Although none of us will admit it, we all like to play armchair quarterback.

Is there anyone who doesn’t claim to know why the Presidential election went this way or that?

Of course, we all have an opinion about what the losing Superbowl team could have done to improve the results, too.

And how about the dot com collapse? Hindsight is definitely 20-20.

But these topics are fun to play revisionist history with, because they really have no immediate impact on any of our lives. Your small business is another story entirely.

Which brings us to the single least fun scenario to second guess - suffering loss or damage to your business.

Theft, natural disaster, accident: any of these situations can bring your company to its knees.

And in the worst situations, nothing can get you back up.

So how to avoid those worst case situations in the first place?

Always be prepared.

Easier said than done, sure, but is it really that hard to install an alarm system?

Coach your employees on safe ways to lock up at night?

Pay for a sprinkler system?

Build a secure web site?

It’s a lot easier than picking up the pieces of a business that could have benefited from a little foresight instead of a lot of hindsight.

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Your regular dose of entreprenurial inspiration, served up fresh right here at Grow My Business. And for all your small and home business software needs, check out Blue Squad and Avanquest, the online publishers dedicated to bringing you the biggest software bang for your hard-earned business buck.

Who doesn’t like music?

There is a reason you hear it everywhere you go.

It’s also big business, of course.

But why?

Simple: It boosts your mood, puts a smile on your face, improves your outlook on life, takes your mind off your problems.

As they say, music soothes the soul of the savage beast.

So ask any small business owner to name the most savage of beasts.

That would be a stressed out shopper in a bad mood.

You’d be crazy not to pipe in some soothing sounds.

A mellow customer is a happy customer, and a happy customer is a buying customer.

And a buying customer is my kind of customer!

But here’s what’s confusing: playing music at your business that is controversial.

Censorship is never welcome, but when it comes to running a business, sound judgment - pun intended - is key.

So here’s a tip: your business is yours, but is that really the most appropriate place to prove to everyone how eclectic your musical tastes are?

Here’s who’s not impressed: the family who came in to drop some coin at your store, but had to cover their kids’ ears because the musical choice was inappropriate.

So, ground rules: music at your business is to make everyone - not just you and your employees - feel good.

And when everyone feels good, and there’s buying and selling to be done, everyone wins.

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Your regular dose of entreprenurial inspiration, served up fresh right here at Grow My Business. And for all your small and home business software needs, check out Blue Squad and Avanquest, the online publishers dedicated to bringing you the biggest software bang for your hard-earned business buck.

The name of the game is competition, and there is no shortage of it in today’s business world.

But if you’re really as smart as you think you are, then you have nothing to fear from those who would conspire to steal away your customers, right?

Think of it this way: what’s the first thing you should do when facing a threat?

Well, you have two options. You can choose flight, or you can choose fight.

In the small business world, flight is tantamount to failure.

So that means you’re in for a fight. And what’s the quickest way to end a fight? Figure out your enemy’s strategy, and outsmart him.

In small business, this means one simple thing: make sure your product is the best out there.

Even if you already know it is, the challenge is convincing your paying customers. They want to cross-shop, and who can blame them?

Alas, far too many businesses play dumb when a customer asks them how they stack up against the competition. But nothing piques a buyer’s curiousity more than not getting a straight answer.

Despite GM’s troubles, they’ve figured this out. In fact, they are inviting potential customers to test drive the competition at their dealer lots - they actually have the competing cars onhand!

What does that convey to the customer? Confidence. And confidence will make the sale every single time.

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Your regular dose of entreprenurial inspiration, served up fresh right here at Grow My Business. And for all your small and home business software needs, check out Blue Squad and Avanquest, the online publishers dedicated to bringing you the biggest software bang for your hard-earned business buck.

Running a small business is one of the most rewarding enterprises you’re ever likely to encounter.

There are few things as satisfying as recognizing an opportunity that has gone unrecognized, forging a plan, and seeing the concept through to reality.

However, as the saying goes: “No pain, no gain.”

That means it’s not always fun and games.

For every day of big profits, there’s going to be a day of technical challenge.

For every day of exceptional customer service, there’s going to be a day of accounting fiasco.

And for every day of warehouse finesse, there’s going to be a day of telephone clumsiness.

But perhaps the most difficult thing you’ll face as a small business owner is the decision to let someone go.

Of course, if you’re lucky the candidate in question will pull a Donald Trump on you - and quit - before you have to pull the plug.

In most cases, however, you’ll be forced to follow through with termination.

So how do you ease the pain?

Simple. You do everything you can to avoid the situation in the first place.

That means you tune up your employment process: hire good people, recognize accomplishment, and reward excellence.

Not only is that a surefire way to minimize staff turnover - and avoid the displeasure of the firing process - it’s also great for business!

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Your regular dose of entreprenurial inspiration, served up fresh right here at Grow My Business. And for all your small and home business software needs, check out Blue Squad and Avanquest, the online publishers dedicated to bringing you the biggest software bang for your hard-earned business buck.

You started your small business for a number of excellent reasons:

*You wanted to be your own boss…

*You came up with some new magic for an old problem…

*You were tired of the commute…

*You wanted to design your own office!

Whatever the reason, the took the leap and have now forged a path paved with great opportunity, and great risk.

But without either factor, small business success is an illusion.

Now that you’ve set up shop, it’s time to begin developing a new skill, and one that you may not have thought of when you were first crafting your grand vision of achievement.

I speak, of course, of small talk.

Love it or hate it, get good at it.

Because despite what they say, most customers don’t just want to buy a product or service.

They want to know that they are making a good purchase decision - one that reinforces their personal sense of character and judgment.

If you can make your clients feel good about themselves, you’ll quickly learn the most important thing about small talk: it makes for big business.
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Your regular dose of entreprenurial inspiration, served up fresh right here at Grow My Business. And for all your small and home business software needs, check out Blue Squad and Avanquest, the online publishers dedicated to bringing you the biggest software bang for your hard-earned business buck.

There’s a principle consistent to the day-to-day running of a business big or small.

No matter how much product you ship and how much money you make, the fundamentals of getting a business from one level to the next require never losing sight of the fundamentals.

Today, CNN ran a story on Google’s recent customer service response to a very dissatisfied - and very vocal - customer.

Not surprisingly, Google did exactly what you’d expect a smart company with its level of accomplishment to do.

It paid attention to the customer.

And kept the customer!

So when one of the most popular companies in the world still takes the time to listen to what many would consider to be an relatively insignificant client, that’s a strong indication that it might be the smart thing to do.

Of course, your customers may not have one million dollar advertising budgets.

But it’s all relative.

If your annual revenues are $200K and you have a client that spends $1000 with you every month, would you give them the VIP treatment?

You would if you wanted to see your business stay in it for the long haul.

The Neverending Story of business? The customer’s always right, and the customer comes first.

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Your regular dose of entreprenurial inspiration, served up fresh right here at Grow My Business. And for all your small and home business software needs, check out Blue Squad and Avanquest, the company that brings you the biggest software bang for your hard-earned business buck.

When I was a kid, my family designated one night a month to reading over folded pieces of paper dropped in a big red shoe box.

Written on the scraps of paper were various “suggestions” made by the four of us:

“Kids make dinner on Fridays!”

“Raise my allowance!”

The Suggestion Box served as a way to come together, have a few laughs and (attempt to) create changes we deemed necessary.

The same principle can be applied to your small business.

And chances are your customers, as well as employees, have plenty of ideas they’d like to share!

Creating an anonymous suggestion box allows people to put forth their opinions while giving you the opportunity to gather helpful (and free!) business advice.

The success of any business is dependent on its clients and customers. And listening to their points of view can benefit your ultimate growth and earning potential.

Who knows? Gathering random suggestions could help you develop better marketing strategies.

It could give you insight on how to save money.

Or introduce you to a new design technique.

Most importantly, creating a forum for your customers and employees to express themselves will give them a sense of belonging. A sense of democracy.

After all, isn’t that what the American Dream is all about?

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Your regular dose of entreprenurial inspiration, served up fresh right here at Grow My Business. And for all your small and home business software needs, check out Blue Squad and Avanquest, the company that brings you the biggest software bang for your hard-earned business buck.

Get excited!

For nearly 35 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has made a point of acknowledging entreprenuerial-minded Americans thorugh “Small Business Week.”

This annual, week-long celebration draws attention to the millions of small business people nationwide who do so much to help fuel the country’s economy.

It’s a time to honor all the men and women whose copying businesses, restaurants, car dealerships, computer retailers, delivery companies, etc, are comprised of the people who not only provide important goods and services, but meaningful jobs and a strong sense of community, as well.

So while the Dow enjoys its historic run, let’s not forget who is helping make these gains possible.

Big business gets all the attention, but who is it is that boots big business to its monumental sales success?

Simple. It’s the individuals, casual consumers and small business owners alike, who are buying the printers, the Priuses, the paper, the pretzels, the policies.

In other words, if you’re wondering why the stock market gains are revving along higher than ever, look no further than the direct influence of small businesses and their continued commitment to excellence.

So what are you doing to give yourself credit for Small Business Week? Blowing up ballons? Closing early? Staying open late?

However you choose to recognize your efforts, know that the decision to chase your small business dream has everything to do with the daily celebration of big business and capitalism in America.

So next time you read a story about Wall Street’s latest record breakers, think about Small Business Week and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

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Your regular dose of entreprenurial inspiration, served up fresh right here at Grow My Business. And for all your small and home business software needs, check out Blue Squad and Avanquest, the company that brings you the biggest software bang for your hard-earned business buck.

Think you’re far too old to start your own small business? Way past your prime with no chance to make it in the entrepreneurial world? Think again!

As Barbara Miller proves, many choose to get their feet wet later in life. Cancer-surviving grandmother of four, Miller now heads a multi-million dollar paper distribution company in Amarillo, Texas.

Miller Paper Company came into the game in 1995 with just 15 employees on her payroll. Now, over ten years and many small business awards later, it is one of the leading wholesale distributors of paper products in the Midwest.

Many people will cite money or resources as the most important facets when thinking of starting a business. Sure, they certainly are important. But Barbara Miller insists it is integrity and “treating people just exactly as you would be treated” that makes a great entrepreneur.

And, at age 60, she gives others hope in becoming great businessmen and women at any age and in any position in life.

Some start with professional instruction. Others are self-taught. If you’re not sure where to begin, going back to school is a great way to introduce yourself to the ins and outs of small businesses.

Classes around the country which focus on entrepreneurship are becoming increasingly popular. Students are lining up to get a taste of what it will be like to be a small business owner.

Ann Winblad, co-founder of Hummer Winblad Venture Partners based in San Francisco states, “An entrepreneur is a kind of genius who is born, not made.” This may be true. After all, Michael Dell, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were all college dropouts.

And yet, close to 2,000 colleges and universities offer at least one course in entrepreneurship… and students are racing to find important mentors to guide them! They insist a proper education can mean the difference between a failed business and a successful one.

JetBlue founder David Neeleman agrees that entrepreneurship education can, indeed, assist in gaining success. However he also claims personality and real-life experience are just as key.

Whether you decided to take the route of the scholar or that of the self-taught, one thing is certain: It is never too late to pursue your dream of being a small business owner!