What is recurring revenue? It’s the revenue you can depend on generating, year after year, with a high degree of certainty. It’s the repeat business or long-term contracts you’ve established with clients who know and trust your business. For example, you might bundle offers into a monthly subscription, or launch a points system that incentivizes loyalty with free gifts or special discounts. Recurring revenue comes in many forms and is… Read more
A great business name isn’t just a label for your company. It is also your number one marketing tool, serving as a platform for setting yourself apart and defining your brand. At the very least, your business name should do the following. Convey the Industry or Area of Expertise of your Company When customers search for businesses, they apply some filters to determine whether specific organizations are relevant to their… Read more
Most small business owners can’t afford to think small. They always need to keep their mind on growth strategies to help them achieve long-term profitability. But becoming profitable in the first place often requires business owners to work long hours on a shoe-string budget. They don’t always have time to implement systems that will support them when they’re ready to scale. It’s not uncommon for entrepreneurs to use free or… Read more
Change in business is almost always a good thing, but often poor management means that the workforce becomes disengaged and the change process painful. In the worst cases, this results in irreparable damage being done. It doesn’t need to be this way. Follow these nine steps and empower yourself to successfully lead your people through major organisational change. Understand the Change Make sure you understand exactly what is changing and how… Read more
It’s essential for any business to have a robust set of performance targets for its workforce. These will drive employees to achieve in the areas that are critical for success. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the targets are calibrated correctly in order to realise the desired results. Before introducing any new target, make sure you’ve answered the following seven key questions: Is it Specific? A target is no good… Read more
When you’re reviewing your investments, it’s important to remember that income and returns come from two main sources, Capital Gains and Interim Income. Capital Gain (or Loss) This is the difference in the overall value of your investment between when you purchased it and now (or the date that you sold it.) You can work it out as: ((Current or sale price per unit – purchase price) * number of… Read more
While major companies create powerful green initiatives, many small businesses use the excuse of “no resources” to do nothing. However, everyone plays an important role in protecting the environment, and small businesses have a unique opportunity to involve their community of employees and customers. The most effective environmental conservation projects need not cost much more than a collective effort. If you own or work in a small business, here are… Read more
The words ‘personal brand’ are still somewhat controversial, and carry an unfortunate cast of self-promotion and vanity. The truth is that personal branding is more important than ever in the job market, and those without a clear personal brand or mission to create one are lagging behind the competition. What is a personal brand? How you present yourself has always been important in the workplace. In the corporate heyday,… Read more
Cloud computing is quickly moving from an obscure concept to an everyday reality for small businesses all over the world. A 2015 survey of small business owners found that 52% had already adopted some form of cloud-based data storage; however, a general lack of awareness regarding the logistics and advantages of cloud computing has made others a bit more resistant. The truth is, there are several very practical benefits to… Read more
Ask anyone who’s been self-employed for a few years. By and large, the vast majority of clients are great. The less than ideal ones, however, can become a serious liability. Problem clients come in all shapes and sizes. There are the late payers and scheduled “no shows”. The ones who are demanding and don’t respect your time. Remember, just because you need to earn a profit doesn’t mean it’s in… Read more
Eighty percent of staff turnover is caused by bad hiring decisions, according to the Harvard Business Review. But few organizations question whether problems within their own recruiting processes turn away potential talent. If your recruiting strategy exhibits any of the following obstacles, it’s time for a rethink. Self-Centered Job Advertisements Most job advertisements speak extensively about the talent, skills and qualifications a candidate must have, but do nothing to sell… Read more
These days your personal data is everywhere, and that information is valuable to marketers, hackers and everyone in between. If you want to prevent the unauthorized use of your personal information, you need to take a proactive approach to protecting yourself and your identity. You can no longer afford to be blasé about your data security – if you are not taking proactive measures to prevent the use of your… Read more
Time management skills are increasingly important in a world where people seem to rush headlong from one crisis to another. Add in the effect of social media and addictive computer games that can be accessed from anywhere at any time and it’s no wonder that some people struggle to fit everything into their days. So what can be done about it? How about invoking D to the Power of Four?… Read more
Cyber crime is a serious concern for business owners. Recently IBM Chair, CEO, and President, Ginni Rometty, called it “the greatest threat to every company in the world”. According to Juniper Research, by 2019 cyber crime will cost businesses a staggering $2 trillion. It’s impossible to put a dollar value on what your customer data is worth – or the cost to your business should sensitive data be compromised by… Read more
While homeowner’s insurance isn’t required by law, it is often required if you are taking out a mortgage in order to purchase your home. There are a lot of things that you need to think about when purchasing homeowner’s insurance, including what types of coverage you think you need. This can be a challenging task, especially if you are not up to date on your homeowner’s insurance terminology. The following… Read more
Currently, many people are feeling a sense of urgency when searching for a job. Perhaps they’re recent college graduates, new to the field, or changing occupations altogether. Regardless of their situation, they often feel the pressure to find a job sooner rather than later. They don’t have time to sift through countless classified ads with vague job descriptions that might match their skill set. As an HR professional, your primary… Read more
Your trade secrets are invaluable – after all, your “secret sauce” is your competitive advantage, the thing that makes your business unique and special. A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) offers a means to protect valuable company information from being shared with the public or leaked to competitors. An NDA – also known as a confidentiality agreement –specifies that another party cannot share proprietary information without your consent. Some examples of proprietary… Read more
Many elements are vital to a growing company’s success. A financially-astute leader is one. A confident and motivated sales team well-versed in a company’s product and service line is another. But starting and growing a business requires more than employees with extensive functional skills and appropriate personal characteristics. Growing a business requires collaboration – namely, the deployment of employees in a way that allows them to work together to problem-solve and act… Read more
The nature of some types of businesses make it challenging to come up with a standard price list. For tradespeople and some freelancers, for instance, what’s required in terms of time, skill, labour, and materials frequently vary from job to job. Offering an estimate or quote provides potential clients with a customized figure for what they can expect to pay, based on what will be required to complete a specific… Read more
One of the most often cited reasons for not embracing innovation is that it is too risky. Prototyping or testing often comes with a high cost. Combined with the cost of the time spent, this can all be rather high for an unknown outcome. There is no way to eliminate the risk in innovation, but there are ways to reduce it. It’s easy to understand the dilemma. A business owner… Read more