Sarah Lerche

To bot or not? That is the question we look at today. A chatbot is a piece of software you install on your website making your site open 24 hours per day for a conversation with your users. You'll find various types of chatbots that provide an escalating variety of responses. Before today, you may have thought chatbots were only for large companies. But, many websites, both small and large, find them a useful tool. In this article, we ask and answer the question, "Does your startup website need ...

You probably know how important it is for employee morale and long-term employee retention to build a positive company culture. And, you probably have a wheelhouse full of tools. But, what do you do when it comes to your remote teams? It is possible to enhance your company culture remotely. It simply takes a bit of effort and ingenuity. In this article, we look at how startups can build a successful culture for remote teams. Hire the right team Your positive company culture starts when you do yo...

You did all the legwork to get your startup off the ground. You've got people taking care of your human resources, someone handling your sales and marketing, and other staff members on board. Have you forgotten your IT needs? Are you capable of connecting your team members together in a safe digital environment? Once thought to be only in the purview of big companies, the Virtual Private Network (VPN) is the best way for your startup to bring your team and your customers together under a secure ...

Have you asked yourself lately if you really need a privacy policy on your website? As a startup, you should note that in our digital age, you do need a privacy policy on your website. It can be confusing, and sometimes the privacy policy is easily forgotten, but if you want to protect your business, it is something you need. And, if you plan to use Google or Facebook advertising, you must have one on your startup's website. In this article, we look at what startups should know about crafting a ...

When it comes to the "best age" to launch a startup, age really is just a number, as evidenced by how old these famous founders were when they started their businesses.

Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal. When you email your audience, you have direct access to the inner sanctum of their email inbox. This is a special place reserved for businesses like yours. In fact, you were invited in when your customer(s) opted into your list. Yet, even with the invitation, you've got to make sure you know about the laws surrounding email marketing. In this article, we look at email marketing laws and regulations startups should be aw...

It's a good rule of thumb to keep your personal and your business expenses separate as you begin getting your new startup off the ground. One of the best ways to do this is by opening a business credit card. In this article, we look at what you need to know before choosing a business credit card for your startup. When you apply It's worth noting that when you apply for a credit card for your startup, you will probably be asked about your personal credit information. They will also likely check y...

Sometimes entrepreneurs are working so quickly and are so focused that it can feel like we're working in a vacuum. Getting to know what's going on with other small businesses can be a crucial way to gauge what's happening in the industry and where we stand. To make that a little bit easier, we've compiled some statistics about small businesses that can help you take the temperature of the field and gain an understanding of today's climate. We sifted through reams of government data to drill down...

Do you feel like you start your day wearing one hat, but by the time the end of the day rolls around, you've donned and discarded multiple hats? If so, you aren't alone. Startup founders notoriously have their hands in every piece of their startup, especially when it comes to human resources. In this article, we look at the many HR hats often worn by early stage startup founders. The role of mentor By virtue of being the leader, you naturally fit the role of mentor. You're a seasoned veteran, yo...

The world of marketing is evolving, and it's a continuing challenge to ensure that your business gets the exposure it needs to thrive. Check out five marketing mistakes that you should avoid if you are looking to get the word out about your firm.   1. Counting on your marketer to solve all your problems You may have brought on the best marketing professional in town to handle your needs, but that person can't overcome fundamental issues if you have them. Poor products or services, a bad rep...

The best way to ensure that you can find more time in your day to focus on growth is to eliminate non-core responsibilities from your schedule. The problem is that you may not be able to identify which tasks you can delegate or outsource. The solution? A time audit. Use the following infographic to find out how to determine the ways that you're spending time.  

As you're building your new startup team, there are some things you want to consider. You want to put together an effective team that not only has the qualities necessary to do the job, but you want a team that works well together and has strengths that are complimentary. A good team is the team that propels your startup into the future and with maximum productivity and growth. In this article, we discuss the top traits to look for when adding members to your team. Strong organizational skills I...

Do you feel like you could prioritize more efficiently at your business? You're not alone -- and this problem is not a new one. During a speech in 1954, former President Dwight Eisenhower said, "I have two kinds of problems: the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent." A theory was created around that quote, now known as the Eisenhower Principle. It involves the use of a matrix to classify the four types of tasks on your list, as follows: ...

Entrepreneurs often find it challenging to stay on top of the regulations that come down from the government, but that's been especially true since the coronavirus emergency began impacting the country. Businesses are facing new challenges every day, and so are American families, many of whom are struggling to pay bills amid changing working conditions. Federal, state and local governments have been fast-tracking new regs, and today we've got the lowdown on how one of them will affect your busin...

Many entrepreneurs have reported lagging sales and frustrations as the coronavirus has halted the economies of countries all over the world. But not all businesses are seeing sales fall. In fact, some businesses have said they've seen interest rise as the emergency has spread. Check out the following five businesses that are in this category.   Pediatric teletherapy Everyone is stressed during these times, but it's difficult to get the mental health resources necessary when social distancin...

When the coronavirus emergency comes to an end, it will be up to every entrepreneur to ramp up their business in the new economy. Consider these steps as you prepare for the future.  

As a startup, you probably know the benefits of hiring the best employees, and sometimes this means hiring across state lines and even international boundaries. Hiring remote workers is win-win for both of you – the employee can continue to work in their hometown, and you get the most qualified team members. But employing remote workers does come with its own special needs. In this article we look at what you need to know about taxes for remote workers.  Guidelines for remote workers outsid...

As a startup, the hiring process is vital to your success and plan for growth. So, the last thing you want to do is spend hours plowing through resumes and interviewing candidates only to be upset with the people you hired. Your goal is long-term hires, and you don't want to waste time and money hiring the wrong people. According to Investopedia, the cost of a "full-baked" employee can range from one and a half to three times their salary. These costs can include the hiring and interview process...

No matter your industry, it's likely that you have some competition in your field, but that doesn't mean you can't differentiate yourself. Check out these tips to ensure you can stand out from your competitors.

Your human resources initiatives directly affect your employees. They may even mean the difference between happy and unhappy staff. To help you understand what's working, and whether or not it's cost-effective, you want to use human resources (HR) metrics. This way you can measure which of your human resource activities are contributing to your overall startup growth and performance. These may include such things as: Hiring and onboardingEmployee retentionPerformance managementOverall staff sati...

For most entrepreneurs, they'll tell you their biggest challenge getting their startup off the ground is financing. In fact, surveys show that nearly two-thirds of start-ups face financial challenges. There are ways to overcome this large hurdle. Let's look at three common startup financing challenges and how to beat them.  #1: Start at the right time For many people looking to begin a new business, they simply lack the personal capital to do it. They may not have any savings, and they may ...

From LLC to C corp to cooperative and beyond, there are myriad business structures available to you when making your startup official. To help make the decision easier, we've created a simple infographic with the basics of each business type.   Courtesy of Escalon Services

A business in New Zealand experimented by offering their employees a 32-hour work week while paying them for 40 hours. The results? Happier employees and increased productivity. In fact, the experiment worked so well the company found their staff to be on time, have better attendance, take less breaks, and produce at the same level as they did with their five-day work week. While this same experiment has been repeated in countries all over the world, it may leave you wondering if your startup sh...

You're ready to start pitching your startup to potential investors, but you aren't sure how to put yourself out there due to your introverted nature. We've got myriad tips on how introverts can pitch their firms, and translated those pointers into this quick infographic.    Courtesy of Escalon Services

By Yair Segev Your small business is at a crossroads. You're ready to scale, but you aren't sure what your numbers are telling you about the right route that will lead to growth, and you aren't in a position to hire a full-time chief financial officer to forge the path. One very modern – and very effective – solution is to bring on an outsourced CFO. The concept of a virtual CFO is a somewhat new phenomenon, but the benefits that these experts can bring to small- and medium-sized businesses are ...

​A board of directors helps oversee the activities of a company or organization. Publicly held companies have to have a board of directors, while private companies don't. That begs the question for many startups as to whether or not they need a board of directors, and if so, when? There are many reasons this is a good idea for most startups. So, for the purposes of this article, let's say you do need one. In this case, we look at what startups need to consider before forming a board of directors...

According to Career Builder, 74% of companies that admit they've hired the wrong person for an open position lost an average of $14,900 for each bad hire. What's more, according to the US Department of Labor, the cost of a bad hire can reach up to 30% of the employee's first-year earnings. These stats show you just how important it is to hire right the first time. To assist you, let's look at five of the most common hiring mistakes startups make. #1: Hiring people you know While in some instance...

You know you have a problem staffer at your business, but you are too busy to address the issues at hand. So you avoid the problem and eventually sit down with the employee to say, "It's just not working out, so we're letting you go." If this sounds familiar, you could be setting yourself up for expensive and protracted litigation, says Scott Warrick, an employment attorney and HR consultant who is the author of the book Solve Employee Problems Before They Start. "Part of good employee relations...

As a new or young company, seeking to fund your startup, it seems pretty straightforward that venture capital would be a good option. Yet, while there are many advantages to it, we're going to look at five disadvantages of seeking venture capital, and why it might not be right for your business.  #1: You may lose control Before you get venture capital, you (and your partners) have total control of your startup. After you get funding, you transfer part of your control to your investors. This...