Small Business Owners: Healthier, But Less Likely to Be Insured

health insurance concept

A majority of small business owners (53 percent) believe that running a company improves their health, a recent Bank of America survey indicates. And those in business for themselves are in better shape than those who work for others, a Gallup-Healthways Well-Being survey reveals.

That’s good to hear because entrepreneurs are less likely than other employed people to have health insurance, and their jobs are more stressful.

According to a recent Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, a smaller fraction of Read More

The post Small Business Owners: Healthier, But Less Likely to Be Insured appeared first on Small Business Trends.



What Do Women Really Want at Work?

women at work[Click for full size infographic]

What do women really want?

Sigmund Freud couldn’t figure it out, but LinkedIn tried to in its recent survey, “What Women Want @Work.” Here’s what the poll of more than 400 working women aged 18 to 65 uncovered.

Women Value Work-Life Balance

In fact, it’s the number one factor in whether women at work feel successful or not. Sixty percent of the working women surveyed define “career success” as being able to have work-life balance. (Which is interesting, since I think that’s an unachievable goal).

That’s nearly twice the percentage who defined success that way five to 10 years ago.

Women Believe They Can Achieve Work-Life Balance

Nearly 80 percent of women in the survey are confident about the ability to “have it all” - including a fulfilling career, a relationship and children. More than two-thirds (69 percent) of women without children do not think starting a family would hinder their careers or slow their advancement.

Of course, that’s easy to say when you don’t actually have children. Overall, 39 percent admit that juggling work and family is a career challenge. (Maybe those are the women who have children.)

To help with this challenge, women would like more work flexibility.

Two-Thirds Would Like Greater Flexibility at Work

In fact, flexible work arrangements were more likely to be cited as attributes of a good employer than was “good remuneration/pay.” Women at work also say a flexible work environment will be the single most important factor determining the success of the next generation of women.

In comparison to flexibility and work-life balance, salary matters less. Just 44 percent of women say salary is the most important measure of professional success, compared to 62 percent who claimed it was their most important yardstick five to 10 years ago.

What do these results mean for your business?

While flexible work and work-life balance clearly mean a lot to women, a wide range of studies have shown how much employees of all types value these options. Whether your workforce is mostly young men, middle-aged moms or a mix of all ages and lifestyles, you really can’t go wrong by offering more choices. This could include:

  • Remote work
  • Virtual work
  • Flexible scheduling
  • General paid time off versus clearly defined vacation and sick leave
  • Job sharing
  • Part-time work
  • Temporary work

One thing you shouldn’t treat this study as, however, is an excuse to pay women less in return for flexible work. While you may be able to pay less for jobs that offer flexible schedules, you certainly can’t make pay contingent on someone’s gender, marital or parental status.

In fact, 58 percent of women in the survey believe “unequal pay” is still a major stumbling block for women in the workplace.




What Do Women Really Want at Work?

women at work[Click for full size infographic]

What do women really want?

Sigmund Freud couldn’t figure it out, but LinkedIn tried to in its recent survey, “What Women Want @Work.” Here’s what the poll of more than 400 working women aged 18 to 65 uncovered.

Women Value Work-Life Balance

In fact, it’s the number one factor in whether women at work feel successful or not. Sixty percent of the working women surveyed define “career success” as being able to have work-life balance. (Which is interesting, since I think that’s an unachievable goal).

That’s nearly twice the percentage who defined success that way five to 10 years ago.

Women Believe They Can Achieve Work-Life Balance

Nearly 80 percent of women in the survey are confident about the ability to “have it all” - including a fulfilling career, a relationship and children. More than two-thirds (69 percent) of women without children do not think starting a family would hinder their careers or slow their advancement.

Of course, that’s easy to say when you don’t actually have children. Overall, 39 percent admit that juggling work and family is a career challenge. (Maybe those are the women who have children.)

To help with this challenge, women would like more work flexibility.

Two-Thirds Would Like Greater Flexibility at Work

In fact, flexible work arrangements were more likely to be cited as attributes of a good employer than was “good remuneration/pay.” Women at work also say a flexible work environment will be the single most important factor determining the success of the next generation of women.

In comparison to flexibility and work-life balance, salary matters less. Just 44 percent of women say salary is the most important measure of professional success, compared to 62 percent who claimed it was their most important yardstick five to 10 years ago.

What do these results mean for your business?

While flexible work and work-life balance clearly mean a lot to women, a wide range of studies have shown how much employees of all types value these options. Whether your workforce is mostly young men, middle-aged moms or a mix of all ages and lifestyles, you really can’t go wrong by offering more choices. This could include:

  • Remote work
  • Virtual work
  • Flexible scheduling
  • General paid time off versus clearly defined vacation and sick leave
  • Job sharing
  • Part-time work
  • Temporary work

One thing you shouldn’t treat this study as, however, is an excuse to pay women less in return for flexible work. While you may be able to pay less for jobs that offer flexible schedules, you certainly can’t make pay contingent on someone’s gender, marital or parental status.

In fact, 58 percent of women in the survey believe “unequal pay” is still a major stumbling block for women in the workplace.




Outbox Will Digitize Your Snail Mail

outbox

Email makes it easier to manage business and personal communications. But what do you do with the paper mail that still comes to your mailbox and clutters up your desk?

What if you could digitize most of that as well and keep it on your hard drive or in the cloud rather than in your office?

A startup called Outbox aims to do just that with an unconventional approach that involves intercepting your snail mail and creating digital copies for you instead.

How Outbox Works

You sign up for the $4.99 per month service, it’s free the first month. After that, an Outbox employee comes to your door to pick up your mail about three times a week. Your paper mail is scanned digitally and then you can sort through it at your leisure via web, iPhone, Android or iPad. Other items like small parcels or Netflix DVDs, for example, are placed in an Outbox branded mailer and left at your door or delivered to the address you designate and you are notified of the delivery.

While sorting your mail digitally via your Outbox account, you can categorize it by creating folders for bills, coupons, finances and invitations. Unsubscribe to junk mail you no longer want to receive right online. If there is any mail you want to receive in original paper form, just request it and Outbox will re-deliver it for you.

The service is not available everywhere. In fact, currently you can only get it in Austin, where Outbox was founded, and now San Francisco.

But the company just raised $5 million in funding and is planning to expand to other communities.

Mixed Reviews

Testimonials from the company’s existing customers list a couple of obvious benefits in the video below. You essentially don’t have to collect your mail ever again. You can review snail mail you received while out of town by simply checking it from your online account. You can easily eliminate junk mail, sort your remaining mail into categories and most importantly never have to deal with paper mail piling up at your office or home again.

Not everyone thinks this is a good idea, of course. Features editor Laura June of The Verge said a few months ago that the service is overcomplicated. She claims you are essentially paying for someone else to pick up and digitize your mail and then re-deliver it to you if you really want it. The process is likely going to add another day at least to the amount of time it takes you to get your mail. June also points out that with things like bills already available online, there isn’t any point in digitizing them too.

Still, the world is full of services â€" some very successful â€" that people pay for, to avoid the hassles of doing something themselves.

Issues of privacy have also been raised, but as Sarah Perez of TechCrunch pointed out recently, most people already receive most of their most sensitive mail in digital form anyway.

Would you be interested in a service that digitizes your snail mail?

Image: Outbox




6 Things That Make Your Follow-Up Stand Out and More Memorable

follow up tips

We all go to in person networking events and engage online and meet people who we think are interesting and could be great colleagues, clients or referrals. We also work with people on projects, tasks and events on a daily basis. Not to mention those in career transition, changing jobs and trying to find new jobs.

There’s a lot of content and conversations to manage and especially follow-up with today. We juggle multiple communications in our life activities both on and offline, which require us to follow-up. Sadly, I find most people don’t.

We are lost in and bombarded with millions of images, messages and impressions relentlessly coming at us at lightning speed. It’s so easy to fall through the email, social and Web cracks. But that should NOT be an excuse or an out for not improving our follow-up as a core relationship building tool and professionalism quality.

Email, text and social media have become a primary way we communicate in real time. As much as this is our norm, it is has changed the way we follow-up and is creating somewhat of a “lost art of follow up.”

The blending of direct follow-up via phone and the online world gives us so many options and opportunities to touch people. Follow-up is the most important activity you engage in after meeting new people, working with people, job searching and in your day to day communications.

No matter what you do or what profession you are in, the benefits of timely, personable and strategic follow up are many:

  • It is essential for leveraging your networking in person and online.
  • Its the keystone to relationship building and retention.
  • It opens the door for earning referrals, meetings, interviews.
  • It builds your authority and your professionalism in your niche.

Following up with people in a thoughtful and strategic way should be the standard that defines your professional style, as well as the professional style of others in your network.

1. Practice Timeliness

Answer and follow-up with people as soon as you can with your thank you, introduction, information or any request or needs they may have. Unless it’s clearly spam, I try to answer as many people as possible that take the time to contact me.

2. Knowledge is a Powerful Tool

Taking time to research a company or person so that you know what they do and a little bit about them is very smart and strategic for opening conversations.

3. Show a Willingness to Engage

Be willing to engage, so that you exchange knowledge and forge a strong mutual connection as a starting point. Using all the social and online tools and tactics today gives you multiple touch points. Use them.

4. Be Unexpected

Delivering good, or great follow-up and service today is considered sub par. We expect nothing short of exceptional, as the bar is high and competition is fierce.

But, figuring out what your unexpected is can really change perception. Think about little things that are common sense and humane that can have a big impact such as spending more time, thoughtfulness, providing an endorsement or introduction or helping someone when you see they need help because it’s the right thing to do.

5. Make Gratitude and Kindness Your Center

Forging relationships based on the shared values of gratitude and kindness give them the best chance of growing and evolving long term.

6. Be Patient and Persistent and Know When to Move On

Don’t give up on people too easily that you have a relationship with or feel a potential with. We are all so time challenged. Be strategic and persistent and respect people’s time, but know when it’s time to step away and move on. Not everyone is in it to make it happen. Keeping in touch is a lot easier than it’s ever been.

Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up. Never fail to follow-up. It’s a definer.

What do you do to stand out and be more memorable in your follow-up?




6 Things That Make Your Follow-Up Stand Out and More Memorable

follow up tips

We all go to in person networking events and engage online and meet people who we think are interesting and could be great colleagues, clients or referrals. We also work with people on projects, tasks and events on a daily basis. Not to mention those in career transition, changing jobs and trying to find new jobs.

There’s a lot of content and conversations to manage and especially follow-up with today. We juggle multiple communications in our life activities both on and offline, which require us to follow-up. Sadly, I find most people don’t.

We are lost in and bombarded with millions of images, messages and impressions relentlessly coming at us at lightning speed. It’s so easy to fall through the email, social and Web cracks. But that should NOT be an excuse or an out for not improving our follow-up as a core relationship building tool and professionalism quality.

Email, text and social media have become a primary way we communicate in real time. As much as this is our norm, it is has changed the way we follow-up and is creating somewhat of a “lost art of follow up.”

The blending of direct follow-up via phone and the online world gives us so many options and opportunities to touch people. Follow-up is the most important activity you engage in after meeting new people, working with people, job searching and in your day to day communications.

No matter what you do or what profession you are in, the benefits of timely, personable and strategic follow up are many:

  • It is essential for leveraging your networking in person and online.
  • Its the keystone to relationship building and retention.
  • It opens the door for earning referrals, meetings, interviews.
  • It builds your authority and your professionalism in your niche.

Following up with people in a thoughtful and strategic way should be the standard that defines your professional style, as well as the professional style of others in your network.

1. Practice Timeliness

Answer and follow-up with people as soon as you can with your thank you, introduction, information or any request or needs they may have. Unless it’s clearly spam, I try to answer as many people as possible that take the time to contact me.

2. Knowledge is a Powerful Tool

Taking time to research a company or person so that you know what they do and a little bit about them is very smart and strategic for opening conversations.

3. Show a Willingness to Engage

Be willing to engage, so that you exchange knowledge and forge a strong mutual connection as a starting point. Using all the social and online tools and tactics today gives you multiple touch points. Use them.

4. Be Unexpected

Delivering good, or great follow-up and service today is considered sub par. We expect nothing short of exceptional, as the bar is high and competition is fierce.

But, figuring out what your unexpected is can really change perception. Think about little things that are common sense and humane that can have a big impact such as spending more time, thoughtfulness, providing an endorsement or introduction or helping someone when you see they need help because it’s the right thing to do.

5. Make Gratitude and Kindness Your Center

Forging relationships based on the shared values of gratitude and kindness give them the best chance of growing and evolving long term.

6. Be Patient and Persistent and Know When to Move On

Don’t give up on people too easily that you have a relationship with or feel a potential with. We are all so time challenged. Be strategic and persistent and respect people’s time, but know when it’s time to step away and move on. Not everyone is in it to make it happen. Keeping in touch is a lot easier than it’s ever been.

Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up. Never fail to follow-up. It’s a definer.

What do you do to stand out and be more memorable in your follow-up?




Small Biz Events, Awards & Contests: Small Business Influencers, Small Business Summit, Manta Photo Contest + More

Welcome to our latest curated list of events, contests and awards for small businesses, solo entrepreneurs and growing companies. To see a full list or to submit your own event, contest or award listing, visit the Small Business Events Calendar.

Featured Events, Contests and Awards

Big Awards for BusinessBig Awards for Business
August 14, 2013, Online

The Big Awards started with a mission of recognizing real talent and performance. Real business people, those with experience and knowledge, judge the Big Awards. Request an entry kit today and submit your nomination by August 14, 2013.
Discount Code
SBT50 ($50.00 off)

INBOUND 2013INBOUND 2013
August 19, 2013, Boston, MA

INBOUND is a 4 day marketing experience that brings together thousands of marketers from around the globe for an annual event held in downtown Boston, Massachusetts.

Small Business Influencer Awards 2013
Online
Small Business Influencer Awards 2013

The 2013 Small Business Influencer Awards recognize the apps, organizations and people who have a strong impact on small businesses in North America. Now its 3rd year, the Awards are a coveted recognition for those who serve small businesses.  No fee to enter.

Check to see who’s already been nominated, and nominate yourself, or someone or some organization or app you admire.  Twitter hashtag: #SMBinfluencer

WomanCon 2013WomanCon 2013
September 25, 2013, New York, NY

This conference brings together amazing women entrepreneurs, both on and off the stage. Hear real behind-the-scenes stories of success including JJ Ramberg, Sarah Endline, Janine Popick, and Pamela O’Hara. Expert keynotes and panel discussions include: Getting Funding for Growth with Kay Koplovitz & Peggy Wallace, Turning Ideas into Companies with Yao Huang, 5 Strategies for a Stronger Brand with Julie Cottineau, and a journalist panel on Pitching the Media. SEATING IS LIMITED.
Discount Code
SBT ($50 off)

More Events

More Contests and Awards

This weekly listing of small business events, contests and awards is provided as a community service by Small Business Trends and SmallBizTechnology.



NYC Event 7/17: Online Branding - Claiming Your Space and Standing Out From the Crowd

  Success in today’s crowded digital environment demands that you stand out from your competition by delivering a consistent, distinctive brand identity across a variety of online platforms. But how do you take advantage of all the options available today? Learn how at Online Branding Claiming Your Space And Standing Out From The Crowd  ...

The post NYC Event 7/17: Online Branding Claiming Your Space and Standing Out From the Crowd appeared first on Small Business Technology.



NYC Event 7/17: Online Branding - Claiming Your Space and Standing Out From the Crowd

Success in today’s crowded digital environment demands that you stand out from your competition by delivering a consistent, distinctive brand identity across a variety of online platforms. But how do you take advantage of all the options available today? Learn how at Online Branding - Claiming Your Space And Standing Out From The Crowd

                                          

Ramon Ray     Michael Pilla

                                        Eventbrite - Online Branding: Claiming Your Space and Standing Out From the Crowd

DATE: July 17, 2013
TIME: 9:00 AM To 11:00 AM
WHERE:  TBD

In “Online Branding: Claiming Your Space and Standing Out From the Crowd”, Michael and Ramon will walk you through:

  • Developing a brand identity that reflects your business,
  • Avoiding the trap of “Me Too” Marketing,
  • Best practices for implementing your identity across various digital platforms (Websites, Social Media, Viral Marketing and Mobile),
  • Choosing the right platforms for you and your business
  • Strategies for creating content that will engage your target audience and build an online community of fans and followers.

Using real world examples, they will also review case histories of successful branding programs.

Your Presenters:

Ramon Ray,
Regional Director of Development, Infusionsoft and Technology Evangelist, Smallbiztechnology.com

  

Michael Pilla,
Owner of Pilla Creative Marketing



NYC Event 7/17: Online Branding - Claiming Your Space and Standing Out From the Crowd

Success in today’s crowded digital environment demands that you stand out from your competition by delivering a consistent, distinctive brand identity across a variety of online platforms. But how do you take advantage of all the options available today? Learn how at Online Branding - Claiming Your Space And Standing Out From The Crowd

                                          

Ramon Ray     Michael Pilla

                                        Eventbrite - Online Branding: Claiming Your Space and Standing Out From the Crowd

DATE: July 17, 2013
TIME: 9:00 AM To 11:00 AM
WHERE:  TBD

In “Online Branding: Claiming Your Space and Standing Out From the Crowd”, Michael and Ramon will walk you through:

  • Developing a brand identity that reflects your business,
  • Avoiding the trap of “Me Too” Marketing,
  • Best practices for implementing your identity across various digital platforms (Websites, Social Media, Viral Marketing and Mobile),
  • Choosing the right platforms for you and your business
  • Strategies for creating content that will engage your target audience and build an online community of fans and followers.

Using real world examples, they will also review case histories of successful branding programs.

Your Presenters:

Ramon Ray,
Regional Director of Development, Infusionsoft and Technology Evangelist, Smallbiztechnology.com

  

Michael Pilla,
Owner of Pilla Creative Marketing



Small Biz Events, Awards & Contests: Small Business Influencers, Small Business Summit, Manta Photo Contest + More

Welcome to our latest curated list of events, contests and awards for small businesses, solo entrepreneurs and growing companies. To see a full list or to submit your own event, contest or award listing, visit the Small Business Events Calendar.

Featured Events, Contests and Awards

Big Awards for BusinessBig Awards for Business
August 14, 2013, Online

The Big Awards started with a mission of recognizing real talent and performance. Real business people, those with experience and knowledge, judge the Big Awards. Request an entry kit today and submit your nomination by August 14, 2013.
Discount Code
SBT50 ($50.00 off)

INBOUND 2013INBOUND 2013
August 19, 2013, Boston, MA

INBOUND is a 4 day marketing experience that brings together thousands of marketers from around the globe for an annual event held in downtown Boston, Massachusetts.

Small Business Influencer Awards 2013
Online
Small Business Influencer Awards 2013

The 2013 Small Business Influencer Awards recognize the apps, organizations and people who have a strong impact on small businesses in North America. Now its 3rd year, the Awards are a coveted recognition for those who serve small businesses.  No fee to enter.

Check to see who’s already been nominated, and nominate yourself, or someone or some organization or app you admire.  Twitter hashtag: #SMBinfluencer

WomanCon 2013WomanCon 2013
September 25, 2013, New York, NY

This conference brings together amazing women entrepreneurs, both on and off the stage. Hear real behind-the-scenes stories of success including JJ Ramberg, Sarah Endline, Janine Popick, and Pamela O’Hara. Expert keynotes and panel discussions include: Getting Funding for Growth with Kay Koplovitz & Peggy Wallace, Turning Ideas into Companies with Yao Huang, 5 Strategies for a Stronger Brand with Julie Cottineau, and a journalist panel on Pitching the Media. SEATING IS LIMITED.
Discount Code
SBT ($50 off)

More Events

More Contests and Awards

This weekly listing of small business events, contests and awards is provided as a community service by Small Business Trends and SmallBizTechnology.



Square Market Wants to Transform Users Into E-Merchants

square market

If you use Square, the pocket-size credit card reader, in your brick and mortar business today, you could soon be selling to a much larger market online.

The company has just launched Square Market, an online marketplace offering free e-commerce stores to all current Square users.

By offering the free stores, Square is hoping to convert many of the small businesses now using the company’s credit card reader into e-merchants.

How Square Market Works

If your small business decides to open a store on the new Square e-commerce site, your inventory is placed in a neat and tidy layout. The store can be linked to your Twitter account to allow your feed to stream on your store page.

Each item for sale gets its own thumbnail and product page. Transactions are conducted through Square, just as they would be if you ran a customer’s credit card through the smartphone reader. The online store page for a Square account holder also features a map that locates the merchant’s physical address, as well as hours of operation, contact information, and even current specials or promotions.

All sales - both physical and online - are synced on your account’s seller dashboard.

There’s one more benefit in opening your online store on Square Market as opposed to the other e-commerce giants: lower fees. Square takes just 2.75 percent of each sale. That’s much lower than percentages taken by eBay, Amazon, or relative newcomer Etsy.

Following the E-Commerce Trend

Square realizes it’s going to take time and some effort to eventually compete with giants of the e-commerce marketplace like eBay and Amazon, according to a Reuters interview with founder Jack Dorsey.

Square has only been around since 2010 and, in that short time, many small businesses have begun using the company’s free credit card reader and software package  to accept credit card purchases and digitally manage inventory.

But Dorsey says Square Market is a bid to enter the emerging e-commerce market too, where revenue is already estimated to be close to $200 billion annually.

Image: Square Market




Square Market Wants to Transform Users Into E-Merchants

square market

If you use Square, the pocket-size credit card reader, in your brick and mortar business today, you could soon be selling to a much larger market online.

The company has just launched Square Market, an online marketplace offering free e-commerce stores to all current Square users.

By offering the free stores, Square is hoping to convert many of the small businesses now using the company’s credit card reader into e-merchants.

How Square Market Works

If your small business decides to open a store on the new Square e-commerce site, your inventory is placed in a neat and tidy layout. The store can be linked to your Twitter account to allow your feed to stream on your store page.

Each item for sale gets its own thumbnail and product page. Transactions are conducted through Square, just as they would be if you ran a customer’s credit card through the smartphone reader. The online store page for a Square account holder also features a map that locates the merchant’s physical address, as well as hours of operation, contact information, and even current specials or promotions.

All sales - both physical and online - are synced on your account’s seller dashboard.

There’s one more benefit in opening your online store on Square Market as opposed to the other e-commerce giants: lower fees. Square takes just 2.75 percent of each sale. That’s much lower than percentages taken by eBay, Amazon, or relative newcomer Etsy.

Following the E-Commerce Trend

Square realizes it’s going to take time and some effort to eventually compete with giants of the e-commerce marketplace like eBay and Amazon, according to a Reuters interview with founder Jack Dorsey.

Square has only been around since 2010 and, in that short time, many small businesses have begun using the company’s free credit card reader and software package  to accept credit card purchases and digitally manage inventory.

But Dorsey says Square Market is a bid to enter the emerging e-commerce market too, where revenue is already estimated to be close to $200 billion annually.

Image: Square Market




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