Leslie Hildula, business advisor and lead of the retail programs at PCC Small Business Development Center, met with Kristen Mozian, Marketing Manager, to discuss how retail business owners can increase sales at their brick and mortar shops this winter on Facebook Live. Watch below or scroll down to the notes.
Topics: Small Business, Retail, Growing a Business
As the world becomes more connected, your company has increased opportunities to sell your product worldwide. Did you know 75% of the world’s consumers live outside of the US? U.S. companies that can sell to customers outside the US by exporting their products grow faster and are 8.5 percent less likely to go out of business than companies that do not export.
Topics: Small Business, Global Trade, Growing a Business
When hiring your first employee as a small business owner, it is important that you find someone who fits your business’s culture. Your employee is the first person you trust to support your mission and the first person who acts as a voice for your company. To continue growing, recruit and retain an employee who has the right talents to help your business succeed.
Topics: Small Business, HR & Organizational Effectiveness, Growing a Business
2017 is upon us! That means now is the time to develop your marketing plan for the new year, so you can hit the ground running on January 1st. We’ve put together some tips for creating your marketing strategy.
Topics: Small Business, Growing a Business, Sales & Marketing
Innovation is a big word. It probably conjures up ideas about expansive R&D departments at corporate powerhouses like Apple and Google, but the truth is that innovation is imperative to businesses of all sizes in the 21st Century. The terms “innovation” and “small business” are no longer independent of each other.
Topics: Small Business, Business, Growing a Business
Established by the U.S. Small Business Administration, October marks National Women’s Small Business Month and while the glass ceiling might still be prevalent, women are steadily coming toward the forefront of small business ownership.
Topics: Small Business, Business, Leadership, Growing a Business, Leaders
In 2013, President Obama raised minimum wage to $9/hour, as previous wages were so low that families were unable to afford living costs. Today, states are raising wages even higher, with California being the first state to adopt the legislation that will gradually raise minimum wage to $15/hour. This increase is a positive one for workers, but what does this mean for small business owners like you? Well, it could mean that jobs might need to be cut if employers are expected to pay higher rates. We could also see an increase in prices (up to 4.3%) as well, as employers will need to make more money to pay a higher wage.
Topics: Small Business, Business, Retail, Management, Growing a Business
The Holidays are such an important time of year for small businesses. For many, especially in retail, the Holidays may make or break the entire financial year. Craft fairs and holiday markets have become popular among both consumers and small businesses during this time. But are businesses doing all they can to maximize their retail sales from holiday markets?
Topics: Professional Development, Small Business, Retail, HR & Organizational Effectiveness, Leadership, Management, Starting a Business, Growing a Business
Owning your own retail business can be an exciting, albeit challenging, undertaking. When you look around at some of the larger brands you can see how shifts in consumer behavior and brand loyalty has changed the success and trajectory of a once rather predictable industry. For instance, Wal-Mart announced earlier this year that they would close 269 locations in 2016, accounting for roughly three percent of their stores.
Topics: Professional Development, Small Business, Retail, HR & Organizational Effectiveness, Leadership, Management, Starting a Business, Growing a Business
There’s something exciting about getting your business to the point of being able to bring on new employees. Your business is growing and you’re successful enough to be able to hire people to share some of the load.
On the other hand, there’s something tricky about hiring the right person for the job. As a manager or business owner, there’s a lot on the line in terms workplace culture and customer service quality, not to mention the time and resources it takes to train them. Hiring the wrong person and having them leave is something all companies seek to avoid, but it does happen.
Topics: Professional Development, Small Business, HR & Organizational Effectiveness, Leadership, Management, Starting a Business, Growing a Business