Category: Running a Business

How to Get Your Product Into Whole Foods

How to Get Your Product Into Whole Foods

Whole Foods Market is the largest natural and organic grocer in the United States. The Austin based company runs about 460 stores across the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom. With over $5 billion in sales every month, there’s no wonder local farmers and vendors want to get their products on Whole Foods’s shelves. After Amazon recently announced the acquisition of Whole Foods for $13.7B, there is even more incentive for small and mid-sized businesses to build a relationship. Who knows?… Read More
What Can You Do If a Client Doesn’t Pay You?

What Can You Do If a Client Doesn’t Pay You?

Making a sale may seem like the hardest part of your job when you’re a business owner. After all, a lot of work can go into convincing someone to buy your product or service. But that’s really just the beginning. You then have to deliver what you’ve sold— and get paid for it. Sometimes that last part can be the hardest. There are clients who will string you along for payment, or just disappear when it comes time to write… Read More
5 Yelp Mistakes Every New Business Owner Makes

5 Yelp Mistakes Every New Business Owner Makes

Word-of-mouth marketing has always been a valuable tool to business owners, but in recent years, social media has upped the ante. In fact, 82% of adults in the U.S. turn to online reviews before making a purchase. For Yelp, that translates into 84 million desktop users, 73 million mobile web users and 26 million mobile app users. For small business owners across the U.S., those numbers should translate into a definitive need to factor Yelp into your marketing strategy. If… Read More
A Love Letter to the American Entrepreneur

A Love Letter to the American Entrepreneur

My oldest daughter is an artist. A talented one. As I write this, we’re separated by about 800 miles, but I’m pretty sure that I know what she’s doing at the moment. She’s drawing. It’s what she’s best at. It’s what she was born to do. Recently, she started selling customized T-shirts through Instagram. Watching her design four colorful, inventive advertisements with her usual skill and confidence, it struck me that her entrepreneurial and artistic instincts are closely aligned. They’re… Read More
Why Critical Thinking Is Better Than Positive Thinking for Business Owners

Why Critical Thinking Is Better Than Positive Thinking for Business Owners

I often tell people that I'm not a positive thinker, nor a negative thinker, but that I'm a critical thinker. Having been a business professional for nearly 11 years, I can confidently say that my success has been founded on my ability to conduct critical analysis and efficient strategic planning. I believe the concepts of positive or negative thinking are subjective, with different connotations depending upon the eye of the beholder and the agenda of the individual. But to be… Read More
Why Your Small Business Should Start Planning for Christmas Now (Seriously)

Why Your Small Business Should Start Planning for Christmas Now (Seriously)

Whether you are an online seller, the owner of a traditional retail store or someone who makes a living supplying retail locations, you know the importance of holiday sales. The holiday shopping season kicks off shortly before Black Friday, includes Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, and lasts through the entire month of December—that key month is a make-or-break time for businesses of all sizes.  If holiday sales are important for your business, it is never too early to prepare.… Read More