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Growing your small business is something you will do over the course of time, and you should not rush to do so too quickly. This holds true for any types of business.

Stories have the power to influence others, as long as they are personal, contain a unexpected element and teach a lesson, writes communication consultant Neil Gordon. "The lesson is what those who listen to a pitch will glean as the wisdom behind a product or service, and it's the basis of the actions one is supposed to take when they read a prescriptive article or book," Gordon writes.

Customers expect a certain level of service, so it's important for founders to understand what they want, while personalizing the experience, writes Ben Walker, CEO of Transcription Outsourcing. "The most crucial point is that customers make your business the best it can be," Walker writes.

Do you need reading material this weekend? Here are 5 suggestions if you want to understand the future of #business.

It may be tempting to agree to every offer that arises during the early stages of a startup, but not all requests are worthy of a busy entrepreneur's time, writes Jodie Cook. She explains the right way to say no, which involves being gracious for the opportunity and providing a reason for not moving forward.

Here is debt and payment collection advice for small business owners and #franchise owners.

As a #franchise owner/leader it is important to keep employees engaged.

Small-business confidence last month reached its highest level since February, according to the National Federation of Independent Business Optimism Index. "As parts of the country continue to open, small businesses are seeing some improvements in foot traffic and sales," says Bill Dunkelberg, NFIB chief economist.

Employee experience needs to change because of the increase in remote work and employees desire for recognition of underrepresented groups, says Denise Lee Yohn in this video. Companies can gather such insights through informal interactions and formal research methods, and then include employees "in the development and testing of EX strategies, tactics and programs," she says.

The coronavirus pandemic drove digital consumerism and gave rise to Generation Novel, which Brian Solis describes as "a growing cross-generational psychographic of digital-first consumers galvanized by the disruptive effects of COVID-19." He looks at six aspects of the "new normal" driven by Gen N and offers a five-step "game plan" to reach them.

Keeping business and personal finances separate.

Tax attorney Bruce Bell details what portions of payroll taxes are eligible for deferrals under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Securities Act, including for companies that received Paycheck Protection Program loans. Bell also offers planning tips, such as paying bonuses by year-end to take advantage of the tax deferral.

6 benefits of getting online payday loans to answer unforeseen money troubles for your business/franchise.

The ability to adapt, whether a product or business model, sets apart companies that will succeed during the pandemic from those that wont survive, writes venture capitalist Mark Flickinger. "Meeting your customers where they are today is the true definition of business agility and is key to business survival, especially in these tougher times," Flickinger writes.

Opening a new business or #franchise? How do you become the chosen brand? Let’s explore the ways you can cultivate loyalty with your customers.

If you are new to starting a small business, you may confuse trademarks to be the same concept as copyrights.

Are you considering a business partner in your new #franchise purchase? Evaluate potential business partners' financial integrity, industry experience and business acumen before making a formal agreement. It's also important to delineate daily responsibilities, plans to solve disputes, capital contributions, and silent versus active partners.

Understanding the numbers, knowing your operation inside and out, and being the best at one thing at a minimum are keys to survival.

Have you considered invoice financing for your small business and/or #franchise?

Do not give up on planning for 2021! Create a rolling 12-month budget that you can review and update monthly based on your actual experience. Use a spreadsheet program so you can easily make a change and see how the new story unfolds.

Not all small businesses have suffered equally during these unprecedented times. In fact, franchise businesses are once again poised to significantly outperform non-franchise businesses, as was the case in the past few recessions.

One of the first things on your "to-do" list as a new #franchisee or business owner is recruitment. You will want the best of the best.

Employees need to feel comfortable taking time off, especially during the pandemic, writes Leigh Ann Errico, a leadership and team coach. Stress and burnout are detrimental to employee health and to work outcomes.

Rose de Fremery explains how and when to use six different content formats, such as using blog posts and articles to raise brand awareness and webinars, e-books and white papers to generate leads. Boost engagement and customer experience with video, use infographics to communicate complex data and target on-the-go prospects with podcasts.

COVID-19 has revealed email greetings hollowness and prompted an opportunity to instill business communication with respect, honesty and consideration, experts say. Craft openings and closings depending on the recipient, and do an "emotional proofread" before clicking send, author Liz Fosslien advises.

When was the last time you reviewed your mission statement?

7 red flags that your mindset is creating business problems and four techniques for fixing it.

Some small-business owners pay themselves with an owners draw, pulling funds from the business for personal expenses instead of paying themselves a wage. This article explains eligibility and pros and cons of a draw.

Small-business owners are repeating certain financial mistakes during the pandemic downturn, writes Joseph Meuse, president of a debt mitigation service. Meuse explains how to handle common issues, from tax debt to landlord negotiations and debt consolidation.

Dont wait until the conditions are perfect to find an opportunity.

For an insight into how financially stable your business is, understanding your operating margins can show your profits after paying operating expenses, writes columnist Susan Guillory. Steps for calculating this metric, along with why it matters and what a good operating margin looks like are discussed in detail.

Would-be entrepreneurs can start their journey by considering partnerships, examining their assets and seeking professional advice, writes Bill Chemero of Wayback Burgers. Many franchisors are providing information at virtual discovery days during the coronavirus pandemic, Chemero notes.

Can you believe it is August and we have been dealing with the pandemic for almost six months? Josh Bersin shares 4 lessons from the pandemic.

Now may be a good time to apply for a business line of credit.

Poorly chosen words could ruin an otherwise successful business negotiation. Entrepreneurs share what you should never say if you want to make a successful deal.

There are several way to generate quality leads for your business. This article describes seven.

Are you opening a new business and/or #franchise? Tell your story with your website.

A larger purpose can impact your business. Heres how thats a good thing.

Many entrepreneurs are natural problem solvers and design thinkers, so Abdo Riani has tips for implementing this in a startup. Empathizing with customers and partners, coming up solutions for problems in early stages and rapidly testing prototypes are ways to implement design thinking and win over customers.

One of the very interesting things I learned from Thomas Scott of Brand Journalists is that interest in entrepreneurship is up 150% !!! Are you surprised? I know I was! Turns out that uncertain terms lead to an increased interest in entrepreneurship!... #funfact #BAIGoesVirtual #bai

Excited for Day 1, Session 1 of #BAIGoesVirtual conference about to start. I love how #bai is creating engagement by creating themes for each session. First up... Wear Red in support of #americanheartassociation

Agility and teamwork lead to entrepreneurial success