POST CATEGORY : CEO Leadership

5 Major Concerns of Small Businesses as They Grow

All businesses begin small. And it is these small businesses that are incubators for innovation in any economy. They foster new ideas and generate employment opportunities.

Coffee shop owner

While a business owner might control many things in his business, the larger aspects that drive or doom businesses are beyond an owner’s control. These factors include natural disasters, economy shift, change in government regulations and tax policies, healthcare policies, etc.

Here we will discuss some of the major concerns that torment small business owners in 2015.

Economic and Regulatory Changes

Market conditions and changing economy steer the companies from running into losses to progressive heights.…

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Grow Your Business in Ways your Customers Will Appreciate

In today’s competitive global business environment, pleasing customers is no longer just about providing quality products and services. Winning customers’ loyalty requires you to engage them and stand out from the sea of other businesses. This is the key to success, and it’s no secret – Nine out of ten American CEOs say they are are building stronger client engagement programs, according to PWC.

Hot dog truck and the happy customer

As you grow your business, it’s critical that you do so in a direction that your customers will appreciate. Here is a look at some of the ways you can expand your business and please your customers at the same time:

Humanize Your Brand

Branding is more than logos and flashy commercials — it’s a way of communicating your values and identity in a memorable way.…

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How to Run your Business from The Beach

We’d all like to think that we’re indispensible. And leaders are no different. Some leaders don’t take holidays, fearful that their business will collapse in their absence.

Happily, thanks to modern technology, communications and working practices, it’s now entirely possible (and even desirable) for leaders to keep a business running effectively from the comfort of a sun lounger.

Entrepreneur on the beach

If you’ve been running your business without a holiday, you need some tips for managing things effectively from a distance.

1. Delegate

The first thing you need to be able to do is delegate. To achieve this you need to have people you can trust and you need to give them clear instructions with specific milestones and smart objectives.…

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6 Types of Toxic CEOs that are Destined for Failure (Infographic)

Being the CEO means that your vision will guide your company, good or bad.  There are CEOs who are visionaries, creating a very personal connection with the products they offer (like Steve Jobs); and there are CEOs whose brash leadership style clashes with other top executives in the company (like Steve Jobs.) The CEO bears the most responsibility for a company’s success or failure.

Toxic CEO

Your job as a CEO is a delicate balancing act between giving the customers what they say they want, giving the customers what they really need, making bold decisions, and holding on to the company’s core values.…

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How Do You Know When it’s Time to Expand?

This is a tricky question since there is no universal answer. Expansion is a gamble, and a lot of entrepreneurs are hesitant to pull the trigger when they aren’t 100% sure they’ll do enough business to make the expansion worthwhile. And while it’s easy to say you should expand when you find you’re doing a ton of business, even that may be pre-emptive.

Business growth and expansion

The first thing you should trust is your gut – if you feel like it is time to expand, then seriously explore that option. But you should also consider a few other factors.

Competition

Has your competition recently expanded?…

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Expanding Your Small Business Abroad

In the past, only larger businesses could afford to target new markets overseas, but the internet has made this a valid option for small businesses too. It would be short sighted for a struggling small business owner to write off the possibility of expanding overseas.

Business communication with foreign clients

Just because you are having trouble in the domestic market, doesn’t mean you should shy away from foreign ones. World trade is pushing ever closer to a borderless global system and even the smallest business owners should consider which foreign markets they can move into.

Obviously this kind of expansion requires prior research. You need to find out where your product can be sold, in which countries there is a gap in the market and what the local competition looks like.…

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Is It Time to Expand Your Business?

When a business is doing well, it is often tempting to leave things well alone on the basis that if it isn’t broke, why make changes. But this is somewhat short-sighted and many businesses will benefit from expanding in order to grow. So how can you tell when the time is right to embark on a business expansion programme and what the best way to go about it is?

Business growth and expansion

Build Your Customer Base

There are lots of different ways to expand a profitable business but the most obvious one is to build your customer base. Firstly, look at ways to keep your existing customer base happy, perhaps by offering new products and services.…

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Thriving in the Shadows of Big Business: Smart Strategies for SME Success

When you’re a small company, your best customers are sometimes large brands. Large companies have deep pockets and the ability to place huge, ongoing, orders. Here’s how to attract their business and keep them happy.

business partnership

Have a Crystal Clear Value Proposition

You’ll never get business deals with large companies if you don’t have a firm and crystal clear value proposition. Most companies don’t know how to formulate one, so here’s how to do it. First, think of an action statement that separates you from everyone else in the marketplace. Then, write that out and use it as your value proposition.

So, for example, if you offered dry cleaning services, you might say something like, “We clean suits for CEOs who need to look immaculate.”…

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UK Startup Paves the Way for Standardised Parking Spaces

The blossoming sharing economy owes much of its success to the simple fact that it connects and empowers people. With the consumer becoming an increasingly willing collaborative participant in the digital rental phenomenon, entrepreneurs have been quick to capitalise on the business potential of tackling everyday irritations.

Ferrari car park

From ride-sharing apps that put an end to cab-hailing, to online chore marketplaces that advertise local odd-jobs, it’s clear that technology is making our lives more convenient.

But as technology replaces old systems that simply relied on advanced planning, for example: booking a specific parking space through an online parking marketplace rather than hoping to find one in an area while driving, we can expect discoveries that highlight industry inadequacies.…

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How to Build Relationships That Will Sustain Your Business

As a small business owner, your customers are your life source. Earning their highly guarded trust depends on your ability to capture and maintain these relationships.

Business relationship

But if you only go after potential buyers, you’re assuming that your prospects live in isolation. In reality, they’re part of an influential web of relationships and often learn about your company well before your initial interaction with them. To win their trust, you have to go to the source.

When current customers and other connections trust your brand and find value in your product, they become vocal supporters. By tapping into a few influential networks, you can prep others to become brand advocates and start selling long before a customer comes knocking.…

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