Tag: small business

5 Tips to Build a Celebrity Brand

The dictionary defines a celebrity as someone with fame — renown. In the past achieving celebrity status was enjoyed only by people who soared to the top in fields such as acting, national sports, politics and journalism. People whose faces, names and voices appeared regularly in our homes on television, in newspapers and magazines and on radio.

Traditional media coverage is no longer necessarily needed to build celebrity status. With the advent of technology and social media almost anyone can become a recognized expert — mini-celebrity — in their field. Yes, that means even you can propel yourself to stardom and fame. But it takes hard work, dedication and most of all patience.

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Susan-Says: Happy Independence Day to America’s Entrepreneurs

This week we celebrate America’s independence. On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed declaring our country’s independence from Great Britain. This national holiday, commonly referred to as the 4th of July, is typically associated with fireworks, parades and summer parties. But independence has a broader meaning for small business owners. The spirit of independence is what motivates many entrepreneurs — the opportunity to become your own boss and create your own destiny.

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Six Tips for Hiring the Right Web Developer for Your Small Biz — Guest Blogger Joe Thomas

If you can afford to have your brand new warehouse built from the ground up, who are you going to hire to build it?

The intelligent answer is simple: a reputable building contractor with happy clients and lots of experience, right? I mean, why on earth would you invest your hard-earned dollars to hire anyone less than a pro?

What about your office building or store? As a business owner, you know that it needs to have the right look and feel to be successful. Go ahead, go shopping or to the insurance guy or the doctor. Are the stores and offices run down with bad paint jobs and worn-out carpeting? Does the store you’re buying from have empty crates and clothes blocking the aisles? Of course not. They’re all clean and neat and professional – and most are decorated to impress the customer.

So why, then, would anyone take the opposite approach with their online business?

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Could March Madness Betting Put Your Small Biz at Risk? Susan Appears on “Lunch Break”

Have you noticed your office Internet connection running a little slower this week. There’s a good chance it’s because many of your co-workers are caught up in March Madness — checking scores and watching games. And the Internet isn’t the only thing slowing down — so is worker productivity. Small business expert Susan Solovic on Lunch Break looks at this annual phenomenon and what it means to your business.

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Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late. Safeguard Your Business Today.

June marks the beginning of hurricane season. Our minds are filled with memories of the devastation we’ve witnessed from hurricanes during seven years. As a result of Hurricane Katrina alone, 20,000 businesses were destroyed resulting in 125,000 lost jobs.

Of course, there are all types of natural disasters that affect small businesses — tornadoes, floods, fires, and blizzards. Yet 2/3s of small business owners say they have no disaster plan in place. Dealing with a disaster is difficult under any circumstances, but your chances of surviving and recovering are much greater with a little advance planning.

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