The Thriving Small Business

5 Barriers to Achieving Business Goals

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Organizations use strategy and goals to move a business forward.

However, this is all dependent on how well goals are achieved.

Organizations need to have a structured performance management process to ensure business goals maintain priority until they are achieved.

Well written SMART goals lay out the framework and accountability for goal completion to support managing employee performance. Read the Full Article →

3 Reasons You Need to Manage Employee Performance

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Having a strategy for business growth is imperative to success.

And, creating SMART business goals are the best way to achieve those objectives.

However, goals and objectives are only as effective as the people who have responsibility for completing them.

Managing employee performance is how work gets done and goals are accomplished.  Read the Full Article →

5 Reasons You Should Pursue a Career in Finance

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The finance industry offers dedicated entrepreneurs the chance to expand their employment horizons.

With continued job growth and stable industry patterns, many find that a role in finance can be a lucrative career aspiration.

While other industries struggle in the aftermath of the recession, financial companies are thriving, and only expected to grow stronger in coming decades. Read the Full Article →

7 Steps to Creating a Customer Service Strategy

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Thinking through and planning a customer service strategy is critical to the development of a strong service culture.

Organizations need to incorporate customer service into their business goals and those strategies should be incorporated into employee goals to ensure the organization reaches their customer service objectives.

Employees only perform at the level they are managed and it takes great leadership to help employees understand the importance of the customer experience.   Read the Full Article →

Did You Know That There Are 5 Levels of Customer Satisfaction?

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Customer retention is the result of an organization’s ability to create customer loyalty.

This is done by providing the systems, processes and support, to not only keep a customer happy, but to transition them into an advocate for the organization – who is not only loyal but also recruits others. Read the Full Article →

10 Steps to Developing and Managing a Budget

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Having a formal and structured budgeting process is the foundation for good business management, growth and development.

Very similar to our personal finances, discipline and planning should be the cornerstone of a business budgeting process.

So where do we begin?  As with most things that come with managing an organization, budgeting needs to be driven by the vision (what we are trying to accomplish) and the strategic plan (the steps to get there). Read the Full Article →

Has Your Business Embraced the Mobile Revolution?

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If you haven’t been paying attention, the mobile revolution is in full swing – which is why your business needs a dedicated app!

A Greek philosopher once said “change is the only constant in life.”

This is so true – particularly in the arena of technology.

Anyone who has been around for more than a minute understands the fast pace of changing technologies.   Read the Full Article →

4 Ways to Keep Focused on Your Goals

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I don’t know about you but I am in a constant battle with trying to get the day to day tasks accomplished and accomplishing my goals for the year!

Anyone who manages a business understands the challenges of keeping the vision, strategy and business goals moving forward.

The day-to-day management issues associated with people, processes, facilities, equipment, etc. Read the Full Article →

How to Deal with Small Business Debt

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Just like individual taxpayers, businesses can also fall prey to the devastating effects of financial debt.

According to the SBA, over half of all small business in the United States fail within the first five years, often due to insurmountable debt.

Borrowing too much money without a feasible way to pay back what is owed can result in dire financial straits for the modern small business, but there are ways to dig out from under a seemingly impossible debt. Read the Full Article →

Do You Have What it Takes to Create a Successful Software Startup?

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Software startups have become the business-du-jour in today’s tech-hungry world, but this entrepreneurial endeavor comes with its fair share of challenges.

If you’re considering creating a software company from the ground up, keep the following in mind to better ensure your chances of success.

1. Handling the Financial Requirements

Starting a company means acquiring the right capital. Read the Full Article →

5 Forms of Coaching Employees

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Coaches can have a positive affect on the development of employees.

Many organizations encourage their leadership team to coach employees in performance,  skill development and career planning.

We all come from different backgrounds and have differing frames of references.

Some people are taught professionalism growing up and others have never been exposed to proper business protocol or etiquette. Read the Full Article →

6 Building Blocks of a Team Charter

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Improving internal operations is how business improve and grow.

Businesses that look to improve their systems and processes often form teams to work on improvement efforts.  Successful teams are driven by directives of the organization and are steered by a Team Charter.

According to High Performance Teams, a team charter statement is “a written document that defines the team’s mission, scope of operation, objectives, time frame and consequences.”

Spending the time to develop a team charter and purpose statement can help ensure team support and resources are available.  
Read the Full Article →