Many small business owners in the art and craft industries have felt the impact of the weak economy. Some economists even indicate the Recession never ended. But what will 2012 hold in store for us? Is the worst over? What can we do to keep growing our businesses despite the economic challenges we face?

Get answers to these questions and more as financial expert, author and fellow entrepreneur Mike Periu presents at the Winter Conference. Mike will help unscramble the financial jargon and give you a user-friendly break down of:

• Consumer spending – what indicators to follow and why
• Access to credit – what options are available, and the pros/cons
• Unemployment and real estate – how they impact the bigger picture

Mike will share his tips on how we can adapt our businesses to succeed even in a difficult environment. In this session you will learn how to:

• Plan your cash flow for uncertain times
• Squeeze more cash out of each sale
• Turn economic troubles at home and abroad to your advantage
• Secure fresh capital for your business even if you’re a “mom and pop”

Plus…Mike will also provide proven strategies that small business owners have used to sell more and earn more during an economic down turn.

Click here to register.

In 2003, Pepsi ran a sweepstakes competition that was mind-boggling in scale. The grand prize was nothing less than $1 billion. Yes billion. The publicity associated with this astronomical prize generated tremendous value for the company. Have you ever wondered how a company can offer such a prize?  If so keep reading

Go to the full article: 4 Ways To Manage The Financial Risk Of A Sweepstakes

The role that new businesses play in the success of our economy cannot be overstated. According to a recent study by the Kauffman Foundation, job growth in the U.S. is entirely driven by new companies. Using data from the Business Dynamics Statistics, a dataset compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau, the Kauffman Foundation analyzed both new companies—defined as those in business less than a year—and existing companies from 1977 through 2005. In all but seven of those 28 years, existing companies destroyed jobs while new companies created jobs.

Go to the full article: Give Your Startup An Edge With Startup Open

My friend Eric* has a problem that many business owners face. He has been running his small business profitably for over five years. He hasn’t achieved much growth on an annualized basis but the company generates sufficient cash flow to give him a comfortable standard of living, keep his eight employees happy and fulfill his customers’ requests. He has what is commonly known as a “lifestyle business.”

Go to the full article:  Should You Scale Your Business?

Many companies institute polices that help their employees take care of the little distractions in life that can sap productivity. Offering free lunches, complimentary coffee, access to an onsite gym, even dry cleaning pick-up services are far less rare today when compared to 30 years ago. While these programs can help employees concentrate, they are just window dressing for the massive productivity killer that no one wants to talk about: the personal finances of your employees.

Go to the full article:  The Toll Financial Stress Takes On Your Employees

Keeping employees motivated during challenging times is extremely difficult. When the economy is performing poorly it reflects on the overall level of sales and profitability of your business. This in turn makes it difficult to offer raises or other monetary compensation to employees. For top performers, this can be especially frustrating.

Go to the full article:  Alternatives To Raises That Employees Appreciate

Sony has been going through a very difficult time lately. The fallout from the hacker attack which impacted around 100 million consumers will have long lasting repercussions that could hurt the company’s most valuable asset: its brand. An alliance of powerful hackers known as Anonymous were able to infiltrate the PlayStation network on multiple occasions and stole sensitive information regarding its online customers.

Go to the full article:  4 Small Business Lessons From The Sony PlayStation Disaster

We’ve all heard stories about that guy. He has an idea. He has a little money in the bank. He decides to give it a shot. Fast forward a few years and that guy has a successful company.

Go to the full article: Is The $1,000 Successful Startup A Myth?

In the workplace, people tend to gravitate towards certain individuals that excel in their performance. In many cases they are charismatic people that make others feel good about themselves, push the organization beyond its comfort zone, and are responsible for a significant portion of its success. Sadly, it’s hard to keep these types of gifted individuals for too long at the same company.

Go to the article:  What To Do When Your Superstar Suddenly Leaves

Summer is almost here. Most small non-seasonal businesses will experience a decline in activity especially during July and August. This should free up at least five hours per week that can be dedicated to those tasks that seem to sit perpetually on the “to do” list. Many of these tasks can have a material impact on your company’s bottom line.

Go to the article:  4 Ways To Organize Your Finances This Summer