It’s no secret that starting a business costs money. Though many sites claim you can ‘start a business for less than $1000’, they’re often a false economy. After all, any entrepreneur will tell you that materials are only half the expense. They also have to think about a marketing budget before they stand any chance at success. And, that alone can come with a hefty price tag. These startup expenses are the main reason many governments offer loans for entrepreneurs. Such loans are a fantastic … [Read more...]

You’d like to think that your business success will be entirely dependent on how good the product/service you provide is, how hard you work, and so on. But in this day and age, more than ever, this is not the case. Your business is not an entirely separate part of your life; it flows in and out of your personal life. And that means that any personal issues you encounter could have an impact on your business success. Below, we take a look at some of those issues that can have a big impact if not … [Read more...]

Everyone knows that sinking feeling when you make a small mistake at work and aren’t sure how to rectify it without anybody noticing. The truth is, there isn’t always a quick fix when you make a business blunder. Admittedly, some mistakes are greater than others, but there is still an urgent need to fix them as soon as the problem occurs. Whether you’re on your way to a burn out at work or you are under fire for an honest mistake, here are a handful of ways to push through those innocent … [Read more...]

No matter what line of business you’re in, you’ll have to deal with deadlines at some stage. This much dreaded and doom-filled word is part of any industry out there. While working at your own pace would be a better way of doing things, you have customers to please. And, they need things by a set date. So, whether you’re shipping items to paying customers or trying to fulfill orders for big clients; you need to do it in decent time. That might not sound like a big deal, but missed deadlines … [Read more...]

The personal touch is so important, isn’t it? When you think about it, it’s only natural that in an increasingly digitized and impersonal world, our customers may yearn for the personal touch that only SMEs can provide. It’s been proven time and again that while the multinational corporate titans may be able to undercut our more modest businesses on price, they can never replicate the standard of individual customer service that we can provide. Thus, while many businesses expand their reach … [Read more...]

It’s not easy being an entrepreneur. You have to come up with the idea, secure funding, and get things underway. And then, of course, once the ball is rolling it’s not like you can take a backseat; you’re going to be right up front and center, the main person responsible for making sure everything is on course for the company to be successful. But to do this, it’s not enough just to do the work; you need to do the work well. Below, we take a look at some useful tips for ensuring you can deliver … [Read more...]

Working from home can be a fantastic way to spend more time doing the things you love, as this way your time is less tied up with busy commutes, pointless meetings, idle chit chat and gossip around the water cooler, busy work, and constant distractions with other people vying for your time.     Indeed, there are many benefits to working from home, and with today’s opportunities to work remotely and automate your business by automating and outsourcing processes, for instance, you could … [Read more...]

The world of business is constantly changing and evolving, but one thing will always remain the same - If you want to grow your business, then you need to focus on marketing. Unfortunately, with so many new and different marketing methods out there, it can be difficult to know which one is best for your small business. Email marketing, despite being a more traditional method, remains one of the most effective in reaching new customers, retaining current ones, and prompting them to take action. … [Read more...]

The restaurant business is on fire at the moment, and so more and more people are exploring this as a viable option to start a new business venture. Whether you have experience in the restaurant trade or not, it can be the dream to have a restaurant with your name above the door and feeling proud of the food you serve.   However, it is also a very tough business to be in, and many can find that it is a real struggle to get things right. Many restaurants open the doors only to find … [Read more...]

When it comes to the environment, there is so much being reported in the news that there needs to be more focus on being eco-friendly, that is with businesses taking a responsibility as well as taking a responsibility yourself. While you may not be able to control what the business does, unless you manage or run the business and have your own policies in place, but you can take on your own responsibility to ensure that things get done right. I wanted to share with you some of the things you … [Read more...]