National Small Business Week

National Small Business Week is coming up in May, and in celebration the SBA is sponsoring a small business video contest. From the SBA: "Three winning videos will be featured during National Small Business Week and shown during a Google+ Hangout hosted by SBA and the White House on May 23.

The winners can participate in the event and help me answer questions from small businesses around the country. Qualifying videos that don’t win will be showcased on SBA’s YouTube page.


We are excited to celebrate entrepreneurship and hear from you about how SBA has helped you grow your business and create jobs. Rules, etc on the link attached.
http://smallbizvid.challenge.gov/

Good news!

SC's unemployment rate in March reached its lowest rate in 3 years! All things turn around in time. :-)

Click here to read more on how the S.C. job rate has been the lowest in 3 years at 8.9%. Have you thought about hiring someone at your company lately? Could be a good time!

Veterans looking for work - check this out

Recent veterans looking for work may want to check out this military skills translator. It helps you determine which industries you may be best prepared to enter as a civilian, based on your military skills and experience. click here

An inspirational Story!

A 9-year-old built his own arcade and charged $2 for entry.

Watch how this video will inspire you to do what you love and make something out of nothing. If this little boy can build his dream business, so can you!

Does your company have a website?

Here are 6 Steps to selling more. Today, if a customer wants to get in touch with you or find out more about your business, 90% of the time they’ll go online to see if you have a website.  What they see can determines whether or not they buy.

Take a look at the 6 steps that will help you go above and beyond with your e-commerce selling experiences, and get started today! Click here

Not always hiring a superstar will improve your business

A superstar often flourishes because of a perfect mix of natural ability with a supportive environment. He/She may have honed their skills, received training, formed partnerships and/or basked in a culture that contributed to his/her outstanding performance.

Superstardom is not as portable as we would like to believe, and moving a star to a new situation with none of these factors may prove disastrous for everyone.

Click here to learn the importance of culture in the overall success of an individual.

Family Own Businesses

.Family businesses can operate for generations without formal agreements, licenses or even a legal structure, relying instead on family bonds to hold everything together. Attorney, Chas Rampenthal, explains why this approach may not be such a good idea in the long-run. In this article, Rampenthal shares how to avoid four common mistakes when operating your family owned business.

1. You mix your family finances with the business's

2.You muddle along with no employment agreement

3.You never bother to get the license

4. You have no succession plan
 
Click here to read the article