is ‘word of mouse’.  From a single lazy click, social sharing is spreading the word every single day on many different platforms. Whether it is sharing an article on Twitter, a video on Pinterest or recommending a product page on Facebook; online society will always want to share with their friends what they have recently discovered.

In 2010, a study revealed that 75% of people share likable content with their friends and family; 49% of which do it at least once weekly.

Social media can help to forge and strengthen relationships between consumer and business, breaking the corporate wall down. Social media helps put a ‘human face’ on a business, so that people feel that they can interact with it on a natural level.

By being present in the social media spectrum, a business can begin to build a ‘sphere of influence’. A sphere of influence is the key niche of online traffic that you interact with. A business or company can learn a lot about their consumers from observing what they interact & engage with, picking out trends in online social behaviour. As a company’s sphere of influence grows, using those trends to their advantage to harness credibility.

Having a Social Media Strategy for your Charity

For any charity or fundraising event, it’s important to have a social media plan of attack. Raising awareness is paramount; you want everyone out there to know your cause. In the social media world, people love to be ‘seen to be charitable’. What this means is that people like to show how they like to help the world through simply clicking a button. It’s fashionable to be seen to care. Even if these fashionable people don’t really care about your charity, by clicking and sharing they will be raising awareness of your charity to their followers, friends and families.  Being shared will eventually lead to people who might in fact go that extra step further and help your cause.

Here are some top tips to remember when constructing a social media strategy for your charity:

  • How many and which sites do you want to feature on? Remember, quality of your page comes before quantity of pages.
  • Work out who your audience are and find out ways to identify and communicate with them.
  • Draw up a plan of who within the charity organisation is spearheading the operation. The more varied content the better, so try to get as many people to contribute as possible.
  • Interact with your digital audience. This is the best way to gain digital rapport, strengthening the bond between you and your digital audience.
  • Think about whom you can target on different platforms. For example, there might be relevant celebrities on Twitter who would be more than happy to retweet your cause to their millions of followers.

As you can see, a social media strategy is of upmost importance for any organisation. Having an online presence currently is vital, especially for a charity. Using social media, charities can relay information to a niche audience about campaigns & events as well as trying to get their message heard worldwide, all free.

Author: Guest writer Miss Beswick has been involved in fundraising CRUK jobs. Jenny has worked on marketing campaigns, developed strategies and created web projects to branch out awareness. We look forward to hearing how social media has helped you!

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How to Secure the Best Small Business Insurance

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Securing the best small business insurance is common among small companies that are aware of the risk of failure that is involved in their regular operation. Some are fortunate to have found the appropriate coverage while others may find that the process is somewhat tricky. No one desires to be put into a situation that involves an immediate breakdown of trust for management, employees as well as your clients.

best small business insurance

To avoid confronting the same problem, it is a matter of choice when obtaining the best small business insurance. As you probably know, there are many options to choose from. Your prime responsibility is to know which insurance companies are reliable and suit your goals and priorities as a growing company. However, if you are unsure about how to go about doing this, then these following tips can be a helpful guide:

Shop for More Options

Making the right choice or decision on the right business insurance also depends on your options. If you have many insurance companies to consider at hand, then you should decide on which ones are the most reliable and have the ability to answer your needs whenever something wrong arises in your business operation. You may also have other questions before you decide to agree on certain terms and conditions. It is also helpful to do further investigation on the insurance companies that you are interested in order to make a wise selection.

Consider Risks and Formulate Reduction Strategies.

You should know the risks or disadvantages involved when choosing small business insurance. If there are terms that are not favorable to your small business, then it may be helpful to clarify with the insurance company in order to make modifications that suit your needs or demands. Another helpful task is to jot down all of the risks that you can think about before you decide. It is wise to consider those risks when making a strategy to avoid the possible consequences associated with them.

Get a Reliable Insurer or Broker.

Having a reliable broker who understands your industry and knows your claim history can be very beneficial on your part. This person can be very helpful when guiding you to find and choose the appropriate business insurance. The professional’s experience in doing this job is something that you do not have. You will find the help from this person as an advantage when you land on the right insurance coverage that includes the best terms and conditions.

Contingency Plans Can Prevent Threats to Your Business

There should be a contingency plan in place if something goes wrong with your small business insurance agreement. By taking this into account, you will have an idea on how to create plans for possible consequences that you may have not anticipated or expected at the outset. If there is a threat, then fight it off before it ruins your business.

Do not Forget the Cost of Ensuring Predictable Risks.

Risk implies a possible cost when it becomes real in your business. Of course, you cannot go back to the starting point and renegotiate your business insurance after this risk has become evident. The only choice that is left is for you to face the problem. You have nothing to worry about if you have already expected and prepared for solutions before they exist. This is about weighing what will be lost and what you will gain from a particular insurance agreement.

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Three Trendy Ways to Market Your Business

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To be a successful business owner, it is important to stay on top of new tactics in marketing. With the internet and social media, the options for marketing have exploded in recent years. It is now cheaper and easier to reach your target market than ever before, if you can properly leverage new tactics to go with the new technology. I have put together a list with three trendy ways to market your business successfully online:

market your business

Infographics

Infographics are so hot right now. If you are wondering what an infographic is, you have probably already seen one and didn’t know it. Infographics are a visual representation of data. A great way to market your business using infographics is by sharing statistics relevant to your business. Even better, do a study or survey yourself and then turn it into an infographic. Studies have shown that both numbers/statistics and visuals increase the chance of something being shared on social media.

Video

With the increase of availability of low-cost, high quality video cameras, it is easier than ever to make a video to market your business. The video can then be leverage on your website, on YouTube, or shared on other social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Twitter recently acquired video app Vine that allows users to directly upload six-second videos to Twitter. With this acquire, industry experts predict the use of video will skyrockets on Twitter. You can take advantage of that by producing Vine videos for your business.

Photos

Just like video and infographics, finding a way to visually present your business will garner more attention than words. The sharp increase of users on visual social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest prove this marketing tactic is viable. Find a way to make your business or brand visually interesting and share it on Instagram. The popular posts on Instagram can then be posted to Pinterest for extended reach.

The piece that ties these three trendy marketing tactics together is social media. Any kind of marketing content you create is great for a website or in-store, but utilizing social media will exponentially increase the reach of your message. Consider creating a marketing campaign that includes several social media or networking sites like the Pinterest and Instagram idea above. Also, make sure to keep any content you create fresh. It’s ok to stray a bit from your messaging if you find some content you know will spark interest on social media.

Author Bio: Annette Hazard is a blogger that is promoting the State of Graphic Design. She loves writing about tech and social media. She is also an avid cyclist and mother of one.

 

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Top 5 Biggest Business Mistakes

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Everyone makes mistakes, from the humble office clerk to the high profile CEO. Preparation can help mitigate those mistakes, and learning from them is essential to success. Here are five of the biggest business mistakes and tips for avoiding them.

biggest business mistakes

1. Not Using a Contract

Both a business owner and a freelancer need assurance that any bargain struck between them will be honored, because without a contract, the freelancer may not provide services of an appropriate level. On the other hand, the business owner might not pay the contractor despite work received, so a contract gives both sides a legal basis for enforcing the agreement, or for obtaining compensation should something go wrong.

2. Ignoring and Avoiding New Technology

Many new technologies are developed with business in mind, and while some may not be useful to every business, others might be just the thing to solve an ongoing problem. Any business owner should keep an eye out for new technologies that fill a role, even if they will require a cost to implement, as the investment may be worth it over time. Making sure that your business is as up-to-date as possible when it comes to new tech can make it or break it for many prospective clients, as they can see it as not evolving, adapting, and keeping pace with the rest of the world.

3. Choosing the Wrong Hosting Company

Every new business owner wants to cut costs, and to some, hosting seems like an easy thing to cut, because after all, there are dozens of free web hosts available. Unfortunately, a poor web host can mean downtime, which means lost revenue, and if something happens, the host may not have the support or the data backups necessary to support a business. A proper business host is essential, and you can visit a web hosting services provider like Midphase to find out  more about reseller website hosting.

4. Not Knowing the Pros and Cons of Employees vs. Contractors

Employees have a single interest in your company, where freelancers may be juggling many clients. Employees have that incentive to get the job done by the deadline, and freelancers, on the other hand, come and go. If you don’t have work for them, you don’t need to pay them the way you do employees. Both require different contracts and different tax documents, which your business needs to know. When you interact with employees every day, there’s a bigger sense of loyalty and trust that can be built, and when looking to promote and expand, you need not look any further than your faithful employees.

5. Not Delegating

New business owners, especially those who run a small business, may be inclined to do everything themselves. It’s certainly valuable for a business owner to know what to do in the event that something needs doing. That said, appropriate delegation is how things get done in the business world, so you can do everything yourself, or you can pay a few employees to do so much more than you could alone, and might be able to do it better than you can.

I love these books from Jack Welch:

leadership secrets          business questions

Do You Have a Business Icon? Looking forward to learn about your business icon!

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