There comes a point in any business lifespan when a little help is needed. But when your business is your baby, it can be difficult to let go and ask for help.

That’s where a business coach can be the answer your business needs.

You wouldn’t expect a sports team to get better and grow without a coach, so what makes you think your business is any different?

Let’s look at 5 reasons why you should hire a business coach to push your business to the next level.

1. Push You Outside Your Comfort Zone

It’s very easy to get caught up in our own ways of thinking and doing things. There’s a comfort level there that draws us in and keeps us there.

But a business coach will help push you out of that comfort zone. And that’s one of the best things that can happen for a business!

There’s a whole world of new ideas and opportunities you may have never thought of before. Some of them will challenge you and some of them will surprise you.

They always say nothing grows inside a comfort zone. And neither can your business. A business coach will know just how to get you out of that rut.

2. Increase Your Income and Creativity

Often times we have mental roadblocks that make it almost impossible to come up with new business ideas. But a business coach can steer you past those blocks, getting the ideas flowing again.

With those blocks gone, your creativity now has room to gain momentum. And with that brings opportunity for more income.

Whether it be new products to sell, a new service you can offer, or whatever else you come up with, a coach can help you break the creativity drought and generate new income.

3. Identifies Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Having a fresh set of eyes come in and evaluate what you’re going great and what could use some work is invaluable information.

It’s hard to take a step back and critique your own processes and results. But a business coach can come in and look at things from a different yet professional perspective.

They can help you boost the things you’re already doing well. Plus help you come up with strategies to strengthen in areas that may need it.

4. Get Encouragement and Support

We all need a bit of encouragement and support from time to time. Especially in the competitive market of the business world.

When things get busy and overwhelming, it can be easy to second guess so many things. But a business coach can be the cheerleader you need when you need it most.

It’s amazing how support and words of encouragement can motivate you and lift your spirits. And many times, that’s exactly what we need to keep our businesses running full steam ahead.

5. Hold You Accountable

When you’re on your own, it’s tempting to let a task slide down your to-do list. Or give excuses on why a goal keeps getting procrastinated.

But a business coach will hold you accountable for all that.

They know the goals you want to reach. They keep track of your progress along the way. And if you start slacking off, they’ll know… and call you out on it.

That’s the kind of motivational kick that can finally get you to your end goal!

A Business Coach is Good for Your Business

If you want to get your business to the next level, a business coach is just the person to guide you there. With their expertise, the sky is the limit!

Needing tips to dominate your marketing plan? Check out our blog post on how to do just that!

With a massive 90% of startups folding, even getting to the point where you think you need to take someone new on board is a milestone. But recruiting someone to join your venture can be risky, so here’s our guide to your very first startup hire.

We’ll look at the legal, practical and personal issues involved to help guide you to the right decision that will take your company to the next level.

Preparing for your Startup Hire

The Legal Side

Before you start looking for the right person, make sure that you understand all the legal implications and responsibilities of taking someone on. You’ll need to make sure that you don’t fall foul of any labor laws, or equal opportunities legislation.

You will also need to let the IRS know that you have taken on a new hire, and ensure that you complete the necessary paperwork. There are taxes that you, as the employer, need to pay and information that you need to give the IRS on a regular basis.

The Role

Knowing exactly what you want your hire to do, will help you know what to look for. Working in startups tends to mean a broader job description than most roles, you want someone who will be able to pitch in and help in multiple areas.

Once you’ve determined what you want from hiring your first employee, you can work on what needs to be included in the contract of employment.

Finding the Right Person

You have three options for startup hiring. You can advertise your vacancy yourself, you can use an agency, or you can use word of mouth. Which you choose, will depend on the time:money ratio that you have available.

We’ve talked before about recruitment strategies, but one thing to keep in mind is that trusting on instinct, or other people’s opinions, isn’t the best way to screen potential staff.

Make sure that you take up references, carry out aptitude testing, and look into drugs testing, background checks and more if they will be appropriate for your business. Hire in haste, repent at leisure.

Onboarding

When you’ve found the right person, you need to think about how you’re going to make them a useful part of the team. Onboarding is a vital step in hiring a new employee. What do they need to know in order to be useful as soon as possible? Try and avoid having them start with nothing to do, no computer, phone or desk.

Don’t Delay

Don’t be one of those bosses who wish they’d hired people months before they actually did. The average time it takes to hire someone is now almost three weeks and if this is your first hire then there’s a good chance it will take longer.

If you’re thinking about hiring at some point in the near future, then it’s worth starting the process now. Your first startup hire is one of the best ways to expand your business, giving you more capacity to get your work done.

For more news on entrepreneurship, business, marketing and more then check out the other articles on our blog today!

If you’re struggling to get the attention that your business deserves, it may be time to rethink your SEO strategy. After all, a business’ SEO plans can make or break its entire marketing plan.

Out of fresh ideas? Here are five SEO solutions to help improve your brand’s web presence.

1. Prioritize Local SEO Solutions

Now, it’s understandable that the above header may not seem relevant to your interests, particularly if you have grand visions of making your company a global phenomenon.

And that’s important! Hold onto those dreams, they’re valuable. But in the meantime, start by conquering your local search results.

Local SEO places an emphasis on businesses in a customer’s immediate area. Having your startup listed on Google is a fantastic way to get attention from potential clients.

If you haven’t done so already, make sure your listing includes all relevant info such as your contact information and the location of your business.

2. Rethink Your Website

It’s crucial that a website does more than just look nice. It needs to be fast and functional.

When creating or retooling your site, place an emphasis on speed and usability. Think about how your customer may use the site and create from their point of view.

Don’t forget, you only have a few seconds to make a good first impression. After a few seconds of waiting, visitors are likely to hit the ‘back’ button and move onto the competition’s site. Every second counts.

Optimizing images, enabling caching, and tinkering with your database are all relatively simple ways to boost site speed.

3. Come up With a Content Plan

The bulk of your SEO solutions need to involve content creation. Studies show that businesses who create blog posts or videos are often more successful than their counterparts who don’t.

Come up with a reasonable content strategy. Create on a regular basis and make sure that whatever you create adds value to the visitor’s life.

4. Choose Stronger Keywords

Aside from offering a reader some new form of information or resource, content creation can benefit the creator, too.

Each piece of content you publish needs to include strong, well-researched keywords. Tools like Google’s AdWords Keyword Planner could be a good investment for your brand.

5. Leverage Your Social Media Presence

Your web presence needs to extend beyond your website and into social media. Last year, it was reported that 81% of all U.S. adults had at least one social media profile.

If you’re not on social media, that’s 81% of the population you could be missing out on.

Crosspost content from your website and encourage feedback from users. Use this feedback to create a discussion to further engage with your fans and followers.

And don’t forget to have some fun. Your social media presence should remain professional, but that doesn’t mean you can’t let your brand’s personality shine.

In fact, that’s encouraged! Let people see the team behind the brand, as it makes your company seem more approachable and friendly.

A Stronger SEO Strategy Means a Stronger Brand

Whether this is your first time creating an SEO strategy or you just need to get back on track, this list of SEO solutions should help you dominate the front page of Google.

If you’re looking for more advice or want some professional assistance, get in contact with me.

With years of experience helping entrepreneurs just like you, together we can make your startup a success.

You’ve moved away from home, you’ve got your own place, and now you’re on your own. College is an exciting time, to say the least, but it can also be quite expensive.

Therefore, it’s important that you make the most of your time in college by taking what you learn in the classroom and putting it to use in practical, real-world scenarios.

If you’re interested in making a bit of money and beefing up your resume at the same time, this article is for you. Here are a few unique small business ideas for students to help you make college more worthwhile.

Tutor Fellow Students

Even if you don’t consider yourself to be the strongest student in the world, there’s likely a subject in which you excel in. Sure, you could simply do the bare minimum and get an A, but you can use your brain to make some money, too.

If you talk to fellow college entrepreneurs, you’ll likely come to find that many students choose to tutor their peers for a bit of extra income.

Find a topic that you’re comfortable with and start teaching others.

Advertise your tutoring services around school and online to drum up a bit of business. If you want to start out with a truly competitive edge, you can even offer a referral discount.

Create a Blog

Believe it or not, the blogging world is still as profitable as ever thanks to social media and affiliate marketing. In fact, if you’re diligent about your blogging, you can even make a decent living for yourself.

Use a tool like WordPress or YouTube to create a free page for your blog and start uploading content.

Let the world know about yourself and your college experience. If your blog takes off, you may even qualify for product sponsorships.

Freelance

Of course, you may not have an interest in creating your own personal brand. You may want your content posted to pre-established blogs and sites instead.

If that sounds like a better idea, consider freelancing.

Best of all, there are ways to freelance for just about every skill. Whether you’re a graphic designer, writer, web designer, or videographer, freelancing is a great way to make a name for yourself in your favorite field.

Create an App

Technology is burgeoning like never before thanks to creative startups and entrepreneurs. What better way to make your mark on the world than by creating your very own app?

Find a need that isn’t being met and come up with a creative way to meet it with technology.

It may sound difficult, but remember, Mark Zuckerberg was in college when he first created Facebook. You’ve got this!

Try These Small Business Ideas for Students

By trying these small business ideas for students you’ll improve your skills, have a stronger resume, and above all else, learn something about the world.

If you’re looking for great tips on how you can make the most of your entrepreneurial skills, be sure to follow my blog, or get in touch!

Can you think of any business that has never had a problem?

Even the most successful companies have at struggled at one time or another.

Early this year, Wal-Mart Stores have been described as having more problems than the Trump Tariff. There’s also Apple, said to be facing declining sales in China, its second-largest market. Another example is Ford, recalling almost half a million vehicles for safety and compliance issues.

For small and medium-sized enterprises, a common struggle has to do with growing pains. Let’s take a closer look at business growth strategies you can implement that can help you address those growing pains and take your business to the next level. 

1. Stay True to Your Vision

Why did you start your own company? There must be a compelling reason for you to do so, especially if you made that huge leap from employee to business owner.

To be more specific, there must be a vision in your head about how you want your company to be and where it will be years from now. That vision is the reason why you and your employees do what you do. If you do things that don’t align with the company’s purpose, how can you expect to grow your company?

Sustainable success depends on making sure everyone in your organization is working towards a common goal. A strong sense of purpose allows a business to stay laser-focused on achieving its objectives. It’s also the driving force for innovation and ensuring that products and services offered are of value to customers.

2. Build and Maintain Strong Partnerships

One of the best business growth strategies you can implement is to establish and cultivate strong partnerships. As I’ve said before, being a solopreneur is filled with challenges. The right connections can help you take on some or even all of those challenges so you can reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and of course, help your company grow.

Let’s say you’re a cosmetics manufacturer. Think about how expensive everything is going to be if you have to source all the raw materials by yourself. Partnering with reliable suppliers can help cut down costs and ensure that the products you’re manufacturing are up to standards.

You can also enter into partnerships with businesses to develop new technologies or to share distribution and increase each other’s market share. If you’re a start-up with start-up woes, maybe a co-founder can help solve those issues.

3. Strengthen Your Brand Identity

The more your company grows, the more you’ll have to build brand equity. You don’t want to be the “other guys,” the one customers go to when their preferred company can’t temporarily fulfill their wants or needs.

You want to be top of mind among your target customers. And to do that you have to connect with them on an emotional level. Customers have to have an attachment to your products or services so they’ll keep patronizing your business.

As one of the most important business growth strategies there is, brand building isn’t a one-time thing. You have to keep doing it if you want to scale up your business.

But don’t just do things to please everybody. It’s an impossible task. Keep your eyes on your target customers and find ways to satisfy and inspire them.

4. Track Results

Can you improve things you can’t measure?

If you know which areas of your business are contributing to profitability, then you know which ones to allocate more resources to. Likewise, if you know which areas are hindering the growth of your company, you can either work to optimize them or do away with them altogether.

Don’t be scared of data. Cliche as it may sound, knowledge is power. The more information you have, the easier it is to implement changes and see which ones are delivering results.

This also applies to adding revenue streams. If you’ve identified new ones, you have to make sure they’re sustainable in the long-term.

5. Keep Customers for Life

Most people think of business growth as acquiring new customers. It’s not wrong but it also doesn’t present the whole picture.

You see, new customers could be one-time buyers. And while that’s not exactly a bad thing, they obviously aren’t as valuable as your loyal customers. This is why as far as business growth strategies are concerned, customer retention is one of those things business owners have to pay close attention to.

According to Harvard Business Review, customer acquisition is 5 to 25 times more expensive than customer retention. It goes on to say that just by improving customer retention rates by 5%, you can increase profits by 25 to 95%.

95%! Can you imagine just how profitable your business could be if you just work hard at keeping your customers happy for a long, long time?

6. Learn from Your Competitors

You know your company’s strengths and weaknesses. But what about your competitors?

If your customers are flocking to your competitors because they are offering better prices, you should consider your pricing strategy. Now, that doesn’t mean just drastically reducing your products’ prices.

If you’re selling top of the line products, slashing prices isn’t the way to level the playing field. What you should do is stick to your premium pricing but highlight your customer service and emphasize high-quality marketing.

Remember, what works for your competitors may not work for you. Or they might work for you but you could be doing it in a way that increases your USP or unique selling proposition. The key here is to understand their failures and successes, so you can take advantage of them in a way that benefits your company.

7. Stay Flexible

All the business growth strategies in the world cannot help you if you don’t know how to be a good leader to your people. That means knowing how to evolve at every stage of your company’s growth, which is easier said than done.

Being a good leader stems from being self-aware. It’s definitely not “I’m better than you, that’s why I’m the boss.” Self-awareness can guide you to invest in the right talent, build relationships with the right people, and use the right insights to innovate and lead.

Need More Advice on Business Growth Strategies?

Feel free to browse my blog. I regularly write about business, management, startups, and other topics that are of interest to entrepreneurs and business executives.

You can also leave me a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

For business owners, decision makers, and stakeholders in any company there has never been a more important time to focus on culture. Recognized as a key to retaining top talent, solidifying your brand, and presenting a positive image to the market, culture has the power to make or break your company.

Linking your culture to your brand may seem a little risky, but it is important. Without a strategy to create and build on culture in connection to your goals you may find that your efforts go nowhere.

There are different types of organizational culture. Most of them can help your business thrive, with a few exceptions.

Wondering which culture fits your business best? Here are the 3 top types, and one to avoid:

1. Make It A Mission

For some organizations, the health of the business comes second to an overall cause. Of course, this can be intimidating to some business leaders who see their bottom line at risk.

But giving your organization a larger mission or cause can work to motivate the entire company. Experts say that after approximately $75,000 employees value culture over money.

What better way to make employees feel valued than to give them an important mission to accomplish every day?

2. Baseball Team Culture

One of the most employee-centric types of organizational culture is a baseball team or team approach. In these organizations, the customer comes second to the overall health of the team.

In addition, roles are clearly defined as with baseball. But in a baseball team keeping the players happy is paramount– so long as they perform.

Rather than work around the needs of the client, these organizations work to keep their employees happy. They know that happy employees mean innovation and happy clients in the long run.

3. The Customer Always Wins

Rather than an employee focus, or a mission focus, there are organizations whose sole preoccupation is with the customer. The customer is always right in these organizations.

And while these types of organizational culture models are effective for creating client loyalty, they aren’t always the best fit for everyone. For cutting edge companies that are trying to stay ahead of the trends this culture may not work.

The simple reason is that many innovators believe that customers don’t know what they want yet. Their job is to make it happen.

But in today’s social media and live video culture, many companies could benefit from a more customer-focused philosophy. In the digital age, customers who win reward businesses again and again.

Avoid These Types Of Organizational Culture

The cover your ass or the finger pointing culture can be one of the worst things to happen to your company. When employees are only motivated by avoiding the negative they are discouraged from implementing process improvement.

In addition, it’s nearly impossible to foster an entrepreneurial spirit in this atmosphere. This is the company where no one wants to stick their neck out– in case it gets chopped off!

Unfortunately, each of these cultures needs to be managed and fostered. They are not a stagnant thing.

I can help you create and maintain a culture that works for you! Contact me today for more information on my services and how they can spell success for your business.