Finance expert Mike Periu on best practices small-business owners can adopt to Keep Business Competitive. Citibank recently released the results of its latest Small Business Pulse Survey. The survey asked small-business owners about the steps they take to remain competitive. The answers ranged from radical reinvention to small tweaks. Some of the top strategies and tactics reported are: 1. Studying other industries. Adapting ideas from other sectors to apply them to the business.  Just … [Read more...]

Finance expert Mike Periu on a recent survey that says over 20 percent of small-business owners plan to cut jobs in 2013. December 12, 2012 The Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index plunged 28 points to -11 according to its latest survey of owners held Nov. 12 to 16.  The quarterly survey asked business owners about their present situation and their expectations for the next 12 months with regard to their overall financial situation, cash flow, revenues, capital spending allocation, hiring … [Read more...]

Finance expert Mike Periu on the top six Resolutions for Small Businesses owners are making for 2013. NerdWallet, an online credit card comparison website, surveyed small-business owners asking them to share their New Year's resolutions. If you are still thinking about what to strive for in 2013, you can get some inspiration from your fellow business owners' goals. The 2013 resolutions fall into 6 categories: Attracting, training and retaining talented employees Improving office … [Read more...]

Finance expert Mike Periu on how the end of a marriage doesn't necessarily mean the end of a business partnership, Divorced Couples can still make their business succeed. According to the Bureau of the Census, there are approximately 3.7 million businesses that are owned by husband and wife teams. With approximately half of first-time marriages ending in divorce, there is a high likelihood that a couple who build a business together may not build a life together. The obvious advice is to part … [Read more...]

Finance expert Mike Periu on a variety of ways that many Fortune 500 companies are supporting small businesses. Big Companies Spending to Support Small Businesses Small business has been in the spotlight recently and this is starting to payoff in many ways. Most recently several Fortune 500 companies have launched campaigns to publicly support small business growth through various programs. Sam's Club, owned by Walmart, is offering $1,000 of free merchandise to 102 companies selected by SCORE, … [Read more...]

Finance expert Mike Periu on questions to consider when syncing your business with the right market opportunity. Choosing the Right (and Most Profitable) Market for Your Business Many entrepreneurs and small-business owners spend too much time focused on their product or service and not enough time on finding the right market opportunity. Without the right customers, you won't have revenues, profits or much chance of success. It's important to ask yourself these questions to determine if you … [Read more...]

Finance expert Mike Periu on how to prepare your business and maximizing your profits this holiday season. According to a recent study by Manta, many small-business owners are enjoying a cautious sense of optimism when it comes to holiday sales. If this does turn out to be a successful quarter—and so far the Thanksgiving holiday sales suggest it will be—it's important to get your business ready to maximize revenues and profits. Train your employees on providing good customer service. Don't … [Read more...]

Finance expert Mike Periu on Consumers Break Holiday Shopping Records. According to the National Retail Federation, this holiday weekend was a record breaker. 247 million consumers went shopping either online, in stores or a combination of the two. This is an increase from last year's 226 million shoppers. On Black Friday alone, 89 million people went shopping, an increase of 3 million people compared to 2011. On average, shoppers spent $423 over the weekend, $25 more than last year. Unlike … [Read more...]