It’s been an honor and privilege serving the small business community over the last year as the U.S. Small Business Administration Region VIII administrator. I take pride in the fact I’ve traveled more than 10,000 miles visiting small business and community leaders in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. The last 12 […]
’Tis the season to be jolly, not broke. Many small retailers earn 25 percent or more of annual revenues during the Christmas shopping season. Consequently, stagnant holiday sales can trigger a death spiral in the coming year. The Small Business Administration has compiled a list of six hurdles small retailers face during the holiday shopping […]
Addressing national issues might be beyond our individual control, but each of us can effect positive change in our communities by supporting locally owned small businesses. In Colorado, 97 percent of businesses are considered small. Still, the 560,000 small firms in the state collectively employ nearly 1 million people and account for almost all new […]
As Americans prepare to celebrate National Veterans Small Business Week Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, I thought it might be appropriate to offer an overview of U.S. Small Business Administration programs and services for veterans and their spouses. This theme of National Veterans Small Business Week is “Veteran Entrepreneurs: Success Across Generations,” which will highlight […]
You’ve decided on XYZ Bank to lend your business some badly needed capital. So it’s time to visit the banker, right? Wrong. Once you sit down with a banker, you’ll need to answer a variety of questions about your financial needs and business goals. If you do a little homework beforehand, answering those questions thoroughly […]
Over the years I’ve talked with dozens of entrepreneurs about why they took on the challenges of starting their own small businesses. Many of these entrepreneurs wanted to create niche markets for new products or services. Some saw small business ownership as a way to replace income lost due to unemployment or retirement. No matter […]
Collecting overdue accounts payable can be an especially unpleasant part of doing business. Most businesses have regular customers who pay on time and keep accounts current. But not handling late payments in a timely manner endangers cash flow and long-term viability. Here are six simple steps to make the collection process less stressful and more […]
According to the Department of Energy, small businesses in the United States spend a combined $60 billion a year on energy. But small businesses that invest strategically can cut utility costs 10 percent to 30 percent without sacrificing service, quality, style or comfort — all while making significant contributions to a cleaner environment. By becoming […]
One of this region’s most expensive disasters unfolded the night of Sept. 9, 2013, when more than 10 inches of rain fell in a 24-hour period and flooding inundated Boulder and other communities, damaging nearly 20,000 homes and hundreds of small businesses. Unfortunately, our region is prone to a variety of natural disasters — flooding, […]
Small businesses offer customized delivery options for customers and manage employee payrolls with a swipe of a screen or click of a button. Digital tools help small firms compete with big firms, keeping dollars on Main Street and spurring local economies. Integrating the right technology for your small business can be challenging, but also increasingly […]