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Report Reveals the Best Cities for Hispanic Entrepreneurs in 2018

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After comparing 182 U.S. cities across 23 key metrics, WalletHub has released its 2018 Best Cities for Hispanic Entrepreneurs report.

WalletHub created the list by looking at cities that were business friendly to Hispanics. But the report also looked at the purchasing power of the Hispanic populations in those cities.

The vast majority of more than 4.37 million Hispanic-owned companies in the U.S. are classified as small businesses. And when these entrepreneurs establish or expand their businesses, the information can be combined with additional data to help other entrepreneurs decide where to locate their businesses.

This report highlights the contribution the Hispanic business community makes to the US economy, which, according to the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, amounts to $700 billion annually. This demographic is also doing much better when it comes to employment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says 76 percent of Hispanic males are employed, higher than white or black men in the US.

Source: WalletHub

The report compared 182 cities, which also made up the 150 most populated in the U.S., — and at least two of the most populated cities in each state. Twenty-three relevant metrics were used to evaluate “Hispanic Business-Friendliness” and “Hispanic Purchasing Power.”

The metrics were then graded on a 100-point scale, with higher being better. Some of the metrics were: Share of Hispanic-Owned Businesses; Hispanic Entrepreneurship Rate; Presence of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Small Business-Friendliness Score; Affordability; Income Growth for Hispanics; Hispanic Unemployment Rate; Hispanic Housing Tenure; and City Growth.

Top Five Cities

Laredo, TX

The top city was Laredo, Texas with an overall score of 61.72. It achieved the top spot by being no. 1 in the Hispanic Business-Friendliness rank and no. 10 in the Hispanic Purchasing Power rank. It came in at no. 2 for the highest percentage of Hispanic residents.

South Burlington, VT

The number two spot went to South Burlington, Vermont with an overall score of 61.10. It ranked 10 on the friendliness scale and no. 1 in purchasing power.

Charleston, WV

Rounding out the top 3 was Charleston, West Virginia with the overall score of 57.40, and at number 32 and number 3 for the friendliness and purchasing rank respectively. Charleston also had the highest Hispanic entrepreneur rate.

Corpus Christi, TX

With an overall score of 57.29, Corpus Christi, Texas is the fourth city in Texas to make the top 10. It ranked no. 7 in business-friendliness and 12 on the purchasing power rank.

Oklahoma City, OK

An overall score of 55.56 gave Oklahoma City, Oklahoma the no. 5 spot. The city also ranked no. 6 and no. 38 for business-friendliness and purchasing power respectively.

Pembroke Pines, Florida; Amarillo, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Bismarck, North Dakota; and Casper, Wyoming rounded out the top 10.

You can look at some of the other data points in the WalletHub report below along with the entire list.

What are the Best Cities for Hispanic Entrepreneurs in 2018?

Best Cities for Hispanic Entrepreneurs in 2018

Overall Rank (1=Best) City Total Score ‘Hispanic Business-Friendliness’ Rank ‘Hispanic Purchasing Power’ Rank
1 Laredo, TX 61.72 1 10
2 South Burlington, VT 61.10 10 1
3 Charleston, WV 57.40 32 3
4 Corpus Christi, TX 57.29 7 12
5 Oklahoma City, OK 55.56 6 38
6 Pembroke Pines, FL 54.93 13 16
7 Amarillo, TX 54.70 9 26
8 San Antonio, TX 54.59 12 18
9 Bismarck, ND 54.52 87 2
10 Casper, WY 53.92 14 22
11 Miami, FL 53.68 2 101
12 Tulsa, OK 53.59 5 79
13 Grand Prairie, TX 53.10 40 6
14 Sioux Falls, SD 52.98 15 31
15 Cheyenne, WY 52.89 8 56
16 Tampa, FL 52.84 3 110
17 Irving, TX 52.78 30 11
18 Fort Worth, TX 52.53 27 19
19 El Paso, TX 52.25 18 39
20 Austin, TX 52.19 33 17
21 Orlando, FL 52.19 11 51
22 Hialeah, FL 52.01 4 120
23 Juneau, AK 51.91 61 9
24 Overland Park, KS 51.77 59 7
25 Plano, TX 51.71 46 14
26 Huntington, WV 51.65 77 8
27 Gilbert, AZ 51.58 106 4
28 West Valley City, UT 51.54 25 35
29 Houston, TX 51.23 19 49
30 Boise, ID 51.21 34 21
31 Dallas, TX 50.89 22 48
32 Denver, CO 50.64 23 52
33 Lewiston, ME 50.40 91 5
34 Scottsdale, AZ 50.22 43 30
35 Rapid City, SD 50.19 35 37
36 Irvine, CA 50.15 56 20
37 Brownsville, TX 50.13 17 75
38 Springfield, MO 50.00 21 66
39 St. Petersburg, FL 49.84 65 13
40 Columbia, MD 49.70 68 15
41 Fort Lauderdale, FL 49.45 16 89
42 Jacksonville, FL 49.37 42 43
43 Salt Lake City, UT 48.99 20 88
44 Cape Coral, FL 48.62 51 45
45 Peoria, AZ 48.36 74 24
46 Arlington, TX 48.35 29 81
47 Henderson, NV 48.19 60 36
48 Chesapeake, VA 48.16 66 29
49 Atlanta, GA 48.12 28 87
50 Aurora, CO 48.08 54 46
51 Portland, ME 47.77 52 54
52 Mesa, AZ 47.75 41 72
53 Lubbock, TX 47.70 53 50
54 Nashville, TN 47.47 73 33
55 Billings, MT 47.31 26 105
56 Raleigh, NC 47.15 100 23
57 Tempe, AZ 47.12 93 27
58 Colorado Springs, CO 46.91 55 61
59 Fargo, ND 46.66 62 58
60 Port St. Lucie, FL 46.63 36 97
61 New Orleans, LA 46.29 38 106
62 Nampa, ID 46.16 85 44
63 Garland, TX 46.15 72 55
64 Chandler, AZ 46.08 95 40
65 Santa Ana, CA 45.99 49 95
66 Durham, NC 45.79 116 32
67 Fremont, CA 45.76 123 34
68 Kansas City, MO 45.68 64 73
69 St. Louis, MO 45.65 48 108
70 Gulfport, MS 45.56 45 111
71 Albuquerque, NM 45.33 57 92
72 Baton Rouge, LA 45.29 39 121
73 Anchorage, AK 45.09 99 53
74 Ontario, CA 44.91 80 71
75 Bakersfield, CA 44.66 63 94
76 Phoenix, AZ 44.59 92 63
77 Virginia Beach, VA 44.58 71 85
78 Lincoln, NE 44.57 89 68
79 Shreveport, LA 44.44 44 134
80 Burlington, VT 44.16 50 122
81 Las Vegas, NV 44.11 70 98
82 Las Cruces, NM 43.86 47 137
83 Columbus, OH 43.61 128 57
84 Charlotte, NC 43.60 103 78
85 Chattanooga, TN 43.57 112 74
86 Fort Wayne, IN 43.51 126 64
87 Cincinnati, OH 43.49 117 69
88 Washington, DC 43.31 151 41
89 Cedar Rapids, IA 43.24 118 77
90 Charleston, SC 43.18 110 83
91 Wichita, KS 43.01 83 107
92 Fontana, CA 42.94 152 42
93 Huntington Beach, CA 42.94 96 96
94 Riverside, CA 42.91 81 109
95 Santa Clarita, CA 42.78 94 102
96 Portland, OR 42.71 82 112
97 Glendale, AZ 42.66 121 84
98 Pittsburgh, PA 42.66 170 25
99 Reno, NV 42.66 107 93
100 Oxnard, CA 42.47 125 86
101 Greensboro, NC 42.47 114 90
102 Lexington-Fayette, KY 42.41 136 76
103 Omaha, NE 42.40 104 103
104 Aurora, IL 42.32 115 91
105 Anaheim, CA 42.08 58 146
106 Fort Smith, AR 41.99 142 65
107 Tucson, AZ 41.98 37 160
108 Little Rock, AR 41.93 122 100
109 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 41.83 144 67
110 San Francisco, CA 41.80 79 132
111 Moreno Valley, CA 41.59 142 80
112 Indianapolis, IN 41.56 130 99
113 North Las Vegas, NV 41.53 163 47
114 Warwick, RI 41.41 175 28
115 Mobile, AL 41.38 84 133
116 Seattle, WA 41.13 155 62
117 Richmond, VA 40.96 124 114
118 Baltimore, MD 40.94 148 82
119 Knoxville, TN 40.87 139 104
120 Tallahassee, FL 40.77 101 135
121 Honolulu, HI 40.74 105 130
122 Grand Rapids, MI 40.56 67 150
123 Birmingham, AL 40.54 75 149
124 Nashua, NH 40.49 157 70
125 Huntsville, AL 40.36 88 144
126 Oceanside, CA 40.30 119 129
127 Des Moines, IA 40.30 167 59
128 San Jose, CA 40.23 131 119
129 Jackson, MS 40.19 24 175
130 Louisville, KY 40.14 129 124
131 Newport News, VA 39.90 113 139
132 Chula Vista, CA 39.87 108 143
133 San Diego, CA 39.69 86 155
134 Santa Rosa, CA 39.59 137 128
135 Missoula, MT 39.51 31 172
136 Norfolk, VA 39.47 120 141
137 Fayetteville, NC 39.46 97 148
138 Chicago, IL 38.90 111 153
139 Columbus, GA 38.90 133 140
140 Toledo, OH 38.80 78 163
141 Columbia, SC 38.76 146 127
142 Los Angeles, CA 38.74 76 164
143 Madison, WI 38.66 90 158
144 Sacramento, CA 38.57 138 142
145 Pearl City, HI 38.56 127 147
146 Memphis, TN 38.45 153 118
147 Dover, DE 38.17 177 60
148 Stockton, CA 37.76 135 154
149 San Bernardino, CA 37.75 149 138
150 Long Beach, CA 37.63 102 165
151 Fresno, CA 37.43 134 157
152 Modesto, CA 37.39 160 123
153 Tacoma, WA 37.29 162 125
154 Minneapolis, MN 37.19 171 113
155 Winston-Salem, NC 37.14 109 166
156 Montgomery, AL 36.91 141 156
157 Yonkers, NY 36.57 150 152
158 Garden Grove, CA 36.45 166 136
159 Salem, OR 36.39 173 116
160 Spokane, WA 36.28 174 117
161 Oakland, CA 36.21 169 131
162 Manchester, NH 36.07 132 168
163 Milwaukee, WI 35.62 165 145
164 Akron, OH 35.60 176 126
165 Augusta, GA 35.45 147 159
166 New York, NY 35.38 69 182
167 Glendale, CA 35.20 164 151
168 Boston, MA 34.75 98 179
169 St. Paul, MN 34.72 154 162
170 Vancouver, WA 34.64 179 115
171 Philadelphia, PA 33.68 161 167
172 Detroit, MI 32.91 158 170
173 Jersey City, NJ 32.89 172 161
174 Rochester, NY 32.82 140 176
175 Worcester, MA 32.40 145 177
176 Newark, NJ 30.60 156 181
177 Buffalo, NY 30.56 168 174
178 Wilmington, DE 30.25 159 180
179 Cleveland, OH 30.18 178 169
180 Bridgeport, CT 28.61 180 171
181 Providence, RI 27.32 182 173
182 New Haven, CT 27.19 181 178

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Categories of Ethical Dilemmas in Business

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First published in Exchange, the magazine of the Brigham Young University School of Business, the following twelve categories were developed to cover the root or cause of most ethical business dilemmas that one might encounter in their jobs. I have summarized them to keep them short and simple.

1. Taking Things That Don’t Belong To You

Everything from taking highlighters from the storage room, to sending personal mail through the mailroom, to downloading unauthorized games to play on your work computer fall into this category. A CFO of a major corporation took a cab from the airport to his home in the city. When he asked the cabbie for receipt, he was handed a full book of blank receipts. Apparently this dilemma of accurately reporting business expenses involves more than just one employee.

2. Saying Things That You Know Are Not True

When a car salesperson insists to a customer that a used car has not been in a previous accident, when it has, an ethical breach has occurred. When a clerk in a store assures a customer that a product has a money-back guarantee, when only trade-ins are allowed, another ethical violation occurred (and perhaps a violation of the law).

3. Giving Or Allowing False Impressions

There is an urban legend in which 2 CD’s were being sold on a TV infomercial that claimed that that all the hits of the 1980’s were on the CDs. The infomercial emphasized over and over again that all songs were performed by the original artists. When they received the CDs, upon closer inspection, they found that all songs had been covered by a band called The Original Artists. While technically true, the impression given by the infomercial was false.

4. Buying Influence or Engaging in Conflict of Interest

When a company awards a construction contract to an organization owned by the brother of the attorney general, or when a county committee who is charged with choosing a new road construction company is traveling around the state looking at roads at the expense of one of the bidders, a conflict of interest arises which might affect the results of that choice.

5. Hiding or Divulging Information

Failing to divulge information from the results of a study on the safety of a new product, or choosing to take your companies proprietary product information to a new job are examples that fall into this category.

6. Taking Unfair Advantage

Have you ever wondered why there seem to be so many product safety rules and procedures? It is primarily the result of laws passed by government institutions to protect the consumer from companies that previously took unfair advantage of them because of their lack of knowledge or through complex contractual obligations.

7. Committing Acts of Personal Decadence

Over time, it has become increasing clear that the acts of employees outside of work can have a negative effect on a businesses image. This is one of the primary reasons companies are minimizing social interactions or events, outside of the office, so that drug or alcohol related events can not be tracked back to the company.

8. Perpetuating Interpersonal Abuse

At the heart of this category of ethical misbehavior is the abuse of employees through sexual harassment, verbal lashing, or public humiliation by a company leader.

9. Permitting Organizational Abuse

When an organization chooses to operate in another country, it sometimes butts up against social culture in which child labor, demeaning work environments or excessive hours are required. It is at this point that the leaders of the company have a choice…whether to perpetuate that abuse or alleviate it.

10. Violating Rules

In some cases, people or organizations violate rules to expedite a process or decision. In many of these cases, the results would have been the same regardless, but by violating the rules or required procedures for that outcome, they can potentially scar the reputation of the organization they work for.

11. Condoning Unethical Actions

Suppose you are at work one day and you notice that a colleague of yours is using petty cash for personal purchases and fail to report it. Perhaps you know that a new product in development has safety issues, but you don’t speak out. In these examples, failing to do right creates a wrong.

12. Balancing Ethical Dilemmas

What about a situation that would be considered neither right, nor wrong? What should be done here? Should Google or Microsoft do business in China when human rights violations are committed daily? Sometimes an organization must balance the need to do business with any ethical dilemmas that might arise from doing business.

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Source by John Bascom

NYC Rates Best for Small Business Growth Second Year Running, Says Biz2Credit

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The 2018 Best Cities for Small Business Growth study by Biz2Credit has revealed New York is the best city for small business growth.

Biz2Credit looked at cities across the country along with the data of small businesses including annual revenue, credits scores, and time in operation. It was then analyzed with the company’s BizAnalyzer by factoring cash flow, debt-to-income ratio, taxes and other information to determine the best cities.

The top 25 are all large cities, which give small businesses access to a large population and a diversified economy, providing more opportunities for growth. Biz2Credit CEO Rohit Arora, who oversaw the research, addressed this very point in the report.

He explains, “New York is where small businesses are making the most money, and New York companies far outpaced businesses based in other areas in annual revenues. The city has a diverse economy, and the sectors it is strong in — finance, IT, travel and tourism, real estate and construction — are thriving.”

The study looked at close to 30,000 businesses with under 250 employees, less than $10 million in annual revenue and more than a year of operation.

2018 Best Cities for Small Business Growth

New York kept its number one spot from 2017 to remain on top in 2018.  According to Arora, the thriving tech industry in the city is also driving growth in other sectors, including fashion, food and beverage and hospitality.

It also helps that New York is an iconic city which attracts global talent across all industries.

Looking at the top 10, California is the clear leader when it comes to states with the most cities on the list. The Golden State had six cities in the top 10, capturing the No. 2, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 spots with San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Riverside-San Bernardino, San Diego and Sacramento.

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL; Washington, DC; and Austin, TX got the remaining top 10 positions at No. 3, 7 and 8 respectively.

Here are the top 25 cities for small business growth in 2018, with the results for 2017 in parenthesis:

  1. New York, NY (No. 1)
  2. San Jose, CA (No. 4)
  3. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL (No. 2)
  4. San Francisco, CA (No. 8)
  5. Los Angeles, CA (No. 5)
  6. Riverside-San Bernardino, CA (No. 10)
  7. Washington, DC (No. 16)
  8. Austin, TX (No. 3)
  9. San Diego, CA (No. 14)
  10. Sacramento, CA (No. 18)
  11. Phoenix, AZ (No. 7)
  12. Chicago, IL (No. 19)
  13. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (No. 13)
  14. Seattle, WA (No. 6)
  15. Atlanta, GA (No. 20)
  16. Baltimore, MD (No. 12)
  17. Denver, CO (No. 17)
  18. Las Vegas, NV (No. 23)
  19. San Antonio, TX (No. 21)
  20. Detroit, MI (No. 15)
  21. Houston, TX (No. 11)
  22. Philadelphia, PA (No. 24)
  23. Portland, OR (No. 11)
  24. Charlotte, NC (No. 22)
  25. Kansas City, MO

Top 10 Metro Locations by Annual Revenue

Again, New York tops the list in this category with $1,016,446. The No. 2 and 3 positions were reversed from the best cities list, with Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL coming in at No. 2 by averaging $854,540 and San Jose, CA at No. 3 with $748,529.

Here is the top 10 list for annual revenue:

  1. New York, NY, $1,016,446
  2. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL, $854,540
  3. San Jose, CA, $748,529
  4. Baltimore, MD, $726,707
  5. Riverside, CA, $725,713
  6. Dallas, TX, $685,531
  7. Los Angeles, CA, $674,543
  8. San Francisco, CA, $657,216
  9. Chicago, IL, $620,036
  10. Sacramento, CA, $587,682

Age of Business

The age of the small businesses in a city also indicates which have the greatest startup growth. When it came to the cities with the youngest businesses on average, Portland, OR and Las Vegas, NV were tied with 44 months each. Atlanta, GA, Denver, CO, and Philadelphia, PA, rounded out the top five startup cities with with average business ages of 47, 48, and 51 months respectively.

Top 10

  1. Portland, OR, 44 months
  2. Las Vegas, NV, 44 months
  3. Atlanta, GA, 47 months
  4. Denver, CO, 48 months
  5. Philadelphia, PA, 51 months
  6. Austin, TX, 51 months
  7. Charlotte, NC, 52 months
  8. San Antonio, TX, 52 months
  9. Houston, TX, 55 months
  10. Dallas, TX, 55 months

Credit Scores

When sorted by average credit score in each city, California dominated the list with five cities. San Jose came in at No. 1 with a score of 654, followed by New York at No. 2 with 639, and Riverside, CA at No. 3 with 638.

San Francisco and Miami-Ft. Lauderdale were No. 4 and 5 respectively with scores of 633 and 631.

Top 10 Cities Listed by Credit Score

  1. San Jose, CA, Score: 654
  2. New York, NY, 639
  3. Riverside, CA, 638
  4. San Francisco, CA, 633
  5. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, 631
  6. Los Angeles, CA, 631
  7. Washington, DC, 627
  8. Las Vegas, NV, 623
  9. Sacramento, CA, 623
  10. Atlanta, GA, 616

You can look at the Biz2Credit infographic below to get more information.

These are the 2018 Best Cities for Small Business Growth

Image: Biz2Credit

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9 Ways to Focus a Wandering Mind (Infographic)

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Staying focused isn’t always easy. Here are some tricks to help.


2 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


Whether you’re daydreaming about a tropical beach or envisioning yourself getting a promotion, the mind has a tendency to wander. While at times it might feel difficult to reel it back into reality, it’s important to be able to control your focus and concentration in order to get things done.

Related: 13 Ways to Develop Laser-Like Focus

Of course, that’s easier said than done. But with a few quick changes, you’ll be well on your way to controlling your wandering mind and increasing your concentration. It might sound ironic, but one place to start is actually by adding distractions, according to a study by University College London. However, that doesn’t mean any distraction will do. For example, playing music without lyrics adds to background noise and helps boost concentration. Another tactic that might seem a little counterproductive is actually giving in and letting your mind wander for a little bit. Taking short breaks and focusing on something unrelated to the task at hand will boost your focus when you return to it.

Related: Why Focus Is the Number-One Element of Business 

Another hack to help you concentrate is to drink a cup of coffee or chew gum. According to research, chewing gum increases alertness and improves your attention span. If you’re still unable to focus, try clearing off your work space so you’re not distracted by any photos, papers or other items.

Check out Onward’s infographic below for nine ways to focus your wandering mind.

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Zoho One Webinars on Tap for Miami, Atlanta, Boston and Other Cities

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Zoho One is a comprehensive all-in-one suite with 40 integrated applications. And the Zoho One Seminars provide insights into how you can use all of the applications in the most efficient way possible.

The next seminar is going to be held in Miami on May 15 at the Lab. According to Zoho, the seminar will help you get a complete view of your business using the apps in Zoho One.

The seminar will cover, introduction to Zoho One, marketing, sales, accounting, HR, collaboration, productivity and more.

You can see a full list of events, contest and award listings or post your own events by visiting the Small Business Events Calendar.

Featured Events, Contests and Awards

DigiMarCon East 2018 - Digital Marketing ConferenceDigiMarCon East 2018 – Digital Marketing Conference
May 10, 2018, New York, New York

DigiMarCon East 2018 Digital Marketing Conference takes place May 10th to 11th, 2018 at the luxurious New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, New York City.
It’s the one digital marketing event you can’t afford to miss! Whether your goal is to reinforce customer loyalty, improve lead generation, increase sales, or drive stronger consumer engagement, DigiMarCon East 2018’s agenda will help attendees enhance their marketing efforts. Sessions will focus on building traffic, expanding brand awareness, improving customer service and gaining insight into today’s latest digital tools. Register today!

Zoho One Seminars: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho OneZoho One Seminars: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho One
May 15, 2018, The LAB, 400 NW 26th. St. Miami FL, 33127

Learn how Zoho One, our complete suite of business apps, can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on what really matters.

Zoho One Seminars: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho OneZoho One Seminars: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho One
May 16, 2018, Loudermilk Conference Center, 40 Courtland Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30303

Learn how Zoho One, our complete suite of business apps, can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on what really matters.

WEBINAR: Small Business Doesn’t Mean Small Security: 3 Major Threats You Need to CombatWEBINAR: Small Business Doesn’t Mean Small Security: 3 Major Threats You Need to Combat
May 16, 2018, Online

Data breaches, inventory shrinkage, theft, oh my. On average, data breaches cost $3.62 million per breach and stolen customer data costs $141 per record. And inventory shrinkage in the United States is a $60 billion a year problem. Believe it or not, your business exists within both of those realities. Do you know who is accessing your most valuable assets and sensitive information? Do you know what your employees do when you are not physically onsite? On May 16, 2018, at 2PM ET join Nicki Saffell, Senior Security Consultant at Brivo, Sara Polon, Owner of Soupergirl, a DC area small business, and Anita Campbell, Founder and CEO of Small Business Trends, for a discussion on these challenges and discover modern ways to combat these threats – including electronic access control.

Zoho One Seminar Boston: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho OneZoho One Seminar Boston: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho One
May 18, 2018, Boston, MA

Learn how Zoho One, our complete suite of business apps, can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on what really matters.

Zoho One Seminar New York: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho OneZoho One Seminar New York: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho One
May 22, 2018, New York, NY

Learn how Zoho One, our complete suite of business apps, can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on what really matters.

Zoho One Seminar Philadelphia: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho OneZoho One Seminar Philadelphia: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho One
May 23, 2018, Philadelphia, PA

Learn how Zoho One, our complete suite of business apps, can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on what really matters.

Zoho One Seminar Chicago: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho OneZoho One Seminar Chicago: Simplify and empower your business with Zoho One
May 24, 2018, Chicago, IL

Learn how Zoho One, our complete suite of business apps, can help you market, sell, support, account, collaborate, and analyze so you can spend more time on what really matters.

TECHSPO Houston 2018TECHSPO Houston 2018
June 06, 2018, Houston, Texas

TECHSPO Houston 2018 is a 2-day technology expo which takes place JUNE 6 – 7, 2018 at the luxurious Houston Marriott Eaton Centre Hotel in Houston, Ontario. TECHSPO Houston brings together developers, brands, marketers, technology providers, designers, innovators and evangelists looking to set the pace in our advanced world of technology. TECHSPO Houston 2018 promises to be better than ever and we’re excited to see all the amazing tech companies and talent that will join us. Register today!

Growth & Success ConGrowth & Success Con
September 17, 2018, Online

This small business virtual conference is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs at all stages who are stuck in the daily grind of building their businesses and struggle to get solid advice and guidance. An amazing panel of experts in various disciplines and business coaches will share tips & tricks on topics including Growth, Marketing, Management & Business Building for Success. Register today!

More Events

  • WSJ Future of Everything Festival
    May 08, 2018, New York, United States
  • Free webinar: Increase your sales with customer-centric conversion optimization
    May 09, 2018, Online
  • SharpHeels: Small Business Summit
    May 10, 2018, Portland, OR
  • Navigating Tax Reform for Private Sector Businesses
    May 10, 2018, Maitland, Florida
  • TECHSPO New York 2018
    May 10, 2018, New York, New York
  • Energy Risk USA 2018 | Houston
    May 14, 2018, Houston, TX
  • Experiential Marketing Summit 2018
    May 14, 2018, Online
  • Chief Learning Officer Forum, Spring 2018
    May 15, 2018, San Francisco, United States
  • The Business Show 2018
    May 16, 2018, London, London
  • AM Days
    May 16, 2018, Las Vegas, United States
  • New York Blockchain Alternative Capital Summit
    May 17, 2018, NYC, NY
  • TECHSPO Toronto 2018
    May 17, 2018, Toronto, Ontario
  • DigiMarCon Canada 2018 – Digital Marketing Conference
    May 17, 2018, Toronto, Canada
  • Small Business Expo 2018 – BOSTON
    May 17, 2018, Boston, United States
  • LEAP HR: Higher Education Forum, Chicago, May 2018
    May 22, 2018, Chicago, United States
  • North American Financial Information Summit 2018
    May 23, 2018, New York, United States
  • Small Business Expo 2018 – CHICAGO
    May 24, 2018, Chicago, United States
  • Incite Group Brand Marketing Summit 2018
    May 30, 2018, San Francisco, United States
  • World Business Forum Sydney 2018
    May 30, 2018, Sydney, NSW
  • International Franchise Expo
    May 31, 2018, New York, NY

More Contests

  • Public Vote to Crown America’s Most Unique Small Business Underway
    November 08, 2018, http://www.paychex.com/vote?utm_source=contest&utm_medium=press%20release&utm_term=americas-most-unique

This weekly listing of small business events, contests and awards is provided as a community service by Small Business Trends and SmallBizTechnology.

Image:ZOHO

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10 Techniques to Meet a Deadline (Infographic)

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With these helpful tips, you’ll never miss a deadline.


2 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


Missing a deadline can make you look bad — or even worse, make you lose a job or fail a class. Whatever the scenario might be, you should always get your work finished on time. However, due to all of the distractions in our lives, it can be difficult to hunker down and get things done. Luckily, there are a few techniques to help you meet deadlines.

Related: 5 Ways to Never Miss a Deadline

For starters, clarify exactly what is expected from you. When you understand exactly what needs to be done, you’re already setting yourself up for success. Of course, sometimes you might feel stress or pressure from a long-winded assignment and an upcoming deadline. Instead of freaking out, take a second to breathe and ask yourself questions including: What is my main priority? Who should I contact if I run into an issue? What does success look like and how will I measure it? Asking questions such as these helps to ensure that you’ve got all of the right resources, information and equipment around you to successfully get things done.

Related: 6 Tips to Crushing Your Deadlines

Next, take a moment to map out all of your priorities so you understand the order in which you should begin completing each. It’s also a good idea to write down due dates to help manage your time throughout the process. One major red flag when trying to meet a deadline is being unrealistic. In general, people tend to overestimate their ability and available time, so it’s important to be honest with yourself and the people you’re working with.

Check out SavingSpot’s infographic below for 10 techniques to help you meet deadlines.

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Always Focus on Whether Job Applicants Have the Skills Your Business Needs

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Shady Business Cartoon

You know, there isn’t a whole lot to talk about with this cartoon. The animals in the office I’ve discussed before. The joke is fine, but nothing special. Even the background, while nice, isn’t particularly interesting. (Except for those L-shaped windows on the building on the right. I stole that idea from the late great Darwyn Cooke.)

So I have to admit, I was busting my brain a little to figure out what to talk about here, and that’s when it hit me — the shading. You probably didn’t even really notice it, did you? But that’s totally the point.

Years ago I looked for someone to outsource the shading of my cartoons. We gag cartoonists need to create a lot of cartoons per week to make a living, and I figured this was a way to take some work off myself on a part of the job that I didn’t really enjoy. It took a few tries, but I finally found a terrific partner in my assistant, Rick Hughes.

Look at the gradations in the shading. Look at the way the lighting is done. Look at how the important parts pop, and the background recedes. Look at the subtle saturated paper effect. Rick is the man. And he does it all beautifully, on time, and without any input from me.

Every artist should have their own Rick. I’m so glad I have mine.

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This Entrepreneur Wants to End the Stigma of Men’s Health Products

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Green Lumber CEO Brett Hales is hoping a sense of humor and an all-natural supplement can help guys alleviate issues in the bedroom.


4 min read


In this ongoing series, we are sharing advice, tips and insights from real entrepreneurs who are out there doing business battle on a daily basis. (Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.)

Who are you and what is your business?

I’m Brett Hales, CEO of Green Lumber. We deliver plant-based all-natural male arousal supplements directly to customers’ front doors in discreet packages. Our goal is to remove the social stigma around men’s health products. Green Lumber is a confident, relaxed and humorous brand, so our customers and their partners can feel comfortable knowing that if anyone finds out, the only laugh will be over our branding and packaging.

Green Lumber’s logo leaves nothing to the imagination!

What inspired Green Lumber’s creation?

Often, professional success goes hand-in-hand with the lack of a love life, due to the anxiety, stress and depression that comes with professional achievement. I wasn’t satisfied! I wanted a better way to live. Many doctors are quick to prescribe an erectile dysfunction drug, which is not only overkill but is a complete hassle with office visits, prescriptions, headaches and hangovers. Eighteen months ago I was introduced to this all-natural, proprietary, plant-based capsule that solved my problem, gave me none of the side effects, and none of the hassles. A close friend had given me a sample at lunch one day, and I didn’t really take it seriously. Two months later when I took the product, I felt 20 years younger. I was so inspired by it that I decided to build a company around it.

Related: 10 Top Entrepreneurs Reveal Their Health Regimen Secrets

What was your first step?

I began to research and study the other products in the space and it became very clear to me that there was an opening in the market for Green Lumber. I haven’t looked back. There aren’t many people who are willing to discuss this issue and I believe Green Lumber can change that. It’s accessible, affordable and it works. Any man can take use it to have better sex. The purpose of Green Lumber isn’t to jump-start a dead battery; rather, it is more like a Formula One pit stop.

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

Government approval processes are painstakingly slow. We wanted to do this right, and we found out that they don’t move at our pace. We just had to accept that. We would never want any client to ever experience an interruption in service or any kind of hiccup so we crossed every “t” and dotted every “i.” We refused to launch Green Lumber until we could guarantee our customers would not have to suffer through our growing pains.

What does the word “entrepreneur” mean to you?

An entrepreneur identifies problems and creates scalable solutions that drive value into the lives of their customers and achieves profitability levels that are sustainable for their teams and their investors.

Related: Use This Green Beret Morning Routine to Feel Energized All Day

What trait do you most rely on when making decisions?

After data and conversations with people much smarter than I have all been exhausted, I tend to rely on gut instinct — probably as a result of painful lessons learned over the years. Ultimately, my decisions come from failing enough times and learning how to continually get back up and keep going.

Do you have a favorite saying or quote that keeps you motivated?

Chris Hardwick said, “No human ever became interesting by not failing. The more you fail and recover and improve, the better you are as a person. Ever meet someone who’s always had everything work out for them with zero struggle? They usually have the depth of a puddle. Or they don’t exist.” 

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How to Get a Credit Card in Finland to Finance Your Business Ventures

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Acquiring a credit card in Finland is an excellent way to finance your Finnish business venture. With it, you will be able to acquire what you need up front. Additionally, with the right card, you could potentially rack up lots of miles and rewards for the purchases you make.

Nevertheless, starting a business anywhere is extremely difficult. Not only do you have to come up with the funds to finance the operation, but also you have to build a loyal customer base. Unfortunately, not everyone is backed by hundreds of investors or has access to a large inheritance. So, how do you go about getting a credit card in Finland?

 

RELATED ARTICLE: HOW TO START YOUR BUSINESS ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET

 

Picking the Best Card for Your Needs

credit card in Finland 2

 

The first thing you need to know about when applying for a business credit card in Finland is that there are plenty of different lenders available. Choosing the one that best suits your businesses’s needs is crucial. The right lender will ensure that you get the most out of your investment.

For instance, businesses have a lot of expenses. There are office supplies, hotel expenditures, and even rent and utilities. So why not get rewarded for what you spend?

If you visit a website such as Hetilainaa24 Credit, you can easily shop through hundreds of different credit card providers. Find out which card offers the biggest bang for your buck.

 

 

The Application Process

Before you can get a credit card, you are going to have to go through an application process. The process can vary from company to company. However, for the most part, the applications are similar.

Make sure that you gather all of your business information ahead of time. This will ensure that the process goes quickly and smoothly.

Some of the basic information you will need includes financial records, revenue and income reports, physical address, and the name of your business.

In addition, any FICC Finance expert will tell you that it is imperative to always be truthful in these applications. Banks and lenders are going to perform an in-depth financial review on you and your company. If you lie they are going to find out, and this will damage your credibility.

If you are a new startup company and haven’t acquired any revenue yet, be completely honest and truthful. Banks know that you have to start somewhere. Most of them will be willing to work with you.

 

Know Your Credit Score

credit card in Finland 3

 

When applying for a business credit card in Finland, you need to know your credit score. Every bank and lender out there is going to consider your personal credit score before issuing you a business credit card. Knowing your score ahead of time will give you some idea of where you stand.

For instance, a lot of banks and other lenders will tell you up front where your credit rating needs to be in order to secure a card through them. This will save you time and hassle when you are shopping around for a credit card company.

 

Finally

While the information in this post is specific to Finland, you can apply it in a general way to obtaining a credit card wherever you happen to live and run your business.

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6 Tips to Skyrocket Ecommerce Conversions on Your Site

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Want a great role model? Click on Amazon.com.


6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.


Building a profitable business is no easy task. After all, you can design your online shop to look and function the way you want it to, promote it across many channels and even drive a ton of traffic to it on a daily basis. But just because people visit your online store doesn’t mean they’ll actually buy anything.

Related: 25 Ecommerce Conversion Hacks to Make Your Website Profitable (Infographic)

In fact, it’s only after you have your shop up and running that the real work begins.

In that context, here are the best tips out there to help you skyrocket your ecommerce conversions so you can start generating more sales.

1. Start building trust.

Not everyone that visits your site is at the right stage of the buying cycle to convert. In fact, some may be visiting your site for the very first time and may be hesitant about making a purchase. That’s why establishing trust, in tiny increments, is the key to helping move those in the early stages of the buying cycle towards a decision to buy something.

One of the best ways to do this is to start small and ask site visitors for their email address, just as Nike does.

By encouraging people to trust you enough to provide their contact information, and later sending your campaigns to them via email, you can convince those that aren’t sure about buying from you to go ahead and give you a try.

2. Use quality images.

People that are shopping online rely on your shop’s images to make their purchasing decisions. After all, they can’t physically see or touch your products. But they definitely want to know that the money they’re about to spend is worth it.

Related: 5 Strategies for Turning Ecommerce Browsers Into Buyers

To get around this problem, Ikea, for example, does a great job of giving online shoppers a look at what it’s selling.

Leverage the power of high quality images like these throughout your own ecommerce shop to help increase sales. Make sure the images are large enough to show detail, are crisp and clear and have good descriptions to back up the imagery.

3. Eliminate the risk.

Another common reason people shy away from finalizing an online purchase is the fear that it won’t fit, won’t be what they expected, will come damaged in the mail — or any other number of concerns.

If you eliminate these risks, your customers will be more likely to make a purchase from you. For instance, make returns easy and free of charge. Offer free shipping and product guarantees. Even consider allowing hassle-free returns to your brick and mortar shops if that’s possible.

Take it from successful ecommerce shops likes Hugo Boss. Not only does the brand offer free shipping on all purchases, it makes all returns by mail free of charge.

Your customers are sure to appreciate that buying from you carries no risk.

5. Add social proof.

When it comes to making a purchase, no matter what the cost, your customers will want to know that others before them made similar purchases and were happy with the products or services they bought.

That’s why adding social proof to your online storefront is a good strategy for boosting conversions. Not only does it help establish you as a reliable store to purchase from, it gives customers on the fence reason to take the plunge and finalize their transactions.

After all, 84 percent of people trust online reviews and testimonials as much as they would a personal recommendation.

For example, B-School is an online business school dedicated to helping modern entrepreneurs. However, courses like this can be pricey and a lot of them out there have been proven to be scams.

But Marie Forleo takes the right approach in having satisfied customers testify to their success:

She also uses celebrity endorsements to lend credibility to her course:

Social proof like this can be added to your online store in multiple ways:

All you have to do is find the type of social proof your target audience relates to the best, and use it to your advantage to boost conversions.

6. Create an easy checkout process.

As one of the biggest exommerce giants in the world today, Amazon can teach every online shop owner a thing or two. And, while your ecommerce shop may not be as large, study Amazon: The way it runs things is efficient and could help you increase your shop’s sales.

For example, many people abandon the checkout process because of things like unexpected shipping costs, the requirement to create an account, concerns about security and, most importantly, a difficult checkout process.

Sure, your online store may need multiple steps in the checkout process, no matter how hard you try to avoid this. But making things as easy on customers as you can is the way to reduce cart abandonment.

Again referencing Amazon, take a look at how this ecommerce store offers a one-click checkout process:

And for those that don’t want to engage in one-click checkouts, Amazon still makes the multiple step process easy to follow and understand, helping customers to feel at ease as they pay for their items.

Notice how each step is broken down into a progress bar so customers always know which step they’re on and how many more steps there are to go until the end.

And, there you have it! Six quick and easy ways to optimize your ecommerce shop for increasing conversions and boosting sales.

Related: 6 Mistakes Your Ecommerce Store Must Avoid

Just remember, it doesn’t matter what you sell, how you promote it, or how much traffic comes to your online shop if no one’s buying. Take the time to apply some of these tricks so you can generate the most revenue possible and continue to build your business.

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