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Hiring A Team – Employee Or Independent Contractor?

As a business owner, one of the first things we may do when we expand our business is think about hiring some help. This may be in the form of part-time or full-time employees, virtual assistants, marketing assistants, or others who work for us a few hours a week here and there. So how can we make sure we are categorizing these individuals correctly, from a legal perspective? Are they employees, or are they independent contractors?Getting this right as a business owner is extremely important as there are certain rules and regulations surrounding having employees versus paying independent contractors to complete work for you.  Before you hire or work with anyone in either capacity, make sure you have a proper contract (drafted or reviewed by an attorney) outlining the relationship between your company and the individual and confirming whether they are an employee or independent contractor.

As a business owner, one of the first things we may do when we expand our business is think about hiring some help. This may be in the form of part-time or full-time employees, virtual assistants, marketing assistants, or others who work for us a few hours a week here and there.

So how can we make sure we are categorizing these individuals correctly, from a legal perspective? Are they employees, or are they independent contractors?

Getting this right as a business owner is extremely important as there are certain rules and regulations surrounding having employees versus paying independent contractors to complete work for you. Continue reading “Hiring A Team – Employee Or Independent Contractor?”

6 Steps To A Developing A Small Business Marketing Budget

AllBusiness. comBuilding a successful company almost always involves successfully marketing your product, your service, or yourself. Far too many companies underspend on their customer-facing efforts, or instead they overspend trying to reach a specific target audience. For example, if your target audience is older consumers, marketing money spent on social media campaigns may not be effective in reaching them.

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Building a successful company almost always involves successfully marketing your product, your service, or yourself.

Far too many companies underspend on their customer-facing efforts, or instead they overspend trying to reach a specific target audience. Continue reading “6 Steps To A Developing A Small Business Marketing Budget”

Debt Conscious Tips To Grow Your Clothing Brand

The demise of American Apparel, for anyone dreaming of starting an independent clothing company, has felt a lot like a death knell for the industry. Over its 19-year history (it’s now been sold to a Canadian company), it came to define the laid-back cool style of so-called “hipsters” in the early 2000s. Its form-fitting clothes offered a youthful and simplistic style, and their shirts quickly became the canvas for screen prints around the US. The company began as a dorm room startup selling “made in America” shirts, but became something of a fashion icon before its CEO was finally ousted in 2015.

AmericaThe demise of American Apparel, for anyone dreaming of starting an independent clothing company, has felt a lot like a death knell for the industry. Over its 19-year history (it’s now been sold to a Canadian company), it came to define the laid-back cool style of so-called “hipsters” in the early 2000s. Its form-fitting clothes offered a youthful and simplistic style, and their shirts quickly became the canvas for screen prints around the US. Continue reading “Debt Conscious Tips To Grow Your Clothing Brand”

5 Easy Ways To Guarantee Emarketing Success

There’s a lot of trial and error when it comes to emarketing, and it definitely is something that rewards the patient and persistent. However, if you’re looking to jump-start an emarketing campaign and are short on resources, here’s a quick guide to get you on the right track from Day 1. While you’ll definitely want to save money where you can, also keep in mind that hodgepodging a few free or low-cost tools together can be extremely time-consuming, not to mention a headache. A few places to start include MailChimp, InfusionSoft, or ConvertKit, but the list is much longer than that.

infusionsoftThere’s a lot of trial and error when it comes to emarketing, and it definitely is something that rewards the patient and persistent. However, if you’re looking to jump-start an emarketing campaign and are short on resources, here’s a quick guide to get you on the right track from Day 1.

While you’ll definitely want to save money where you can, also keep in mind that hodgepodging a few free or low-cost tools together can be extremely time-consuming, not to mention a headache. Continue reading “5 Easy Ways To Guarantee Emarketing Success”

Give Customers The Personal Touch: How Your Retail Store Can Profit From Personalization

AllBusiness. comPost sponsored by Microsoft. Part 1 in a 3-part series. Today’s retail customers have access to nearly unlimited shopping options, from brick-and-mortar stores to e-commerce websites they can access with a tap on their smartphones.

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Post sponsored by Microsoft. Part 1 in a 3-part series. Continue reading “Give Customers The Personal Touch: How Your Retail Store Can Profit From Personalization”

5 Valuable Lessons All Entrepreneurs Can Learn From The Founder

AllBusiness. comWhile technology continues to change and evolve, we are constantly reminded that human nature remains the same. The Founder, the story of the man who took McDonald’s from a single obscure location and turned it into a household name, has the same themes as a modern-day tech startup: high hopes, best intentions, friction between the “engineers” and the business, betrayal, a power struggle, and ultimately the rewriting of history. For those who haven’t seen it, it chronicles the story of the Richard and Maurice McDonald, two brothers who engineered an unprecedented system to create fast, cheap, consistent, and “delicious” burgers.

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While technology continues to change and evolve, we are constantly reminded that human nature remains the same. The Founder, the story of the man who took McDonald’s from a single obscure location and turned it into a household name, has the same themes as a modern-day tech startup: high hopes, best intentions, friction between the “engineers” and the business, betrayal, a power struggle, and ultimately the rewriting of history. Continue reading “5 Valuable Lessons All Entrepreneurs Can Learn From The Founder”

Successful Business Networking: 6 Secrets To Deeper Connections

AllBusiness. comYou’ve joined a few industry groups, attended their conferences, and had drinks at the monthly after-hours mixers.  You’ve also mastered your elevator pitch and are dutifully sending LinkedIn invites and meeting people for coffee. You’ve even forwarded relevant articles and sent thoughtful thank-you notes.

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You’ve joined a few industry groups, attended their conferences, and had drinks at the monthly after-hours mixers. You’ve also mastered your elevator pitch and are dutifully sending LinkedIn invites and meeting people for coffee. Continue reading “Successful Business Networking: 6 Secrets To Deeper Connections”

How Brands Can Inject An Aura Of Luxury Into The Everyday Items They Sell

AllBusiness. comConsumer brands big and small share one common goal: Have customers fall in love with their products. This aim sounds straightforward enough, but for the many businesses that are focused on making life’s everyday utility items, having a consumer fall in love with what they’re producing is no simple feat. After all, they’re not selling products that people normally associate with enjoyment, like Ultra HD TVs or fine jewelry, but rather items that are necessities, such as thermostats and dishwasher soap.

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Consumer brands big and small share one common goal: Have customers fall in love with their products.

This aim sounds straightforward enough, but for the many businesses that are focused on making life’s everyday utility items, having a consumer fall in love with what they’re producing is no simple feat. Continue reading “How Brands Can Inject An Aura Of Luxury Into The Everyday Items They Sell”

The 4 Biggest Reasons Why Your Company Needs An Official Social Media Policy

AllBusiness. comIf your company has a presence on social media (and it should), then you need to make sure you have a social media policy that keeps everyone accountable. If you don’t, social media will end up being more of a distraction than an aid. According to data from Pew Research Center, 69% of adults use some sort of social media.

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If your company has a presence on social media (and it should), then you need to make sure you have a social media policy that keeps everyone accountable. If you don’t, social media will end up being more of a distraction than an aid. Continue reading “The 4 Biggest Reasons Why Your Company Needs An Official Social Media Policy”