How many times have you heard someone say that they have a “million dollar idea” that actually sounded like it could be turned into a viable business plan? Some of the best entrepreneurs were observant of a problem that needed to be solved, or a demand for a product or service, and decided to take the leap to create a business out of it.

An important ingredient for small business success in today’s digital environment is visibility in search engine results. When someone searches for a product they need, will it be your business they find or one of your competitors? Think of your own practice when you’re searching for a website. Do you ever click over to the second page of results? If you’re like most consumers, you probably click on one of the first two or three results. So, how do you increase your chances of showing up in one of those top positions?

When it comes to starting a business, there are few roles as important as your bookkeeper and accountant. Sound bookkeeping and accounting are vital for small businesses to get up and running, and to maintain their financial stability.

Bookkeeping and accounting professionals perform a number of tasks that are essential for your business, including having your books in order, staying in compliance, filing taxes on time and correctly, managing payroll, and more. If you’re considering starting a new business or are already in the beginning stages, you might be concerned that you don’t have the right professional to manage them. Do you need an accountant or a bookkeeper to take on these crucial functions?

For people ready for a second act in life, an encore entrepreneurship may be the perfect choice. Whether you’re retired, unemployed, or looking for some extra income, joining the ranks of entrepreneurs over 50 can be a great opportunity to pursue a business that’s always interested you. Or you may choose to dip your toe in the water of the many unexplored opportunities you never had time for. In this post, we’ll discuss how to get started with an encore business.

Garnish apparel is the brain child of chief designer and store owner Erica Lurie. They are located in the Pearl District of NW Portland, OR and feature "designed in house, made in Portland" fashion apparel for women. 

Matthew Micetic opened his new storefront in FoPo JUST IN TIME for the 2017 holiday gift giving season. Matthew is a graduate of PCC's Small Business Development Center Retail Small Business Management Class. Matthew shares his story below.

No matter how successful you are, owning and operating a successful restaurant is an ongoing challenge to maintain - and build upon - your accomplishments. Whether it’s keeping up to date on the latest in restaurant news, or finding tips and tricks on how to improve service and food quality, it’s important to continually tap into resources that can help improve your business.

Becoming a Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) can increase your value as an employee and open the door to new opportunities. Just consider the fact that 70% of the world’s purchasing power lays outside the United States — this certification proves your proficiency at international trade, which is extremely useful and highly sought after in today’s economy. Today’s post will provide an overview of what global business certification is and how to become certified.

With 70% of the world’s purchasing power existing outside of U.S. borders, global trade is an appealing prospect even to small businesses. This is especially true when you recall some of the data about how international trade is good for Oregon’s economy in general, as well as small businesses specifically. But it’s important to remember that being a great choice for some companies doesn’t make global exportation the right choice for your business. That’s why we’ve gathered three benefits and risks to help you determine how international trade can impact your business.

Running a restaurant successfully is a difficult endeavor, and it requires effective restaurant management to help your business thrive. Diners expect quick and excellent service from staff that strive to ensure they have a pleasurable meal. The best way to provide that is through an efficiently managed restaurant.

Successfully run restaurants require a myriad of things to run properly and smoothly, including your management, wait and cook staff, and even the layout of your restaurant can have an impact. Without each of these things operating cohesively, your restaurant as a whole could suffer. We’ve put together four steps to strengthen each of these areas and improve performance.