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]
Desert Diamond Winners Shining Example of the Powerful Businesses Growing In Phoenix
For the 2015 Desert Diamonds awards, more than 100 NAWBO members and their guests celebrated the success of the past year and recognized the extraordinary contributions of NAWBO members. Congratulations to all the winners, as well as the finalists and nominees, who were recognized for their service. Here’s a look at the winners: Corporate Partner of the Year: SRP was … [More]