The Small Business Observer Archives

As a business you have to have an online presence. We offer you the do’s and don’ts to keep in mind during the design period.
The tablet revolution is upon us! Over 65% of you told us that you are currently using a tablet to manage your business applications.
CEO Barry Sloane breaks down recent technology trends in the small business market, including the rise in tablet implementation into small businesses on this month’s radio show.
Plus: What you need to know to ensure a successful business future.
Oh yeah…we’re giving away a FREE Website!!

Does your business offer Group Employee Benefits? We give you 6 ‘benefits’ of your business should.
Small business tax expert, Gary Milkwick, from The Corporate Tax Network stops by to discuss tax season with CEO Barry Sloane on this month’s radio show.
With tax season in full swing, over 55% of you told us that you did not understand all aspects of your business tax return.
Do you have an Ecommerce site? We give you can’t miss ecommerce essentials.
Plus: A $200 cash refund on Windows servers?

Get a primer on cloud economics—how do the savings go beyond the price tag?
The SB Authority Index went up 34 percentage points in December. Find out why.
It’s never too early to prepare for the tax deadline—and many of you are on your way. More than 70 percent of business owners who took our Market Sentiment Survey said they have external tax advisors to help them prepare for the tax season ahead.
We also get you warmed up with some tax-planning and deduction tips, and we tell you how to get paid by your late-paying customers.    
And, we inform you about mobile malware, a big worry for business owners in 2011.
Plus: Managers, outside sales people, and overtime exemptions: Find out what you need to know.

With big banks tightening their wallets when it comes to small business loans, trust the #1 Non-Bank lender (that’s us) to get you approved.
TIME magazine recently named the Protestor its Person of the Year. Early projections for 2012: The Entrepreneur. The tools you’ll need to master this economy.
With a new year brings new hope. Nearly sixty percent of business owners are optimistic about the future economy.
During The Small Business Hour on 77WABC Radio, CEO Barry Sloane talks with several exciting and up-and-coming entrepreneurs about the health of the small business economy.
Plus: Interested in a little extra cash for your business? How to find, and WIN, Small-Biz competitions.

A recent poll of business owners conducted by Gallup concluded that the biggest issues facing business owners are government regulation compliance. We break down the data and what it means to you.
An overwhelming amount of you, ninety percent to be exact, told us that government health insurance is not at the top of your wish list in 2012, or ever!
CEO Barry Sloane talks with Kyle Sloane and Steve Riegler from The Small Business Authority about healthcare during this month’s radio show.
Plus: Social media No-No’s. Just the smallest tweaks to your strategy can make a big difference to your bottom line.

It has become more than just a social media site and Oscar winning movie. Facebook has become one of the largest online developer platforms and is changing the social web and the fundamental way business owners engage with their customers. We take you inside the Facebook platform.
Can employers fire employees exercising their First Amendment on the social web? We give you the insight into the reasons why they can, and the cases that paved the way.
Using social media to call together a group of complete strangers to do random things is supposed to be fun. But what happens when a few bad eggs use it as a form of critical activity. We give you the tools to avoid the future of criminal mischief: Flash-Mob Robberies.
Plus: Why Ecommerce sites are more effective than a ‘Free Kittens’ sign.

The internet can be a dangerous place without the right precautions in place. We tell you the Cyber Security habits your business needs to adopt.
Yikes! Seventy-three percent of you told us that you have never tested your websites for cyber security. Fear not, business owners, from in depth cyber security articles to cyber security experts we’ve got you covered.
Processing over $70 million in U.S. Small Business Administration loans in 2010, we’ve taken our place amongst the countries lending giants. The Small Business Authority’s CEO Barry Sloane touches on our success in the October issue of Fortune magazine, “David vs. Goliath”.
Plus: Cyber security expert Bo Dietl talks to CEO Barry Sloane about the importance of cyber security and vulnerability assessments for your business website, helping you prevent hackers from accessing you or your customer’s financial information.

Sixty-nine percent of you told us that you don’t plan to hire within the next year, and the SB Authority Index indicates that the small-business economy needs to eat a can of spinach.

Plus: Stew Leonard and Michael Dermer talk to CEO Barry Sloane about business confidence, and Janover LLC ponders New York’s Marriage Equality Act and addresses the question, “Should we get married?”

Concerned about website accessibility? The DOJ Civil Rights Division is currently reviewing comments about a possible rule regarding website accessibility for people with disabilities.

CEO Barry Sloane and Janover LLC’s Mark Goodman talk taxes on this month’s radio show.

Plus: Check out the latest Facebook updates, learn how to build traffic to your website, and find out how incorporating can protect your business name and help you build credibility.

We tell you about the Senate’s rejection of a swipe-fee rule delay, and the Obama administration’s freeze on the creation of new federal websites.

Plus: Read why some lenders turn down business-loan requests, measure your social-media activity, and celebrate wacky warning labels.

Discover the five things business owners should know about cloud computing, and listen to this month’s radio show for all things cloud.

Plus: Find out the best days and times to tweet, blog, and post to Facebook; read how we help a customer get the word out about heart rhythms; and learn about the Michaels Stores PIN-pad breach.

We also give you a recap of our tax-related articles. Some articles explain the differences between exempt and nonexempt employees, and between employees and independent contractors. Others cover which questions to ask before you file, and whom to call if you have an issue with the IRS.

What else: We tell you how to make money with your blog, how to name your product or business like it’s a person, and what you need to know about wage garnishment.

We also inform you about the small business health care tax credit under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and we ask you what you think about health care reform.

Don’t forget to check out “Tax Week” on our blog page. Visit every day for a new tax-related blog article.

What else: Get information on how to take advantage of programs for veterans who are business owners, how to sustain your business while taking leave, and how to use internet marketing to attract local customers. Don’t miss the piece about women-owned businesses.

Finally, find out how we guarantee to reduce your cost—or we pay you $250.

Find out in this month’s newsletter.

Keep reading to learn about 10 handy iPhone apps for small-business owners, minimizing business risk, and what the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act can do for you.

You can also discover which works better for you: merchant processing or a third-party solution.