For small business owners, the risk of data breaches and fraud is high, so taking all the necessary steps to protect your sensitive data is a must.

Unfortunately for many entrepreneurs, the decision to increase their company’s data protection comes too late – after they’ve been victimized by a malicious hacker.

The SECURE Act was recently signed into law by President Trump, but even though it will have an impact on small business owners’ retirement, not a lot of people know what the act means for them.

Hiring staff can be an exciting time, because it means expansion and growth in a business. Sometimes, however, companies grow before they’re ready to. Small business owners think their businesses look more professional with more staff so they hire people when they don’t need to.

There are some things in life that go together well and others that definitely do not. Business and personal finances are in the category of items that should not be mixed.

Time management skills are increasingly important in a world where people seem to rush headlong from one crisis to another. Add in the effect of social media and addictive computer games that can be accessed from anywhere at any time and it's no wonder that some people struggle to fit everything into their days.

Good people management comes through experience. Courses will teach you the theories, but there is no substitute for day-to-day practice managing staff and their issues.

Times were tough, so John decided he had to drop his prices below his competitors. The results seemed gratifying. Business picked up quickly and when John looked round his shop he could see his sales staff were always busy with customers.

Very few small businesses have a huge marketing budget to work with. Fortunately, there are a number of simple, free and low-cost ways to get the word out about your company that are also highly effective.

These tips will show you five simple ways to promote your local business without breaking the bank.

Looking for simple ways to cut costs? These tips will help you make a noticeable difference to your bottom line.

Deciding on an online marketing plan can be overwhelming for small business owners looking for affordable ways to nurture steady, sustainable growth. With time in short supply, the key is to find one or two growth strategies that will get results at minimal cost.

Bookstores and libraries around the world supply excellent instructional materials. Riding in the car or commuting on the train, you can learn from experts. The bestseller lists at Amazon are fantastic resources.

The ability to network is a fundamental part of running a business. Running a business in isolation is difficult, so it helps to have expert partners and acquaintances available to share ideas with.

Hopefully, you have long – and short-term plans for your company and you may even have a strategy for your own development, but have you considered having a personal development plan (or individual development plan) for employees?

If you’re like most people you’ve probably gone for periods of time without really thinking about how you spent your money. Maybe you even avoided looking at your bank statement so you wouldn’t see how much money you spent and how little you saved.

Everyone likes making money, especially small business owners. Invoicing, however, is typically one of the tasks that small business owners like the least.

Remember when email was new and novel, and everyone thought it would vastly improve communication while freeing up time? It did improve communication on some levels and freed up employee time at first. Now, however, email has become a productivity killer.

No one really likes talking about their death, which makes updating—or even writing—a will an unpleasant experience. Often, people put off thinking about their will for another day, assuming they have a lot of time to deal with it.

As a small business owner, you’re likely always looking for ways to achieve more. Maybe you made a New Year’s resolution about it. You might have resolved to make more money, find more clients, or grow your business. It’s fantastic to have an idea of what you want to do, but how will you know whether or not you’re successful?

Small business owners know that to find a loyal customer base, they have to stand out from their competitors. One of the best, and easiest, ways to do that is to have outstanding customer service. How you treat your customers reflects your entire business.

Healthy cash flow is important for any business, but particularly for small business owners in those first few “make it or break it” years.

Business owners who set clear payment terms with their customers, invoice quickly, and follow up on late payment can avoid the dreaded cash flow crunch that can quickly put them out of business.

These simple guidelines for setting payment terms can help you get paid quickly and maintain a steady cash flow.