Shows
Small Biz Flash5-12-25 - How To Get Your Customers To Search for YOUFEATUREMarketing is changing. Your company is being discovered in ways that were not the case just a few years ago. Research oftentimes no longer starts on a search engine, but they often end there. So, figure out where your prospects are and go be with them on those spaces.Resources mentioned:SparkTorohttps://sparktoro.com/Today’s guest is Mickey Mellen, of GreenMellen:Mickey’s email: mickey@greenmellenmedia.comMickey’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickmel/GreenMellen web page: https://www.greenmellenmedia.com/ ...2025-05-1214 minSmall Biz Flash4-9-25 – Tariffs Cause Short-Term Uncertainty & Trying to Fill Open PositionJoin us for Illuminate 2025 on April 22! Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/illuminate-spring-2025-tickets-1273764687469Email me at adam@smallbizflash.com.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 – Tariffs are causing concern among small business owners.https://www.wzzm13.com/article/money/economy/survey-michigan-small-business-owners-shows-two-thirds-taking-steps-prepare-for-recession/69-dd2f9d65-c2b9-4b79-9788-b2b420fd5453https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article303397271.htmlhttp://marketplace.org/2025/04/03/tariffs-small-businesses-taxes-imports-price-increase/https://www.dailyherald.com/20250329/business/small-businesses-are-anxious-over-lack-of-clarity-on-tariffs/2 – Small businesses are still actively trying to fill open positions.ht...2025-04-1006 min
Count Me In®Ep. 300: John Hewitt - Achieving the Extraordinary: Lessons in Entrepreneurial Success and GrowthJoin host Adam Larson in an engaging conversation with John Hewitt, a remarkable figure in the accounting world. Despite never taking an accounting course, John has built multi-million dollar companies like Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax. In this episode, he shares how his father inspired his entrepreneurial journey and offers insights into franchising and self-employment. Whether you're considering entrepreneurship or curious about building a billion-dollar business, John provides valuable advice on risk-taking, differentiation, marketing, and delivering exceptional customer service. Tune in for actionable insights and inspirational stories on this episode of the Count Me In Podcast
...2025-03-1726 min
The Corner BlitzReady to Go Right Now - Parklane football head coach Ron Rushing, OL coach Grayson Hewitt, and Pioneers Eli Davis, Hayden McCurley and Braxton Hughes, live at the Fit Life Sports PlexWe love having state champions on The Corner Blitz, and this time it's the MAIS 5A state football champs - the Parklane Pioneers, who beat Leake Academy 70-42 back on Nov. 22 to claim the trophy for the first time since 1994. Head coach Ron Rushing hangs out with us all the time on K106, and tonight we got to talk to OL coach Grayson Hewitt and Pioneers Eli Davis, Hayden McCurley and Braxton Hughes. Benji, Brad and Adam also discuss former Lawrence County stud Ahmad Hardy and the paycheck he is about to receive, the retirement of Co-Lin's Glenn Davis...2024-12-051h 25
The Parrsitivity PodcastThe parrsitivity podcast #episode291 Bonnie Hewitt @poshnotionsHad a good podcast with Bonnie rose is a personal coachHas been featured on David meltzer, Bloomberg tv, 2minute drill.Instagram: poshnotions Instagram: @Parrsitivity94YouTube: The parrsitivity podcastPayPal: theparrsitivitypodcastTwitter/x adamparrLFacebook: the parrsitivity podcast newTiktok: @Parrsitivity94Email: theparrsitivitypodcast@gmail.com2024-05-271h 08Small Biz Flash4-23-24 - Announcement About Small Biz Flash Podcast👀 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business? I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations. Email me today at adam@smallbizflash.com and let’s grow your business together! ----------Email me at adam@smallbizflash.com. Please give me feedback on the podcast. Please contact me for a free, comprehensive insurance policy analysis for your company. Show web site: www.smallbizflash.com 2024-04-2300 minSmall Biz Flash4-9-24 - How to Use a Press Release to Get Attention for Your Small BusinessSmall business owners, have you ever tried sending out a press release about a new product or an event at your company, just to hear crickets chirping in response? On today’s show, we’ll talk with an experienced PR professional about why most press releases flop, and what you can do to actually get results the next time you send a press release out to your community.Today’s guest is Claire Angelle, Founder of Angelle Consulting:Claire’s email: claire@angelleconsulting.comClaire’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-collobert-angelle-5267b4a/ Angelle Co...2024-04-0912 minSmall Biz Flash3-26-24 - 3 Ways Underpaying Yourself Is Hurting Your BusinessFEATURESmall business owners, do you pay yourself a below-market wage to keep your business profitable? Or maybe you take draws, but they might be sporadic and of varying amounts? On today’s show, we’ll talk with an experienced accounting professional about how this practice is hurting your business and how you can fix your own compensation structure.Today’s guest is Sharon Sheekey, Accounting Division Director at SBS Accounting & Advisors:Sharon’s email: ssheekey@sbsaccountants.comSharon’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-sheekey-874093b0/SBS Accounting & Advisors’ web page: https...2024-03-2613 minSmall Biz Flash3-12-24 - How to Buyout Your Competition Using an SBA LoanFEATURESmall business owners, have you ever considered buying out a competitor to expand your own company’s capabilities and customer base? On today’s show, we’ll talk with a lending expert about how you can finance a business acquisition at up to 100% of the purchase price using an SBA loan.Today’s guest is Laurence Leopold, SBA Senior Business Development Officer at IncredibleBank:Laurence’s email: lleopold@incrediblebank.comLaurence’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurence-leopold-4496342/IncredibleBank web page: https://www.incrediblebank.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP2024-03-1213 minSmall Biz Flash2-27-24 - Google Trends Will Give Your Small Business an EdgeFEATUREGoogle Trends is a powerful and completely free tool from Google that can help you stay ahead of the curve. It will help you understand your customers, and can inform decision making on marketing, research & development, and more.Google Trends:https://trends.google.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - The economy continues to be the #1 concern among small business owners, according to the latest CNBC-SurveyMonkey Small Business Index. Immigration followed at a close second place.https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/cnbcsurveymonkey-small-business-index-q1-2024/2 - Small businesses fa...2024-02-2709 minSmall Biz Flash2-13-24 - Small Business Owners Face Economic Uncertainty and the Beneficial Ownership RuleNEWS ROUNDUP1 - Small business owners continue to grapple with economic uncertainty, according to the National Federation of Independent Business’ Small Business Optimism Index.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/small-business-owners-expectations-for-higher-sales-declined-in-january/2 - Many small businesses are still unaware of the new Beneficial Ownership rule from the Treasury Department that went into effect on 1-1-24.https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-businesses-must-now-report-ownership-information-to-the-government-but-many-dont-know-about-it-bb13f2b6https://www.fincen.gov/boi3 - Nearly a year after the run on Silicon Valley Bank, small business owners aren’t panicking about their business acco...2024-02-1405 minSmall Biz Flash1-30-24 - How to Determine if a Worker Is a Contractor or an EmployeeFEATUREThe Department of Labor (DOL) has finalized its new independent contractor rule. There are six factors that you must use to determine if a worker is a contractor or an employee.The final rule goes into effect on March 11, 2024.Misclassifying employees as independent contractors can result in lawsuits and penalties, among other costs.DOL’s Small Entity Compliance Guide to the new rule:https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/government-contracts/small-entity-compliance-guideToday’s guest is Karen Moss, of Innovative Outsourcing:Karen’s email: kmoss@innovative-outsourcing.com Kare...2024-01-3011 min
Distilled Wisdom PodcastInterview John Hewitt - Founder of Jackson Hewitt, Liberty Tax & Loyalty BrandsSend us a textJoin Adam as he explores the entrepreneurial journey of John T. Hewitt. From his early days at H&R Block to founding industry giants like Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax Service, John's story is a masterclass in innovation and resilience. In this episode, discover how John revolutionized tax preparation with his decision-tree software, and learn about his latest venture, Loyalty Brands. Adam and John discuss the challenges and triumphs of building a business empire, offering invaluable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs. This is more than a conversation about taxes; it's about the strategic vision...2024-01-261h 03Small Biz Flash1-16-24 - How a Fractional COO Can Make Your Business Life WonderfulFEATUREA fractional chief operating officer, or a FCOO, can help you make your business life wonderful, getting you back to doing what you love in the business, which is likely not overseeing the daily operational tasks.* How to know when it is time to hire a fractional COO.* How a fractional COO helps you as the business owner.* What a fractional COO brings to the table.Recommended reading: Rocket Fuel, by Gino Wickman and Mark Winters.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - The Department of Labor h...2024-01-1614 minSmall Biz Flash1-2-24 - 2024 Economic Optimism & Google’s New Small Business AttributeNEWS ROUNDUP1 – There’s reason for optimism about the economy in 2024, and that’s good news for small businesses.https://www.wsj.com/economy/what-to-watch-in-fridays-spending-report-inflation-closing-in-on-feds-target-0778037dhttps://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/26/the-us-avoided-a-recession-in-2023-whats-the-outlook-for-2024.htmlhttps://www.cnn.com/2024/01/01/business/5-reasons-to-be-optimistic-about-the-2024-economy/index.html2 - Google recently rolled out a new small business attribute feature.https://blog.google/products/shopping/google-merchant-new-features-holiday/3 – The SBA is proposing to remove limits on loan eligibility for prospective borrowers who have a previous run-in with the law.https://www.smallbusinessroundtable.org/sbr-submits-comments-on-sbas-proposed-rule-reforming-criminal-record-eligibility-requirements-for-loan-programs----------2024-01-0304 minSmall Biz Flash12-19-23 - How to Get Publicity for Your Small BusinessFEATURE* What is the different between public relations and marketing?* What are the three tactics for PR?* How does a small business get publicity? How does the owner, who is usually the primary salesperson, get publicity?* How much of your knowledge and information is it OK to share?Today’s guest is Claire Angelle, Founder of Angelle Consulting:Claire’s email: claire@angelleconsulting.comClaire’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-collobert-angelle-5267b4a/Angelle Consulting web page: https://www.angelleconsulting.com/----------NEWS ROUND...2023-12-1912 minSmall Biz Flash12-5-23 - SBA Resources You Need to Know AboutFEATUREYou’re probably familiar with Small Business Administration loans. SBA loans, as they are commonly called, are partially backed by the federal government.But there are other resources the SBA offers, some of which aren’t well known, which can benefit your company. We’re going to discuss just a few today.THRIVEhttps://www.sbathrive.com/Assistance for small businesses with procuring federal contractshttps://www.sba.gov/federal-contractingAmerica’s Seed Fundhttps://beta.www.sbir.gov/SBA Business Guidehttps://ww...2023-12-0508 minSmall Biz Flash11-21-23 - Don’t Destroy Your Chances of Hiring the Right CandidateFEATURETo get the right candidates, you need to alight the job description with the actual need for the position.Also, avoid giving your candidates a poor experience in the overall process from interviewing to onboarding.Finally, don’t hire reactively, i.e., for short-term needs. Think about your long-term needs instead.Today’s conversation is based on the blog post, “8 Things That Can Cause You To Hire The Wrong Person.”https://humansdoing.net/8-things-that-can-cause-you-to-hire-the-wrong-person/Today’s guest is Josh McAfee, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Humans Doing:Josh’s...2023-11-2114 minSmall Biz Flash11-7-23 - Unlock Your Customers’ Vision and Make Them Raving FansFEATUREToday, we continue our discussion of the book “Raving Fans” by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. To create raving fans, the business must create a vision of the customer experience, but then, it must invite the customers themselves into the vision casting process.Not everything the customers want will necessarily be a part of the final vision, but listening to customers is key. Once customers’ vision has been integrated into the original vision of the business’ vision, then the implementation process begins. Take it slow and start small. Customers want consistency in their experience above all el...2023-11-0808 minSmall Biz Flash10-24-23 - Make Your Customers Raving Fans to Get More ReferralsFEATURETo have a truly thriving business, one essential element is a customer base who are wildly enthusiastic about what your company offers, so much so, in fact, that they eagerly tell their family, friends, and neighbors.In their book “Raving Fans,” Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles explain how having merely satisfied customers just doesn’t cut it. Today, we’re going to unpack some of the book’s ideas and talk about how to apply them to your business.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - Small business owners became increasingly dour in the...2023-10-2509 minSmall Biz Flash10-10-23 - What Types of Insurance Does Your Small Business Need?FEATUREEvery small business has different insurance needs, but almost all will need General Liability coverage. And many will also need coverage included in a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP).Other types of insurance could include Workers' Compensation, Employers Liability, Cyber Liability, Commercial Auto, and Errors and Omissions (aka Professional Liability).Today’s guest is Jack Smith, of Valor Insurance Brokers:Jack’s email: jack@valorbrokers.comJack’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonsmith1/Valor’s web page: https://www.valorbrokers.com/----------NEWS ROUND...2023-10-1012 minSmall Biz Flash9-26-23 - How To Get Your Small Business Found on GoogleFEATURERanking high in search engines results, especially on Google, is a concern of most small businesses. There are a few basic things you can do to help your site be found, like consistently creating good content (but you don’t have to write a blog post every day or even every week) and fully utilizing Google Business Profile.ChatGPT can help you create content, but don’t depend on it to get you 100% of the way there.We also discuss:* How to account for the numerous updates to Google’s algorithm each ye...2023-09-2612 minSmall Biz Flash9-12-23 - The New I-9 - What You Need to KnowFEATUREThe Department of Homeland Security issued a new Form I-9, also known as the Employment Eligibility Form, on August 1. If you have employees, you need to be completing an I-9 on every new hire and should have already completed an I-9 for every existing employee. Penalties for non-compliance are stiff.Today’s guest is Karen Moss, of Innovative Outsourcing:Karen’s email: kmoss@innovative-outsourcing.comKaren’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenemoss/Innovative Outsourcing web page: https://www.innovative-outsourcing.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1...2023-09-1213 minSmall Biz Flash8-29-23 - 3 Ways Your CRM Can Boost Company PerformanceFEATUREMany small businesses already have a CRM in place, but these platforms can be very robust, and you’re probably not taking full advantage of the functionality available to you.If don’t already have a CRM, some of the most popular for small companies include HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Monday Sales CRM, Insightly, and Pipedrive, to name a few.Other than storing contact information and running your email newsletters, three more ways to leverage your CRM to boost company performance are:1. Track the lifetime value of your customers2. Set...2023-08-2909 minSmall Biz Flash8-15-23 - Advertise to Prospects Incoming From Your Lead MagnetsFEATUREAfter you’ve completed the hard work of developing, deploying, and promoting your lead magnet, you’re still not done. The leads have started to come in, but what’s next? In most cases, you’ll need to start an email marketing campaign to continue the conversation with prospects where the lead magnet left off and to invite them into an offer to do business with you.Be sure you don’t run afoul of anti-spam email laws in your jurisdiction.Once your specially created content has run its course for the prospects th...2023-08-1508 minSmall Biz Flash8-1-23 - Promote Your Lead Magnets With These Proven MethodsFEATUREOnce you have developed a solid lead magnet, you want as many prospects as possible to interact with your valuable offer. You need to promote the lead magnet through a variety of channels.You must first create a landing page for the lead magnet to direct prospects back to, where they will fill out a form with their contact information.Then, you can use your web site, social media, emailers, paid ads, and other methods to tell the world about your offer.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1A...2023-08-0113 min
The Rev upS1E16 | Unleash Sales Success: Building Sales team and Driving growth in the Education Industry | Adam HewittBuilding a sales team from scratch may seem daunting. Some business owners may shy away from sales, feeling it's not their strong suit, while others fear letting go once they’ve a sales process that works. Once you start growing your team, you’re faced with additional pressures of hiring right people, onboarding them for success and developing them for continued performance. In this episode of The Rev Up podcast, we sit down with Adam Hewitt, Co-Founder and CEO of Cyber Revolution, to discuss driving growth in the education industry and how to build the f...2023-07-311h 07Small Biz Flash7-18-23 - Deploy Lead Magnets To Get More ProspectsFeature begins at 4:12 (News roundup prior to that)FEATURELead magnets are an inexpensive way to get on the radar of more prospects. They are popular because they work.There are numerous kinds of lead magnets, or lead generators, including downloadable guides or templates, free trials or samples, and on-demand webinars.Your lead magnets need to be useful and valuable – make them worth the time of your prospects. ----------NEWS ROUNDUP1As small businesses’ access to credit has tightened over the past few months, an al...2023-07-1810 minSmall Biz Flash7-4-23 - AI Causes Mixed Feelings & Inflation Worries PersistNEWS ROUNDUP162% of owners with businesses of annual revenue between $250,000 and $5 million said inflation was their top concern.https://stories.td.com/us/en/article/small-business-owners-concerned-about-employee-retention-product-shortages-and-inflation-td-bank-survey-shows2Small business owners have mixed feelings about artificial intelligence.https://sbecouncil.org/2023/06/28/what-do-small-business-owners-think-about-ai-and-governments-role/3Rent payments for small businesses have increased for the fifth straight month.https://www.alignable.com/forum/new-2023-record-55-of-smbs-have-higher-rents-+-nearly-40-cant-pay?from_topic=alignable----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% o...2023-07-0404 minSmall Biz Flash6-20-23 - Things To Know for Small Business SalesFEATUREThere are many aspects to sales that a small business needs to get right. We discuss the difference between sales process and sales methodology, and the difference between a sales plan and a sales playbook, among other things.Today’s guest is David Lusk, of Evergreen Sales Group:David’s email: drlusk@evergreensales.groupDavid’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlusk/Evergreen Sales Group web page: evergreensales.groupListeners of the show will get free access to the sales personnel assessment tool Willset Core Motivation Analysis...2023-06-2112 minSmall Biz Flash6-6-23 - SBA Loan Rates Top 10% & Small Biz Tax Deduction Expires in 2025NEWS ROUNDUP1The average rate for a Small Business Administration loan has now hit double-digits.https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-rate-increases-hit-small-businesses-the-hardest-7da7fb8ehttps://www.nerdwallet.com/article/small-business/sba-loan-rates2Small business groups are calling on Congress to make the small business tax deduction permanent.https://www.jobcreatorsnetwork.com/press_releases/job-creators-network-strongly-supports-main-street-certainty-act-of-2023-to-make-20-small-business-tax-deduction-permanent/3The current job market is tough for employers, and 69% of small business owners are taking action to retain employees.https://www.truist.com/resources/small-business/annual-small-business-survey-results2023-06-0704 minSmall Biz Flash5-23-23 - Avoid 2 Big Mistakes Companies Make Hiring for SalesFEATURESales is a foundational to the success of your small business. No sales means no revenue, which means no business. But many small businesses struggle to get sales right. And as they scale, they make costly mistakes, like hiring just one heavy hitter or promoting a hire performer into the sales manager role just because he/she has good numbers. Today, we talk to expert about how a fractional sales approach can help.Today’s guest is David Lusk, of Evergreen Sales Group:David’s email: drlusk@evergreensales.groupDavid’s LinkedIn pa...2023-05-2412 minSmall Biz Flash5-16-23 - Segment Your Email List for More ClicksFEATUREMany small businesses use email marketing to reach prospects and customers. But a common mistake is to not segment the list to better target the recipients with messaging and offers they will respond to. Numerous studies have shown that segmenting your email list and customizing the messages to each segment increases click-through-rates.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Confidence among small business owners fell to a decade low last month, according to the latest monthly data from the National Federation of Independent Business.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/labor-quality-becomes-top-small-business-problem-followed-by-inflation/2023-05-1708 minSmall Biz Flash5-9-23 - SBA Loan Applications and Using a Credit LineFEATUREWe continue the conversation from last week with an SBA loan expert, talking about the timely topic of credit availability, as well as what paperwork is needed to get a loan. We also look the right and wrong way to use a credit line.Today’s guest is Laurence Leopold:Laurence’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurence-leopold-4496342/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Small business’ access to credit tightened in April.https://b2c-cms2.b2cdev.com/small-business-lending-index/april-2023282% of business owners p...2023-05-1012 minSmall Biz Flash5-2-23 - Types of SBA Loans and Basic Eligibility RequirementsFEATURESmall Business Administration, or SBA, loans play a critical role in financing many small companies. In this episode, we discuss the difference between 7a and 504 loans and talk about some of the basic eligibility requirements for getting an SBA loan.Today’s guest is Laurence Leopold, of Byline Bank:Laurence’s email: lleopold@bylinebank.comLaurence’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurence-leopold-4496342/Byline Bank’s web page: https://www.bylinebank.com/ ----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Despite numerous ongoing concerns, a majority of small bus...2023-05-0212 minSmall Biz Flash4-25-23 - The Balanced Scorecard: Focus On What’s ImportantFEATUREThe balanced scorecard is a tool that any small business can use to focus on the important areas of operations, as well as finances, linking them to specific goals to generate better outcomes. The scorecard moves beyond just the typical financial metrics and aligns daily activities with the company’s overall strategy.https://hbr.org/1992/01/the-balanced-scorecard-measures-that-drive-performance-2----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Small businesses are hiring only temporary, part-time workers and contractors at a record high rate of 25%.https://www.alignable.com/forum/smbs-hedge-bets-on-recession-contract-part-time-hiring-up-to-new?from_topic=polls22023-04-2607 minSmall Biz Flash4-18-23 – Why Your Small Biz Probably Needs Corporate-owned Life Insurance – Part 2FEATUREToday’s guest is Jack Smith, of The American Insurance Group:Jack’s email: jack@insurancegroup.usJack’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonsmith1/ The American Insurance Group’s web page: http://www.theamericaninsurancegroup.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Small businesses are filing for bankruptcy at record high rates, according to new data from UBS.https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/svb-banking-crisis-credit-crunch-private-bankruptcy-filings-small-business-2023-32Small businesses will now have a tougher time getting their message out on Twitter because of changes to...2023-04-1811 minSmall Biz Flash4-11-23 – Why Your Small Biz Probably Needs Corporate-owned Life Insurance – Part 1FEATUREToday’s guest is Jack Smith of The American Insurance Group:Jack’s email: jack@insurancegroup.usJack’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonsmith1/ The American Insurance Group’s web page: http://www.theamericaninsurancegroup.com/ According to a survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 71% of small businesses polled said they were very dependent on one or two key people for their success, but only 22% had purchased corporate-owned life insurance.https://www.iii.org/publications/insuring-your-business-small-business-owners-guide-to-insurance/specific-coverages/life-insurance-for-key-employees----------NEWS ROUNDUP1...2023-04-1211 minSmall Biz Flash4-4-23 – Simplify Your Workflows With Standard Operating ProceduresFEATUREIf you don’t have systems, you won’t be efficient and you won’t be able to scale.SOPs keep your employees on the same page and promote quality, efficiency, and smoother operations.SOPs are especially important to small businesses that have few employees.Also avoid directions or language that is unclear or could be misinterpreted.Get an employee who is very good at the task in question to help you write the SOP.You should highly consider software to help you construct, update, and distri...2023-04-0406 minSmall Biz Flash3-28-23 – Emergency Savings Accounts for Employees Boost Retention and ProductivityFEATURENearly 1/3 of Americans would be unable to cover an unexpected expense of $400.Remember to consult your financial, HR, and legal counsel when creating any specific program.Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act, which will enable employers to set up ESAs for their employees tied to their retirement accounts, beginning in 2024.Outside of options available within SECURE 2.0, an employer could set up an ESA not connected to a retirement plan. One platform called SecureSave helps businesses run ESAs.https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/2022-economic-well-being-of-us-households-in-2021-dealing-with-unexpected-expenses.htmhttps://ir.l...2023-03-2908 minSmall Biz Flash3-21-23 – Protect Your Deposits Over $250,000FEATUREChances are, few of the commercial depositors had checked into these banks’ health before doing business with them. But even if they had, the Wall Street Journal reports that SVB’s trouble wasn’t reflected in credit ratings.What can you as a small business owner or manager do to protect your assets, especially if you must keep high amounts of operating capital?One option is to spread your funds across multiple banks so your accounts do not exceed $250,000 at any one institution.Another option is to utilize programs called ICS and...2023-03-2206 minSmall Biz Flash3-14-23 – 4 Ways to Harness ChatGPT for Your Small BusinessFEATURERemember the caveats from last week regarding ChatGPT, including it isn’t 100% correct all the time. And don’t depend on it to dispense legal and professional advice.ChatGPT can help you write a business plan.You can refine ChatGPT’s original output by giving it follow-up commands or asking follow-up questions.ChatGPT can compose scripts for videos, draft procedure documents, and just about anything else you can imagine. But you always need to review them for accuracy and real-world viability.ChatGPT can summarize articles and web pages.2023-03-1508 minSmall Biz Flash3-7-23 – Empower Your Business with ChatGPTFEATUREChatGPT is a conversational AI chatbot.Open AI is the developer of ChatGPT and is now offering access to the general public.ChatGPT can help you write content for your small business, such as blog posts. But, you can’t just copy and paste. It will need some refining. Plus, Google can detect AI-generated content.ChatGPT must still be fact-checked.You can also generate a title for your blog post using ChatGPT, and a tweet to promote the blog as well.Don’t use ChatGPT to create...2023-03-0808 minSmall Biz Flash2-28-23 – Put YouTube Ads in Your Marketing ToolboxFEATUREYouTube ads can accelerate the process of building up your audience on the platform, and give your brand more exposure.One of the great things about YouTube advertising is that you can target viewers based on the keywords they are searching for on YouTube, but also on Google (which owns YouTube).There are numerous other ways to refine your target audience, to get very specific.Among video ads, there are three main types. First, skippable in-stream ads are those you can pass over after you’ve watched them for five sec...2023-03-0108 minSmall Biz Flash2-21-23 – Grow Your Audience and Revenue With YouTubeFEATUREYour YouTube strategy has to be sustainable, so you don’t quit after a few weeks or months.Dig into old blog articles or speeches you’ve given that could be updated and turned into short videos.YouTube’s algorithm rewards videos that hold the attention of the viewer.Once you have the video produced and on your YouTube channel, share it across all your communication channels.You don’t need a super slick, highly polished video to get your message out.Create playlists around your most com...2023-02-2207 minSmall Biz Flash2-14-23 – Create Your YouTube Channel NowFEATUREResources:Wyzowl Video Marketing Statistics 2023https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/What is the Ideal Length of Videos on YouTube?https://www.tubics.com/blog/how-to-master-on-long-form-video-content----------NEWS ROUNDUP1A poll by the invoicing platform Skynova found that 91% of small companies are currently labor hoarding.https://www.skynova.com/blog/small-business-and-labor-hoarding2The federal government could do a better job of interacting with small businesses, according to owners recently surveyed by Goldman Sachs.https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/US...2023-02-1507 minSmall Biz Flash2-7-23 – Building Your Personal BrandToday’s guest is Damon Zick, owner of Life Brand Academy:Damon’s email: damon@damonzick.comDamon’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonzick/Life Brand Academy’s YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@lifebrandacademy----------NEWS ROUNDUP1The number of new jobs created soared to 517,000 in January.https://www.kiplinger.com/investing/jobs-report-shows-massive-hiring-in-january-what-the-experts-are-sayingJanuary one-month annualized hourly earnings growth for small business employees fell to 2.88%, the lowest level since 2020, according to Paychex.https://www.paychex.com/employment-watch/#!/news-release/2Xero ha...2023-02-0711 minSmall Biz Flash1-31-23 – Never Run Out of Cash (Part 2) – Surviving the Economic Downturn – Tactic #8Join us at Illuminate 2023 on Tuesday, February 7. FREE admission! Details and registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/illuminate-feb-7th-2023-tickets-519912471197----------Today’s guest is Jonathan Bill, owner of SBS Accounting & Advisors:Jonathan’s email: jbill@sbsaccountants.comJonathan’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbsaccounting/SBS Accounting & Advisors: https://sbsaccountants.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Small business owners are more upbeat now than in mid-2022 about inflation, staffing issues, and a possible recession, according to a new pollhttps://ioufinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/2023...2023-02-0111 minSmall Biz Flash1-24-23 – Never Run Out of Cash (Part 1) – Surviving the Economic Downturn – Tactic #8Join us at Illuminate 2023 on Tuesday, February 7. FREE admission! Details and registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/illuminate-feb-7th-2023-tickets-519912471197----------Today’s guest is Jonathan Bill, owner of SBS Accounting & Advisors:Jonathan’s email: jbill@sbsaccountants.comJonathan’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbsaccounting/SBS Accounting & Advisors: https://sbsaccountants.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1The producer price index, a wholesale measure of inflation, dropped 0.5% in December.https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/18/wholesale-prices-fell-0point5percent-in-december-much-more-than-expected.htmlRetail sales fell significantly in December...2023-01-2512 minSmall Biz Flash1-17-23 – Try Guerrilla Marketing – Surviving the Economic Downturn – Tactic #7NEWS ROUNDUP1The rate of inflation, as measured by the consumer price index, cooled in December to 6.5% compared with a year earlier.https://apnews.com/article/december-2022-inflation-report-72bb938a443ab0500bd72d23f62214adIn a recent poll of economists by the Wall Street Journal, experts put the likelihood of a recession at 61% in the coming months.https://www.wsj.com/articles/despite-easing-price-pressures-economists-in-wsj-survey-still-see-recession-this-year-11673723571?mod=hp_lead_pos1The Index of Consumer Sentiment is currently at 64.6, up from 59.7 in December and 56.8 in November.http://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/2023-01-1807 minSmall Biz Flash1-10-23 – Nurture Your Employees – Surviving the Economic Downturn – Tactic #6NEWS ROUNDUP1The December jobs report was released late last week, showing continued strength in the labor market.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdfSmall business owners still plan to add workers in 2023.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/nfib-jobs-report-hiring-plans-weaken-in-december-as-labor-shortages-challenge-small-businesses/The rate of hourly wage growth at small businesses continued to decline to 4.95% year-over-year in December.https://www.paychex.com/employment-watch/#!/news-release/The Index of Consumer Sentiment for December from the University of Michigan came in at 59.7.http://www.sca.isr.umich...2023-01-1107 minSmall Biz Flash12-20-22 – Get More Customers Through Referrals – Surviving the Economic Downturn – Tactic #5FEATUREGet More Customers Through Referrals – Surviving the Economic Downturn – Tactic #5https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2012/consumer-trust-in-online-social-and-mobile-advertising-grows/https://news.constantcontact.com/press-release-customer-engagement-major-focus-small-business-technology-according-constant-contact-t----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Retail sales in November fell short of expectations, down 0.6% from the previous month.https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-november-retail-sales-06-vs-01-expected-20221215/Manufacturing also slowed in November by 0.6%, as a reduction in output of cars and trucks offset other factory gains.https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-manufacturing-output-dragged-down-151932250.htmlAAA reports the national average price for regular unle...2022-12-2107 minSmall Biz Flash12-13-22 – Reassess Your Value Proposition – Surviving the Economic Downturn – Tactic #4NEWS ROUNDUP1The producer price index, a measure of wholesale inflation, rose 7.4% in November from a year earlier.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htmThe consumer price index also eased last month, to a year-over-year increase of 7.1%.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm2Nearly half of small business owners – 47% – described current conditions as middle of the road for their companies. A majority, 58% said they expect changes in government regulations to negatively affect their business in the next 12 months, and 61% said they expect changes in ta...2022-12-1406 minSmall Biz Flash12-6-22 – Health Insurance Options for a Small BusinessFEATURE – Health Insurance Options for a Small BusinessToday’s guest is Monica Watson, owner and president of Hene Watson Advisors:Monica’s email: monica@henewatson.comMonica’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-watson-6582a413Suggested resource:Health Insurance Marketplace Calculatorhttps://www.kff.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1The November jobs report was not as good as the headlines seem. The household survey show a loss of 138,000 jobs.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htmSm...2022-12-0710 minSmall Biz Flash11-29-22 – Cultivate Strategic Partnerships – Surviving the Economic Downturn – Tactic #3NEWS ROUNDUP1Durable goods orders were up sharply in October, by 1%, far surpassing analysts’ expectations.https://www.census.gov/manufacturing/m3/adv/pdf/durgd.pdfFirst time jobless claims jumped by 17,000 last week, and are now at a three-month high.https://www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf2The Small Business Administration is proposing a rule to allow more financing companies such to offer SBA-backed 7(a) loans.https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/07/2022-23597/small-business-lending-company-sblc-moratorium-rescission-and-removal-of-the-requirement-for-a-loan3Marking a new record for 2022, 41% of small business owners reported they failed to...2022-11-3006 minSmall Biz Flash11-22-22 – Rethink Accounts Payable – Surviving the Economic Downturn – Tactic #2NEWS ROUNDUP1Retail sales surged last month 1.3%, exceeding forecasters’ expectations. https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/retail-salesA new report out by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows an increase in total household debt in 3Q22 of 2.2% to an all-time high of $16.5 trillion. https://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/research/2022/202211152The National Small Business Association is filing a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Corporate Transparency Act of 2019 – also known as “Beneficial Ownership” rules. https://www.nsba.biz/_files/ugd/601769_6e4c8814fad44357ba4fb466cd6202bd.pdf3A new s...2022-11-2308 minSmall Biz Flash11-15-22 – Survive and Thrive the Economic Downturn – Tactic #1: Send Your Customers a Video MessageNEWS ROUNDUP1* The rate of inflation (Consumer Price Index) last month was lower than expected.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm* Inflation at the wholesale level also eased in October.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htm* The University of Michigan index of consumer sentiment fell in November.http://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/2The Small Business Optimism Index dropped 0.8 points in October to 91.3, the 10th consecutive month the index has been below the 49-year average of 98. https://www.nfib.com/surveys/s...2022-11-1608 minSmall Biz Flash11-8-22 – Advance Your Employees’ Engagement – Part 2 of 2FEATURE – Advance Your Employees’ Engagement – Part 2 of 2Today’s guests are Mac and Kim Cantrell, owners of 2 Impact:Mac’s email: mac@2impactlife.comKim’s email: kim@2impactlife.comMac’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maccantrell/Kim’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimrcantrell/2Impact: https://www.2impactlife.com/Suggested resources:U.S. Employee Engagement Drops for First Year in a Decadehttps://www.gallup.com/workplace/388481/employee-engagement-drops-first-year-decade.aspxThe World's $7.8 Trillion Workplace Problemhttps://www.gallup.com/workplace/393497/world-trillion-workpl...2022-11-0809 minSmall Biz Flash11-1-22 – Advance Your Employees’ Engagement – Part 1 of 2FEATURE – Advance Your Employees’ Engagement – Part 1 of 2Today’s guests are Mac and Kim Cantrell, owners of 2 Impact:Mac’s email: mac@2impactlife.comKim’s email: kim@2impactlife.comMac’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maccantrell/Kim’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimrcantrell/2Impact: https://www.2impactlife.com/Suggested resources:U.S. Employee Engagement Drops for First Year in a Decadehttps://www.gallup.com/workplace/388481/employee-engagement-drops-first-year-decade.aspxThe World's $7.8 Trillion Workplace Problemhttps://www.gallup.com/workplace/393497/world-trillion-workpl...2022-11-0112 minSmall Biz Flash10-25-22 – 3 Types of Software Your Small Business NeedsFEATURE – 3 Types of Software Your Small Business NeedsToday’s guest is Peter Pin, owner of Sharpin Systems:Peter’s email: peter@gosharpin.comPeter’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petergpin/Sharpin Systems: https://www.gosharpin.com/Suggested resources:CRMs:Active Campaignhttps://ActiveCampaign.referralrock.com/l/183RIP9E5SS/Go High Levelhttps://www.gohighlevel.com/main-page?fp_ref=sharpinFreshsaleshttps://www.freshworks.com/crm/sales/Task Managers:ClickUphttps://clickup.com/?fp_ref=r3wjrAsa...2022-10-2511 minSmall Biz Flash10-18-22 – 3 Key Steps to Better Cyber SecurityNEWS ROUNDUP1In September, the producer price index, a measure of wholesale inflation, rose 0.4%, which was worse than analysts expected. For the 12-month period, prices were up 8.5%.Inflation at the retail level was a similar story. For September, the consumer price index was up 8.2% year-over-year.Consumer spending was flat in September, according to the Commerce Department, even as prices increased.Recent data from J P Morgan Chase indicates that consumers’ spending is currently outpacing their income, and their savings are dwindling as a result. The Conference Board relea...2022-10-1911 minSmall Biz Flash10-11-22 – 4 Tips to Better WebinarsThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1The September jobs report came out last week, and the numbers were a mixed bag. The unemployment rate dipped 0.2% from August to 3.5%, beating forecasts.The August job openings report was also released last week, and it showed the steepest decline in open positions since April 2020, just after Covid hit.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htmhttps://www...2022-10-1206 minSmall Biz Flash10-4-22 – How To Implement Your Net Promoter Score ProgramThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1The August personal consumption-expenditures price (or PCE) index rose faster than experts predicted, up 4.9% from a year ago.Consumer spending increased in August by 0.4%, after falling by 0.2% in July.The manufacturing sector, which accounts for 12% of the US economy, slowed significantly last month.The Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDPNow tracker has revised its forecast for the US gross domestic produ...2022-10-0507 minSmall Biz Flash9-27-22 – Track Your Net Promoter Score to Edge Out CompetitorsThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1The Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDPNow tracker’s current estimate for US gross domestic product for 3Q2022 is a an almost no-growth rate of 0.3%.CNBC’s September poll of economists and other financial experts predicted a 52% chance the US would enter a recession in the next 12 months.The Conference Board recently released data showing its Leading Economic Index dropped 0.3% in August.Othe...2022-09-2807 minSmall Biz Flash9-20-22 – Make Your Team Victorious With ChangeThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1Small business owners are continuing to get hit hard by inflation on multiple fronts, including soaring labor costs and being forced to raise their prices.The Consumer Price Index came in worse than expected for August, rising 8.3% over the last year.The Producer Price Index, a measure of wholesale inflation, declined slightly for the month, meeting expectations. Still, for the last 12 mont...2022-09-2106 minSmall Biz Flash9-13-22 – Get Your Money! (Accounts Receivable Best Practices)This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1Small businesses are likely to feel the brunt of steep Obamacare premium increases next year. Some health insurers are proposing median rate hikes by as much as 20%.https://www.wsj.com/articles/affordable-care-act-health-plan-premiums-set-to-rise-11662671934?mod=business_lead_pos1https://dailycaller.com/2022/09/09/obamacare-costs-hit-small-business/---------- 263% of small businesses can’t afford to add staff, and 10% are actually reducing their s...2022-09-1407 minSmall Biz Flash9-6-22 – Sharpen Your Negotiating TacticsNEWS ROUNDUP1Continuing a trend most of the year, big companies continue to hire, while smaller companies struggle to retrain workers.The ADP National Employment Report showed businesses with 1-19 employees lost 47,000 employees in August.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htmhttps://adpemploymentreport.com/---------- 2Small businesses are on shaky financial ground, according to Fundbox. 74% reported a cash flow issue within the past year.https://fundbox.com/blog/fundbox-small-business-trends-survey-2022/---------- 3Small companies adv...2022-09-0706 minSmall Biz Flash8-30-22 – Build Out a Strong Tech StackThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1The latest figures released last week show that in the second quarter, gross domestic income (GDI), an alternative method of measuring economic activity, actually grew by 1.4%.https://www.bea.gov/data/income-saving/gross-domestic-income---------- 240% of small companies said they were late paying the landlord in the survey, up 6% from July.https://www.alignable.com/forum/augu...2022-08-3106 minSmall Biz Flash8-23-22 – Moneyball for BusinessThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1 Retail sales were flat in July, after they increased 0.8% in June, according to the US Census Bureau.After being adjusted for inflation, average weekly earnings are down 3.6% in July from a year ago. https://www.census.gov/retail/marts/www/marts_current.pdfhttps://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-retail-sales-fall-flat-in-july-on-cheaper-gas-and-weaker-auto-sales-11660739824?mod=article_inlinehttps://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2...2022-08-2408 minSmall Biz Flash8-16-22 – Bananas Can Teach You a Lot About BusinessThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1The producer price index, a measure of wholesale inflation, fell in July by 0.5%.Consumer confidence increased slightly in a preliminary reading for August.Productivity declined in the second quarter by 4.6%.The New York Federal Reserve Bank’s Empire State Manufacturing Survey plummeted to -31.3 for August.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htmhttps...2022-08-1709 minSmall Biz Flash8-9-22 – 3 Ways To Make Open Position Candidates Love YouThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htmhttps://www.bls.gov/charts/employment-situation/civilian-labor-force-participation-rate.htmhttps://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/small-business-job-growth-slows-in-july-hourly-earnings-growth-moderates-slightly-301597745.htmlhttps://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/nfib-jobs-report-nearly-half-of-small-business-owners-still-cant-fill-job-openings/The July jobs report came out last week, and the numbers were unexpectedly strong. The unemployment rate edge down to 3.5%.But the labor forc...2022-08-0909 minSmall Biz Flash8-2-22 – Lift Your Customer Engagement With a ChatbotThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1Last week, the official second quarter GDP number came in, and as suspected, the economy shrank.But what has economists most concerned is persistent inflation.Consumer confidence is still on a downward trend.So far, consumers’ glum outlook on the economy hasn’t seemed to catch up with their spending habits.https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2...2022-08-0308 minSmall Biz Flash7-26-22 – Write a Powerful Code of Conduct To Guide Your EmployeesThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1Last month, the US Department of Labor announced it was going to engage in new rulemaking on determining employee or independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act.https://blog.dol.gov/2022/06/03/misclassification-of-employees-as-independent-contractors-under-the-fair-labor-standards-acthttps://www.inc.com/ali-donaldson/new-rule-department-labor-employees-independent-contractors.htmlhttps://www.inquirer.com/business/labor-department-independent-contractor-rules-small-business-20220718.html---------- 2 The Strengthening Subcontracting for Small...2022-07-2707 minSmall Biz Flash7-19-22 – Counterpunch Inflation by Touting Your Small Business StatusThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1Inflation is roaring and on the top of everyone’s mind. The CPI and PPI for June both exceeded experts’ predictions.The Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDPNow tracker currently estimates that the US gross domestic product contracted by 1.6% in the second quarter.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htm ...2022-07-2007 minSmall Biz Flash7-12-22 – Develop a Bias for ActionThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1The CBIZ Small Business Employment Index saw a seasonally adjusted increase of 0.29%. In June, 29% of companies increased their headcounts, while 17% decreased their staffing.https://www.cbiz.com/insights/articles/article-details/cbiz-small-business-employment-index-showed-a-modest-gain-in-june---------- 250% of owners said they can’t find candidates to fill positions in the latest National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Economic Trends report.The S...2022-07-1308 minSmall Biz Flash7-5-22 – A Mission Statement That Actually WorksThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1Late last week, the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDPNow tracker estimated that the US gross domestic product contracted by 2.1% in the second quarter.Consumer spending, which has an immediate impact on many small businesses, is also moving in the wrong direction.https://www.atlantafed.org/cqer/research/gdpnow https://www.bea.gov/news/2022/personal-income-and-outlays-may-2022---------- 2Wa...2022-07-0506 minSmall Biz Flash6-28-22 – Net Hiring Score Is a Great Recruiting MetricThis podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors. Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee! https://sbsaccountants.com/.---------- NEWS ROUNDUP1Small businesses are fearful a new climate rule under consideration by the US Securities and Exchange Commission could have dire consequences on sales, by driving away their larger, corporate customers.https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-businesses-plead-with-sec-to-show-restraint-on-climate-rules-11655916721?tpl=cb---------- 2There is a substantial discrepancy between the way employers and employees of small and medium-sized businesses think about bene...2022-06-2907 minSmall Biz Flash6-21-22 – Attack Inflation With Strategic Price IncreasesNEWS ROUNDUP1 The vast majority of small business owners, 83%, are expecting a recession, according to the Small Business Recovery Report issued today by Kabbage.https://newsroom.kabbage.com/news/new-kabbage-survey-shows-80-of-u-s-small-businesses-are-confident-they-could-withstand-a-u-s-economic-recession/---------- 2Rent costs are going up. 52% of small businesses have experienced rent hikes in the last six months, according to a report out this month by Alignable.https://www.alignable.com/forum/small-business-rent-crisis-reaches-highest-levels-so-far-in-2022---------- 3Ship.com is offering a free 14-day trial of its shipping platform optimized for smal...2022-06-2206 minSmall Biz Flash6-14-22 – Regression Analysis Is a Powerful Forecasting ToolNEWS ROUNDUP1The top story this week continues to be the overall state of the economy, as it has an obvious impact on small business. A slew of data came in over the last few days, almost all of it negative.First, the Consumer Price Index, a widely used measure of inflation, surged 8.6% in May from a year ago. Second, partially fueling the red-hot inflation, is the price of gasoline, which is also on a record-setting tear.Third, the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment fell to its...2022-06-1507 minSmall Biz Flash6-7-22 - Stay Close to Your CustomersNEWS ROUNDUP1 Small businesses continued shedding jobs in May, even though the overall job market remained strong. Businesses with less than 50 employees lost a total of 91,000 jobs, according to the ADP Small Business Report. https://adpemploymentreport.com/2022/May/SBR/Report---------- 2Consumers are planning changes to their buying habits to cope with rising costs. According to a survey released last week by BMO Harris Bank, 42% of respondents are avoiding brand names, opting for cheaper items, and buying only essentials when they shop for groceries.https://newsr...2022-06-0706 minSmall Biz Flash5-31-22 - Accepting Cryptocurrency PaymentsNEWS ROUNDUP1Small business CEOs are growing concerned about a recession, according to a report published earlier this month by the Wall Street Journal and business-coaching firm Vistage Worldwide. 57% of small businesses believe the economy will worsen in coming months. https://www.vistage.com/research-center/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WSJ-CEO-Survey-0522.pdf---------- 2As gas prices continue to surge, there may be some relief coming for small business owners. A group of 18 US House members sent a letter to the IRS Commissioner earlier this month asking him to increase the opti...2022-05-3106 minSmall Biz Flash5-24-22 - Boost Your Customer Communications With Text MessagesNEWS ROUNDUP1The Small Business Administration is offering a great opportunity for free, executive-level training through its T.H.R.I.V.E. Emerging Leaders Reimagined initiative.https://sbathrive.com/---------- 2Small businesses in the manufacturing sector continue to be more optimistic about recovering from the pandemic’s economic hardships than their peers in the services sector.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/new-nfib-report-industry-specific-small-business-economic-trends-survey/---------- 3The US Senate failed to advance a small business aid bill last week, whic...2022-05-2406 minSmall Biz Flash5-17-22 - Small Business Spending and Deposits Are UpSmall businesses increased both spending and deposits from April 2021 to April 2022, according to a new publication by the Bank of America Institute. https://business.bofa.com/content/dam/flagship/bank-of-america-institute/economic-insights/small-business-checkpoint-may-2022.pdf---------- Indeed.com’s 2022 State of Small Business Hiring Report found that small businesses are struggling to keep and retain workers.https://www.indeed.com/press/releases/indeed-launches-50m-small-business-hiring-fund?hl=en&co=US---------- Small businesses are being targeted more often by cyber criminals, according to research by Barracuda, a cloud and network security compa...2022-05-1704 minSmall Biz Flash5-10-22 - Segment Customers and Build Community to Battle Falling Consumer ConfidenceSmall businesses actually lost jobs last month, even though the overall job market remains strong. The culprit? Employees are going to larger companies that can pay higher salaries.https://adpemploymentreport.com/2022/April/NER/docs/ADP-NATIONAL-EMPLOYMENT-REPORT-April2022-Final-Press-Release.pdfhttps://adpemploymentreport.com/2022/April/SBR/SBR-April-2022.aspxhttps://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/US/news-and-program-information/pages/10ksbv-press-release-25-apr-2022.html---------- The US Chamber of Commerce advocates for a Small Business "Bill of Rights".https://www.uschamber.com/small-business/u-s-chamber-calls-on-congress-to-support-small-business-growth----------Facebook-parent Meta and Adobe have teamed up...2022-05-1004 minSmall Biz Flash5-3-22 - Inflation Erodes Earnings; Fight Back With Long-term ContractsSmall businesses continue to grapple with inflation. According to a newly released poll, 93% of owners revealed their companies are being substantially or moderately impacted by rising prices.As bad as it is now that the vast majority of companies are seeing inflation take a bite out of their income statement, more trouble could be on the horizon, because economists worry about consumer behavior as inflation persists.Locking in long-term contracts is one inflation busting tactic.This podcast is sponsored by Mai Thai Premium Coffee. Listeners of this podcast, enter the promo code FLASH at...2022-05-0204 min