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Look the Part: How Great Design Helps Small Businesses Show Up Bigger Why your content isn’t connecting—and how to fix it. What Small Businesses Can Do to Look (and Feel) More Legit And no—it doesn’t mean spending a fortune. Let’s be honest: Most small businesses don’t have huge budgets. But you do have something powerful—visibility. The question…

No progress for poor areas despite years of NC tier system designed to spark growth NC three-tier system for counties designed to boost job growth. But many communities face chronic unemployment and other problems persist. by Jane Winik Sartwell  October 27, 2025 Jimmie Furr, a volunteer with Anson Crisis Ministry, brings boxes of food to a client…

Beyond the Mixer: Maximizing Your Chamber Membership If your chamber membership is gathering dust because you don’t enjoy networking events, you’re missing out on significant value hiding in plain sight. While mixers and ribbon cuttings get the spotlight, your membership includes strategic resources that can solve real business problems, even for those of us who…

How to Fix Your Elevator Pitch Think of the person in your circle (even tangentially) who comes to mind when you read the word, “boring.” Who is it? Now ask yourself why you think they’re boring. It’s your opinion, right? Maybe all they do is talk about sports or maybe when you’re talking about sports,…

15 Ready-to-Use Social Media Captions for Business Owners Mastering the Art of Sharing (but not oversharing) Your audience wants to hear from you and get to know you, but oversharing (or sharing inappropriate topics) comes with its own set of problems. Sharing engaging things about yourself will help you build the kind of connections that…

Your Community Is Your Best Marketing Tool Maybe you can’t afford a celebrity endorsement like Taylor Swift, but there are still plenty of lucrative opportunities to do something on a local scale. Influence marketing is changing. While businesses once chased celebrity endorsements and mega-influencers with millions of followers, smart companies are discovering that their most…

AI, Payments, and Policy: How Technology is Shaping the Future of Small Business in 2025 Small businesses are embracing AI and digital payments, but many fear unclear regulations could slow growth. By: Kaytlyn Smith , Contributor The right technology tools can drive efficiency, competitiveness, and success for small businesses — and the vast majority of American…

5 Free Online Classes for Managers These five free courses will teach you how to resolve conflicts and communicate effectively with others. By: Jamie Johnson , Contributor Managing people isn’t easy, but with the right resources, you can build skills in conflict resolution, communication, and leadership. Let’s look at five online classes you can audit or…

What Is the Required Paperwork Documentation for New Employees? Startups hiring new employees have to make sure the correct paperwork is in order. From W-4s to direct deposit forms, here’s what you need to start onboarding. By: Callie Cook , Contributor Hiring your first employees is an exciting milestone for any growing business. But before your new…

10 Tools and Strategies to Build a Brand Community Brand communities are invaluable for growing customer loyalty, and these 10 tools can help you facilitate and moderate these communities. By: Emily Heaslip , Contributor A brand community, or connected group of fans of your brand, can boost customer loyalty, improve word-of-mouth marketing, and help your brand…