September 19, 2020 6 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Google is still the King, Queen and court jester of online search. Sure, Facebook and Amazon are trying to carve out their own slice of the search pie, but as of July 2019, Google dominated over 90 percent of all search queries. When someone does a Google search for a product or service, they are demonstrating intent and motivation. The beauty of searches based on intent is that this traffic can be free. Paid keyword advertising works, but it isn’t the only way to get clicks and customers. Ever notice how some businesses and entrepreneurs are always just below…

September 19, 2020 8 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. As a company leader, I try to positively impact my community whenever possible. Whether its youth programs, gender equity, career coaching, or anti-violence, we (Complete SET agency) create educational themed events as well as donate portions of revenue to social change. Cause models like this, whether grassroots or multinational, are increasingly important for businesses, large and small, to have at their operational core. Ensuring that your business is creating a positive impact is a necessary competitive advantage. In fact, a 2018 Conecomm survey found that 78 percent of Americans now expect companies to go beyond profits and to also positively impact society. Social impact is a…

September 17, 2020 4 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In business, the return on investment (ROI) for your money is valued in terms of the ratio between your net profit and the cost of investment.  A financial analyst quickly calculates this value which generally reflects success, failure and or progress on the part of an entrepreneur or investor.  The ROI for health and well-being, for entrepreneurs, investors and us all alike, is not as easily calculable. There is plenty of research in health and medicine that discusses how to improve health, regain health and sustain good health. A clear takeaway from the research on gratitude is that gratitude…

After a decade of economic growth, 2020 has been one of the most challenging times small businesses in the U.S. have faced in modern times. A global pandemic. Nearly 200,000 U.S. deaths, and rising. Crashing segments of the economy. Cultural reckoning relating to racial injustice. Tornados. Hurricanes. Forest fires. Job losses. Unemployment. And the closure of tens of thousands of businesses. Yesterday, QuickBooks released the findings of a survey of 1,600 current and prospective small business owners on what they expect their futures to be. One finding is especially promising — for all generations of small businesses: The future of small businesses includes hope. Download the Report (PDF) The Future, as…

September 15, 2020 7 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. “It’s not going away, and we have to face that reality.” That’s what the CEO and founder of a high-tech manufacturing startup with 180 employees told his leadership team in early July to convince them they needed a strategic pivot to address COVID-19. Previously, the startup’s executives took things one step at a time, putting out the various COVID-related fires that flared up: supply chain disruptions, canceled orders, employees having difficulties with work-from-home setups or needing flex-time to manage kids or elderly relatives. Seeing more of the broad picture, the CEO realized the company was going in…

As part of this year’s National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration will host an “all virtual” event. Next week’s events (September 22-24, 2020) will include numerous educational panels providing retooling and innovative practices for the nation’s small businesses who are seeking to “pivot and recover, contributing to a stronger economy,” according to the SBA. The National Small Business Week event schedule includes three days recognizing America’s outstanding entrepreneurs, shining a spotlight on the nation’s 30 million small businesses across the country. The event will also recognize the national award winners, including the naming of the National Small Business Person of the Year. Information about and free registration to the streaming…