Small Business Resource Center

Warning: The Government Mail You Received Might Be a Scam

Scam artists are constantly bombarding you with bills that look like official government mail. It is one of the most effective scams, and there’s a good chance you are already a vi

Navigating Small Business Rewards Cards

With more cards available to small business owners than ever, it can be difficult to choose the rewards system that will be most beneficial to your business. Will you go with ca

How to Preserve Critical Vendor Relationships

Monitoring cash balances is essential and withholding payments until the last moment may be necessary, but be careful: being slow to pay  may alienate you from vendors.

17 Resources to Improve Your Small Business

Improving your business is critical to staying afloat and growing. Here are some resources out there that will sharpen your skills, improve your offerings and allow you to grow you

Saving for Retirement on a Variable Income

How do you save for retirement when you have a variable income? Not only is basic budgeting a different story when you have a variable income, but so is saving for retirement.

101 Small Business Mistakes (and What You Can Learn From Them)

Let's be honest: running a small business is not an easy task. And even the most successful business owners have had their fair share of blunders. Here are some of the biggest mist

Small Business Profile: Stefanie Michaels (Adventure Girl)

Former swimwear model Stefanie Michaels, known to her fans as “Adventure Girl”, is the ultimate travel expert. Millions of fans visit AdventureGirl.com to follow Stefanie as she

How and Why a Business Plan Can Make a Difference

We have all heard that the business plan is the foundation for every business, and we may try to do one by going through the motions. But until we truly embrace the business pla

10 Myths About Employee Incentive Programs

Employee incentive programs are popular, if only because they are prolific. Though conventional wisdom tells us otherwise, many will argue that these programs are not just ineffect

When to Outsource for Your Small Business

The big bucks are made not on one person’s efforts alone, but the efforts of many. Today we will look at the inherent characteristics of outsourcing.

Ramp Up Your Business by Specializing

As an entrepreneur, you would think that precluding certain types of customers in favor of a smaller – but specialized – market would be akin to shooting yourself in the foot. But

How to Use Vendor-Managed Inventory Programs

A well-run vendor-managed inventory (VMI) program could allow your business to speed up its cash flow by more closely matching your cash outlay for inventory with your cash infl

101 Tips From Top 50 Small Business Bloggers

We asked around 50 of the top small business bloggers to give a couple of their best quick tips for small business owners, and the response was incredible. Some are short nuggets o

9 Tips for Working With a Virtual Assistant

Working with a remote employee is a unique situation and requires special handling. Here are 9 tips for working with your virtual assistant.

How to Find and Hire a Virtual Assistant for Your Small Business

A virtual assistant is an administrative employee who lives and works remotely. By hiring a remote worker, you can hire from a global talent pool, and find help with more education

Accounts Receivable Nightmares: Collecting on Delinquent Accounts

How do you collect on delinquent accounts without damaging the customer relationship? How do you manage the balance between keeping a steady stream of new clients coming through

Where is the Business Going? Succession Planning Points for Consideration

When I was a practicing financial planner, I was shocked at the number of small business clients who did nothing but blink their eyes in response to my line of questions about t

When and How to Offer Discounts for Early Payment

Offering discounts for cash, upfront and early payment can be an integral part of a comprehensive business management strategy, not just the domain of the accounts receivable de

To Payroll or Not: Hiring Contract vs. Salary Employees

You have some projects coming down the pipe that you need additional staff for. What do you do: offer your potential new team player an independent contract or full-time salary

AMEX Small Business Profile: Stacy Debroff, MomCentral.com

We caught up with Stacy recently to get the inside scoop on her unique success story.