Small Business Founders Face Many Challenges


Are you a small business founder? Whether you’re just starting out with your venture or have been at it for quite some time, remember that the road to starting and operating a business is full of challenges. Here are some of them, along with solutions to help you manage along the way.

Tips & Trends

Founding a company comes with many challenges. Though the work may change as your company grows, it never really goes away, says Lisa Pice, CEO of Carol’s Daughter, a beauty company she founded 18 years ago. Inc.com

Here are obstacles you’ll face this year. Whether you realize it or not, some experts say 2012 could be a good one for many entrepreneurs. The trick will be to overcome some of the obstacles that may remain in your path. Bloomberg Businessweek

Marketing Basics

Are you in love with marketing? Certainly any small business owner must have a good familiarity with the subject, but for this Australia-based blogger, entrepreneur, author and Web branding expert, marketing isn’t just a necessity. It’s a passion. BizSugar Blog

The relationship between marketing and SEO. Which comes first, good SEO or good marketing? Or are they so closely related in online marketing as to be inseparable? Here’s a look at these two closely related tools of the online entrepreneur. Capture Commerce

Marketing mistakes that should be set right. No matter what kind of business you operate, spreading the word about your products and services is obviously important. Here are some things you must consider. Small Business Trends

Management

Avoiding cash flow problems. Cash flow is critically important to your business and while managing this aspect of your company may be a bit less glamorous, it is critical to keeping your venture healthy for the long haul. Angel Business Advisors

Another key challenge: inventory. If you own or operate a business with a considerable amount of inventory, managing that inventory can be another daunting challenge. It can also have significant impact on your cash flow and profits. CFO Wise

Entrepreneurship

Five key questions you’ll want to answer. Before you even start your business, some important decisions must be made. Looking at some of the key questions you’ll face will help you clarify the challenges you face before your business even gets rolling. Youngentrepreneur

Protecting your personal brand. More than your company’s brand, your personal brand as an entrepreneur can help you make connections and open doors but, while social media has made the maintenance of this brand easier, it has also created problems. Personal Branding Blog

Great first impressions. Of course, one way to mitigate challenges your business can face from the start is to make a great first impression. A first impression will set the bar for all future interaction with customers, clients or partners and can be critical in avoiding trouble before it starts. Carol Roth

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  1. What percentage of current small business owners are founders? Or put another way, what percentage of small businesses last beyond their founders’ retirement? Has there ever been a study done about this?

    I’m curious about this in relation to this story because my hunch is that, unlike larger businesses that are better equipped to maintain institutional knowledge through generations of employees, small businesses are more likely to need to “learn everything anew,” meaning the learning curve as far as managing digital advertising will always be greater for small businesses than large ones.