The Small Business Companion Blog Space

Can Your Product or Service Fit in A Gift Box?

Can Your Product or Service Fit in A Gift Box? 

Gifts, Freebies or Samples – whatever you want to call them, it’s obvious that they will always bring in custom for businesses. We all love something for nothing and giving away samples/vouchers of your product, if applicable, is a great way to generate a positive buzz around what you do and who you are as a business.

How great would it be if you could make some money from samples? 

Here are just 3 ideas to give you some ideas.....

Read more ...

Do Ethic in Business Exist?

The most fundamental or essential ethical issues that businesses must face are integrity and trust.  When customers perceive that a company is exhibiting an unwavering commitment to ethical business practices, a high level of trust can develop between the business and the people it seeks to serve.

In my experience the majority of business owners care about doing the right thing.  It is unusual indeed to come across a rabid capitalist who cares little more than making a quick buck.

In business, our sense of morality in the marketplace comes from recognising that business only finds its real purpose, its meaning, through its interaction with others.  Business can’t exist without interacting with the community and I think that’s the real purpose of business ethics

Read more ...

Innovation..........

When I ask business owners and managers about innovation, many of them talk about the many ideas they have brewing but they have never pursued.  

They're too busy fighting front-burner issues to think about anything new. But if innovation is going to be a source of new products and revenues, these three words are perfect, from one of the world's most innovative companies: Just Do It.

Many companies enlist the wider public for innovation, whether through contests, or through customer input and co-creation. Yahoo! pioneered the hackathon (where a large group of people get together to create new ideas for software) in the US a decade ago and it has now become a staple way to do innovation, especially for technology companies.

Read more ...

What Does Work-Life Balance Mean To You?

I’ll just clear my inbox so I get a head start tomorrow morning.       
 
 ” Sound Familiar?

It’s one we’ve all struggled with on a Sunday afternoon, or increasingly, every other night of the week, when we should be relaxing.

Work-life balance is hard to define.  For some, work is life, but for others, the term means making time for family, friends or even just relaxing.

Do you find yourself thinking – Should I sleep in or exercise? Exercise or catch up on emails?  Take the kids to school or get to work on time?  Research home health aides for my parents or mentor a young co-worker during my lunch hour?  Go to a Business Networking event or to my daughter’s soccer game?  Stay until the end of the game or go to another Business Meeting? 

Read more ...