small business Archives - Page 2 of 2

Six Books for Small Business Owners

From entrepreneurship to networking to outstanding customer service, the following books for small business owners and larger companies alike are highly rated by critics and readers. Erie Insurance Corporate Librarian Adam Groves curated this list–which is restricted to books published in 2013–based on the recommendations of his ERIE colleagues. Here’s what tops his list when it comes to putting the power of hardbacks, paperbacks and ebooks to work for you and your business. 1. Success is increasingly dependent on how we interact with others. Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success by Adam Grant reveals how effective networking, collaboration, influence, negotiation and leadership skills can affect your–and by definition, your business’–success. 2. The Unstoppables: Tapping Your Entrepreneurial Power by Bill Schley is a New York Times bestseller that analyzes the “emotional mechanics” that set entrepreneurs in motion. It gives you six rule sets to help you take your business to the next level.… Read More

Insurance for Home-Based Businesses

The rise of the personal computer and the large number of jobs lost during the recession drove many Americans to set up shop in their homes. Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration reports that home-based businesses now account for half of all businesses in the United States. Yet many new home-based business owners forget to buy one very important thing: insurance. A 2004 study commissioned by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America revealed that nearly 60 percent of home-based business owners didn’t have enough insurance to protect their businesses. “When people are working out of their house, they think ‘Well, I have homeowners coverage,” says Terry McConnell, vice president, Personal Lines Underwriting. “But the homeowners policy hardly ever covers the business.” What homeowners policies don’t cover Many—though not all—homepreneurs need extra protection beyond their homeowners policies. That’s because most homeowners policies lack these important coverages: Business personal property Most homeowners policies provide limited coverage of $500 to $1,000 for tools, machines or other equipment you use exclusively for your business.… Read More

What Taxes & Healthcare Laws Mean for Small Businesses

There’s a lot of talk about taxes and regulations and how changes to the system could impact small businesses. Recently, the chatter’s also included potential impacts from healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act. But what do taxes and regulations really mean for you, your business or the small businesses you most often work with? We looked for a florist, a mechanic and an insurance agent —small business owners who consumers work with everyday—to ask how they handle the changing news. We ended up talking to an award-winning designer, finding the American dream and learning what it means to be an American entrepreneur. It made it hard to remember we intended to talk about taxes and regulations. In a nutshell, here’s how taxes work for a small business: Tax season is every season for a business. They pay estimated taxes every quarter, based on what they made at the same time the previous year.… Read More