As small businesses get ready for the final quarter of the year, it’s a good time to reflect on some best practices for growth. We are beginning to see signs that the economy may slow down, which makes having a handle on all your growth levers all the more important. […]
Marketing
Exporting? Consider an Export Marketing Plan and other state and federal resources
In Florida, 60,000 Florida companies are exporting $55 billion in goods and services overseas. Small businesses account for 66 percent of all those exports. The exporting process may seem daunting but if you have a product or service with a proven track record in the domestic market, you may be […]
This entrepreneur’s success started with knowing his market and owning his brand
Before he opened his retail store, Eric Wooden designed his own line of urban graphic t-shirts on nights and weekends and sold them from the trunk of his car. On weekends, Wooden attended trade shows and knocked on a lot of doors of Miami retailers, finally winning his first wholesaling […]
Is your business optimized for voice searches?
Siri, find me a story about voice searches for small businesses. This year, the chatter in small business marketing circles is moving from SEO its VSO (voice-search optimization), as it should be. By next year, more than half of all internet searches will likely be voice searches, using AI-enabled assistants […]
Interested in franchises? How to avoid 3 common pitfalls
An interesting young company offering franchises for the first time might sound like a sexy opportunity, but buyer beware. With franchising, you are buying into a proven business model – it’s one of the key benefits of franchising. Because 70% of startup companies fail, your risk rises fast with younger […]
Who is franchising out there and how are they doing? New survey sheds some light
Who is franchising? The majority of franchise business owners are over 50 years old, but millennials are beginning to show interest. That’s according to findings of a new national survey. “Baby boomers still represent a majority of people we encounter pursuing franchise opportunities,” said David Nilssen, CEO of small business […]
Small businesses won $120.8B in federal contracts in 2018. A free seminar may help you get a piece of the pie
This just in: The U.S. Small Business Administration announced that the federal government exceeded its small business federal contracting goal for the sixth consecutive year in 2018, awarding 25.05% in federal contract dollars to small businesses. That totaled $120.8 billion, an increase from the previous fiscal year of nearly $15 […]
9 things any small business can learn from Zappos
Born in an era of e-commerce infancy, Zappos turned 20 this year. “People thought we could never sell shoes online. We proved them wrong. And people said it’s crazy to think customer service could be a brand. We proved them wrong on that aspect as well,” says Ryo Hanalei Zsun, […]
The demand is out there – but where? Smart export market research can help
Researching your market thoroughly is time well spent, and databases can open up a world of information. A couple of weeks ago, GrowBiz provided you with a rundown of some of the free government databases and resource sites that can help you get started on the road to becoming a […]
Fruitique finds sweet success with a proactive sales approach. Your small business can, too.
Juan and German Puerto of Miami come from a long line of business owners in Colombia. So it wasn’t a hard decision to take on the challenge of growing a tropical ice cream brand, Fruitique, started by their father and inspired by their heritage. The brothers joined the company full-time […]