In today's fast-paced world, employee burnout has become more than just a buzzword; it's a reality your business cannot afford to ignore. Throw in a pandemic (which only exacerbated this issue), and you've got a lot of employees who were (and still are) emotionally and physically drained. As entrepreneurs and business owners, it's crucial to recognize the signs of burnout and take proactive steps to cultivate a work environment that fosters productivity and well-being.

Recognize the Signs: To fight burnout in your team, you need to first recognize it. Keep an eye out for signs like tiredness, decreased productivity, and increased absences among your team members. Keep communication open and encourage your employees to share their concerns and issues. By doing this, you can tackle the issue before it becomes a big one.

Flexible Work Arrangements: While the internet continues to debate whether workers are more productive at the office vs. at home, offering a bit of flexibility...

Distinguishing your Brand and Products is No Fairy Tale.

True originality is difficult to achieve. When it comes to products, logos and branding that are entirely unprecedented, they are few and far between. Your company can outsource to a white shoe Madison Avenue PR firm, source bespoke fabrics, create unique designs but that does not assure relevance to a persnickety public.

Iconic brands are a cultural phenomenon that inspire unbreakable loyalty in their following. Greater than its products or services, an iconic brand identity has such a strong influence and reputation within an industry that it needs no introduction. Nike Swoosh. Golden Arches. Prancing Horse.

Iconic brands, whether subliminal or overt, are experts in psychological marketing. These are businesses that have spent years developing a unique identity that advocates ideas and concepts that resonate with the people they want to sell to. As iconic brand identities play an important role in their...

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, small business owners, including agricultural businesses, and nonprofit organizations in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories can apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan [EIDL] from the Small Business Administration. The EIDL program is designed to provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue due to coronavirus.

As in all governmental relief programs, the key to approval is the accuracy and punctuality of documentation.

While you may not submit your firm’s documentation automatically, you must keep careful records of how you spend EIDL proceeds in the event of an SBA or other governmental agency future review. Just as there have been audits and inspections of past disasters, there will be scrutiny of some of these loans as well. It would be wise to note all relevant expenditures as “EIDL” in your accounting program and keep an actual hardcopy file with...