As a small business owner, taking advantage of the free resources available to you is essential in growing your business. Many business owners are unaware of the numerous organizations that offer free and paid resources to help them grow their businesses. In this Smart Hustle Recap, we will provide you with an overview of 23 top small business organizations that offer free resources and paid services to help you succeed.
Top Small Business Organizations
Are you looking to improve your knowledge, connect with other small business owners, or secure funding in the form of grants? If yes, then the following 23 small business organizations are here to help:
– Small Business Administration (SBA)
– SCORE
– National Association of Small Business Owners (NASBO)
– National Small Business Association (NSBA)
– Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs)
– Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO)
– National Women’s Business Council (NWBC)
– Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
– National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)
– National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
– National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
– National Veterans Business Development Council (NVBDC)
– Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC)
– Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC)
– Small Business Majority (SBM)
– National Business Incubation Association (NBIA)
– National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
– National Retail Federation (NRF)
– National Restaurant Association (NRA)
– International Franchise Association (IFA)
– National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
– U.S. Chamber of Commerce
– Local Chambers of Commerce
The Most Common E-commerce Mistakes
E-commerce is an excellent way to reach a wider market and increase your profit potential. However, if you’re not careful, you can make crucial mistakes that eat into your profit margin and hurt your business. The following are three of the top mistakes that small business owners make when running an e-commerce store:
1. Not optimizing for mobile devices
2. Not offering free shipping
3. Not having a clear return policy
To fix these mistakes, you can take the following steps:
– Optimize your website for mobile devices
– Offer free shipping for orders over a certain amount
– Have a clear and concise return policy
Do You Know What the FICO Liquid Score Is?
Understanding your credit score is crucial for securing the funding you need for both your personal and business life. However, financial terms can be confusing, making it difficult to make sense of it all. Your FICO Liquid Credit Score is the combination of your personal and business credit scores, which many lenders use today to make their funding decisions.
To improve your FICO Liquid Credit Score, you can take the following steps:
– Make on-time payments
– Keep your credit utilization ratio low
– Keep your credit accounts open
– Monitor your credit regularly
Tax Tips for Small Business Owners
As a small business owner, taxes are an unfortunate reality that you must deal with. Planning for taxes in a way that keeps your business healthy and prepares you for tax day is essential. The following are three scenarios of when taxes and cash flow collide:
1. Not setting money aside for tax payments
2. Not keeping track of business expenses
3. Not filing taxes on time
To avoid these scenarios, you can take the following steps:
– Set aside money for tax payments
– Keep track of all business expenses
– File your taxes on time
If you’re still struggling with taxes, consider getting help from tax relief services or taking some tax planning courses.
Running a small business can be overwhelming, but with the right knowledge and resources, you can succeed. Take advantage of the free resources available to you, avoid common e-commerce mistakes, understand your FICO Liquid Credit Score, and plan for taxes to keep your business healthy.
