freelancers and small business
Should freelancers and small business owners work for free?
Now that we can all create our own websites, blog about our lives and share our photographs, the price for doing these things professionally has dramatically fallen. Not only that, but being asked to work for free is something most home business owners will have encountered, even those in a profession such as accountancy or the law. It’s a difficult decision to make, bearing in mind you want to balance a good reputation with theRead More
Europe
How to find the best bank account for your business
A bank account is a must for all businesses, but the idea of shopping around and getting a good deal on one still seems alien to many of us. It is often quoted that a person is more likely to change their husband or wife than their bank account. But greater liquidity and competition would do wonders for the UK business environment. Entrepreneurs need to look beyond the well-known banks, or at least compare theirRead More
Jon Card, Guardian Professional
Bitcoin: a beginner’s guide for entrepreneurs
From pints in the pub to seats on private jets, businesses are using this new currency with great success Bitcoin emerged in 2009; it is a peer-to-peer currency created solely by software. It means that one individual or business can pay another without the need to involve a bank. Transactions can take place anywhere in the world and can be concluded very quickly – usually in less than 10 minutes and can potentially involve veryRead More
Business founder Richard Dodgson answers our questions
Small business in the spotlight: What attributes should you possess to start a career in events?
Just how organised do you have to be to run an events company? I am big on lists and scheduling, so my diary has to be in step with that. My diary is pretty busy and I like it when it flows seamlessly from one meeting to another. However, my to-do list is relatively short, as I get things done rather than leaving things hanging – as the poet Edward Young once said, procrastination isRead More
Bill Dunkelberg, Chief Economist for the National Federation of Independent Business
October 2014 Report: Small business optimism drops
SUMMARY OPTIMISM INDEX September’s Optimism Index gave up 0.8 points, falling to 95.3. At 95.3, the Index is now 5 points below the pre-recession average (from 1973 to 2007). Four Index components improved, six declined. Two declined by 10 points total, accounting for the entire decline in the Index score. Unfortunately, the two that fell drastically were job openings and planned capital outlays, which are directly relevant to GDP growth and hiring. LABOR MARKETS NFIBRead More
Ben Lobel
Small businesses benefit from modernised street trading rules
Reforms to street trading rules will make them both stronger and fairer, a government minister has said. Plans set out in the government’s response to a consultation held last year include amending street trading legislation so that undue restrictions on licences for pedlars and street traders are removed, and character checks to include a search of the police national databases are to be applied consistently across the UK. Also, the requirement for a pedlar to have livedRead More
Rex Hammock
Google Honors Savvy Small Business eMarketing Communities With eCity Awards
Google has announced 50 state winners of Google eCity Awards. According to the company, the awards recognize the strongest online business community in each state. “These cities’ businesses are using the web to find new customers, connect with existing customers and fuel their local economies,” says Google.According to the selection methodology, the first hurdle for a city to cross to be considered their state’s eCity winner was to be among the top five cities with the highest percentageRead More
Rex Hammock
Small Business Health Insurance Premiums May Not Be Rising as Predicted
Over the past year, our coverage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA or “Obamacare”) has reinforced something we already knew: The experts on the topic are often wrong, but seldom in doubt. (We explained the reason last week why it’s hard to get past the noise of competing narratives when it comes to politics and the economy.) That said, here goes: (via: NYTimes.com You’re the Boss blog) (Based on reporting and anecdotal evidence), rate increasesRead More
By Maura Schreier-Fleming
Small Steps Lead to Big Sales
What are the small steps you can take that will lead you to big sales? Here are some ideas that you can implement to increase your sales: Change your sales process. You know that it’s easier to sell to prospects that are referred to you. Why not change your sales process? That’s your first small step. Ask for a referral after every sale and an appropriate period of time. Of course, this means you mustRead More
News
Google Acquires Directr, a Small Business Video Marketing Startup
Details of the deal were not disclosed, but Directr is a relatively small operation, having only raised $1.7 million in funding. The company will integrate into YouTube’s video ads division. “Our small band of scrappy film lovers set out 2 years ago to help regular folks make great video. Today, we are incredibly excited to take the next step on that journey and announce that we are joining the video ads team at YouTube,” DirectrRead More