Small businesses fail at an alarmingly high rate. Here’s how to mitigate the risks that all new ventures face. By: Emily Heaslip , Contributor By adopting a “lean and mean” cash flow mindset, ensuring steady demand for your product, and tapping skilled leadership, you can ward off the three biggest threats to failure. – Getty Images/Javier…

These tools use artificial intelligence to generate full business plans you can take to investors. By: Emily Heaslip , Contributor   Although you shouldn’t rely on artificial intelligence to write your entire business plan for you, AI tools can provide general content and first drafts to get you started. – Getty Images/JGI/Tom Grill Writing a business plan…

Businesses need to give wary consumers a reason to shop, and research shows they are responding to deals, convenience, personalized suggestions, and promotions. By: Joan Verdon , Contributor Retailers, like Bath & Body Works, have found that pop-culture tie-ins help draw shoppers to their stores. – Bath & Body Works Why it matters: With consumers worried about…

5 Policies to Improve Lives and Strengthen Communities. Sustained economic growth is essential for widespread prosperity. U.S. Chamber President and CEO Suzanne P. Clark highlighted policies elected leaders should prioritize to boost growth. Why it matters: Americans want faster economic growth that improves their lives, fuels innovation, creates more opportunities, and strengthens communities. “Businesses of all…

Small Business Resource Round-up Since this is Small Business Month, we thought it would be the ideal time to call attention to some of the resources out there for the small business. With an increase in awareness of how important small businesses are to the local and national economies, large businesses are getting into the…

Let’s face it, our daily habits often run on autopilot. We grab coffee from the same place, click the same websites when we shop, and call the same service providers without a second thought. Loyalty is great but what if, just for a moment, we paused and considered the impact of those everyday purchases? Small…

These six digital tools will help you provide better service and build customer loyalty. Each customer has their preferred method of communication. Offer a few different options, such as live chat and phone support, that accommodate everyone. – Getty Images/andresr When a customer has a question for your business, they expect a response within a day.…

Elevate your strategy with promotional emails and newsletters while adhering to basic guidelines. Use these tips to plan your approach. After you encourage your customers to sign up for your email list, you can sort your subscribers into categories based on demographics and behaviors. – Getty Images/Petri Oeschger As a small business owner, you know that…

Many organizations provide support and online tools for small business owners and employees. Take advantage of these free resources during Small Business Month and throughout the year. Trying to keep costs down? There are plenty of free business resources online. – Getty Images/filadendron From operations and logistics to employee and customer management, small business owners wear…

Another calendar page has come and gone and with it, we’re ushering in May and Small Business Month. There’s no better time to show some local love! Small businesses are the heartbeat of our community. They’re the coffee shops where we meet friends, the boutiques that stock one-of-a-kind finds, and the service providers who remember…