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by: Tione Torrens

Job descriptions can serve many functions in a business’ experience with their employees.  A job description can serve as a method to communicate a clear understanding of job expectations and duties, the information needed to help classify exempt or non-exempt job status, and identify any physical requirements of the job. 

Here are just a few creative ways to use job descriptions at your company:

• Writing employment advertisements
  • Make sure to list the job title and clearly define the education, skills, knowledge and work experience along with any other requirements for the

The long-awaited Dept. of Labor regulations have been finalized.  You and your employees may hear about them in the news this week. If you have EXEMPT employees (i.e. salaried) who make less than $47,476 per /year, you may be affected and need to make changes in pay and/or overtime practices.  Millions of employees of small business owners will be eligible for overtime wages. The criteria for employees to qualify for salary status has changed in a significant way.

Click here for more information from the Department of Labor about these changes.

The good news is that there are several options

By Becky Harris

Consumers are mobile…are you?

According to one Kissmetrics study, 78% of mobile searches for local business information result in a purchase. With this many consumers making purchasing decisions on-the-go, why is it that, according to BuzzBoard data, 47.3% of all small business websites across the US are not mobile-ready? Other data sources show even larger numbers are unprepared.

Consumers have embraced mobile search and apps as primary tools to find local business information and they are not waiting for your small business to catch up. According to Google, there are now more

By Sharon V. Munroe 

This month, SCORE Austin focuses on helping clients with websites and technology, both of which can propel a small business forward. Before tackling web platforms and applications, however, business owners should first determine how their website is intended to serve its customer base.

Here are top 10 things to consider:

1. Determine who your website is for. Give some thought as to the type of consumer and/or business professional that would seek out your business and website. Beyond that, what are the specific characteristics of your target audience?
2. What are the

By Patricia Bell, SCORE Mentor and Leadership Development Trainer/Consultant

The beginning of the year brings reflection for business owners and their employees.  Whether you have a large organization or a company of five, everyone wants to know the same thing:

“How did we do last year?”

Take a cue from the sports world and set the tone for improvement by providing the proper coaching needed to finish the year strong. Professional athletes depend on the critical and helpful eye of their coaches to perfect their technique, style and ability to execute with success.

It’s the same in the business

By Ralph Coker

A good credit score usually gets you more favorable credit terms and a lower interest rate. Credit scores fall into five categories: bad credit (below 550), poor credit (550-619), fair credit (620-679), good credit (680-739) and excellent credit (740+). Obviously, and especially as a small business owner in Austin (or anywhere), you want excellent credit.

One calculator indicates the difference between fair and good reduces lifetime credit cost by $83,047 for a typical person. The difference between poor and good is:

$236,451 and between bad and good it’s $392,715. The credit costs

As lending from big banks to small businesses has plummeted (down 38% since 2006), alternative lenders have poured into the void to help entrepreneurs access growth capital.These lenders should be serving small businesses with integrity. Many are. Unfortunately, we also see deception, misdirection and predatory behavior.

We’re thrilled to see that Able, which funds businesses through its collaborative lending platform, has signed the Small Business Borrowers Bill of Rights ­ and has activated its network of borrowers around it in a really exciting way. Together with Able, we call on OnDeck

by: Pete Carvell

Although reports that more businesses are closing than starting may be true, this overlooks the fact that small business start-ups and entrepreneurship are alive and well. Claims that government regulations, taxes, health care mandates and other pressures discourage new business growth are not necessarily supported by recent studies and statistics. Actually, small business creation is on the upswing.

According to the Kaufmann Index of Startup Activity, 2015 recorded the largest year-on-year increase in start-ups in two decades, reversing a downward trend that started in 2010

By Holly Reisem Hanna

Whether you’re a solopreneur, freelancer or aspiring entrepreneur – you need to have a roadmap for your business. This roadmap is your business plan. A business plan will allow you to develop an overall game plan. It will not only help you to avoid costly mistakes, it will also be your ‘go-to’ document if you need financial funding.

But don’t worry…you don’t have to spend months researching and writing a business plan from scratch. There are many online templates and tutorials that can fast-track the process and get you up and running in no time.

Here are some easy-to-use

by: Kathryn Turpin

If you have developed a successful business, you may at some point consider selling that business to pursue other things: perhaps starting a new business – or maybe exploring the Caribbean!

How do you determine the selling price for your business? Knowing how much your business is worth is not easy.

Keep in mind that the right selling price is simply the price that a willing and able purchaser will pay for your business. Market conditions, such as the availability of financing or the number of other businesses for sale, can easily impact the purchase price. Business owners

by: Cherylann Occhipinti Campbell

How do you know when to hire contractors or when to bite the bullet and hire employees?  When you do decide on contractors, how can you assure that contractors don’t eventually file for unemployment, demand overtime rates, and payroll tax payments—especially when you end their assignments?   Or, did you think that contractors couldn’t do that?  Think again.

Most growing small businesses are regularly faced with important human resources decisions within tight budget constraints. On the surface, we think a contractor is cheaper (e.g. not paying income taxes to

by: Carly DeFelice

Have you ever wanted tips on how to turn a hobby into a business? Do you hate your job: whether it is having a bad boss, lousy pay, or a nonexistent work-life balance? Everyone is constantly changing jobs, and often times adults, still wonder, “What do I want to be when I grow up?”

Is the answer then ditching your 9-5 jig and turning your passion for yoga, sewing, or whatever it may be into your very own business?

Be warned, The New York Times reported that, “Career switchers have found that going solo comes with its own pitfalls: a steep learning curve, no security, physical