One of the first steps for any new business, along with creating that all important business plan and finding the financial support needed to implement the plan, is the creation of a marketing plan.  To do this, you must have a vision for your business, what it will be, and how it will look. Most importantly  you need to know who your business will seek to attract, and what these customers want in products and services, and where they get their information.  This is called identifying your target audience.

Target audience refers to a specific group of people or individuals that a product or

Have you planned in your yearend financial review a look at the “What Ifs”?   It is my belief that in your review of how your business is doing financially, having a short discussion with your accountant and/or banker, lawyer, and insurance agent about the “What Ifs” would benefit your confidence in moving forward with your plans.  These reviews should be done yearly if not more often.

In May of 2020 during the COVID Pandemic I revisited the “What If?” Question that I wrote about in 2018.  In the 2018 article I wrote about a business’s supply chain and how one must consider various

SEO is Search Engine Optimization.  It is a way to make your company appear sooner when people perform an online search for your product or service.  Google dominates the search engine market with more than 93%

The first step is to search your company “incognito” to find out how you are doing.  To search incognito, open Google Chrome, select the three-dot icon in the upper right corner, select New Incognito Window from the drop-down menu.  It will be darker than normal.  Where do you come up-top, bottom?  Also, do a search of your company’s product or service and see if and where you come up

“We are negotiating all the time.  In fact, any time you are toe to toe, kneecap to kneecap, belly button to belly button with another individual, you’re negotiating.” --Roger Dawson

It’s true that we are negotiating all the time.  It’s also true that for many of us, it is a very stressful process.   Let’s set up a new goal: to still get what we want, but have our negotiations be more fun, less stressful.   How about using this formula: 

SAY YES + PROPOSE A TRADE OFF = GET WHAT WE WANT WITH MORE FUN, LESS STRESS

Step 1:  SAY YES.  Well that was easy.

Stip 2:  OFFER A TRADE OFF.  Although

Welcome to 2024.  With it, it brings possibilities, challenges, opportunities, choices and yes, inevitably, STRESS you didn’t see coming.  It happens to all of us despite how prepared we think we are.  So here you are … what next?  If there a new direction I should consider taking my business?  What new services or new products should I implement?  All of this narrative can make you freeze in your tracks.  You get overwhelmed and the thought of making any changes puts you right into doing the same ole, same ole and procrastination.  “I’ll think about it next week”, but you don’t.   How can you

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), enacted in 2021 to curb illicit finance, requires many companies doing business in the United States to report information about the individuals who ultimately own or control them. The purpose of the Act is to prevent “bad actors” from hiding behind “shell companies” for illegal business activities such as money laundering.  Beginning January 1, 2024 US companies will be required to report Beneficial Owner Information (BOI) for persons who own and/or control companies to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). FinCEN is a bureau of the U.S