Government and Economy
Small Business Indicators Fall with Employment
A monthly index of key small business indicators fell in January to its second-lowest level in 35 years. Washington Business Journal
Small Lenders Taking a Fresh Look at SBA Loans
Small community banks may have once considered SBA loans too cumbersome, but now they are becoming SBA lenders in advance of economic stimulus incentives and that could open new financing for entrepreneurs. The Arizona Republic
By Charles M Cooper · February 18 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Tips originally broadcast on December 2, 2008
The Small Business tips today will be about hiring employees.
Call previous employers. Ask for information about the applicant even tho most only share dates of employment.
Ask for personal and business references. CALL THEM. Drug screening, background check.
Search social networks and see what they do in "spare time". Are they are someone you want representing your company?
Know the job before you interview. Interview only on the essential skills. Watch for the value versus the cost an employee can bring.
Daily Overview: Don't find out all of your employees faults later. Screening applicants can save you lots of time and aggravation.
Point number three can be touchy and I've debated it with many. The important thing for everyone to remember is that anything you do can be easily recorded and broadcast to the world. Consider your name and your fac...
By Kim Fenolio · February 17 2009
small business tips, small business, hiring, tips
Tips originally broadcast on December 1, 2008
The Small Business tips today will be about handling your employees.
Initiate frequent and frank discussions regarding performance expectations, teamwork, leadership styles and company performance.
Ignoring workplace challenges can cause an employee to lose their commitment to performance. Ignorance is NOT bliss.
Most important: tell your employees often if they do something well. A simple "good job" goes a long way towards a boost in morale.
Offer perks. In my office we have Free Pizza Friday and leave early on Fridays. If you can, give a bonus for exceptional work.
Daily Overview: If you take care of your employees, they'll take care of you and stick with you for long haul.
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I post small business tips on my Twitter account each day, Monday through Friday. This is a reposting of those tips.
By Kim Fenolio · February 16 2009
small business tips, small business, tips, environment
Oh, for the good old days when it was just a question of whether you had a salary or an hourly wage! If you were salaried, you got a yearly income figure and no overtime. If you were hourly, you got an hourly income figure and overtime. This basic set-up has been around since the inception of the Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in the 1930s, but over the years things have become a little complicated, especially when it comes to small business.
Exempt or Non-Exempt, That is the Question It’s no longer a question of whether an employee is salaried or hourly, but rather whether or not the employee is exempt from the FLSA or not. Typically, those that are exempt are paid salaries and those that are not exempt are paid by the hour. If it was an issue of titles, then this would be easy, but it isn’t. The courts have gone by what the employee does, rather than by what they are called, to determine whether or not an employee is exempt.
By Charles M Cooper · May 30 2008
employees
Anyone who has ever set foot in a warehouse store knows that as soon as you walk in, you’re greeted by huge, plasma screen TVs, camera displays and computers. So one would think assume that these businesses sell a ton of these products to every shopper, right? Well, maybe not. The NPD Group, an organization providing consumer and retail information, just released a report showing that only 14 percent of consumers shopped at a warehouse store in the past year, and only 10 percent of that figure purchased electronics. Why such a low amount? According to Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis for The NPD Group, the two biggest reasons are lack of service and too few knowledgeable salespeople. “Consumers have confidence in the products being sold, just not in the people selling them,” said Baker. “But buying through these channels is a trade-off between low prices and low levels of service. As products get more complicated and interconnected, ge...
By Lisa Doyle · May 06 2008
employees
