Small Business Operations & Growth Blog
Practical advice for small business owners on eCommerce, Google visibility, digital marketing, operations, finance, and technology. Explore strategies and resources to help your business get found online, run more efficiently, and improve profitability.
How Is AI Changing Search Visibility for Small Businesses?
AI is changing how customers discover businesses, but does that mean your SEO strategy needs to change? Learn what's different about AI-powered search, why traditional SEO fundamentals still matter, and where small businesses should focus their marketing efforts.
Who's Handling the Financial and Administrative Side of Your Business?
Even with a bookkeeper, CPA, and payroll provider, many financial and administrative responsibilities still fall on the business owner. Learn what outsourced support can look like and use our free self-assessment to identify what's being handled and what needs attention.
Your Bank Balance Isn't Your Business Cash Flow
A healthy bank balance doesn't necessarily mean you have money available to spend. Upcoming expenses, payment timing, and seasonal demands can change the picture. Learn how looking beyond your bank balance can help you plan ahead, avoid costly surprises, and make more confident financial decisions.
Google Reviews for Small Business: How to Get, Manage, and Respond to Reviews
A practical guide to requesting, managing, and responding to Google reviews. Learn how to use review links and QR codes, follow Google’s review policies, and create a simple process for your small business.
Do You Need a Bookkeeper? When and How to Get Financial Help
Not sure when to hire a bookkeeper or whether your business needs broader financial support? Learn how to recognize when it's time to get help, understand the different financial roles, and choose the right support for your small business.
How Do Your Products Show Up on Google Shopping?
Google Merchant Center can help your products appear across Google, including free product listings and paid Shopping ads. Learn how it works, how Google gets your product information, and what to check if your products aren’t showing up.
Who Owns Your Website?
Who owns your website, domain, and hosting? Many business owners don't find out until something goes wrong. Use this checklist to make sure your digital assets stay under your control.
Website Traffic: Active vs Passive
Active traffic captures demand. Passive traffic tries to create it. Here’s why understanding the difference can improve your marketing results and ROI.
A Simple Approach to Choosing a Website Platform
Many small business owners don’t need an overly complicated or expensive website. They need something clean, reliable, and easy to update.
You Are in eCommerce Even If You Do Not Sell Physical Products
The Hidden Side of eCommerce: Payments, Scheduling, and Digital Marketing. When people hear the term “eCommerce”, they usually think of online stores selling products, like Amazon, Shopify, Etsy. But that’s just one piece of the pie.
4 Dashboards That Drive eCommerce Growth and Profit
Unlocking eCommerce growth isn’t about guessing, it’s about knowing your numbers and acting on them. If you’ve ever wondered why your profits aren’t where they should be, or felt overwhelmed by all the data from sales, marketing, shipping, and inventory, you’re not alone. The secret to running a more profitable online business lies in using the right dashboards to turn your data into clear, actionable insights.
What a Low Tide Can Show You About Your Business: Finding Opportunities for Sustainable Success
When the business environment is thriving, it's easy to focus on growth and overlook underlying inefficiencies.
Mastering the Balance Between Marketing and Operations
In business, there’s really just one thing you’re always doing: balancing marketing and operations. And here’s the truth—you’ll never get it perfect.
What is Inventory Forecasting and Why Does it Matter?
Inventory Forecasting is the process of predicting how much inventory you need to buy based on the amount you believe you will sell in the future. Perhaps the most important element of running a successful eCommerce business is having inventory to sell; if you don't forecast the right amount to buy, you buy too little or too much.
Your Warehouse is Too Small.
Why You Should Plan for Your Warehouse Capacity.
Inventory and Your eCommerce Business. Do you have too much inventory?
Tips for determining how much inventory to keep and what to do if you have too much. eCommerce business owners often have a hard time parting with inventory. That sounds counterintuitive to running a thriving business. Let me clarify, some eCommerce business owners have a hard time parting with inventory that’s not moving. Whether it's a misguided strategy or an emotional attachment to having spent money on it in the first place, you may be holding onto your slow turning inventory too long.
Why Your KPIs Aren’t Working.
A lot of businesses focus on Key Performance Indicators, KPIs. The main areas that you and your team determine to be the most critical to the success of your business.
Exploring the Concept of Firing Bullets Before Cannonballs in Your Small Business. An Approach to Risk Taking for Entrepreneurs.
In Jim Collins' classic book, Great by Choice, he describes the concept of firing bullets, then cannonballs. To paraphrase, you fire bullets first. Bullets are things that are low cost, low risk, and don’t distract you from your business.