Ramifications of Doing Gig Work and Side Hustles
Big Ideas for Small Business Blog
by Barbara Weltman
2d ago
Gig work is temporary or freelance work performed by an independent contractor on an informal or on-demand basis. Side hustles are work performed for income supplementary to a primary source that are not merely additional jobs as employees. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics refers to all such arrangements as “contingent work.” Whichever definition suits the situation, for those performing services it means being in business and operating as such. Overview of gig work and side hustles DoorDash, a leading platform for gig workers, estimates that in 2024, there are 76.4 million gig workers ..read more
Visit website
Building Your Brand Identity: A Cohesive Photography Style Guide
Big Ideas for Small Business Blog
by Annie Button
4d ago
A cohesive visual aesthetic plays a crucial role in creating a lasting impression on your target audience and differentiating your business from competitors. Photography, in particular, is a powerful tool for communicating your brand’s personality and values through captivating visuals. Developing a photography style guide helps define the visual elements of your brand, so you can succinctly communicate your personality and core message to your audience. Understand Your Audience Establishing a cohesive brand identity for your marketing strategy, through photography, should begin with a deep un ..read more
Visit website
What Does Spring Mean to Your Business
Big Ideas for Small Business Blog
by Barbara Weltman
6d ago
As the seasons change, so too do business operations. Spring is the time that clocks in most parts of the U.S. and Canada go on daylight savings time. For many farmers, it’s a time for planting and other work around their property. As Leo Tolstoy said in Anna Karenina, “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” What does it mean for your business? Spring cleaning Just about every year I post a blog on Spring cleaning for your business. Spring can be a great time to eliminate clutter and other matters that have built up over the winter months. Some key areas for cleaning are: Your client/cust ..read more
Visit website
State of Women-Owned Businesses in 2024
Big Ideas for Small Business Blog
by Barbara Weltman
1w ago
With March being Women’s History Month, it’s a good time to explore the state of women-owned businesses and how they fit into the U.S. economy. According to the 2024 Wells Fargo Impact of Women-Owned Business Report, women-owned businesses represent 39.1% of all businesses (over 14 million) and employ 12.2 million workers. These businesses generate $2.7 trillion in revenue. As the infomercials say: but wait, there’s more. These statistics don’t tell the whole story. Growth of women-owned businesses During the period of the pandemic and beyond, the growth of women-owned businesses has been impr ..read more
Visit website
Are You Liable for Data Breaches?
Big Ideas for Small Business Blog
by Barbara Weltman
1w ago
Data breaches—from hackers or insiders—can leak sensitive information about customers and employees. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC)’s 2023 Business Impact Report, 73% of small business owners experienced a data breach or cyberattack in the past year. If this happens to you, are you liable? What do you do? FTC Safeguards Rule Banks and other financial institutions have long been subject to FTC rules governing data breaches…what to do to be secure and when to report breaches. Last year, the FTC adopted a rule for certain other businesses to guard customer information ..read more
Visit website
Tips for Partnering with an OEM
Big Ideas for Small Business Blog
by Jack Shaw
2w ago
Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is a term often heard in the technology and automotive industries, but its influence extends to small manufacturing businesses today. OEMs are more than mere suppliers — they can help your company excel in efficiency, quality and cost-effectiveness. Here are tips to help you understand what an OEM partner can do for your small business and how to find the right OEM partner for your needs. What’s an OEM? OEM refers to a business that manufactures components used in the final products of another enterprise, referred to as a value-added reseller (VAR). Many V ..read more
Visit website
Growing Your Business: Expand Your Workforce
Big Ideas for Small Business Blog
by Barbara Weltman
2w ago
Many small businesses start out with one worker—the owner. Over time, this may change. The SBA says 81.7% of small businesses in the U.S. have no employees, but this means that 18.3%–over 6 million—have paid employees. At last count, the average employer firm had 24.9 employees (small firms averaged 11.7 employees; large firms averaged 3,297.3 employees) and new firms (less than 2 years old) averaged 6 employees. Importance of using employees to grow your business LinkedIn lists 5 key impacts that employees play for business growth: promoting innovation, boosting productivity, providing a ..read more
Visit website
3 Tax Strategies for Start-Ups
Big Ideas for Small Business Blog
by Barbara Weltman
3w ago
Companies starting out have a lot of expenses but little if no revenue. How do you handle this dilemma? Hopefully, a start-up has raised sufficient capital to carry it through the early days and get it to the time when revenue starts to come in. In addition to having sufficient start-up funding, there are some important tax rules that can be helpful to nascent businesses. Here are 3 areas in which tax rules may be helpful. Writing off start-up costs When you start up a business, you may incur a variety of expenses. Ordinarily, these are capital expenditures that are not currently deductible. T ..read more
Visit website
When and How to Check Up on Credit History
Big Ideas for Small Business Blog
by Barbara Weltman
3w ago
While the old expression in Wall Street that past performance is no guarantee of future results may be true for investments, when it comes to credit, past performance may be a good indicator of future performance. Checking on credit in various situations is a way to mitigate the risk of nonpayment or other undesirable results. Who are you checking up on: customers, job applicants, your own company? This impacts whether and how you proceed. Customers Maybe you’re a roofer who must help to finance a homeowner’s new roof. Or you own rental property and want to verify that a perspective tenant has ..read more
Visit website
What Does Leap Year Mean for Your Business?
Big Ideas for Small Business Blog
by Barbara Weltman
1M ago
Every four years, there’s one extra day in February. The Smithsonian explains that leap year is not so simple as an extra day every four years, but I’m good with the non-technical leap year. How does this extra day affect your business? Leap year and your small business Employee compensation The impact of a leap year on your payroll depends on whether employees are hourly or salaried workers. Hourly employees. They have an extra day of work for which they are paid. This year, February 29 falls on a Thursday, which is a workday for many employees. Salaried employees. They do not gain extr ..read more
Visit website

Follow Big Ideas for Small Business Blog on FeedSpot

Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
OR