Money Management Tips for People Who Hate Money Management
If you’re the typical small business owner, you began your business with an exciting idea, a passion. No one goes into business thinking, “I can’t wait to work on cash flow challenges.” And yet, cash flow is one of the top reasons businesses close their doors. It’s not that they aren’t making money. It’s that managing it is not everyone’s skill set. Money management challenges are one of the most critical areas you need to master to be successful.
LP Chamber | Christine
Are You Worried About Inflation?
For the past two years or so, it feels as if economists have been avoiding the words recession and inflation. No one wants to hear those terms. They’ve been pointing to economic equations and data to show we’re not “technically” in a recession because unemployment is low, or the inflation rate is lower than it was this time last year. But if you’re feeling the pinch in your business, an economic turn of words means little to you. So, what can you do to combat this word no one wants to talk about?
LP Chamber | Christine
10+ Tips for Saving Money on Your Business Expenses
While the MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index reached its highest level of confidence since COVID in Q3 of 2023, there are still many businesses that are battling rising costs and trying to make every dollar count. According to the report, 33% of small businesses are saying the U.S. economy is in good health (up 9% points from Q2). The report read, “Small businesses also feel better about their own business health and cash flow: Two in three (66%) report that their business is in good
LP Chamber | Lauren
Grow Your Business Socially
If you’re old enough, you likely remember your parents addressing the issues of group think. Maybe they said, “Monkey see, monkey do.” Perhaps you were trying to win an argument by telling them how you’re the only person not allowed to do something, to which they replied, “If everyone jumped off of a bridge, would you do it too?” But as much as your parents were trying to raise you to be a person who thinks on their own, we are social creatures. We long for acceptance. We have a fear of missing out. And
LP Chamber | Lauren
Stop Chasing Squirrels
Chasing squirrels (or shiny object syndrome) can be a significant obstacle to long-term success in business. Remember, success comes from staying focused, charting progress, and making deliberate choices aligned with your core objectives. You cannot do it all or you will spread yourself too thin to be successful at any of it. By implementing these strategies, you can steer your business toward sustainable growth and achieve the outcomes you aspire to with fewer distractions and more nuts stored up for
LP Chamber | Lauren
The Power of Personalization
If this article had been written in the 1990s, it would have meant something very different. Back then, personalization meant mail merges. The fact we could personalize communication to include the recipient’s first name (and later other fields), was the coolest thing ever. It showed someone who really knew how to use Word. These days when we talk about the power of personalization, we’re not referring to using someone's name in an e-mail or letter. You should be doing that anyway. What your customers
LP Chamber | Lauren
Gen Z is Ditching the Traditional Search Engine. Is Your Business Ready?
This week, I had one of those rare moments where my teenage son talked to me in more than mono-syllabic answers. We were talking about AI and school projects. While AI is a boon for anyone tasked with repetitive time sucks, it’s a nightmare for school administrators and educators. Kids everywhere (other than New York, where it’s illegal) are using chatbots to do their homework, write school scripts and projects, etc. And because of AI’s generative language use, plagiarism trackers are ineffectual. But this
LP Chamber | Office
Why Workforce Development Is a Big Deal for Small Business
Many small and medium-sized business owners think that workforce development isn’t in their “lane.” They leave it to the big guys to work with the chamber and community leaders to ensure the large businesses have the skilled employees they need for the future. But unless you are a business of one and plan on remaining that way, workforce development should be a concern of all sizes of businesses. Here’s why you should want to get involved:
LP Chamber | Lauren
3 Easy Things to Help You Attract More Customers for Your New LP Business
If you're a new business and you're trying to build a loyal customer base, one of the easiest ways to get the word out is to join your chamber. The chamber staff knows businesspeople as well as local leaders. The chamber can make helpful introductions and make suggestions based on their experience working in your community. Most people are surprised when they find out the number of inquiries chambers receive. Visitors and new residents often stop at the chamber to learn more about the town they're in. In
LP Chamber | Lauren
How to Find a Complementary Business to Help Yours Grow
Business collaborations can help your business, the collaborator’s business, and (both of) your markets. By understanding what your customers need and want, as well as what holds them back from buying, you can create a satisfactory collaboration that benefits everyone and serves to separate you from your competition. This way, you’ll gain exposure to a new market or additional customers as well as improve business relationships. If you’re not sure how to make connections with other businesses, contact your
LP Chamber | Office
