Think your business is too small to be target of the cyber bad guys? Think again. According to the Verizon 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report released this month, 43% of cyber attacks in 2018 targeted small businesses. That’s pretty high odds. Just over half of the breaches resulted from hacking. Other […]
Author: Nancy Dahlberg
The pros and cons of franchising: Is it right for you?
Franchised businesses in the United States number nearly 1 million and together generate 15% of private sector jobs and 12.5% of private sector payrolls. Clearly franchise businesses are a force in the economy, but is owning a franchise right for you? GrowBiz talked to George Ray, a consultant with Florida […]
To forecast problems before they surface, seek the power of your team
The day-to-day demands can be so overwhelming and time consuming that most small business owners are thankful to have overcome their challenges of the hour – never mind the ones that are coming around the corner. So it’s not surprising that forecasting industry changes and problems for your company before […]
No easy button for digital marketing: Make it a priority & listen to your analytics
Are you listening to what your analytics are telling you? When it comes to marketing your small business, digital tools can offer you valuable insights about your company and can help you assess the performance of your digital marketing efforts. But to do digital marketing right, you need to have […]
Unclear values can lead to confusion, lack of accountability, silos
Do you think every one of your employees knows the values of your small business? They can be so valuable because they can guide all core aspects of your company, including hiring methods, performance management, criteria for promotions, and even firing policies. Even more, core values can form the basis […]
Is your company culture by design – or default? Here’s why that matters
A strong culture within a small business doesn’t come naturally. Disney, a company often lauded for its company culture, says culture needs to be by design and not by default. In a recent GrowBiz post, we talked to small business owners about how they built a strong culture in their […]
How to nurture a winning small business culture
There’s nothing like hearing from the small business trenches about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to creating a strong company culture. Drawing on several interviews with owners of businesses known as great places to work, learn and grow professionally, I’ve compiled a list of things to think […]
Surveys say: Small businesses are growing revenues, hiring – and adding perks too
Last year, about 57% of small businesses saw revenues grow while 43% added employees to their payrolls, according to the Small Business Credit Survey produced by the Federal Reserve Bank. Both of these metrics increased over 2017 levels. More findings: Credit demand held steady in 2018, with 43% of firms […]
Federal contracting: Getting your foot in the door
If you are a small business that has determined federal contracting may be right for you and you have identified some potential contracts to pursue, you need put your best foot forward to get in the door. By now we hope you have read our two previous posts about […]
How to find federal government contracting opportunities
While small businesses may have been spooked by the recent government shutdown, you should know that the federal government is the largest buyer in the U.S., spending billions of dollars annually on products and services in construction, R&D, manufacturing, logistics, IT and other industries. Federal agencies also have prime […]