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small business saturday tag on canvas
Business, Facts and Statistics, Small Business, Tips

Small Business Saturday Ideas You Can Use To Sell More This Year

Key Points

Small Business Saturday – what it is, how it came to be, how to support a small business, and some ideas you can implement into your small business to help it grow.

 

If you think about it, every business started out as a small business. Even Amazon started in a garage as a small business! Small businesses become larger businesses because consumers like what they had to offer. 

Small Business Saturday is Nov. 27 this year. Let’s take a look at what it is, how it came to be, and some ideas you can implement into your business to help it grow.

What is the Purpose of Small Business Saturday?

SBS encourages consumers to keep it close to home when buying gifts this holiday season. Spending money locally helps everyone in the community prosper.

History Of Small Business Saturday

American Express, a U.S. corporation with $37 billion in revenue in 2018, started Small Business Saturday in 2010. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) joined as a co-sponsor five years later. SBS has become an important part of how many small businesses launch their busiest shopping season.

According to the 2018 SBS Consumer Insights Survey, the total reported spending among U.S. consumers who said they shopped at independent retailers and restaurants on the day reached a record high of approximately $17.8 billion. The same survey reported that more than 70% of consumers are now aware of the Small Business Saturday initiative. Based on this annual survey over the years, SBS spending has now reached a reported estimate of $103 billion since the day began.

 

Most Popular Things To Buy Local

According to one study, the following are things consumers are most likely to buy from a small business.

Most Popular Things To Buy Local bar chart

Small Business Saturday Statistics

99.7% of all U.S. businesses are small businesses

64% of new jobs created in the U.S. between 1993 and 2011 were from small businesses

Small businesses donate 250% more to non-profits and community causes

Small Business Saturday Activities

Here are some things you can do to support small businesses:

Go On A Local Shopping Spree

Many shoppers opt for big box stores on Black Friday, knowing that there’ll be sales on common holiday gifts. Small businesses sometimes offer many similar discounts — but without the marketing dollars to display the price cuts, they’re often left out in the cold. If you were planning on purchasing a TV this holiday season, try calling your local electronics store to see if they’re offering any discounts first.

Talk About It

Social media is a wonderful way to share our daily lives with friends, but sometimes, letting them know about a good deal from an e-commerce giant or a big box store can feel like advertising. With small businesses, it’s different: Instead of contributing to some corporation’s bottom line, you can rest easy knowing that you’re helping a neighbor succeed.

Make It A Habit

Small Business Saturday only lasts for one day, but you can get acquainted with your local shops. Don’t let another year pass before your next visit! For small businesses to succeed, they need our support throughout the year.

Think Big Shop Small signage

6 Small Business Saturday Ideas You Can Use To Sell More This Year

According to one survey of 5,000 consumers, 72 percent of people said they will make more of an effort to support small businesses this year. Use these simple ideas to make sure you’re a part of the big day.

1) Own your identity as a small business

Customers want to shop small this year so highlight your identity as a small business. Tell your story of how and why you got started. Remind your customers of ways you’ve gotten involved in local community efforts. Share what makes your products or services special and personal. Don’t be shy about talking about what makes you different from the big box stores. 

2) Craft a compelling Small Business Saturday offer or discount

It’s so important to have a great offer to help your business stand out from the crowd. Start thinking about your audience and what would appeal to them. What is your store known for? Has anything worked particularly well in the past?

Here are some examples of offers you might want to consider:

  • 15 percent discount on all new items
  • Free coffee and cookies for guests while they shop
  • Free gift with any purchase over $50
  • 20% off your next purchase when you spend $40 or more
  • Free gift wrapping

3) Send out an email series

Email marketing is a tool that helps you reach your customers and prospects, directly in their inbox. (Click here to learn who NuvoDesk recommends for help with email marketing.)

When people sign up to your mailing list, they’re interested in what your business has to offer and are interested in supporting your business. Let people know why shopping small is important for your community. You can include a special offer or exclusive content to promote Small Business Saturday.

Consider partnering with other local businesses in order to promote each other. Let your email readers know where they can shop local on Small Business Saturday. It’s recommended that you use a series of 3 emails to remind people to shop with you. This time of year is busy, so these emails are a great way to remind people and get them to take action to support your business:

Email 1:  Send an announcement email as soon as possible. Let them know that Small Business Saturday is coming up and why they should shop locally. Include the details about your offer.

Email 2: Send a reminder email a week before. Remind them of the deadline and your offer so they don’t forget.

Email 3:  A day or two before Small Business Saturday, send a last-chance email so they don’t forget to shop with you and use your offer.

4) Reach interested customers on social media

Social media is a tool that will help you expand your reach to even more potential customers. Start by sharing similar content used in your email series on social media. Use the content and offer you’ve added to your email campaign to promote the idea of shopping small.

Create a series of three social posts, just like you did with your email series; an announcement, reminder, and last-chance reminder to keep the buzz going. (We partner with these guys to make sure our social media makes an impact.)

5) Prepare your physical store (if you have one)

Now that the word’s out, make sure you’re stocked and staffed for success. Think about your staff and what their strengths are, then assign tasks to each member to cut out any confusion when your store is filled with eager shoppers.

You could also print out an email sign-up sheet ahead of time and encourage shoppers to share their email addresses to stay in touch throughout the rest of the holiday season and into the new year. Don’t forget to snap a few photos to capture the excitement in your store. Share them on social media.

6) Keep the momentum going

As exhausting as the day might be, don’t overlook the importance of follow-up in the week after Small Business Saturday. A small thank you can go a long way, and it will only take a few minutes to create. Depending on how many photos you took, you could share an album on Facebook, or simply pick the best one to share with your fans via SMS.

You can keep your text simple — try something like, “Thanks to everyone who stopped by to #ShopSmall this Saturday. We appreciate your support and hope to have you back again soon!”

Next, add your new email subscribers to your list and send out a quick email.

In any follow-up message you send, your goal should be to remind your customers of their great experience with you and entice them to visit again soon. Include an image to make the thank you more personal and include an offer to bring people back into your store before the end of the year.

 

Encourage Your Customers To Shop Small This Year

Even if you don’t have a brick-and-mortar store, you can take some of these ideas to use for your service or products. Partnerships can go a long way. Referrals are extremely important, so start telling your friends and neighbors to #ShopSmall.

 

NuvoDesk supports small businesses just like yours!

advertising graphic
Business, Business Resources, Entrepreneur, Marketing, Small Business

6 Major Digital Advertising Benefits for Small Businesses

6 Major Digital Advertising Benefits for Small Businesses

In this Article –

 

Reach your target market

Flexible cross-promotion

Mobile engagement

Get faster results

Easy to track metrics

Stay top-of-mind

 

Digital advertising is a new weapon in the struggle of small businesses for survival. If you’re not promoting your goods and services online, you might be missing a huge audience that could benefit from your business.

Ways of promoting are diverse and give different results, depending on the type of activity you go with. The growth or decline in your sales directly depends on the types of advertising you use on the Internet. There are many platforms to choose from, but sometimes it’s a trial-and-error sort of thing to see what works best for you. And you don’t have to spend a ton of money to try different advertising techniques. Moreover, small businesses earn an average of $3 in revenue for every $1.60 they spend on Google AdWords.

Let’s take a look at why you should be advertising digitally:

advertising graphic

Digital Advertising is Targeted

You can create ads that are seen by qualified prospects and target audience members. Because you can be specific about who sees your ad, you’ll know you’ll be piquing their interest and can probably convert them.

Traditional advertising is hit-or-miss, but digital platforms are changing the game. SEO and PPC can put your brand name and your content marketing in front of customers at every stage of the buying cycle. Social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn offer flexible ad options that allow you to segment by geographic location, demographics, interests, and more.

Digital Advertising Provides Flexibility Across Channels

The keyword for success in digital advertising is “multi-channel.” With digital advertising, a piece of content can be shared across a variety of platforms, which means that you are no longer confined to one page, 30 seconds, or whatever format your traditional ad was designed for.

Videos are a great way to promote in a way that your buyers want to listen. And they’re sharable which means you can reach more potential customers on various platforms. According to Forbes, videos are shared 1,200% more than text and links combined.

Digital Advertising Invites Mobile Engagement

Digital and mobile marketing go hand-in-hand. Digital advertising allows you to reach your audience on the go, wherever they are, whenever they are online. It’s an especially great place to reach Gen Z and Millennial customers. According to a study conducted by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), mobile phones are the place Gen Z and Millennials are most likely to see relevant ads. Nearly half of all typical smartphone users have taken action based on seeing relevant ads on their mobile phones.

Digital Advertising is Faster to Market

Market conditions and trends change quickly, and that requires agile marketing. Digital campaigns can be executed much more quickly than traditional advertising, and they can be modified on the fly if needed. 

Digital Advertising is Easily Measurable

Digital campaigns metrics are built-in. You know exactly who clicked on your content, opened it, referred it, shared it, etc. You also can trace the source of your traffic from entry to the shopping cart and eventual purchase. This will help you determine which platforms and strategies yield the best results, and which deserve more investment.

man analyzing digital marketing efforts

Digital Advertising Maintains Top-of-Mind Awareness

A study by Baymard Institute revealed that the average online shopping cart abandonment rate is 68.53%. And that’s where digital advertising has a major advantage. Through remarketing and retargeting, you can stay in front of the customer to suggest one more time that they liked your product, so go ahead and purchase it. Abandoned shopping carts can be recoverable by retailers who use marketing automation software to offer a sweet deal, like a discount or free shipping. Digital advertising can keep that sale from slipping away.

Digital Advertising is the New Norm

When you consider the myriad of benefits digital advertising provides compared with traditional advertising, it’s easy to see why big brands continue to utilize all forms of digital advertising platforms as an integral part of their strategies. But it isn’t just for big brands, it’s for your small business, too.

job description typewriter
Business, Business Resources, Business Tools, Entrepreneur, Small Business, Tips

How to Write a Professional Job Description

How to Write a Professional Job Description

In this Article –

 

Job description definition

How to write a job description

Job description essentials

 

Your business is growing and you need extra hands. How do you write a job description that will get a qualified person in the position you’re seeking to hire?

Here are some things to consider when writing up a job description.

job description typewriter

What Is a Job Description?

A job description is a medium by which hiring managers communicate their needs to both external and internal candidates. 

For the employer, the job description lays out essential information about the role, the candidate’s experience, skills, and readiness.

For the employee, the job description describes the responsibilities, tasks, and related duties of a position. It will often include additional information such as education, qualifications, and skills required for the role. You can also expect important details like working conditions, compensation offering, physical demands, and tools or equipment required.

 

How to Write a Job Description

It can be as short or as long as you like. As descriptive or vague as you want. It can also have hidden instructions to gauge people’s attention to detail. Most importantly, it should be clear and concise. You can use it briefly when posting a job offering and give the candidate more details during an interview.

Ideas to Get You Started

1. Jot Down the Position’s Responsibilities and Duties

Some critical questions to ask yourself as you write this are:

  • What does their day-to-day look like?
  • What tasks do you expect they own and complete in a timely manner?
  • Who else do they interact with day-to-day and how are they accountable to those people?
  • If they were to provide reports or updates to someone what metrics are included?

Be as specific as possible here to make their day-to-day and your performance evaluations easier.

2. List Experience and Skills Required

Now that you’ve specified responsibilities and daily activities it is time to create your wishlist of skills, experience, and education. Who is your ideal candidate? 

Take another stab at your wishlist and order it from most important to least important. Finally, add in what’s required and what’s optional.

3. Include Desired Soft Skills and Personality Traits

Describe their education and experience that fit your culture. Do they have the soft skills to pull off their job function? Here are a few questions to consider when dreaming up the right candidate:

  • Do you need a self-starter or someone who can simply follow directions?
  • Will they work independently or as part of a team?
  • How flexible is the role? Do they follow checklists or is a lot of it creativity?

Describe the current team’s personality or the company’s culture. Jot down what you want and what you don’t want.

4. Determine Compensation

How much would you have to pay that ideal person and how likely it is to find that person? Decide if it’s an entry-level position or a higher tier that requires more experience and a higher starting salary.

A fair salary is a must, but how else can you entice a candidate to apply?

Consider adding monetary and non-monetary benefits besides salary. Sometimes people will take a lower-paying role if the health, dental, and retirement benefits are excellent. Or if they know there’s a lot of opportunity for growth at the company.

Determine ahead of time if there’s a salary cap or a merit increase schedule and what you’re comfortable paying year over year.

5. Write the Job Description

You now have everything you need to write your job description.

Start by writing the job title and a brief introduction to the company. Explain what the company does, how many employees you have, and your overall mission.

Next, add position details, including job requirements and day-to-day responsibilities. Ensure that they understand both the opportunities and the challenges of the role. The more transparent the better so nobody wastes their time.

Add in miscellaneous details like work hours, location, compensation, and start details.

Finally, list out the attributes that the ideal candidate would possess, ranging from education to prior work experience and soft skills. Ensure that they know what’s required and what’s optional.

 

Job Description Essentials

We’ll leave you with some best practices for writing an effective job description:

  • Transparency is key – Glassdoor and job review sites are widely used so it’s better to disclose any and all rough aspects of the job or the company upfront.
  • Limit industry jargon – It will only discourage candidates from applying.
  • Help them do research – Link your website, social media pages, and relevant press releases so they can easily do more research on your company and its values.
  • Talk about your customers – Give them industry insights so they have a better understanding of what they’re signing up for.

The last and best piece of advice on writing job descriptions is don’t start from scratch. There are countless jobs out there just like the one you’re posting. Use them as inspiration and adapt them to your needs.

coworking space
Coworking Space, Small Business, Startup

Top 6 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Coworking Space

Top 6 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Coworking Space

 

Key Points

 

Location

Budget

Work Environment 

Community

Duration

Amenities

 

With 2022 around the corner and coworking spaces projected to exceed 23,000 worldwide, how do you choose the best coworking space that fits your needs? 

Before making your selection, you should consider these top 6 tips when selecting a coworking space: 

 

1 Location

Location is the most important element when choosing your perfect office space. You’ll want your new office that is within a reasonable commuting distance from your home. Consider local conveniences such as restaurants, availability of parking, shops, and public transit that make it easy to access and entertain clients. 

Nuvodesk location

2 Budget 

Make sure the space you choose offers an affordable and long-term solution for you and your team. If you are going to outgrow the space within a few months, you may want to use a swing space. Determining what your budget is in advance will help you filter out spaces that are much too expensive from an early stage, saving you time and money. 

3 Work Environment 

Determine if you need a dedicated office or if you can work from a hot desk with the use of meeting rooms. See if you can visit the space to work for a day or two to make sure that wherever you choose to work, you can fulfill your foundational business needs. 

nuvodesk floorplan

4 Community 

Once you have determined if a space meets your needs and budget, you can look into some of the more fun aspects to the space. Each coworking space fosters and attracts different members from local neighborhoods. Besides the “business” reasons for joining a community, you want to be encouraged to come to work every day, network, and make new friends. 

5 Short-Term or Long-Term

Planning for the future is a fundamental business strategy. How long do you plan on staying at your chosen coworking space? Are you planning on expanding nationally or globally? Does the coworking space you choose offer access to a network of locations? These are important elements that you should have the answer to prior to picking a space. 

6 Amenities 

Choosing a coworking space that boasts unique amenities is always a plus. Aside from the typical free coffee, wifi, and printing, finding a space that can offer above and beyond will make your work life much better. 

golf simulator
Selecting a Coworking Space

If you are looking for a coworking space, consider NuvoDesk. We are conveniently located off Highway 360 in Arlington, have various workspace options, and amazing amenities. You’ll love the community we have and will make new connections.

 

Try us out for a day for free!

 

By Leslie Radford
we are open sign
Business, Business Resources, Entrepreneur, Small Business

Sole Proprietorship vs. LLC: How to Choose

Sole Proprietorship vs. LLC: How to Choose

Key Points

 

Define Sole Proprietorship

Define LLC

Pros/Cons of Both Entities

Making a Decision

 

So, you’ve started a small business. You know what you’re going to do and how to do it. But have you determined your business entity structure? Not sure what to register? 

New business owners are often confused about the difference between a limited liability company (LLC) and a sole proprietorship. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Let’s explore the differences.

What is a Sole Proprietorship?

A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business with one owner, and it’s the simplest and least expensive type of business to form. 

As a sole proprietorship, the owner’s name is the business’s name, though sole proprietorships can also operate under a brand name or trade name. The main characteristic of a sole proprietorship is that there’s no legal separation between the business and business owner, so the owner is personally responsible for the business’s debts.

Here are some key takeaways to think about when considering a sole proprietorship:

  • No required paperwork apart from industry-specific licenses 
  • No annual state filings
  • Simplified tax filing
  • No liability protection
  • Difficult to obtain financing in the business name
  • Harder to build business credit

What is an LLC?

An LLC (limited liability company) is a legally separate business entity that’s created under state law. It combines elements of a sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation, and offers a lot of flexibility for owners. This structure is popular with many business owners due to the ease of setting it up, its cost-effectiveness, it’s also easier to maintain than other business structures such as S corps or C corps, and it can provide asset protection. One person can form a single-member LLC, or multiple people can form a multi-member LLC.

Here are some key takeaways to consider when forming an LLC:

  • More market credibility
  • Liability protection in the case of certain lawsuits and commercial debts
  • More financing options
  • Some paperwork
  • Annual state filings
  • Tax advantages and disadvantages

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Sole Proprietorship

Benefits:

  • No required state paperwork, unless there’s specific licensing such as an occupational license and/or business license. 
  • No required annual state filings to complete, unless there are specific industry filings required by your industry.
  • All profits/losses are passed through to the owner’s personal tax return. These are typically reported on a Schedule C tax form that is filed with the owner’s personal tax return. 
  • May enjoy the tax benefits of being self-employed, from deducting certain business expenses to utilizing self-employed retirement plans.

Drawbacks:

  • There’s no liability protection against commercial debts, lawsuits, and other obligations. This means you can be sued personally for commercial activities, putting your personal assets at risk.
  • Many investors choose not to invest in a Sole Proprietorship, making it difficult to secure financing.
  • Many financial institutions will refuse to establish business credit and will categorize loan requests as a “personal loan” rather than a “business loan.” 
  • You will have a lower amount of market credibility by not operating under a trade name. You can create a “Doing Business As” name (DBA) with your state’s department of revenue or the secretary of state, but this will require fees for the establishment and ongoing fees to continue to use the DBA name.

sole proprietor takeaways

 

Advantages and Disadvantages of an LLC

Benefits:

  • When you form an LLC, you are creating a business entity separate from yourself; you are not your LLC and your LLC is not you. 
  • You will have a higher level of market credibility.
  • Liability protection against commercial debts, lawsuits, and other obligations as long as you set up and maintain your LLC properly, do not commingle personal and commercial assets, and avoid personal guarantees.
  • It’s much easier to obtain equity and debt financing if you have a separate business entity as well as an established business credit score. 
  • You can combine the “best” of the incorporation worlds, by electing your single-member LLC to be taxed as a Sole Proprietor (which is the standard election), an S-Corporation, or a C-Corporation. Electing tax treatment as a sole proprietor just means all profits/losses flow to the owner’s personal tax return. Electing to be taxed as an S-Corporation means the profits/losses flow to the owner’s individual return, but you have the chance to reduce FICA taxes by establishing a “reasonable salary” and receiving the remaining profit amounts as dividends, with only the “reasonable salary” being subject to FICA (Social Security and  Medicare) withholding.
  • You can enjoy the tax benefits of being self-employed. 

Drawbacks:

  • State-related paperwork will be required, including any specific industry licensing.
  • Annual state filings (and the associated fees) will be required as well, including any specific industry licensing fees that are required. 
  • Besides paying personal federal, state, local, and the self-employed version of FICA taxes, you might also be required to pay State Business Taxes and Unemployment Taxes.
  • Costs for completing the tax return of an LLC may be higher than that of a sole proprietorship.

llc takeaways

LLC vs. Sole Proprietorship: Which Should You Choose?

Many business owners, particularly freelancers or consultants, start as sole proprietors because it’s easy and it’s attractive for new entrepreneurs, particularly those testing a business idea. 

The best business structure for you will depend on many factors, and it’s best to consult a business lawyer and tax advisors before making this important decision. Make sure you take the right steps to establish your business.

 

By Leslie Radford
checklist
Business Tools, Small Business, Tips

End of the Year Checklist for Small Businesses

End of the Year Checklist for Small Businesses

By Leslie Radford

Key Takeaways

Things you need to do at the end of the year

Updates

Backups

Audits

Plan

It’s December and you are in holiday mode, but don’t forget all the important things you need to do at the end of the year for your business. Finish out the year strong and in order with this checklist.

  1. Run year-end financials: These reports give you the opportunity to look at the big picture. You need to know where your money is being spent and how you can manage it better next year. What are your best income sources? Who still owes you money? Do you owe money to others? Make a list of assets. Know how much cash you have on hand. Have a copy ready for tax time.
  2. Update employee and payroll information: Make sure phone numbers, addresses, and payroll information are up to date. This will also make preparing W-2s and 1099s easy at tax time.
  3. Update vendor and client files: Make sure your vendor list is up-to-date and know exactly which vendors you will be using next year. Will you have repeat clients in the future or have some of them moved on?
  4. Audit inventory: If your business sells a physical product, you need to know how much of what is in stock, what needs to be ordered or manufactured. This information is also needed on this year’s taxes. Get rid of old inventory and make room for the new.
  5. Review insurance policies, contracts, business plans, and other important documents: Does your current insurance policy still apply? Are your contracts up-to-date and will they apply for the following year? Do you need to update company policies? Do you need to make changes to your business plan due to growth?
  6. Back up computers and cell phones: This task is time-consuming but necessary. Back up data like employee records, point-of-sale systems, and all of your accounting information. Many small business owners do a ton of work from their cell phones. Don’t get in a bind when your phone crashes and you haven’t backed up your contacts.
  7. Audit your website: Make sure all links are working correctly, there’s no old information or products still listed, and see if there are ways to make improvements in SEO and sales. Update images, headlines, content, and other relevant information.
  8. Make a plan of action for the new year: This one is important and probably the most overlooked. Using all the data collected from steps 1-7, how was your year? Did you meet all your goals? What goals will you set for the following year? Break up the next year to set small objectives to help you reach the larger goals. Make a list of accomplishments to see how you’ve grown. New Year’s resolutions aren’t just for your personal life; they also make for a successful business as well. Fill out a calendar for next year with known dates for certain activities, deadlines, and bills. Incorporate these ideas into your business plan.

Go forth and conquer 2020!

office
Coworking Space, Small Business, Startups, Tips

How to Successfully Transition to a Coworking Space from a Home Office

How to Successfully Transition to a Coworking Space from a Home Office

By Leslie Radford

Key Takeaways

Get to Know Co-Workers

Set a Routine

Set Up Your Desk

Take Time for Yourself

Transitions can be awkward – new places, new faces, and new ways of doing things. These tips will help you make the transition from a former work environment effortlessly:

  • Make the effort to introduce yourself to your fellow co-workers. Get to know who you are working with. They can offer support during your change.
  • Set a routine as soon as possible. You’ll have more flexibility in a co-working space, so it’s important that you are conscientious of your time. Learn how the office ticks and you’ll be able to set your routine more easily. 
  • Make your desk feel like home. Experiment with different areas of the shared working space and see what works best for you. Organize your workspace in a way that makes you comfortable and able to work efficiently. If you have a private office, decorate it with things you love.
  • Get to know the office manager. Having a good relationship with them will make it easier to get help from them if something goes awry around the office or if you need to borrow things you may have  forgotten at home.
  • Learn how to deal with distractions. There’s a lot going on in a coworking space. Headphones or ear plugs may help. Also be aware of the amount of noise you are making as to not distract others.
  • Eat away from your desk and take breaks out of the office. In many co-working spaces, everything is under one roof, so it can feel like there’s no need to get out. It’ll do you good to occasionally step out, get some fresh air, or try that restaurant around the corner.

NuvoDesk provides a great shared office and coworking environment for people ready to move out of their home offices. We are here to help you transition into your new space.

scheduler
Small Business, Tips

Five Office Solutions for a Hectic Schedule

Five Office Solutions for a Hectic Schedule

By Leslie Radford

Key Takeaways

Make a Schedule

Work in Blocks

Manage Tasks

Set Boundaries

You get to the office with every intention of slaying the day. You make your to-do list, and get to work on the first few items.

But a couple hours in, the interruptions start coming and the next thing you know it’s almost quitting time and you somehow have more things on your to-do list than when you started.

Consider these tips to calming your hectic day:

 

Schedule Your Week in Advance

Plan your week before it gets here. Know what appointments you have and when. Review your week the day before it starts so you know what needs to get done and there are fewer surprises.

 

scheduler

Break Your Work Day into Smaller Blocks

By breaking up your workday into smaller blocks that allow you to be a parent, a solo-preneur, and have self-care time, you have flexibility to work your schedule that fits your lifestyle, and get it all done.

 

Task Management

Task management software can make tracking progress on essential tasks easier. There are so many to choose from. Do your research and pick one that works for you. Or the old-school to-do list can be prioritized in to manageable tasks. Only place a few important things to accomplish for the day. Once you complete those, you can add new ones. Don’t overwhelm yourself.

 

The Pomodoro Method

The Pomodoro Method helps you commit to one task for a manageable amount of time, about 25 minutes. Studies have shown that most people can only focus on one task with a high level of performance for an average of 45-50 minutes. By multi-tasking, we are actually taking longer to complete a task and the quality of work is poorer. Get a cute kitchen timer or whip out the timer on your phone.

Set Clear Boundaries

All those interruptions you receive may be because you allow them to happen. It’s okay to say “no” every once in a while. People will understand that you have certain blocks of time that you need to work and certain blocks of time that you can attend to them.

job opportunity
Small Business, Tips

How to Recognize Legit Work-from-Home Offers

How to Recognize Legit Work-from-Home Offers

By Leslie Radford

Key Takeaways

Online Jobs

Get the Details

Do Your Research

Identifying Scams


These are crazy times we are living in, especially right now with the outbreak of the coronavirus. Many have lost their jobs and looking for work from home during the quarantine. For some, this may be the perfect opportunity to pursue that dream job and breaking away from the typical grind. While there are many legitimate work-from-home- jobs out there, how can you tell them apart from the scams? 

Today, slightly more than 50% of the global workforce spends at least half the week working remotely, according to a 2018 IWG report. Technology makes that possible. 

Here’s how you can spot the red flags:

Red Flag Warning

Online Jobs

Never take an online job if you haven’t at least interviewed by phone or video conference; and if possible, do your interviews in person. Get the names of your interviewers so you can research the people you’ll be talking with to ensure they’re real. If they only use chat, text, or email, it’s probably a scam.

Get the Details

If you’re invited to an interview via in-person or video conference, ask the right kind of questions. Get the exact details of the position and their expectations of you. How does the company make its money? If the answers don’t make sense or don’t sit well with you, think again before advancing. A tactful way to phrase the money questions might be, “What are the company’s top revenue streams?” That way, you’re getting your answer while showing interest in the company. Find out where their headquarters is located to help you research better.

Ask “What type of training will I receive?” If it prompts a discussion about you, the candidate, paying for your own training, it’s most certainly a scam. Any job requiring a fee of any kind to be hired or to purchase supplies, even to pay for a uniform upfront or a background check, is definitely a red flag. 

Legitimate work from home jobs have job descriptions that almost always include a detailed list of responsibilities and required experience to help you determine whether or not you’re qualified to apply. If the description makes it sound like getting the job will be quick and easy, it might be a scam.

Do Your Research

You’ll want to research the company before applying. You can simply check out a company’s website or social media presence, and even contact the Better Business Bureau.  Look at reviews and complaints made about the company. If they have none of these platforms, you may want to rethink your application. Be wary of only positive reviews, they could be fake.

It’s actually best to go to the actual company’s main website and look for the link to its employment or careers page. Some scams may mimic a real company (let’s say www.target.com) with URLs like www.target.jobs.com. When researching the company, you can also stick any URL or email address into Google in quotation marks and search. Articles warning against scams might pop up.

online scam

Identifying Scams

Identifying remote work scams can be tricky, especially since they often appear alongside legitimate opportunities on popular job-search websites. 

In the last four years, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 58,000 consumer complaints about bogus opportunities to work from home or launch a business. The median loss for victims is about $1,200, according to the Better Business Bureau’s BBB Scam Tracker.

As the old saying goes, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

Coworking Space, Small Business

Conference Rooms

Do you need a conference room for your next presentation?

Want to be part of a community of like-minded people?

Would you like to collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs while growing your business in a high-tech, luxury-rich atmosphere?

At NuvoDesk we offer eight conference rooms to fit your needs.

Our conference rooms accommodate groups from three to ten people.

Each conference room includes a flat-screen high definition television, so you can easily connect your laptop for presentations.

Video and phone conferencing are also available in each conference room.

There is a tablet on the outside of each room where members can book a room quickly and easily.

You can also email the receptionist to book a conference room or book it through our exclusive member portal.

Non-Members can call us at 817-123-4567 or email [email protected] to book a conference room.

The best part is that both members and non-members can easily book a conference room within a few minutes.

Pricing is as follows.

  • Conference room (3 person) for members is $20.00 per hour and $40.00 per hour for non-members.
  • Conference room (4 person) for members is $30.00 per hour and $50.00 per hour for non-members.
  • Conference room (7 person) for members is $60.00 per hour and $80.00 per hour for non-members.
  • Conference room (10 person) for members is $90.00 per hour and $110.00 per hour for non-members.
  • We welcome you to stop by our office for more information or you can contact us at this link https://nuvodesk.com/contact/

Join us at NuvoDesk for your next meeting.

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