Your most valuable asset isn’t your real estate or the tech stocks you bought in the 90s that have done well. It isn’t even your business per se. Your most valuable asset is you — specifically your ability to run a profitable company and make money. Are you protecting that asset from the risk that […]
The Pluses and Minuses of Business Borrowing
There are distinct pluses and minuses that small business owners should consider when looking for a loan. New small business owners typically enter the marketplace with high expectations — they want to build sales and increase profits quarter to quarter. More often than not, they hope to add employees and, perhaps, open up additional locations. […]
Facing Off Against a Big Competitor
Running a small business isn’t easy. You probably wouldn’t have it any other way. The ability to survive and thrive is a source of great pride for small business owners. So when a competitor moves in, especially a big one, it can feel like battle lines have been drawn. Sharpen Your Edge Before you do […]
Can Your Company Survive a Disaster?
Fire, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes. When they happen, they can destroy buildings, equipment, and hard-to-replace data, and even injure or kill employees. It can take a business weeks, sometimes months, to resume operations after a disaster. Some businesses never recover. You can’t pin down the time or day when a disaster may strike your business. However, […]
Worker Classification: Pay Attention
It isn’t easy deciding whether a worker should be treated as an employee or an independent contractor. But the IRS looks at the distinction closely. Tax Obligations For an employee, a business generally must withhold income and FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes from the employee’s pay and remit those taxes to the government. Additionally, […]
How to Keep Employees Contributing to the Plan
For many employers, especially smaller ones, introducing a retirement plan is a big undertaking. Despite the numerous administrative and regulatory requirements that an employer retirement plan entails, many employers remain committed to their retirement plans because they want to help their employees begin the journey to retirement readiness. Unfortunately, plan participants can sometimes feel squeezed […]