Guest post by H. E. James, MBA Has your small business ever been dinged because of credit card fraud? The smaller the business, the harder it is to shoulder the chargeback costs when a fraudulent transaction occurs. Before October 2015, most of those charges were borne by credit card companies themselves rather than merchants…
“I’m always gathering email addresses any way I can. Anytime someone forwards a joke or an email to me and includes a bunch of other email addresses, I add all of them to the email marketing list for our organization.” That was the story from a respected rural nonprofit leader. She said that even though…
The Brag Basket is open! This one is for August 5-7, 2016. Bring your good news, big or small, to share with everyone. What can you share in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week celebrate progress, even baby steps congratulate a friend applaud for each other confess your undying…
A common question I get asked is, “What small business should I start?” My typical answer is: “Think about starting a business around something that sparks your passion.” I have a valid reason for giving that answer. The small business you start will take an incredible amount of time. Plus, as you build the business,…
I spent a couple of days last month touring Lake Arrowhead, California, meeting merchants and retailers, talking to residents, and holding a work session with the board of the Village Merchants Association. They have a ton of natural assets, great ideas, but have trouble getting the merchants to come together toward common goals. They’ve…
The Brag Basket is open! This one is for July 29-31, 2016. Bring your good news, big or small, to share with everyone. What can you share in the Brag Basket? introduce yourself share some great news from this week celebrate progress, even baby steps congratulate a friend applaud for each other confess your undying love…
What stands in your way of moving forward? Whether you are someone who would like to get into business or already are in business and would like to move forward, we often find some reason why we just can’t make it happen. Here are some common issues that may be a roadblock for you along…
Glenn Muske wrote Your Small Business Needs a Sign. Ouch! This really hit home for me. Our store sign was damaged by wind and hail, and we left it there for way too long because it seemed like such a big job to do anything. Too many questions: how much will it cost? Which big city…
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