Opening the Online Floodgates in Equine Industry

The business of selling equestrian supplies has long been a traditional one, going back to the days of the blacksmith. Even a few years ago, it consisted mainly of small mom and pop stores that carried as broad a range as possible of equestrian equipment. Customers searching for more variety and specificity in equine equipment had to turn to catalogs to find products suitable to their needs. For years, this business model remained unchanged until the advent of ecommerce. As it has done for many other niche businesses, the online marketplace has thrown open the floodgates to a broad range of customers who can now purchase equine supplies from the comfort of their couches with just the click of a mouse.…

Good Organization is a Trait of a Successful Startup

For a startup, organizational structure must not be an afterthought, but a result of careful planning. Pay no heed to mythical origin stories that claim startups simply come into existence with a group of friends meeting at a basement or garage. Well, it takes much more than brainstorming and big dreams to launch a successful company. In fact, many of the pitfalls on the road to success are related to poor organizational planning and execution. Cover all the bases First of all, startup founders have to strategize on the structure of the company and lay the groundwork for daily operations.…

3 Ways to Give Your Business a Makeover

Unless you’re a retro fashionista, it’s unlikely that you go around wearing the same styles people wore several decades ago. Fashion is constantly evolving, and not just because humans are prone to changing their minds. Change is an indication of progress, and if you’re still doing all of the same things you were doing years ago, you probably haven’t progressed very far. Companies work the same way. It’s easy to fall into familiar routines, but if you really want to succeed, it’s important to shake things up every now and then.…

How UK Taxis Can Win Business Travellers Back From Uber & Company

This blatant disregard for the law and consumer’s personal safety must stop! It’s up to those of us who work hard to keep their businesses afloat, while doing everything the law requires of taxicab drivers and owners, to take back what Uber and it’s under-paid, under-insured, unaccountable drivers have taken away from us over the last few years. Uber hurts everyone… Uber has been slighting the UK taxi industry for far too long now. It’s an epidemic that not only hurts the hard-working qualified drivers who’re required to go through background checks and to register (using fingerprints) with the local authorities; it also hurts the customer, whether they know it or not when they plunk their location into the app and wait for a ride.…

How Small Businesses can Attract Top Talent with Affordable Employee Perks

The ability to attract and retain top talent is often tied to the amount of compensation that you pay your employees and the benefits package that you offer. Everything from a wellness center to employer-matching retirement contributions can entice job seekers to apply for a position. Benefits can keep your company attractive for current employees too, preventing them from growing unsatisfied with their position and leave. However, the unfortunate reality is that these benefits can cost a small fortune, and it often is not financially feasible for a smaller business to pay for them.…

4 Reasons Why you Should Consider Sponsoring Charities

One of the easiest ways to generate goodwill towards your business is to sponsor a charity or two in your local community. Making a sizable financial donation will get your business name put up at the charity event, getting your name out and letting the community know you care. Not only are you supporting those in need, but you are also increasing the visibility of your business in a positive way. Aligning Your Values With a Charity Image via Flickr by amateur photography by michel There are all kinds of charities that are happy to accept donations from local businesses and give advertising in return.…

The Best Methods when Launching a New Product Line

There’s a well-known saying that argues, “You only have one chance to make a first impression,” and that’s certainly true of new product launches. Get it right and customers will flock to you. Get it wrong and they will soon lose interest. Know your target market Firstly, you need to get the measure of your market. While it can be extremely tempting to launch as soon as possible, it actually makes more sense to take your time and ensure that you understand what your customers want.…

How to Know When It’s Time to Grow Your Business

Eventually, there will come a time when your small business reaches the limit of what it can do without growing. Small businesses and their growth are an important part of the economy – Forbes reports that they make up more than 65 percent of the net new jobs created since 1995 and that more than half the working population works at a small business. If you think your business needs to expand, watch for some of these common signs: You’re Getting Outpaced One of the indicators that it is time for your business to expand is when the demand for you product or service begins to outpace your ability to supply it.…

Think Beyond Domestic: Why Exporting Makes Sense

It’s perhaps natural for smaller and even medium-sized businesses to assume that domestic customers should be the priority. It’s less hassle, and your product or service will appeal less to the foreign market, right? Actually, no. Government’s Blessing According to UK Trade & Investment’s report, exporting companies are more productive, have stronger financial performance and a greater chance of staying in business. Other benefits include increased confidence and higher efficiency rates. Companies surveyed also reported that exporting was the catalyst to new product and service ideas.…

Why it Pays to Invest in the Future of Your Employees

Offering a decent salary is most certainly enough to get some of the top millennial candidates through the door… but is it enough to keep them? Sure, the “almighty dollar” can be a great incentive and is definitely one of the reasons that we go to work each day, but as the cost of living goes up, the company budget tightens, and raises become far and few in between, money is no longer the motive. In order to run a successful company, equipped with a great staff, business managers and execs must be willing to think outside of the box to maintain employee satisfaction.…