Many small businesses around the country are currently employing too many workers. Rather then granting a few choice employees full time positions many business owners are refusing to trim the fat and continue to employ more employees then they need. This practice hinders productivity and employee morale (at least for the hardworking dedicated employees who have to watch less enthusiastic co-workers take their well deserved hours).

It is far better to employ a small efficient staff rather then employing a large group of mediocre employees and dividing the work time scarcely amongst them. This type of practice irritates employees and rewards average work performances. The most important thing a business owner must remember is that: the success of his/her business rests in the hands of his/her employees. It does not matter how great an establishment is at what they do, if the employees who interact with the customers are less than or on the border of undesirable the establishment will collapse.

Not to mention, a smaller well efficient staff means less of a headache for the owner who has to manage them all. Employees are necessary and in most cases generally enjoyable to be around; but lets face it, having to keep up with multiple personality types can take its toll.

The Hourly Shuffle is a post from: Business loans, small business loans and EZ business loans blog

Several small business owner’s have no idea that the government has allocated nearly a billion dollars a year to small business contracting. Granted, government contracting does require a slightly lengthy procedure but it does payoff big. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers a series of classes and webinars that detail the government contracting business and how to be successful at it. They even offer instructions specifically tailored to veterans and women.

The U.S. Small Business Administration also offers classes to show entrepreneurs how to successfully start a business, manage a business and finance a business. Lets not forget that they also provide small business owners with assistance when searching for local resources and are a great asset to have after a disaster.

So, based on this basic pretext of the role the Small Business Administration plays in our economy; do you feel it should be abolished? Regardless of your answer, visit their website and thoroughly examine all they have to offer.

Government Contracting is a post from: Business loans, small business loans and EZ business loans blog

It seems that in our dire economy small businesses are engaging in “title-only” promotions. “Title-only” promotions are promotions in which no pay raise is given along with the bump in company status. A large group of small business owners are engaging in this practice because they feel it is a good way to show employee appreciation without adding to their financial strain. We disagree.

The world revolves around money: and so more money along with a raise is something all employees want. You can’t give somebody more responsibility without giving them a jump in pay. There is no one who is willing to take on more responsibility at work without being properly compensated for it. A few lucky owners might have a loyal employee or two who appreciates the gesture; but before long that employee or two will come to realize that they are doing more work for the same pay.

Basically what it comes down to is: as a business owner can you afford to lose your top employee or employees? If not, then perhaps a small loan is what you need to keep your operation running smoothly.

Promotions Without Raises?! is a post from: Business loans, small business loans and EZ business loans blog

If the Iranian government takes action and blocks their oil from the world market what will that mean for small business owners here in America?

Well, with a chunk of the world’s oil reserve off limits, the prices of gas will spike.  The scary part is, Iran hasn’t even cut off their oil supply yet and gas prices have risen by 8% this month alone: and economics predict gas prices to hit an all time high during the summer months. So, back to the question at hand. What does this mean for small business owners?

An increase in business expenses is what it means.  Small businesses that use FedEx or any other type of parcel service  can expect a small increase in delivery costs because of the rise in gas prices. The same logic applies for small businesses that have delivery services. With the ridiculous gas prices Americans are facing (especially Californians) business owners will have to increase their delivery charges. Which could lead to a possible decrease in delivery sales.

How about restaurants that get food and paper products delivered? Well, more then likely the food distribution companies will increase the cost of their products per unit which will in turn mean a greater expense for the small business owner who owns the restaurant.

Do not let world politics hinder your business’ earning power. Be a head of the curve. If you can, keep a reserve business account so that you can easily adapt as the economy continues to throw curve balls.

What Does Oil Really Mean for Small Businesses? is a post from: Business loans, small business loans and EZ business loans blog

On average local businesses spend less then $2,500 per year on advertising. Now, a small marketing budget is fine for establishments located in densely populated areas, but for small business in large cities advertisement is a crucial part of business. Despite these tough times, it is possible for small businesses to advertise without breaking the bank.

Placing an ad in your local high school newspaper is a great way to get your business noticed: not to mention a nice way of supporting your community.  You can also place an ad in your local community college’s newspaper and/or your local church’s, synagogue’s, mosque’s or temple’s.

Advertising does not have to cost a fortune. There are many different ways of getting your business noticed. Be creative: think differently. But remember to track your profit vs. expenses to insure that the advertising you invest in is in fact paying off.

Marketing for Local Businesses is a post from: Business loans, small business loans and EZ business loans blog

The biggest cause of small businesses going under is poor money management. Don’t let it happen to you! Be organized and be informed.

When it comes to small business taxes there are two concepts  every owner should know: business expenses and capital expenses. Business expenses cover everything that is related to the cost of conducting business and capital expenses refers to the cost of purchasing equipment or property that has the life expectancy of at least twelve months and will result in your company producing a higher quality product. Nearly all business expenses are tax deductible; however only a small percentage of capital expenses are refundable.  As far as capital expenses are concerned: expenditures can be returned in time as the equipment drops in value.

For in-depth answers and to fully understand the world of small business taxes: we recommend that every owner take advantage of the Internal Revenue Services’ free tax training programs. Even if you employee a tax professional to keep your books straight it is still beneficial to take advantage of the IRS’ free program.

Take the estimation out of small business tax deductions: be informed!

Small Business Tax Deductions is a post from: Business loans, small business loans and EZ business loans blog

The list of expenses for running a successful small business is at least a quarter of a mile long. And at the top of the list is workman’s compensation insurance.

According to California state law every employer must have workman’s compensation insurance regardless of their company size. That means, if an owner has even one employee they must have coverage. Depending on the insurance company’s rates, business type and employee size, small business owners could be looking at a bill ranging from $200- thousands per month. Wow.

Now, a good chunk of California’s small business owner’s do not have workman’s comp insurance. Bad idea. The average workman’s comp claim is $65,000 (who wants to pay that out of pocket?) and the penalties for not having workman’s comp insurance are not any less devastating. According to section 3700.5 of the California Labor Code not having required workman’s comp insurance is a misdemeanor that comes with either a fine of up to $10,000, up to a year in county jail or a combination of the two. Yikes. No owner wants to be slapped with that reality. Plus, in addition to the fine and possible incarceration, business owners will most likely face suit if they have an employee who suffered injuries related to their job.

But wait, the consequences don’t stop there! In addition, the state may issue a penality of up to $100,000. In today’s economy a $100,000 fine can ruin a small business.

Don’t let that happen to you. Protect yourself, your business and your employees.

Workman’s Comp is a post from: Business loans, small business loans and EZ business loans blog

America was built on small business enterprising. At one point all large corporations were ideas backed with ambition, working capital and hard work. In fact, most influential corporate CEOs are individuals who bought companies developed from small business owners.

Perhaps one of the most popular stories of a small town business turned global icon is the Chef Boyardee empire. Chef Hector Boiardi (phonetically spelled Boyardee) was an Italian immigrant who began selling his famous spaghetti and meatballs to hungry customers in milk bottles. Pretty innovative for 1924. Chef Boiardi saw how popular his signature Italian dish became and so he found a way to make it readily accessible for his customers whether or not they wanted to dine in his restaurant or not. From there he and his brothers went into business together and before long their products were so popular they had to pay for advertisements in a variety of languages. Despite their enormous success, the Boiardi brothers decided to sell their company to American Home Products in 1942: who in turn sold the company to Conagra Foods in 2000.

What is the point we are trying to make? Small business owners need to believe in their importance, growth potential and they need to try different avenues of selling (like Chef Boiardi’s milk bottles). Money is always a factor when discussing any business moves but it does not have to be the deciding factor. Small businesses are important to our economy and they need to stay afloat.

Small Innovations Lead to Huge Payoffs is a post from: Business loans, small business loans and EZ business loans blog

You’ll be hard pressed to find a small business that is not operating on a deficit. In fact, according to the stats provided by the National Small Business Association 42% of small business owners have credit card debt. That’s unfortunate, especially in such a well developed country like the United States. But, the reality is that in our wobbly economy many small business owners do not make enough money to live comfortably and maintain all of their business expenses.

What is a small business owner to do if he or she needs extra cash to sustain his or her lifestyle? Borrow. The most common form of borrowing comes in the form of plastic rectangles: you know the kind I mean, credit cards. Although credit cards can be a good way to help many business owners stay afloat from time to time they also come with pit falls.

Unlike with personal credit cards, business credit cards do not fall under the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009. What exactly does that mean? It means, that issuers can change interest rates (by that I mean raise interest rates) on business credit cards anytime they please. With interest rates climbing higher then business owners anticipated they will be digging themselves deeper in debt.

If you are a business owner looking for an increase in cash flow, think twice before you take on a business credit card. Interest rates can climb without your knowledge and you can end up paying off outrageous balances that will hinder your economic progress and cause you to fall further in debt.

Small Business Credit Cards is a post from: Business loans, small business loans and EZ business loans blog

Many consumers strongly believe that good customer service is non-existent. In fact, American small businesses lose between 1-3% of their yearly business due to poor customer service. That’s ridiculous! 1-3% may seem like a low rate but when that percentage is transferred into dollars its a significant piece of the profits.

Poor customer service is the result of poor working conditions, unhappy employees and a lack of proper management skills. Many managers do not know how to manage different personality types. These personality types range all the way from the lazy to the fib tellers. Thankfully there is help! Many small business owners are paying for their general managers to attend weekend long conferences that teach them how to manage all personality types pertaining to both customers and employees. Some owners are even taking it a step further and are hiring a team of professionals who specialize in company management to train their staff in house for a week.

Now, of course these seminars and company management firms are not cheap, but the few thousand dollar investment is worth it because it will help create a solid business reputation for business owners and their establishments.

Need to train your employees but do not have the resources to do it? Fill out the contact information to the left of the screen and within forty-eight hours you will.

Friendly Service With a Smile is a post from: Business loans, small business loans and EZ business loans blog