Retail stores often struggle to get the customer traffic necessary to thrive in an increasingly digital world.  It’s even more difficult for stores that aren’t located in a high-traffic area. While a good location definitely helps, it’s not the only way to drive traffic to retail stores.

If you love to cook, bake, or create a one-of-a-kind delectable that puts a smile on someone’s face when they eat it, then maybe you have considered selling your unique dish as a product. However, jumping into the business side of things to get your product to customers takes planning, knowledge, and resources. Before you turn your recipe into a product in the marketplace, first ask yourself these six questions:

Running an exporting business can be an exciting venture, and a profitable one as well. In one year, American export companies have accounted for over $770 billion in sending/selling goods to more than 150 different countries. When considering global export and jumping into the international business trade, here are some important factors to keep in mind:

While most people might think of a young, ambitious, risk-taker when referring to an entrepreneur, the truth is that a growing number of people over the age of 50 are starting their own businesses. According to a recent study by National Trends, those ages 55 to 64 have a higher rate of new entrepreneurial activity than the 20-34 age group. These “encore entrepreneurs” are putting the skills and talents they’ve acquired over their lifetime to start a new challenge. Encore entrepreneurship allows older individuals many of whom have been downsized, to pursue alternative ways to make money, to start the business they have always wanted of simply to start something whereby they can leave a legacy..

Article originally posted on AARP Oregon on June 1, 2017.

Entrepreneurs often want to start their own business because they have a passion for a certain product or service and have some expertise in how to deliver it. However, there are many facets of running a business that are equally important to its growth..

If you own a small business, or you’re thinking of starting one, you may believe the best way to market your business is to get your message out to everyone. The more people you can reach, the more sales you can achieve, right? The problem with that approach is it’s a bit like trying to catch all the fish in the sea. If you try to do that, you’re going to waste time and resources. That’s why you need to identify your target market. The most effective and efficient way to market your business is by focusing on the group of consumers that is the best fit for your product or service — the ones most likely to buy what you’re selling. The Small Business Development Center has put together a list of 5 questions you should ask to help you identify your target market.

Does your company invest in professional development for its employees? Have you thought about it? Maybe you should. Investing in the professional growth of your employees has many benefits that more than justify any associated costs. In this post we’ll look at the seven different reasons managers should make employee skill development a priority.

Starting your own business can be exciting and it takes a great deal of time and energy. At first, most small business owners wear many hats, taking on the work of multiple functional areas (operations, sales, accounting, marketing, and HR etc.) all by themselves or with just a very small team. As you grow your business,  through the early days, the challenges of taking on all the work will slowly be lifted as your team expands.  Unfortunately, many small business owners struggle with this transition from worker to manager and leader. When you’re used to doing everything your way it can be difficult to give up some of the control you’ve had for so many years. Michael Gerber, author of the E-Myth refers to this transitions as moving from “working in the business, to working on the business.” There are many things you can do to make the transition from worker to leader smoother, and position your business for success.

Originally created for the Portland Chinese Times by Leslie Hildula, Jade District Business Liaison from Small Business Development Center at Portland Community College.