Small Biz Flash

FEATUREArtificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday business operations, but many companies are still struggling to create meaningful value from it. In this feature, we explore why the biggest AI opportunity isn't simply doing the same work faster, but changing how work gets done through better workflows, smarter systems, and improved decision-making.----------NEWS ROUNDUPConstruction Leads, Retail Lags in Small Business Confidencehttps://www.nfib.com/news/press-release/new-nfib-industry-specific-survey-shows-shift-in-small-business-optimismSBA Eases Concerns for Some Small Business Investorshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/johnschroyer/2026/05/29/sba-clarifies-and-narrows-its-crackdown-on-small-business-investors/Small Businesses Pull Back on Hiring Planshttps://www.uschamber.com/economy/small-businesses-cut-back-hiring-plans-as-inflation-concerns-grow----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREMost small businesses hold weekly meetings, but many of them fail to drive real progress. In this feature, we explore how to build a simple “weekly operating system” that improves visibility, accountability, and execution. We break down a practical meeting structure, discuss how to identify and solve the right issues, and show how AI can support better preparation, follow-through, and performance tracking.----------NEWS ROUNDUPAI Excitement Is High, but Daily Use Still Lagshttps://www.inc.com/elizabeth-gore/81-of-small-businesses-are-excited-about-ai-so-why-is-adoption-stalling/91326561IRS Staffing Drops, but Audit Risk Remainshttps://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/15/irs-audit-red-flags.htmlSmall Businesses Turn to Embedded Finance Toolshttps://www.pymnts.com/smbs/2026/inflation-hits-58-of-small-businesses-and-pushes-embedded-b2b-finance-forward/ ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREMany businesses document their processes but still struggle with inconsistent execution. In this feature, we explain how to close the gap between playbook and performance through clear ownership, meaningful KPIs, and a consistent operating rhythm — and how AI can help monitor metrics, improve follow-through, and strengthen operational discipline.----------NEWS ROUNDUPSmall Businesses Struggle to Claim Tariff Refundshttps://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/some-small-businesses-tariff-refund-isnt-worth-pain-pursuing-it-2026-03-04/Lenders Ask Small Businesses About AI Planshttps://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonkochkodin/2026/03/06/no-ai-plan-no-loan-small-business-lenders-force-main-street-to-face-the-future/NLRB Ruling Could Expand Franchise Liabilityhttps://www.reuters.com/legal/government/nlrb-joint-employer-ruling-franchises-2026-03-06/ ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREMost small businesses rely on individual know-how instead of a shared playbook — and it quietly limits their growth. In this episode, we break down the ROI of building a simple, practical playbook for your business.You’ll learn how standardizing your processes reduces mistakes, shortens training, and helps your team deliver consistent results every time. We’ll also cover the tools that make documenting workflows easier than ever, including how AI can help you capture and refine your systems. Discover how a playbook frees up your time, strengthens your team, and creates a smoother, more scalable operation.----------NEWS ROUNDUPAI Adoption Surges Among Small Businesseshttps://www.monitordaily.com/new-amex-data-small-businesses-accelerate-ai-adoption-and-see-strong-roi/Owners Expect Stronger 2026 Growthhttps://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/press-releases/2025/11/bofa-report--74--of-small-and-mid-sized-business-owners-expect-r.htmlCyber Attacks Hit Nearly Half of SMBshttps://www.totalassure.com/blog/cyber-attacks-on-small-businesses-statistics-2025----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREMost small businesses run on memory, not systems – and it’s costing them more than they realize. In this episode, we’ll discuss how the absence of structure quietly drains time, money, and morale. You’ll learn the early warning signs of disorganization, how to start building repeatable processes, and where AI can play a role in documenting and improving your workflows. Discover why getting organized gives you freedom and  profitability.----------NEWS ROUNDUPOwners Tight on Cashhttps://www.bluevine.com/blog/cash-flow-management-surveyBusinesses Are Raising Priceshttps://www.nfib.com/news/press-release/new-nfib-survey-small-business-optimism-declines-in-september/ https://www.marketplace.org/story/2025/10/14/small-businesses-raised-prices-or-plan-to-soon-survey-shows Gen X Owners Most Pessimistic Generationhttps://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/20/gen-x-business-owners-main-streets-least-optimistic-age.html ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREAI is no longer experimental – it’s becoming a core tool for small businesses. But most owners are still just scratching the surface. In this episode, you’ll learn how to make AI a true force multiplier for your team. We’ll discuss how AI agents amplify employee productivity, why using the AI inside your existing software is key, and the shift from prompt engineering to context engineering.Resource mentioned on today’s show:https://www.nfib.com/news/press-release/new-nfib-report-how-small-businesses-incorporate-tech-and-ai-advancements/?utm_source=chatgpt.com ----------NEWS ROUNDUPFinCEN has announced it will destroy Beneficial Ownership Information rule datahttps://www.nfib.com/news/press-release/nfib-major-win-for-main-street-as-fincen-promises-to-destroy-small-business-beneficial-owner-data-expedite-final-rule/Health insurance premiums for small businesses are set to climb sharply in 2026https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-much-and-why-premiums-are-going-up-for-small-businesses-in-2026/Small business owners are sounding more upbeat, even though costs keep pinchinghttps://www.uschamber.com/economy/small-businesses-remain-upbeat-despite-challenge-of-high-costs ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURERetention.  Morale.  Profitability.  Employee ownership has the power to move all three in the right direction.  By giving employees a vested interest, you create a culture of commitment and shared success.  Discover how this strategy could position your company for growth and stability.Today’s guest is Marie Davis, Executive Director of the Georgia Center for Employee Ownership (GA CEO):Marie’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariebdavisinatlanta/GA CEO web page:  https://www.gaceo.org/ ----------NEWS ROUNDUPSmall business sentiment is nudging higher, but owners are still concerned.https://www.nfib.com/news/press-release/new-nfib-survey-small-business-optimism-rises/ https://www.nfib.com/news/press-release/nfib-jobs-report-july-job-openings-hit-lowest-levels-since-2020/ https://www.uschamber.com/sbindex/Judge hands small businesses major win over debit card swipe feeshttps://www.cspdailynews.com/technologyservices/judge-vacates-debit-card-swipe-fee-rule-pending-appealLemonade Stand Freedom Act becomes law in Missourihttps://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2025/07/28/americas_youth_should_be_free_to_innovate_without_barriers_1125077.html----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREThere are many ways the One Big Beautiful Bill Act impacts small business – most of them positive.  In this episode, we discuss six major changes to the federal tax code.Resource:Download SBS’s “10 Ways the New Tax Law Could Reshape Your Business Bottom Line”:  https://sbsaccountants.com/10-ways-the-new-tax-law-could-reshape-your-bottom-line/Today’s guests:Jonathan Bill, Owner of SBS Accounting & AdvisorsJonathan’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbsaccounting/SBS Accounting & Advisors website:  https://sbsaccountants.com/----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURESmall business owners, you don’t need to constantly guess how much you owe in taxes and where you’re going to get the money to pay them.  There’s a better approach and we’ll discuss it today.Resource:Some of the material discussed today comes from Simple Numbers by Greg Crabtree.Today’s guest is Jonathan Bill, owner of SBS Accounting & Advisors:Jonathan’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sbsaccounting/SBS Accounting & Advisors website:  https://sbsaccountants.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUPSmall business optimism made a modest recovery in Mayhttps://www.nfib.com/news/press-release/new-nfib-survey-small-business-optimism-increases-in-may/The tax bill could substantially affect small business ownershttps://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-One-Big-Beautiful-Bill-Section-by-Section.pdfConsumer Financial Protection Bureau won’t enforce small business data collection rulehttps://www.bankingdive.com/news/cfpb-small-business-data-collection-rule-vought-ncrc-van-tol/746990/ ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREMarketing is changing.  Your company is being discovered in ways that were not the case just a few years ago.  Research oftentimes no longer starts on a search engine, but they often end there.  So, figure out where your prospects are and go be with them on those spaces.Resources mentioned:SparkTorohttps://sparktoro.com/Today’s guest is Mickey Mellen, of GreenMellen:Mickey’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickmel/GreenMellen web page:  https://www.greenmellenmedia.com/ ----------NEWS ROUNDUPA persistent labor shortage continues to hamper small business growthhttps://www.nfib.com/news/press-release/nfib-jobs-report-labor-shortages-continue-to-constrain-small-business-job-growth/Small business owners are growing increasingly pessimistic about the economyhttps://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/09/small-businesses-expect-recession-with-trump-tariffs-poll.htmlTariffs impacts owners’ decision-making to buy or sell businesses in 2025https://www.bizbuysell.com/insight-report/ ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

Join us for Illuminate 2025 on April 22!  Register here:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/illuminate-spring-2025-tickets-1273764687469Email me at [email protected] ROUNDUP1 – Tariffs are causing concern among small business owners.https://www.wzzm13.com/article/money/economy/survey-michigan-small-business-owners-shows-two-thirds-taking-steps-prepare-for-recession/69-dd2f9d65-c2b9-4b79-9788-b2b420fd5453https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article303397271.htmlhttp://marketplace.org/2025/04/03/tariffs-small-businesses-taxes-imports-price-increase/https://www.dailyherald.com/20250329/business/small-businesses-are-anxious-over-lack-of-clarity-on-tariffs/2 – Small businesses are still actively trying to fill open positions.https://www.nfib.com/news/press-release/nfib-jobs-report-small-businesses-actively-hiring-for-current-vacancies/3 – A cyberattack could be lethal to a shocking 20% of small businesses.https://www.forbes.com/sites/cio/2025/04/03/cyberattacks-could-shutter-one-in-five-small-businesses-report-finds/----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together! ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

Small business owners, have you ever tried sending out a press release about a new product or an event at your company, just to hear crickets chirping in response?  On today’s show, we’ll talk with an experienced PR professional about why most press releases flop, and what you can do to actually get results the next time you send a press release out to your community.Today’s guest is Claire Angelle, Founder of Angelle Consulting:Claire’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-collobert-angelle-5267b4a/ Angelle Consulting web page:  https://www.angelleconsulting.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 – Major credit cards announce settlement resulting in lower swipe fees for merchantshttps://apnews.com/article/visa-mastercard-merchants-swipe-fee-5f2a75674d472ef95af9f6fd426f1f6ehttps://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/competition/nfib-statement-on-credit-card-anti-trust-settlement/ 2 – Small business hiring slowed in Marchhttps://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/nfib-jobs-report-small-business-job-openings-fall-to-pre-pandemic-levels/3 – Nearly half of new small businesses are side hustleshttps://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/surge-small-businesses-started-side-hustles----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  Go to https://sbsaccountants.com/ today to set up a free 30-minute consultation.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURESmall business owners, do you pay yourself a below-market wage to keep your business profitable?  Or maybe you take draws, but they might be sporadic and of varying amounts?  On today’s show, we’ll talk with an experienced accounting professional about how this practice is hurting your business and how you can fix your own compensation structure.Today’s guest is Sharon Sheekey, Accounting Division Director at SBS Accounting & Advisors:Sharon’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-sheekey-874093b0/SBS Accounting & Advisors’ web page:  https://sbsaccountants.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - Small Business Owner Optimism Dropped Last Month, Continuing Trend Since Last Summerhttps://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/optimism-on-main-street-declines-as-inflation-looms-as-top-challenge/2 - Labor Department’s New Independent Contractor Rule Facing Lawsuitshttps://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/biden-admins-gig-worker-rule-facing-growing-pushback3 - National Small Business Week is April 28 to May 4https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  Go to https://sbsaccountants.com/ today to set up a free 30-minute consultation.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURESmall business owners, have you ever considered buying out a competitor to expand your own company’s capabilities and customer base?  On today’s show, we’ll talk with a lending expert about how you can finance a business acquisition at up to 100% of the purchase price using an SBA loan.Today’s guest is Laurence Leopold, SBA Senior Business Development Officer at IncredibleBank:Laurence’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurence-leopold-4496342/IncredibleBank web page:  https://www.incrediblebank.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - Judge finds Beneficial Ownership Information unconstitutional, but ruling only applies to some businesseshttps://www.natlawreview.com/article/district-court-declares-corporate-transparency-act-unconstitutional2 - Small businesses start to see some relief in the labor markethttps://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/nfib-jobs-report-small-business-employment-slows/3 - Vast majority of small firms report financial and operational challengeshttps://www.fedsmallbusiness.org/reports/survey/2024/2024-report-on-employer-firms----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  Go to https://sbsaccountants.com/ today to set up a free 30-minute consultation.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREGoogle Trends is a powerful and completely free tool from Google that can help you stay ahead of the curve.  It will help you understand your customers, and can inform decision making on marketing, research & development, and more.Google Trends:https://trends.google.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - The economy continues to be the #1 concern among small business owners, according to the latest CNBC-SurveyMonkey Small Business Index.  Immigration followed at a close second place.https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/cnbcsurveymonkey-small-business-index-q1-2024/2 - Small businesses facing funding challenges have increasingly turned to merchant cash advances, which have posed a threat to the survival of some.https://www.wsj.com/articles/an-easy-financing-source-pushes-some-small-businesses-into-bankruptcy-c2b2ad1b3 - The National Federation of Independent Business released its top legislative priorities for Congress in 2024.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/nfib-announces-top-10-small-business-policy-priorities-for-congress/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

NEWS ROUNDUP1 - Small business owners continue to grapple with economic uncertainty, according to the National Federation of Independent Business’ Small Business Optimism Index.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/small-business-owners-expectations-for-higher-sales-declined-in-january/2 - Many small businesses are still unaware of the new Beneficial Ownership rule from the Treasury Department that went into effect on 1-1-24.https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-businesses-must-now-report-ownership-information-to-the-government-but-many-dont-know-about-it-bb13f2b6https://www.fincen.gov/boi3 - Nearly a year after the run on Silicon Valley Bank, small business owners aren’t panicking about their business accounts that hold than $250,000, the amount beyond which the FDIC won’t insure deposits.https://www.marketplace.org/2024/02/12/banking-crisis-fdic-protection-businesses/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREThe Department of Labor (DOL) has finalized its new independent contractor rule.  There are six factors that you must use to determine if a worker is a contractor or an employee.The final rule goes into effect on March 11, 2024.Misclassifying employees as independent contractors can result in lawsuits and penalties, among other costs.DOL’s Small Entity Compliance Guide to the new rule:https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/government-contracts/small-entity-compliance-guideToday’s guest is Karen Moss, of Innovative Outsourcing:Karen’s email:  [email protected] Karen’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenemoss/ Innovative Outsourcing web page:  https://www.innovative-outsourcing.com/ ----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - Banks report that fraudulent ACH activity is on the rise, and this is a problem for small businesses.https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/this-is-modern-day-bank-robbery-banks-say-ach-transfer-fraud-is-rise/VLKVTOBGNJBHNAQBX5MXJYL3HY/https://fintech.global/2024/01/09/navigating-the-risks-of-ach-payment-fraud-strategies-for-business-safety/2 - The percentage of small businesses falling victim to cyber attacks is on the rise.https://www.hiscox.com/documents/Hiscox-Cyber-Readiness-Report-2023.pdf3 - Small business owners think college graduates entering the workforce don’t have realistic expectations about the working world.https://www.campusreform.org/article/91-of-small-business-owners-say-colleges-are-giving-students-unrealistic-expectations-for-life-after-graduation-survey/24640----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREA fractional chief operating officer, or a FCOO, can help you make your business life wonderful, getting you back to doing what you love in the business, which is likely not overseeing the daily operational tasks.* How to know when it is time to hire a fractional COO.* How a fractional COO helps you as the business owner.* What a fractional COO brings to the table.Recommended reading:  Rocket Fuel, by Gino Wickman and Mark Winters.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - The Department of Labor has finalized its new independent contractor rule, with big implications for small businesses.https://www.nsba.biz/post/news-dol-announces-independent-contractor-rule2 - Recession fears are easing, which may explain why small business sentiment rose in December.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/inflation-returns-as-top-business-problem-on-main-street/https://www.vistage.com/research-center/business-financials/economic-trends/20240105-small-businesses-welcome-optimism-wsj-survey/3 – A record-setting 5.5 million small businesses were created last year.https://eig.org/2023-business-formation/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

NEWS ROUNDUP1 – There’s reason for optimism about the economy in 2024, and that’s good news for small businesses.https://www.wsj.com/economy/what-to-watch-in-fridays-spending-report-inflation-closing-in-on-feds-target-0778037dhttps://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/26/the-us-avoided-a-recession-in-2023-whats-the-outlook-for-2024.htmlhttps://www.cnn.com/2024/01/01/business/5-reasons-to-be-optimistic-about-the-2024-economy/index.html2 - Google recently rolled out a new small business attribute feature.https://blog.google/products/shopping/google-merchant-new-features-holiday/3 – The SBA is proposing to remove limits on loan eligibility for prospective borrowers who have a previous run-in with the law.https://www.smallbusinessroundtable.org/sbr-submits-comments-on-sbas-proposed-rule-reforming-criminal-record-eligibility-requirements-for-loan-programs----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURE* What is the different between public relations and marketing?* What are the three tactics for PR?* How does a small business get publicity?  How does the owner, who is usually the primary salesperson, get publicity?* How much of your knowledge and information is it OK to share?Today’s guest is Claire Angelle, Founder of Angelle Consulting:Claire’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-collobert-angelle-5267b4a/Angelle Consulting web page:  https://www.angelleconsulting.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - Small businesses are even less confident about economy now than earlier in the year.https://www.uschamber.com/sbindex/summary2 - The National Labor Relations Board’s new joint-employer rule is continuing to face opposition from small business groups and from some lawmakers.https://www.nsba.biz/post/news-house-panel-moves-resolution-to-block-nlrb-joint-employer-rule3 - Younger and smaller companies are particularly hard hit in the ongoing credit squeeze facing small businesses.https://www.pymnts.com/smbs/2023/young-smbs-cant-find-enough-business-financing/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREYou’re probably familiar with Small Business Administration loans.  SBA loans, as they are commonly called, are partially backed by the federal government.But there are other resources the SBA offers, some of which aren’t well known, which can benefit your company.  We’re going to discuss just a few today.THRIVEhttps://www.sbathrive.com/Assistance for small businesses with procuring federal contractshttps://www.sba.gov/federal-contractingAmerica’s Seed Fundhttps://beta.www.sbir.gov/SBA Business Guidehttps://www.sba.gov/business-guideSBA Eventshttps://www.sba.gov/events2023 Small Business Resource Guidehttps://www.sba.gov/sites/sbagov/files/2023-06/2023%20Small%20Business%20Resource%20Guide_508c_Final.pdf----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - Small business owners are less optimistic about this year’s Christmas shopping season than they’ve been in the past.https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/cnbcsurveymonkey-small-business-index-q4-2023/2 - The US House of Representatives voted last week to overturn a rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau requiring banks to collect small business owners’ demographic information when they seek a loan.https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/economy/house-votes-end-biden-small-business-loan-rule-veto3 - According to the Federal Reserve’s most recent quarterly survey of senior loan officers, lending standards applied to small businesses have tightened significantly since last year.https://apnews.com/article/small-business-loans-funding-banks-91c55c514347301f26d46f591f6c32ad----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURETo get the right candidates, you need to alight the job description with the actual need for the position.Also, avoid giving your candidates a poor experience in the overall process from interviewing to onboarding.Finally, don’t hire reactively, i.e., for short-term needs.  Think about your long-term needs instead.Today’s conversation is based on the blog post, “8 Things That Can Cause You To Hire The Wrong Person.”https://humansdoing.net/8-things-that-can-cause-you-to-hire-the-wrong-person/Today’s guest is Josh McAfee, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Humans Doing:Josh’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshmc/Josh’s book, Measure Up:  https://www.amazon.com/Measure-Up-Mastering-Career-Search/dp/1631953036Humans Doing web page:  https://humansdoing.net/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - The ongoing credit crunch impacting small businesses has owners looking beyond traditional loans to finance their capital needs.https://digitalasset.intuit.com/render/content/dam/intuit/sbseg/en_us/Blog/Downloadable-assset/Ebook/intuit-quickbooks-small-business-index-annual-report-2023.pdf?cid=dig_TOF_QBB_blog_US_EN_SMBIndex_AR_hub_PDF2 - Three-quarters of small businesses are utilizing AI tools for an expansive range of business functions, according to findings of a Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council survey.https://sbecouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SBE-Small-Business-AI-Survey-Oct-2023-FINAL.pdf3 - Scammers are stealing the passwords of small businesses’ social media accounts, according to a new lawsuit filed by Google.https://seekingalpha.com/news/4035436-google-sues-to-block-false-bard-ai-ads-targeting-small-businesses----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREToday, we continue our discussion of the book “Raving Fans” by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles.  To create raving fans, the business must create a vision of the customer experience, but then, it must invite the customers themselves into the vision casting process.Not everything the customers want will necessarily be a part of the final vision, but listening to customers is key.  Once customers’ vision has been integrated into the original vision of the business’ vision, then the implementation process begins.  Take it slow and start small.  Customers want consistency in their experience above all else.  Steady progress will yield great results over time.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - The job market cooled last month, but small businesses still had trouble finding employees.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/nfib-jobs-report-tight-labor-market-continues-to-hinder-main-street/2 - More than three-quarters of owners believe their own company is ready to handle any upcoming economic instability.https://nypost.com/2023/11/02/tech/how-small-businesses-are-expanding-their-digital-footprints/3 - Multiple small business groups are opposing a new rule by the National Labor Relations Board regarding joint-employer situations.https://sbecouncil.org/2023/10/26/sbe-council-slams-nlrbs-joint-employer-expansion-urges-congress-to-overturn-new-rule/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let’s grow your business together!----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURETo have a truly thriving business, one essential element is a customer base who are wildly enthusiastic about what your company offers, so much so, in fact, that they eagerly tell their family, friends, and neighbors.In their book “Raving Fans,” Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles explain how having merely satisfied customers just doesn’t cut it.  Today, we’re going to unpack some of the book’s ideas and talk about how to apply them to your business.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - Small business owners became increasingly dour in their outlook on the economy in September.https://www.nfib.com/content/analysis/labor/report-shows-more-small-business-owners-are-pessimistic-about-future-conditions-2/2 - The bar is now higher for businesses to participate in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development program, designed to help disadvantaged companies contract with the federal government.https://fedscoop.com/court-ruling-forces-small-businesses-to-detail-bias/3 - Goldman Sachs is throwing its weight behind a campaign opposing tougher banking rules called Basel III Endgame (B3E) that it argues will hurt small business lending.https://www.axios.com/2023/10/23/goldman-small-biz-basel-iii----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with their strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let me help you grow your small business.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREEvery small business has different insurance needs, but almost all will need General Liability coverage.  And many will also need coverage included in a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP).Other types of insurance could include Workers' Compensation, Employers Liability, Cyber Liability, Commercial Auto, and Errors and Omissions (aka Professional Liability).Today’s guest is Jack Smith, of Valor Insurance Brokers:Jack’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonsmith1/Valor’s web page:  https://www.valorbrokers.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - Small business bankruptcies are rising at the fastest pace since the pandemic, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.  Increased interest rates, tighter lending standards, and higher operating costs are the chief culprits.https://www.wsj.com/business/entrepreneurship/small-busines-bankruptcy-surge-8989e665?mod=hp_lista_pos22 - Though Congress averted a government shutdown last month, the prospect of one towards the end of November hangs over the economy.  And small business owners want none of it.https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/US/voices/news/september-25-2023-press-release.html3 - Many small businesses are making mental health of employees a priority.https://www.uschamber.com/sbindex/quarterly-spotlight----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with their strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let me help you grow your small business.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURERanking high in search engines results, especially on Google, is a concern of most small businesses.  There are a few basic things you can do to help your site be found, like consistently creating good content (but you don’t have to write a blog post every day or even every week) and fully utilizing Google Business Profile.ChatGPT can help you create content, but don’t depend on it to get you 100% of the way there.We also discuss:* How to account for the numerous updates to Google’s algorithm each year.* How to think about search metrics.* Why you should start using Google Search Console.Google Search Console:  https://search.google.com/search-console/aboutToday’s guest is Mickey Mellen, of GreenMellen:Mickey’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickmel/GreenMellen’s web page:  https://www.greenmellenmedia.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - Though most small business owners are generally positive about the current business environment, they have heartburn over the direction of the economy, according to the 3Q2023 Small Business Check Up Survey.https://sbecouncil.org/2023/09/12/new-check-up-survey-for-q3-small-business-owners-foresee-deteriorating-economic-conditions/2 - The IRS recently announced a moratorium through at least the end of the year on processing new claims for the Employee Retention Credit, a highly popular COVID-era relief program designed to help small businesses keep their employees on payroll.https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/to-protect-taxpayers-from-scams-irs-orders-immediate-stop-to-new-employee-retention-credit-processing-amid-surge-of-questionable-claims-concerns-from-tax-pros3 - Entrepreneurs who choose to re-enter the traditional workforce are 30% less likely to get job interviews than applicants with only traditional experience, according to research conducted by two professors of management.https://fortune.com/2023/09/06/entrepreneurs-founders-get-fewer-job-interviews-research-survey-management/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with their strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let me help you grow your small business.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREThe Department of Homeland Security issued a new Form I-9, also known as the Employment Eligibility Form, on August 1.  If you have employees, you need to be completing an I-9 on every new hire and should have already completed an I-9 for every existing employee.  Penalties for non-compliance are stiff.Today’s guest is Karen Moss, of Innovative Outsourcing:Karen’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenemoss/Innovative Outsourcing web page:  https://www.innovative-outsourcing.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1 - The Department of Labor has proposed a rule that could significantly increase the overtime costs for small businesses.https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/proposed-overtime-rule-2023.aspxhttps://www.wsj.com/articles/julie-su-labor-department-overtime-pay-biden-administration-b314387c2 - The Department of Treasury will begin requiring tens of millions of small companies to hand over details about their ownership via a new rule on beneficial ownership reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act.https://sbecouncil.org/2023/08/15/new-federal-reporting-requirement-for-small-businesses/https://www.nfib.com/content/analysis/national/the-upcoming-regulation-change-every-small-business-owner-should-know/3 - Excessive borrowing costs continue to frustrate small businesses seeking access to capital, according to a new survey.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/new-nfib-survey-increased-financing-costs-tops-the-list-of-credit-concerns-for-small-business-owners/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 Do you want to grow your business?  I help small business owners succeed with their strategy, marketing, and operations.  Email me today at [email protected] and let me help you grow your small business.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREMany small businesses already have a CRM in place, but these platforms can be very robust, and you’re probably not taking full advantage of the functionality available to you.If don’t already have a CRM, some of the most popular for small companies include HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Monday Sales CRM, Insightly, and Pipedrive, to name a few.Other than storing contact information and running your email newsletters, three more ways to leverage your CRM to boost company performance are:1. Track the lifetime value of your customers2. Set up as many automatic communication points with customers as possible3. Standardizing workflow for common processes----------NEWS ROUNDUP1In a sweeping set of policy changes, Small Business Administration has increased the pool of eligible lenders, relaxed some requirements for an SBA-backed loan, and simplified the application process.https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-business-lending-is-about-to-change-with-simpler-requirements-8578a895https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2023/06/29/new-2023-sba-loan-rules-make-getting-a-small-business-loan-easier/?sh=3c26bbf545eb2The Credit Card Competition Act would give some small business merchants a degree of choice over which credit card payment network is used when processing their transactions.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/homepage/nfib-releases-new-in-their-own-words-video-on-credit-card-competition-act/https://www.jobcreatorsnetwork.com/opeds/bipartisan-bill-to-address-credit-card-swipe-fees-would-help-small-businesses/https://sbecouncil.org/2023/06/28/coalition-letter-to-congress-in-opposition-to-credit-card-competition-act/3The recently released CNBC-SurveyMonkey Small Business Confidence Index dropped back down to the survey’s all-time low score of 42 out of 100.https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/cnbc-small-business-q3-2023/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREAfter you’ve completed the hard work of developing, deploying, and promoting your lead magnet, you’re still not done.  The leads have started to come in, but what’s next?  In most cases, you’ll need to start an email marketing campaign to continue the conversation with prospects where the lead magnet left off and to invite them into an offer to do business with you.Be sure you don’t run afoul of anti-spam email laws in your jurisdiction.Once your specially created content has run its course for the prospects that came from your lead magnet, put them into your regular email list, so they continue to get your regular emailer.Email marketing software ratings and reviews:https://www.trustradius.com/email-marketinghttps://www.g2.com/categories/email-marketing----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Two polls have contradictory findings on how small businesses feel about the economy.https://www.vistage.com/research-center/business-financials/economic-trends/20230728-small-business-confidence-improves-for-second-month-wsj-survey/https://sbiqpoll.jcnf.org/app/uploads/2023/08/JCN-SBIQ-JULY-PPT-07-31-23-MASTER.pdf2The Main Street Tax Certainty Act, a bill introduced in Congress this spring, would make permanent the 20% Small Business Deduction for qualified business income.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/homepage/nfib-launches-new-issue-campaign-urging-congress-to-pass-the-main-street-tax-certainty-act/3Some small business advocates are calling for the reauthorization of the U.S. Small Business Administration.https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/US/voices/news/jul-10-2023-press-release.html----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/. ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREOnce you have developed a solid lead magnet, you want as many prospects as possible to interact with your valuable offer.  You need to promote the lead magnet through a variety of channels.You must first create a landing page for the lead magnet to direct prospects back to, where they will fill out a form with their contact information.Then, you can use your web site, social media, emailers, paid ads, and other methods to tell the world about your offer.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1A new bi-partisan bill in the Senate, the IDEA Act, would help small businesses deal with foreign theft of their intellectual property.https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/27/senators-ip-theft-protection-bill.html2The Federal Reserve recently released its 2023 report on nonemployer firms.  46% of startup nonemployer firms plan to add employees in the next 12 months.https://www.fedsmallbusiness.org/survey/2023/report-on-nonemployer-firms3Small business owners are embracing ChatGPT and using it in a variety of ways, according to a new survey from Alignable.https://www.alignable.com/forum/57-of-smbs-have-already-tried-chatgpt-26-already-feel-it-will----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

Feature begins at 4:12 (News roundup prior to that)FEATURELead magnets are an inexpensive way to get on the radar of more prospects.  They are popular because they work.There are numerous kinds of lead magnets, or lead generators, including downloadable guides or templates, free trials or samples, and on-demand webinars.Your lead magnets need to be useful and valuable – make them worth the time of your prospects. ----------NEWS ROUNDUP1As small businesses’ access to credit has tightened over the past few months, an alternative source of capital has gained more traction:  the investment dollars of customers.https://www.wsj.com/articles/startups-sell-bonds-raise-money-platforms-dc19a452As fears of a looming recession have begun to recede ever so slightly, owners may be breathing a sigh of relief.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/small-businesses-raising-prices-falls-to-lowest-level-since-march-2021/3Americans continue to hold small businesses in high esteem, according to the latest Gallup survey of confidence in institutions.https://sbecouncil.org/2023/07/12/small-business-continues-to-lead-as-most-admired-among-americans/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

NEWS ROUNDUP162% of owners with businesses of annual revenue between $250,000 and $5 million said inflation was their top concern.https://stories.td.com/us/en/article/small-business-owners-concerned-about-employee-retention-product-shortages-and-inflation-td-bank-survey-shows2Small business owners have mixed feelings about artificial intelligence.https://sbecouncil.org/2023/06/28/what-do-small-business-owners-think-about-ai-and-governments-role/3Rent payments for small businesses have increased for the fifth straight month.https://www.alignable.com/forum/new-2023-record-55-of-smbs-have-higher-rents-+-nearly-40-cant-pay?from_topic=alignable----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREThere are many aspects to sales that a small business needs to get right.  We discuss the difference between sales process and sales methodology, and the difference between a sales plan and a sales playbook, among other things.Today’s guest is David Lusk, of Evergreen Sales Group:David’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlusk/Evergreen Sales Group web page:  evergreensales.groupListeners of the show will get free access to the sales personnel assessment tool Willset Core Motivation Analysis, just by contacting David.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Small businesses fled states with the most burdensome Covid restrictions during the pandemic.https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-lockdowns-business-employers-migration-states-bureau-of-labor-statistics-85b7d5922A bill introduced last month in the US Senate would enable small businesses to potentially get exemptions from some federal regulations.https://www.foxnews.com/politics/joni-ernst-small-businesses-authorized-prove-it-act-of-2023-excessive-federal-regulations-gop-bill3According to a recent study by Wells Fargo, 52% of small business owners say they do not want their children to inherit and run the business.https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2023/06/20/most-small-business-owners-dont-want-their-kids-to-inherit-and-run-their-business/81200/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

NEWS ROUNDUP1The average rate for a Small Business Administration loan has now hit double-digits.https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-rate-increases-hit-small-businesses-the-hardest-7da7fb8ehttps://www.nerdwallet.com/article/small-business/sba-loan-rates2Small business groups are calling on Congress to make the small business tax deduction permanent.https://www.jobcreatorsnetwork.com/press_releases/job-creators-network-strongly-supports-main-street-certainty-act-of-2023-to-make-20-small-business-tax-deduction-permanent/3The current job market is tough for employers, and 69% of small business owners are taking action to retain employees.https://www.truist.com/resources/small-business/annual-small-business-survey-results----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURESales is a foundational to the success of your small business.  No sales means no revenue, which means no business.  But many small businesses struggle to get sales right.  And as they scale, they make costly mistakes, like hiring just one heavy hitter or promoting a hire performer into the sales manager role just because he/she has good numbers.  Today, we talk to expert about how a fractional sales approach can help.Today’s guest is David Lusk, of Evergreen Sales Group:David’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlusk/Evergreen Sales Group web page:  evergreensales.groupListeners of the show will get free access to the sales personnel assessment tool Willset Core Motivation Analysis, just by contacting David.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1As negotiations continue in Washington over raising the national debt ceiling, there are fears about the fallout to small businesses if a deal isn’t reached.https://www.uschamber.com/small-business/the-debt-limit-stalemate-and-your-small-business-everything-you-need-to-know2Small businesses are slowing down their hiring.https://www.wsj.com/articles/workers-are-still-needed-but-many-small-businesses-have-slowed-hiring-dfa30be63Despite the challenging times, or perhaps because of them, small business owners are looking for growth opportunities.  A poll found that 51% of owners have growth-oriented objectives.https://www.truist.com/resources/small-business/annual-small-business-survey-results----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREMany small businesses use email marketing to reach prospects and customers.  But a common mistake is to not segment the list to better target the recipients with messaging and offers they will respond to.  Numerous studies have shown that segmenting your email list and customizing the messages to each segment increases click-through-rates.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Confidence among small business owners fell to a decade low last month, according to the latest monthly data from the National Federation of Independent Business.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/labor-quality-becomes-top-small-business-problem-followed-by-inflation/The Wall Street Journal/Vistage survey of small business owners found somewhat similar results.https://www.vistage.com/research-center/business-financials/economic-trends/20230504-small-business-confidence-holds-wsj-survey/2Nearly half of small businesses, at 48%, prioritize digital-first marketing, according to Bank of America’s 2023 Small Business Owner Report.https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/press-releases/2023/04/bofa-survey-76-percent-of-small-businesses-feel-well-equipped-to.html3Thousands of small businesses have started a side hustle in the RV industry as a way to make some extra cash.https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/side-hustle-helping-small-businesses-across-us-make-extra-cash-beat-inflation----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREWe continue the conversation from last week with an SBA loan expert, talking about the timely topic of credit availability, as well as what paperwork is needed to get a loan.  We also look the right and wrong way to use a credit line.Today’s guest is Laurence Leopold:Laurence’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurence-leopold-4496342/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Small business’ access to credit tightened in April.https://b2c-cms2.b2cdev.com/small-business-lending-index/april-2023282% of business owners plan to obtain funding for their business in the next 12 months, but only 29% will seek out traditional bank loans.https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/press-releases/2023/04/bofa-survey-76-percent-of-small-businesses-feel-well-equipped-to.html3The Small Business Administration is trying to reverse a decline in the number of small businesses that have contracts with the federal government.https://federalnewsnetwork.com/contracting/2023/05/agencies-spending-record-amounts-on-small-business-contracts-amid-shrinking-pool-of-firms/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURESmall Business Administration, or SBA, loans play a critical role in financing many small companies.  In this episode, we discuss the difference between 7a and 504 loans and talk about some of the basic eligibility requirements for getting an SBA loan.Today’s guest is Laurence Leopold, of Byline Bank:Laurence’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurence-leopold-4496342/Byline Bank’s web page:  https://www.bylinebank.com/ ----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Despite numerous ongoing concerns, a majority of small business owners are reporting increased revenue in 2022 from 2021, and are generally bullish about their growth in the next year.https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/content/newsroom/press-releases/2023/04/bofa-survey-76-percent-of-small-businesses-feel-well-equipped-to.html2Small business owners are stressed out about money, according to new research.https://newsroom.lfg.com/small-business-owners-have-big-personal-finance-concerns-according-to-new-lincoln-financial-group-study.htm3Apple has launched a new small business website to mark National Small Business Week, which is this week.https://www.computerworld.com/article/3694593/apple-wants-to-be-the-platform-of-choice-for-small-business.htmlhttps://www.apple.com/business/small-business/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREThe balanced scorecard is a tool that any small business can use to focus on the important areas of operations, as well as finances, linking them to specific goals to generate better outcomes.  The scorecard moves beyond just the typical financial metrics and aligns daily activities with the company’s overall strategy.https://hbr.org/1992/01/the-balanced-scorecard-measures-that-drive-performance-2----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Small businesses are hiring only temporary, part-time workers and contractors at a record high rate of 25%.https://www.alignable.com/forum/smbs-hedge-bets-on-recession-contract-part-time-hiring-up-to-new?from_topic=polls2The Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act would force federal regulators to more accurately disclose the total impact of all new rules on small businesses.https://cei.org/blog/regulatory-reform-in-the-118th-congress-small-business-regulatory-flexibility-improvements-act/3The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has reduced fees for small and micro entity patent applicants as part of a Congressional effort to lower the barriers to obtaining patents.https://www.natlawreview.com/article/2023-patent-fee-reductions-and-trademark-response-period-changes----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/. ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREToday’s guest is Jack Smith, of The American Insurance Group:Jack’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonsmith1/ The American Insurance Group’s web page:  http://www.theamericaninsurancegroup.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Small businesses are filing for bankruptcy at record high rates, according to new data from UBS.https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/svb-banking-crisis-credit-crunch-private-bankruptcy-filings-small-business-2023-32Small businesses will now have a tougher time getting their message out on Twitter because of changes to the account verification process.https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-hillsborough/small-businesses-left-behind-as-twitter-introduces-a-new-verification-model3Amazon has been mislabeling some products as sold by small businesses, when in fact, they were not, according to an article published on the tech web site The Information.https://www.theinformation.com/articles/amazon-hands-out-small-business-label-to-huge-sellershttps://www.manufacturing.net/video/video/22807059/amazon-accused-of-mislabeling-sellers-as-small-or-blackowned-businesses----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREToday’s guest is Jack Smith of The American Insurance Group:Jack’s email:  [email protected]’s LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksonsmith1/ The American Insurance Group’s web page: http://www.theamericaninsurancegroup.com/ According to a survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 71% of small businesses polled said they were very dependent on one or two key people for their success, but only 22% had purchased corporate-owned life insurance.https://www.iii.org/publications/insuring-your-business-small-business-owners-guide-to-insurance/specific-coverages/life-insurance-for-key-employees----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Two prominent monthly surveys of small business owners were recently released for March, and they both indicate owners expect a recession.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/small-business-optimism-declines-slightly-in-march/https://www.vistage.com/research-center/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/WSJ-CEO-Survey-0323.pdf2Fallout from the recent bank failures continues, now making some small business owners fearful that as credit slows, their existing lines of credit could be canceled.https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/banks-canceling-lines-business-credit-soon62% of small business owners say that rising prices have forced them to seek out additional capital or financing for their business in the past year.https://www.uschamber.com/sbindex/quarterly-spotlight3GoDaddy has released a library of ready-made prompts for small businesses to use with either ChatGPT or with Google’s Bard AI tool.https://www.godaddy.com/garage/ai-prompts-for-small-business/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/. ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREIf you don’t have systems, you won’t be efficient and you won’t be able to scale.SOPs keep your employees on the same page and promote quality, efficiency, and smoother operations.SOPs are especially important to small businesses that have few employees.Also avoid directions or language that is unclear or could be misinterpreted.Get an employee who is very good at the task in question to help you write the SOP.You should highly consider software to help you construct, update, and distribute SOPs.  There are numerous platforms out there, including Scribe, Trainual, and SwipeGuide.Someone must have ultimate responsibility for the SOP, because it will need to be evaluated on a regular basis for updates or adjustments.Scribehttps://scribehow.com/SwipeGuidehttps://www.swipeguide.com/Trainualhttps://trainual.com/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Small businesses’ perceptions of the economy dimmed slightly during the first quarter of this year.https://www.uschamber.com/sbindex/summary2The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule last week to increase transparency in small business lending.https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-finalizes-rule-to-create-a-new-data-set-on-small-business-lending-in-america/3A number of small business groups are throwing their support behind the Lower Energy Costs Act.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/energy/lower-energy-costs-act-benefits-main-street/https://sbecouncil.org/2023/03/27/sbe-council-support-statement-h-r-1-the-lower-energy-costs-act/https://www.jobcreatorsnetwork.com/press_releases/job-creators-network-applauds-h-r-1-to-reduce-the-biden-administrations-crushing-energy-costs/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/. ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURENearly 1/3 of Americans would be unable to cover an unexpected expense of $400.Remember to consult your financial, HR, and legal counsel when creating any specific program.Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act, which will enable employers to set up ESAs for their employees tied to their retirement accounts, beginning in 2024.Outside of options available within SECURE 2.0, an employer could set up an ESA not connected to a retirement plan.  One platform called SecureSave helps businesses run ESAs.https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/2022-economic-well-being-of-us-households-in-2021-dealing-with-unexpected-expenses.htmhttps://ir.lendingclub.com/news/news-details/2023/60-of-Americans-Now-Living-Paycheck-to-Paycheck-Down-from-64-a-Month-Ago/default.aspxhttps://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/business-transformation/library/employee-financial-wellness-survey.htmlhttps://www.securesave.com/employershttps://resources.betterment.com/hubfs/PDFs/b4b/reports/financial-wellness-benefits-survey.pdf----------NEWS ROUNDUP1Rising interest rates and recent bank failures are squeezing credit supply for small businesses.https://www.forbes.com/sites/rohitarora/2023/03/24/rising-interest-rates-lead-to-a-small-business-credit-crunch/?sh=7458f66b3b3ehttps://www.reuters.com/markets/us/feds-jefferson-still-learning-impact-tighter-monetary-policy-2023-03-27/2The vast majority of small businesses find it challenging to some degree to manage the cost of offering employer-sponsored health insurance.https://strgnfibcom.blob.core.windows.net/nfibcom/Health-insurance-survey-NFIB.pdf3There are several ways you can do more to shop with small businesses, including using web sites that help you find small businesses via maps.https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/maps?cat=Shop-Small&intlink=us-GABM-Map_Homehttps://www.independentwestand.org/support-independent-business/https://mashable.com/article/how-to-shop-small----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/. ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREChances are, few of the commercial depositors had checked into these banks’ health before doing business with them.  But even if they had, the Wall Street Journal reports that SVB’s trouble wasn’t reflected in credit ratings.What can you as a small business owner or manager do to protect your assets, especially if you must keep high amounts of operating capital?One option is to spread your funds across multiple banks so your accounts do not exceed $250,000 at any one institution.Another option is to utilize programs called ICS and CDARS by a company called IntraFi.A third option is a program called MaxSafe offered by Wintrust Community Banks.https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-banks-distress-wasnt-reflected-in-credit-ratings-93cd9dffhttps://www.intrafinetworkdeposits.com/https://www.wintrust.com/maxsafe.html----------NEWS ROUNDUP1The vast majority of small business owners – 90% – lack confidence they have adequate insurance coverage.https://www.nextinsurance.com/blog/survey-small-businesses-lack-confidence-adequate-insurance/2The Federal Trade Commission has launched an inquiry into the small business credit reporting system.https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2023/03/taking-closer-look-small-business-credit-reporting-system3Three anti-trust advocates have launched the Responsible Online Commerce Coalition to push back against Amazon’s influence over the e-commerce ecosystem.https://news.yahoo.com/amazon-targeted-businesses-relying-online-163957958.html----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.  ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATURERemember the caveats from last week regarding ChatGPT, including it isn’t 100% correct all the time.  And don’t depend on it to dispense legal and professional advice.ChatGPT can help you write a business plan.You can refine ChatGPT’s original output by giving it follow-up commands or asking follow-up questions.ChatGPT can compose scripts for videos, draft procedure documents, and just about anything else you can imagine.  But you always need to review them for accuracy and real-world viability.ChatGPT can summarize articles and web pages.ChatGPT can answer questions too.  One of the most handy is application-specific questions for a unique set of circumstances.For your more technical staff, ChatGPT can help them write HTML for building web sites, and code in computer languages to build and debug applications.One of the best ways you can take advantage ChatGPT’s power is to turn your team lose on it.Train your staff now to get comfortable with AI tools like ChatGPT.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1A record number of small businesses – 47% – reported having job vacancies they could not fill in February.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/economy/nfib-jobs-report-small-businesses-report-record-high-levels-of-job-openings/The economy added 311,000 jobs, which was above experts’ predictions.  But many of those were in lower paying sectors.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdfFebruary Consumer Price Index was released today, and is up 6% from a year ago.https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm2Small businesses remain concerned about a possible recession and are taking a tight-fisted approach with their cash.https://www.vistage.com/research-center/business-financials/economic-trends/20230307-small-businesses-cautious-wsj-survey/3The Small Business Administration has announced National Small Business Week will take place this year from April 30 to May 6.https://www.sba.gov/article/2023/mar/06/sba-administrator-guzman-announces-national-small-business-week-2023----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/. ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREChatGPT is a conversational AI chatbot.Open AI is the developer of ChatGPT and is now offering access to the general public.ChatGPT can help you write content for your small business, such as blog posts.  But, you can’t just copy and paste.  It will need some refining.  Plus, Google can detect AI-generated content.ChatGPT must still be fact-checked.You can also generate a title for your blog post using ChatGPT, and a tweet to promote the blog as well.Don’t use ChatGPT to create legal or accounting or other professional services kind of advice.  Remember, you need to fact check its output.You can sign up for a free ChatGPT account here:  https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1A Supreme Court decision late last month is good news for small businesses, because it limited the power of the IRS to levy penalties on businesses.https://www.nfib.com/content/press-release/homepage/supreme-court-reins-in-civil-penalty-prosecutions-for-small-businesses/https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-supreme-court-limits-penalties-not-reporting-foreign-accounts-2023-02-28/2Inflation remains a big concern for small businesses, according to data recently released by the US Chamber of Commerce.https://www.uschamber.com/small-business/the-biggest-challenges-small-businesses-are-facing-right-now3The Biden administration is proposing legislation that would shift the some of the burden of cyber security from small businesses on to software makers.https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/02/white-house-unveils-national-cyber-strategy-to-shift-security-burden.html----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.👀 Watch on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFHZqDGRbOHXjhpicWuqhg.📧 I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected].🖥️ Learn how I can help your small business at https://eraynay.com/.  ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREYouTube ads can accelerate the process of building up your audience on the platform, and give your brand more exposure.One of the great things about YouTube advertising is that you can target viewers based on the keywords they are searching for on YouTube, but also on Google (which owns YouTube).There are numerous other ways to refine your target audience, to get very specific.Among video ads, there are three main types.  First, skippable in-stream ads are those you can pass over after you’ve watched them for five seconds.Non-skippable in-stream ads are shorter.  Their maximum length is 15 seconds.Bumper ads are like non-skippable in-stream ads, but only last six seconds.According to Influencer Marketing Hub, YouTube ads have an average cost-per-view of $0.01 – $0.03.https://influencermarketinghub.com/how-much-do-youtube-ads-cost/----------NEWS ROUNDUP1The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index was up in January to 5.4% from a year earlier.https://www.reuters.com/markets/rates-bonds/fed-seen-raising-rates-three-more-times-after-strong-inflation-reading-2023-02-24/Recent figures show that worker claims for unemployment benefits dipped last week, there was an increase in January in retail sales, and 4Q GDP rose by 2.7%.https://www.wsj.com/articles/economy-showing-strength-in-early-2023-after-last-quarters-gdp-gain-revised-modestly-lower-5b068ade2Republicans in the US House are launching an oversight effort of numerous federal agencies in an attempt to determine how their regulation-making is impacting small businesses.https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/23/house-gop-presses-agencies-on-small-business-rules-00084049https://williams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-williams-leads-small-business-committee-oversight-biden3A lack of financing or investors was the top reason that startups failed in 2022, according to a new study.https://www.skynova.com/blog/top-reasons-startups-fail4Amazon is expanding its educational offerings to small businesses through the Amazon’s Small Business Academy.https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/small-business/meet-the-new-amazon-small-business-academy-an-expanded-suite-of-free-resources-for-entrepreneurs----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/. ----------I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected]. ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREYour YouTube strategy has to be sustainable, so you don’t quit after a few weeks or months.Dig into old blog articles or speeches you’ve given that could be updated and turned into short videos.YouTube’s algorithm rewards videos that hold the attention of the viewer.Once you have the video produced and on your YouTube channel, share it across all your communication channels.You don’t need a super slick, highly polished video to get your message out.Create playlists around your most compelling topics.----------NEWS ROUNDUP1The Federal Trade Commission is proposing a new rule, called the Non-Compete Clause Rule, which would eliminate noncompete contracts agreements in the workplace and nullify existing state and local laws on non-competes.https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-01-19/pdf/2023-00414.pdf2The vast majority of small companies want bi-partisan action to address their concerns over a variety of issues to make it easier and less expensive to do business.https://www.jobcreatorsnetwork.com/press_releases/new-poll-small-businesses-gravely-concerned-about-economy-want-bipartisan-action-from-congress/3Small businesses are increasingly expected to provide employee benefits like their larger counterparts.https://www.vestwell.com/read/2023-retirement-trends-report#cd827ccc9cb8----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.----------I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected]. ----------Email me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com 

FEATUREResources:Wyzowl Video Marketing Statistics 2023https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/What is the Ideal Length of Videos on YouTube?https://www.tubics.com/blog/how-to-master-on-long-form-video-content----------NEWS ROUNDUP1A poll by the invoicing platform Skynova found that 91% of small companies are currently labor hoarding.https://www.skynova.com/blog/small-business-and-labor-hoarding2The federal government could do a better job of interacting with small businesses, according to owners recently surveyed by Goldman Sachs.https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/US/infographics/february-2023/index.html3As inflation has taken its toll, many small and medium-sized businesses feel they can’t raise prices further and still be competitive, so they are seeking other sources of working capital.https://www.pymnts.com/smbs/2023/digital-banks-fill-gaps-in-small-business-working-capital-loans/----------This podcast is sponsored by SBS Accounting & Advisors.  Use the promo code FLASH and get 20% off your set up fee!  https://sbsaccountants.com/.----------I would love to hear from you!  Please email me at [email protected] me at [email protected] give me feedback on the podcast.Show web site:  www.smallbizflash.com