Recent Articles Published by Lisa Furgison
planning
SWOT Analysis Challenge Day 4: How to Identify Threats
Welcome to Day 4 of our 5 Day SWOT Analysis Challenge! Invite others to take the challenge! Share this article on Facebook or Twitter and use the #SWOT hashtag. Look here for Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 and Day 5 of the challenge. Small business owners are notoriously busy people. We understand that you have a lot... Read more »
planning
SWOT Analysis Challenge Day 3: How to Identify Opportunities
Welcome to Day 3 of our 5 Day SWOT Analysis Challenge! Invite others to take the challenge! Share this article on Facebook or Twitter and use the #SWOT hashtag. Look here for Day 1, Day 2, Day 4 and Day 5 of the challenge. A good entrepreneur is always on the hunt for new opportunities. One of... Read more »
planning
SWOT Analysis Challenge Day 2: How to Identify Weaknesses
Welcome to Day 2 of our 5 Day SWOT Analysis Challenge! Invite others to take the challenge! Share this article on Facebook or Twitter and use the #SWOT hashtag. Look here for Day 1, Day 3, Day 4 and Day 5 of the challenge. Whether you’re new to the business world or a veteran, you know that... Read more »
starting
How to Start a Food Pantry in Your Community
Wondering how to start a food pantry in your community? Check out these tips from nonprofit experts. Read more »
planning
How to Create a Unique Selling Proposition
Whether you’re a new entrepreneur or thinking about joining the ranks, one question you’ll have to answer is: What sets your business apart? The answer to that question usually leads entrepreneurs to define their unique selling proposition, or USP. To help entrepreneurs create a unique selling proposition, we’ve written this handy guide to walk you... Read more »
managing
Affordable Ways to Create Creative Workspaces
If the free flow of ideas is important to business operations, regardless of whether you’re a sole-trader or a business with 20 employees, you’re going to want to build an environment that breeds creativity. You’ve probably already heard about Google’s crazily creative office setups, each one different from the last—an indoor slide, chalets inside the office,... Read more »
funding
How Much Money Should I Invest in My Business?
One of the daunting questions that every entrepreneur faces when opening a business is: How much capital should I invest? Realistically, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all number that applies to every business. It can be tricky to figure this number out, but it’s vital to your business’s success. You’ll need that number to create a business... Read more »
planning
6 Things That Can Kill Business Growth
Whether you’re kicking around a business idea or working through your first year, it’s never too early to start thinking about growth. After all, the goal of every entrepreneur is to grow a profitable business. To make sure your business is slated for growth, start out with a detailed business plan. This document will serve... Read more »
starting
Yes, You Can Operate a Scarily Successful Halloween Business
The Fallenstein family started making and renting a dozen Halloween costumes from their Minnesota garage, and the small business sparked a lot of interest in the little town of Mankato. Years later, the founders decided to take the business online and sell costumes. In just a decade, the seasonal business went from a few employees... Read more »
starting
Your Guide to Launching a Home-Based Business
Thinking about starting a business from your home? Plenty of well-known businesses have started with simple home-based roots. For example, in 1994 Jeff Bezos founded Amazon from his garage in Washington, and Harley-Davidson started out of a home—and a shed—in Wisconsin. In fact, statistics show that 69 percent of U.S. entrepreneurs start their business at home.... Read more »
starting
30 Compelling Reasons to Start a Business
Are you toying with an idea for a business? A lot of people think about starting a business, but for whatever reason the idea never becomes a reality. If you’re an entrepreneur who is on the fence about starting a business, we have the encouragement you need to take the first step. We asked 30... Read more »
starting
How to Start a Food Truck
Have you been wondering how to start a food truck? Learn the ins and outs of starting a food truck business from two people in the industry. Read more »
managing
Building Your Business Website Yourself? Get Some Expert Tips First!
A good website is crucial in today’s business world. If you’re starting a new business, you might not have the cash to drop on a website designer, or your existing business website might be in need of a redesign. That’s okay. You can go online and find a number of template-based websites for an affordable price.... Read more »
managing
Is It Time to Hire an Employee?
If you own your own business and find that you simply don’t have enough time on your hands to be able to do all the things you need to do, you may be asking yourself should you hire an employee? If you’ve already got employees, your question will be similar, when is the right time... Read more »
managing
Does Your Business Have Swag?
Promotional gear, goodies, swag—whatever you call it, items with your company name and logo are a great marketing tool. They provide a way to connect with customers, improve brand awareness, and help drive your sales up. Crane, a home appliance and wellness company, uses promotional gear to promote their brand and products at various events and trade... Read more »
managing
How Your Business Can Master Yelp
In the past decade, businesses have had to jump on the digital train to stay on top of new trends, capitalize on new markets, and expand reach. From social media channels to review sites like Yelp, there’s a lot for entrepreneurs to monitor in the instant feedback, smartphone-crazed world we live in. Yelp, for instance,... Read more »
planning
5 Creative Ways to Save Your Business Money
As a business owner, you’re always looking for ways to cut costs and raise your profit margin. There are some obvious ways to save money. You’ve heard them all before—suggestions like shopping around for the best prices on everything from office furniture to cell phone contracts, barter for services with clients, and keep hiring to... Read more »
managing
10 Apps to Save Time on Administrative Tasks
In a business, administrative chores can stack up. It might only take 20 minutes to send an email, or five minutes to answer your business cell, but all of these little tasks can take up a significant amount of time. Before you know it, your day is nearly over and you haven’t done half of the... Read more »
funding
What I Learned From My Appearance on Shark Tank
It’s not everyday that a television producer handpicks you to appear on ABC’s hit show “Shark Tank,” but that’s what happened to entrepreneur Kelly Costello. Costello is the founder of Puppy Cake, a company that sells boxed cake mix for dogs. It’s a lot like the do-it-yourself Betty Crocker cake mix, except the ingredients are changed... Read more »
starting
Before I Started My Business I Wish I’d Known…
If you’re about to start a business, you’ve probably read several how-to books looking for advice on how to be successful. While researching is a great first step, there are some lessons that you won’t find in a book. You need to hear from business owners who have been in your position, who started a... Read more »
