Welcome back to another edition of This Week in Small Business.
This video is being presented by Salesforce.
In this week’s edition, I’m joined by the founder of IntelliPhi, Anand Thaker, and we’re looking at the most interesting articles to appear this week on Small Business Trends.
Right from the top, Anand and I take a closer look at Larry Alton’s article on awkward situations you’ll face running a business that’ll cause you to test your personal integrity. We have a good in-depth discussion on the article and the topic so you’ll want to check out the video for more.
Sprint Internet of Things Project Gives Small Businesses a Leg Up
We then take a few minutes to discuss the big news from Sprint this week and its launch of an IoT Factory. This Sprint Internet of Things service gives small businesses a opportunity they might not have had otherwise. Anand and I discuss the impact the Internet of Things is having on small businesses and how this new offering from Sprint will impact companies like yours.
Finally, we get a bit personal and talk about the benefits Gen X’ers can bring businesses like yours. We’re both in the so-called Sandwich Generation and concur with the findings from Indeed.com. The job site identified which major cities in the U.S. have the most in that generation looking to work for small business.
You can check out our discussion in the video above. And for the rest of the week in small business news, check out this roundup of the big headlines:
Small Business Operations
Splitit Lets You Take Monthly Debit Payments from Customers
When you provide multiple payment options for your customers, you give them more opportunities for purchasing something from your store. Splitit has added another option with an installment plan for debit cards so customers can split their purchase cost into three interest-free monthly payments.
10 Major Challenges Facing Your Small Manufacturing Business
Much has been made of the decline in U.S. manufacturing. But the U.S. still produces more than 18 percent of the world’s goods. So manufacturing is still alive and well. However, small manufacturers in particular face a fair number of challenges, including competition from large domestic businesses and those around the world.
eFleet Hub Helps Small Businesses Better Manage their Vehicle Fleets
The new eFleet Hub by Fleetworthy Solutions was developed as a compliance tool so fleets can better manage their data with the onset of the new electronic logging device (ELD) mandate. Fleetworthy eFleet Hub With eFleet Hub, fleets will be able to log in and view their data on a single dashboard online from the many different service providers in the marketplace.
Startup
SBA Restores LGBTQ Resources to Its Website
The Small Business Administration’s Lesbian, Gay and Transgender (LGBT) Outreach page is up and running again. A letter written to SBA Administrator Linda McMahon by House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-New York) and Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-New York) moved things along to make it happen.
Technology Trends
Salesforce CEO Advocates for National Privacy Laws, How Will Your Business be Affected?
When the CEO of one of the largest global tech companies speaks up, it gets a lot of attention. And this is what happened when Marc Benioff, Salesforce Chairman and CEO made an extraordinary announcement on CBS This Morning. When he appeared on the show, Benioff called for a national privacy law, currently a global hot-button issue.
Economy
How to Compete Against Offshore Manufacturing — Especially in China
Today’s global economy offers more opportunities than ever to small businesses. But for U.S. manufacturers specifically, it also has led to more competition than ever. Offshore manufacturers, particularly those in China, have been able to produce products at a fraction of the cost that those same products require in the U.S. In fact, about 5 million U.S.
Management
Moonlighting Doesn’t Impact Your Employee’s Job Performance, Study Says
People who hold two jobs, otherwise known as “moonlighters,” are just as engaged and productive in the workplace as their colleagues who have one job. However, moonlighters are likely to sacrifice personal time and family as a result, says a new study from Ball State University.