Our monthly roundup of top stories

July 1, 2019 -- Volume 18, No. 7

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What Your Employees Really Want

Being in a tight labor market as now exists requires employers to find ways to keep employees satisfied and loyal. Unfortunately, this isn’t an easy thing for small businesses. Typically, their budgets don’t permit generous fringe benefits offered by large companies, such as on-site gyms and eating facilities. But is this what employees really want? The answer may depend on who you ask. Read More

5 Ideas for Disaster Preparedness

The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1; it runs through November 30. While the prediction for storms this season are modest (slightly less than last year), all it takes is one big storm in your area to wreak havoc with your business. Consider the devastating flooding that occurred early June in many parts of the U.S. Here are some suggestions to help you be prepared for any disaster that may come your way. Read More

Hiring Your Child for the Summer

If you put your own child on the payroll full time for the summer or even part time throughout the school year, there are a number of valuable benefits for the business and your child. Read More

Cash Flow Woes and What You Can Do

According to Intuit’s The State of Small Business Cash Flow, “69% of small business owners say they have been kept up at night by ongoing concerns about their cash flow status.” Nearly one-third (32%) can’t pay vendors, pending loans, employees, or themselves because of cash flow issues.

What to Do About Drugs in the Workplace Now

Three years ago, I blogged on this topic . Since that time, things have changed. The opioid crisis is still raging (every day more than 130 people die in the U.S. from overdosing on opioids). More states have legalized marijuana for recreation and/or medical use. The job market continues to be tight (the U.S. unemployment rate in May 2019 was 3.6% ). All of these factors may impact your company’s drug policy. Read More

Remote Workers: 3 Hidden Liability Issues for Employers to Consider

Allowing employees to work from home is a win-win. From the company perspective, employees who telecommute are more productive (perhaps because they don’t have to commute to and from work, attend meetings, and hassle with office politics) and are more loyal to their employers.

... For employees, working from home offers the chance of a better work-life balance and the opportunity to work for companies not located near them. But the arrangement has some hidden liability issues that you need to address in order to make things work well. Here are 3 such issues to consider: Read More

What to Know about Your Child's Lemonade Stand

In early June it was reported that a 13-year old sold 3,500 cupcakes over the course of a year to raise the $5,000 he needed to take his family on a trip to Disney World. This story illustrates that the entrepreneurial spirit can strike even children. So, too, does the Girl Scout Cookie Program foster entrepreneurship. ...A lemonade stand can teach valuable lessons about running a business. But these entries into entrepreneurship should not ignore certain realities for business owners, regardless of their age. Read More

Developing Leadership Qualities: Creativity and Vision

An IBM survey some years ago found that the most important leadership quality in today’s world was creativity. It was even more important than integrity and fairness. So how can you work on expressing your creativity and developing your vision? Read More

What Are HSAs and How Do They Work for Your Business?

Health savings accounts (HSAs) have existed for about 15 years. And they have grown in popularity. But many companies and individuals still don’t fully understand how they work. And what makes them a good health coverage solution for small businesses? Check out these 10 things to help you decide if HSAs are right for your business.

Read the full article at SmallBizTrends.com

5 Tax Rules for Deducting Interest Payments

To the extent interest payments are tax deductible, they reduce the cost of borrowing. But tax rules on deductibility can be confusing.

Read the full article at SBA.gov