Effective July 1, 2017, three of the major credit-reporting companies began following improved standards that will cause some credit scores to rise. As part of the National Consumer Assistance Plan (NCAP), TransUnion, Experian and Equifax are no longer including information about tax liens and civil judgments on a consumer’s record if the data doesn’t include … Continue reading Why Credit Scores are on the Rise
Protecting yourself and your business from fraud allows you to concentrate on what matters most: the success of your business. Running a business is a big investment. Any level of fraud, especially for a small business, could be costly and devastating. Small businesses tend to be more informal, with family-type environments and less checks and … Continue reading How to Protect Your Business From Fraud
Sometimes knowing how not to do something is half the battle. Grooming employees for leadership roles is an essential part to growing your business — and the most cost-effective option for promotion. According to Dale Carnegie Training, $11 billion is lost annually due to employee turnover. Employees who know they can keep growing with an … Continue reading How to (and How Not to) Become a Leader at Work
It’s no secret that those who are successful in business set goals. It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day shuffle of business operations, but goals can help you stay on track, measure progress and get to the next level. Maybe you want to increase profits, improve customer service or launch a new product. Defining … Continue reading 5 Tips for Setting Goals
Arm yourself with knowledge. What is CATO? Corporate Account Takeover (CATO) is a type of corporate identity theft whereby a criminal steals a business’s valid online banking credentials. Keeping Passwords Safe Isn’t Enough Criminals use various ways to obtain access to the legitimate banking credentials of businesses. For example, your business’s systems may be compromised … Continue reading Protect Your Business Finances
All businesses want to grow. The big question is how much. Even modest growth is required for a small business to stay viable, but sometimes small businesses are ready to make the leap to large business. If you’ve decided the time is right to significantly grow your company, there are few things you should know. … Continue reading The Five Ps of Surviving the Leap from Small to Large
After developing your business plan, a mission statement is often viewed as next most important step in launching and sustaining a new business. Without an overall goal or philosophy, it’s easy to lose focus and forget why you established your business in the first place. While serving as a reminder to you, a mission statement … Continue reading Writing a Mission Statement that Inspires
Cash can be an invaluable safety net for a small business. Having enough cash on hand during lean times or for an unexpected emergency is crucial to your business’ survival — and future growth. But too much cash can mean money not being put toward its best use. It’s a general rule of business to … Continue reading How Much is Too Much Cash?
Checking accounts are the most widely used financial product in the country. According to the FDIC’s most recent Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households in 2015, 75.8 percent of households had a checking account. Most banks offer different levels of checking accounts, from simple ones to those that earn interest and have unlimited transactions. Checking … Continue reading How to Choose The Best Checking Account
With April 15 fast approaching, small business owners should be getting their tax documents, credits and deductions ready to go. Being diligent about record keeping is probably the best way to come out ahead on tax day. According to the IRS, good records will help you monitor the progress of your business, prepare your financial … Continue reading Tax Tips for Small Businesses
