Small business owners are feeling positive about the future and are getting ready to grow their companies, a new report says. According to the latest  Main Street Pulse Report by OnDeck, a company that reports on the financial health of small and midsized businesses, nearly three-fourths (73 percent) of small business owners think that the economy is getting better. Acting on that confidence, one in five have added staff in the past six months, while two in five plan to do so over the next six months. Read more…

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If disaster struck tomorrow, what would happen to your small business? A study last month by Merchant Cash and Capital found that almost one year after Hurricane Sandy—which shut down more than 40 percent of small businesses in the affected area–nearly half of small business owners surveyed still don’t have a disaster preparedness plan in place. When Hurricane Sandy struck, nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of those affected by the storm report they were caught off guard. Just 22 percent already had a storm preparedness plan in place, while 14 percent rushed to make last-minute preparations once they heard of the pending storm. Read more…

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What worries business leaders most these days? According to Lloyd’s Risk Index is a biannual survey about attitudes toward risk that polls more than 500 of the world’s most senior business leaders, high taxation (formerly ranked number 13) is now the number-one risk identified by business leaders in North America, followed by cyber security at number two and loss of customers at number three. (Interestingly, two years ago cyber security was not perceived as much of a risk at all. ) Other risks noted in North America include changing legislation and inflation. Read more…

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Do you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep? If so, you’re not alone. For many small business owners, long hours and sleepless nights seem to be part of the job description. The problem can be especially intense in the startup years, when small businesses are often running with few employees, meaning the owner’s burning the midnight oil to complete projects, balance the books or prepare proposals. Read more…

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Family business owners, their family members and shareholders came together at the Family Business Magazine’s Transitions East Conference earlier this year to discuss their experiences with multigenerational family businesses. This year’s theme focused on preparing the generations for success, and panelists shared several approaches for maintaining the family connection such as giving all family members an equal vote, creating a family council and bringing in external expertise to run the family office. They also suggested that no matter what tactics a family business uses, the role of the founding generation is critical in establishing a strong vision and framework for success. Read more…

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Are you trying to be more productive in your business day, and more effective in how you run your business? (Aren’t we all?) Following good work habits can help. Here are 5 habits of highly effective small business owners. Get regular exercise. Read more…

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Are you using your downtime productively? I’m not talking about personal downtime, like taking an afternoon off. (The whole point of that downtime is not to be productive. ) I’m talking about business downtime. Read more…

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Natural disasters are the number-one safety issue that employees worry about, but the majority (60 percent) of businesses haven’t revised their safety plans in the wake of recent disasters like Hurricane Sandy, a survey by Staples reports. It’s hurricane season, so if you don’t have a safety plan in place, now is the time to develop one. Although three out of four employees feel their employers take safety seriously, that didn’t jibe with the fact that only half say their employers have communicated a safety plan to them. Read more…

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