Posts by Amber Bryson

How to Create Long-Term vs. Short-Term Goals Knowing how to set goals is vital to your success. These tips will help you set small, attainable tasks while working towards your greater vision. By: Leanne Haas , Contributor As a business owner, setting both short-term and long-term goals can help you visualize and achieve success. Here’s the…

A Strategic Guide to Marketing Your Small Business Learn how to create a marketing plan, choose the right channels, track ROI, and grow your business with proven strategies and tools. By: Nicole Fallon , Contributor Whether it’s through traditional advertising channels, modern digital platforms, or word-of-mouth referrals, every business needs to spread awareness about its products or…

55 Business Ideas for 2025 and Beyond Want to launch a business that’s poised for success right now? Get inspired by our list of businesses that will thrive in 2025 and beyond. With numerous emerging technologies and shifting consumer needs, 2025 is an ideal year to launch a business. New business applications have skyrocketed from 2.8…

Helping Customers Move Past “Let Me Think About It” Has this happened to you? Whether online or in-person, there’s a customer who lingers, hesitates. They’re eyeing your item or menu. They’re asking questions about it. You think they’re going to buy and then they walk away or abandon their online cart without making a decision.…

13 ChatGPT Prompts That Could Help Grow Your Small Business Explore how these 13 ChatGPT prompts can transform your small business, from streamlining your workflow to refining your customer service. By: Miranda Fraraccio , Contributor ChatGPT has quickly become a household name, with businesses of all sizes leveraging the AI-powered tool to automate tasks and advance their workflows. While…

Work-Life Integration Is the New Work-Life Balance. Is Your Team Ready? Work-life integration and work-life balance are two distinct ways to think about the boundaries (or lack thereof) between personal and professional lives. By: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary , Contributor The right balance between work and life varies from person to person. While some professionals separate the…

Email Marketing Laws: What Small Businesses Must Know About Compliance Understanding the rules and following email marketing best practices is key to ensuring your commercial messages comply with regulations. By: Julianna Lopez , Contributor Email marketing is a highly effective marketing channel with an impressive return on investment (up to $40 for every dollar spent, on average). However,…

7 Creative Summer and Back-to-School Marketing Ideas As summer hits its peak(yeah, it’s hard to believe)and the back-to-school buzz begins, this is the perfect time to refresh your marketing. It’s also a great time to connect with your customers in meaningful, fun, and creative ways. And you don’t have to be a retail shop to…

Small Business Confidence Rises as Uncertainty Lingers By: Thaddeus Swanek, Author The Q2 2025 Small Business Index rose slightly but was accompanied by lingering economic uncertainties about the future. The MetLife & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index for Q2 2025 rose slightly to 65.2 this quarter, up from 62.3 in Q1. While this uptick reflects…

NC sees 2nd-highest month ever for new business startups CNBC ranked North Carolina the No.1 state in the U.S. to do business in 2025. Gov. Josh Stein said $17 billion in investments have been announced this year alone. Picture: Courtesy of Josh Stein. May was North Carolina’s second-busiest month on record for new business starts,…