How-tos are everywhere these days! Step-by-step guides to home improvement projects are just a YouTube search away. My son will even search YouTube for a tutorial on how to win the level of Lego Star Wars that he’s stuck on, and voila! Success. Estate planning, however, is one of those things that you should never attempt yourself or via DIY kits. This week’s article … [More]
At the End of the Day, It’s All About Jobs
Economic development is a phrase we hear a lot. Everything we do here at the Arizona Small Business Association has an impact on economic development for Arizona, directly or indirectly. Economic development is about creating new business opportunities and thus creating jobs. It shapes what we do on a daily basis. It is no secret that Arizona has had a tough road to … [More]
Rising from the Communication Abyss
How we communicate and collaborate in business is rapidly changing. And it’s about time! Most of us are in what I call “Email Chaos.” It’s not uncommon for workers to receive more than 200 emails a day with an additional 1,000 emails that haven’t even been opened. McKenzie tells us the productivity loss in time wasted is estimated to be as much as 25 percent. That means we’re … [More]
Out of the Ashes
Arizona has a long history of boom and bust economic cycles. And like the mythical Phoenix, we have seen the economy soar, but then only to crash in flames. Right now we’re still trying to rise from the ashes. A Harvard student has mapped every job in America — one dot, one job. The interactive map displays different types of jobs by different colors and where the jobs are … [More]
Three Reasons Why Customers Love Online Payments
The jury of public opinion has spoken: Customers love online payments. Here are three reasons why: Customers are impatient Waiting in line is a society norm, but there’s plenty of scientific evidence to prove that it’s highly undesirable to customers — and to the businesses who want their patronage. Online payments can solve many of these wait-time dilemmas, giving … [More]
Why Small Businesses Should Learn More About the Internet
As a business owner, you take on many different roles within your company. Since the start of your company, you may have handled sales, payroll, customer service and more. But this responsibility makes it very difficult to manage all of these areas to their best potential and still enjoy your business … especially as you grow. That being said, entrepreneurs tend to overextend … [More]
‘Field Guide’ to Financing Your Small Business
Introduction. Field guides help people learn about and identify different varieties of plant and animal wildlife. This financial field guide can help you sort through the many financing alternatives available for small business. Available Financing Options. The main financing tools in alphabetical order are: Asset-Based Lending (ABL). A line of credit from a bank or … [More]
Private Healthcare Exchanges: An opportunity to offer great benefits at little or no cost
As a business owner, you’ve probably spent some time thinking about your employee benefits strategy. If you haven’t — you should. After all, employees who are healthy and financially secure are more engaged in their work, and therefore more productive. Good benefits are good business. Small employers face a unique challenge when it comes to building a competitive benefits … [More]
Crowdfunding in Arizona
Raising money to start a business or take a business to the next level has always been a challenge. Many great ideas and businesses have gone under because they lacked the ability to stay in the game long enough before revenues could support the business. Under-capitalization is the number one reason businesses fail. Banks know this. Unless there is collateral or solid … [More]
Timeless secrets for aligning people, story and brand
Imagine every day when your people come to work, it’s like sitting around the campfire. A place where people effortlessly trust, reflect and connect with their purpose and the purpose of your organization; a place where they are focused and present. As a 5th generation native of Arizona, I was raised in a ranching, rodeo family, and I know firsthand the power of campfires and … [More]
Practical & Legal Considerations for Launching a Business in 2015
If all it took to make a new business successful was the desire to be your own boss, no business would ever fail. A new business includes lots of sacrifice, determination, hard work and a clear understanding of both your business and your ability to perform well as anentrepreneur. Before deciding if owning your own business is a right fit for you, consider: Time: Think … [More]
Six Characteristics of Success
When you study success, you’ll find unequivocally that successful people in any endeavor have one thing in common: they think differently than less successful people. Roger Ailes, the founder and CEO of the Fox News Channel, is quoted as saying: “There’s a big difference between those who want to be something and those who want to do something. About 95 percent of America is … [More]
Value Matters – Improvement Matters
When you started your business, what was your motivation? What do you aspire to deliver to your customers – your value? What gets in the way of using all of your resources to deliver that value? Many activities in our business consume time, energy, and resources, yet are they truly adding value? The business grows so quickly that the processes and methods we use to deliver … [More]
Trademark Primer for Small Business
Juliet famously mused: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” I humbly submit that if Juliet was in the business of selling flowers, she would have seen things a little differently. She would have realized that there is a lot “in a name.” Because if Juliet sold flowers for a living, then people all around Verona (that’s where … [More]
Small businesses need flexible solutions when it comes to benefits coverage
Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA), large groups like the Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA) had the ability to negotiate specific plan designs and rates with carriers based on underwriting requirements. In most cases, it created a preferred buying opportunity for our members. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, that opportunity has been largely … [More]
ASBA’s 2015 Legislative Forecast
For the first time in a number of years, forecasting the upcoming legislative session is pretty straightforward. The state budget will be the single biggest issue that will dominate most of the legislature’s time, energy and focus. Our state budget woes have returned and it will feel like 2010 once again. Arizona is doing better, and our economy continues to rebound, but just … [More]
3 Things You Should Know About Healthcare Exchanges
You’re going to hear a lot more about open enrollment in the coming weeks, and, in particular, one critical component of the open enrollment process: healthcare exchanges. In a nutshell, an exchange is a secure online marketplace available to employees: full-time employees, part-timers and sometimes 1099 contract workers, specifically. The Arizona Small Business Association … [More]
Arizona: It’s Time to ThinkSmallBiz
The Facts We’d be willing to bet you own a small biz, work for a small biz, shop at a small biz. know a small biz… or know someone who does. With 97% of businesses in Arizona classified as small (500 employees or less), it’s not surprising. What you may not know, though, is that small business is the state’s largest employer, employing 45 percent of the private-sector labor … [More]
