Sweet Success Online
Podcast
Tips for the Harried Business Owner
Jan 6th
HarriedEntreprenuer
Tips for the Harried Business Owner
Bill discusses 8 practical ways to give yourself more time to accomplish the job at hand and have time for family and fun.
Are there some useful and practical ways to become more efficient and effective with your time and work?
1 – Spiritual time
2 – Keeps things Simple
3 – Do you have a place and time for all jobs and are they in their places/
4 – Fifteen minute rule
5 – Keep messy items and jobs under control
6 – enlist more Help
7 – Thinking Time
8 – Rest
9 – Summary
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Selling Your Small Business
Dec 10th
Selling Your Small Business
Bill talks about the emotional ties you have to your business. Especially if you started it as a start up and saw it grow to where now is the time you are ready to sell.
How hard is it to let a business go?
The emotional and feeling side of you plays a big part in the sale.
When you should you sell your business?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Selling Your Small Business
Dec 9th
Selling Your Small Business
Bill talks about the emotional ties you have to your business. Especially if you started it as a start up and saw it grow to where now is the time you are ready to sell.
How hard is it to let a business go?
The emotional and feeling side of you plays a big part in the sale.
When you should you sell your business?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
SBA Mobile App
Nov 30th
SBAMobileApp
SBA Mobile App
In this podcast Bill is talking about using a SBA Mobile App for a start up business.
Gives you SBA videos
Start up Cost Calculator
Connects to over 2000 SBA Centers nationwide
Coming in the future
Disaster recovery information
Lenders and capital resources
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Social Media for Small Business
Nov 22nd
SocialMedia
Social Media for Small Business
How much time do I spend?
Is it important?
Using Facebook, Tweeter, Linkedin, or others you need to be involved.
Social Media is for networking. Especially small business needs to use.
Pay someone? Fine they will do a great job. If you don’t have the funds is there an alternative/
Look up ROOST. Very friendly and it’s free.
This is a great way to get out into the world of social media in helping your company.
Another subject to touch on – web site crash.
Defined as 200% increase.
Have a plan doesn’t look good to all those new customers trying to come into your web site when it crashes.
Check out NEUSTAR. They can help alleviate this problem.
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Financial Health
Nov 11th
Financial Health
Do you know your credit score? Important to know.
Credit scores help lending institutions know how much to lend and what terms.
So you can see they better your score the less it will cost you for borrowing and credit card usage.
Three reporting agencies. Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union.
An excellent score would be above 730.
So how can you raise your credit score? Little increments.
Pay on time.
Keep tabs on your credit.
Don’t close old accounts or open too many new accounts all at once.
Pay off debt. Most important.
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Bad Apples
Nov 2nd
Bad Apples
Bad apples can ruin a whole team.
Someone who is lazy and incompetent can ruin great performers.
Bad Apples distract and drag down everyone.
Owners and Managers usually focus on the best achievers. Bad Apples need as much attention or more.
Why? Bad is stronger than good.
Look at your local news, mostly about stories on negative results to society.
Negative thots can trigger in others larger and longer lasting negativity.
One slacker can drop the performance by 30-40% of the group.
How to squash negativity. First work hard at not hiring them.
Candidates know how to fill out a proper resume and how to hold a good interview, even attend the best schools. But inside they are lazy, incompetent and nasty.
Some companies are now bringing in candidates to work a couple of days on a small project. They can find out very quickly their technical skills but also their personality. How did they deal with a set back? Do they know who to ask advice from or do they even ask for advice?
Best companies make explicit their intolerance for bad apples. They spell out which behaviors are unacceptable and act decisively to prevent and halt them. They make is very clear that disrespect and selfishness are unacceptable. Some companies call them jerks.
Anyone who persistently demeans others on staff or puts personal needs ahead of others, they act quickly to expel.
Some leaders use coaching, warnings, and incentives to curb toxic employees.
Others may physically isolate the bad apples.
Remember one bad apple can bring the others down, and when he is gone they will do their best again.
Some thots from the Wall Street Journal 24 October 2011, article titled ‘How a few bad apples ruin everything’. by Robert Sutton
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Trust
Oct 28th
Trust
Some thots from Robert Hurley in the Wall Street Journal 24 October 2011 title ‘Trust Me’
It develops when you say what you are going to do and you do it – daily.
Statistics show most trusted companies have lower employee turnover and higher revenue.
How?
Demonstrate concern for others.
Deliver on your promises.
Communicate frequently clearly and openly.
Be consistent and honest.
Some thots from Robert Hurley in the Wall Street Journal 24 October 2011 title ‘Trust Me’
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Starting a Part Time Small Business
Oct 26th
Starting a Part Time Small Business
Salary down 20%, expenses still the same as before the down turn. Want to keep day job can I start a small business to generate a little extra cash?
Is it possible? Yes!
Here are four principles to go by:
1 – Something you know and have a passion about.
2 – Fast turn around – you have limited energy don’t want to get discouraged.
3 – Low Overhead and Cash Infusion – start up money very low.
4 – Operations are Simple – easy step up, not complicated, nothing working get discouraged.
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Customer Service in Your Small Business
Sep 29th
How important is Customer Service?
The difference between success and failure could be your quality of Customer Service.
I have spent a life time in owning and operating small businesses and believe me Customer Service is at the top of importance.
When developing Customer Service for your business say Excellent Customer Service.
Customers are asking for more help in purchases and understanding the product or service you provide. Give good clean advise.
Ask yourself is your Company a cut above the rest? Or is someone better than you.
What do you do - give better training and always work on the attitude projected starting with the owner.
Small businesses have the edge in giving Superior Customer Service over the big boxes. You have to do it- no choice.
Stats show customers talk – they tell up to 10 people when receiving great service. But listen to this they tell up to 20 people when receiving bad service. You want the times ten not the times 20 in your business.
You have to help the customer make decisions do it with excellence.
Go for it! Be the best. It will pay off in dividends.
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