Government, Politics and the Economy
The People's Stimulus
It's not what Congress or the President had in mind, but towns are using $2 bills and "buy local" promotions to launch their own stimulus efforts to keep local merchants in business. CNNMoney.com
Obama and the Entrepreneur: The Story Behind the Photo
When President Obama made his way out of a town-hall event, there was one persistent small business owner pressed him on the issue of taxes. NYTimes.com
By Charles M Cooper · July 31 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from July 30, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss time management. Step 3: Break Old Habits.
Set up a new routine that contrasts with your old way of doing things. New priorities = new routine.
Don't allow for exceptions. Make sure your habit is firmly established without any breakdowns, then allow for some exceptions.
Invest in time management tools to physically help to plan your day & manage time. Try Microsoft Outlook or Google Tasks in GCal.
Learn to say NO! Accept that you can't do everything. Don't be afraid to delegate some extra work to others to help you.
Daily Overview: Without changing past habits, you will not adapt to new policies and adjustments in your new lifestyle.
By Cheryl Sowa · July 30 2009
small business tips, small business, old habits, break
There are only two things that are absolutely certain in this world, death and taxes. If you own a small business, if the first of these is far from your thoughts, the second certainly is not. We all know that if you charge sales tax on your merchandise, you are a de facto tax collector for the state and, sometimes, county and local government where you do business. You are given a tax rate, 10.25% in Chicago, for example, and you have to pay that amount on your sales. You, in turn, pass that along to your customers. They pay you the tax and then, at an appointed time, you pay the government.
Ever wonder what would happen if you don’t pay up?
There are a lot of businesses out there that are running on empty. Revenues are down, costs are rising, the banks won’t lend and these honest, hardworking folks are at their wits end trying to keep the doors open. They need cash desperately so many of them miss making those tax payments, hoping that they can pay late, or cat...
By Charles M Cooper · July 30 2009
small business, sales taxes, business licenses, tax payments
ABC Online and On Your Side
EZlocal.com Gets a Redesign
EZlocal.com recently got a redesign. More members are seeing their business on the site as a Featured Listing on the local homepages, search results and more! If you're a paid ABC member you can login to add coupons, images and detailed descriptions to drive even more traffic to your business.
Government, Politics and the Economy
Velazquez: Reduce the Burden on Small Business
House Committee on Small Business chairwoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), is asking for changes in the healthcare reform legislation being developed that would reduce the tax burden on small businesses. WebCPA.com
By Charles M Cooper · July 30 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from July 29, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss time management. Step 3: Prioritize.
Start each day by choosing your most important tasks or those that will cause worry. Place special attention to those tasks.
Identify your prime time for productive work, whether it is 10am or 3pm. Do important work during that time.
If the situation arises, complete new urgent tasks upon receiving them. Get them done as soon as possible & get back on track.
If desired, try the snowball effect: complete smaller tasks throughout the day for momentum to finish your big, difficult task.
Daily Overview: Establishing which tasks you need to complete first helps you organize your day & manage your time.
By Cheryl Sowa · July 29 2009
small business tips, small business, work, tasks
Healthcare reform—that thousand-plus page monster that, according to House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-MI), is pointless to read—is going to have a great and terrible impact on entrepreneurs and from that epicenter on their businesses, their employees and the economy as a whole. According to Columbia business professor Rita McGrath, the reason for this is that entrepreneurs will change the way they do things, not so much to thrive but to cope. She writes that “the plan currently being sped along by the House Democrats is going to fundamentally alter what [economist William J.] Baumol called the ‘structure of incentives’ that shape how entrepreneurs allocate their energies.”
The Structure of Incentives
What are these incentives? They are the things that make going into a particular business worthwhile. According to an articl...
By Charles M Cooper · July 29 2009
small business, obama, healthcare reform, pelosi. rita mcgrath
ABC Online and On Your Side
EZlocal.com Gets a Redesign
EZlocal.com recently got a redesign. More members are seeing their business on the site as a Featured Listing on the local homepages, search results and more! If you're a paid ABC member you can login to add coupons, images and detailed descriptions to drive even more traffic to your business.
Government, Politics and the Economy
Durable Goods Orders, Excluding Cars and Planes, Unexpectedly Rise
Excluding cars and aircraft, new orders for US durable goods rose unexpectedly in June, a signal that manufacturing may expand in the second half of the year. Bloomberg.com
Management and Operations...
By Charles M Cooper · July 29 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips from July 28, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss time management. Step 2: Find Out Where You're Wasting Time
Keep a log to document your activities during the day & time spent on them. Check which are productive & which are not.
Identify what activities can only be done by you & which ones you can delegate. Allow others to help where they can.
Identify major time wasters: Internet, email, socializing, communication breakdown. Eliminate the problems you can & control the issues.
Create goals. Write them down to ensure that you follow them. Track your progress every so often, reevaluate, & adjust.
Daily Overview: Realizing your time wasters will allow you to delegate time efficiently & create goals.
By Cheryl Sowa · July 28 2009
small business tips, small business, waste, goals
