Increase your efficiency

July 1, 2021  |  Business, Shop Techniques

Seven steps every business can take, from organizing more to doing less.  by Laurie F. Junker No business owner wants to waste time and money, have frustrated employees, and risk customer relationships with mistakes and delays. But the truth is that all of these things happen when businesses operat…
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Strong business cultures require strong leaders

May 1, 2021  |  Business

By Clint Halladay Four years ago, the fabric of our organization, SewLong Custom Covers, was held together by cheap cotton thread. Our company was growing and doing well financially, but our culture was in crisis. Our leadership was fractured and distracted, employees were frustrated, some were leav…
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Scaling your business

March 1, 2021  |  Business

Here are the keys to achieving sustainable growth. By Charlene Clark, IFM The concept of scaling a business is not interchangeable with growing a business.  Consider this scenario: You are experiencing exponential growth, revenues are up, work is pouring in the door and you decide to hire more peop…
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Books that improved me and my business

January 1, 2021  |  Business, Shop Techniques

Self-education comes in many forms. By Chris Ritsema  Education is a valuable asset when it comes to success in life and business. Going to college is the standard road map many people use to get an education that helps them succeed, but I never really enjoyed the classroom. I wanted to get out…
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Cash flow management

September 1, 2020  |  Business

By Mark E. Battersby Cash flow is the lifeblood of every business. In fact, according to a recent U.S. Bank study, poor cash flow management causes 82 percent of U.S. business failures. Although seemingly counterintuitive, many experts advise putting cash flow management before profits. While profit…
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SBA releases new PPP loan forgiveness applications

July 2, 2020  |  Business, COVID-19, Industry News, News

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) posted a revised, borrower-friendly Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application implementing the PPP Flexibility Act of 2020, which was signed into law by President Trump on June 5, 2020. In addition to revising the full forgiveness app…
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Sales and marketing during a pandemic

July 1, 2020  |  Business

By Madeleine MacRae Determining the best way to sell and, even more so, how to effectively and appropriately market your products and services at a time of such widespread uncertainty and deep market disruption can be a daunting task. As a leader during this unprecedented time, you have a lot on you…
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Pricing and estimating

May 1, 2020  |  Business

The most important, yet ignored, step in the canvas trade. By Russ Griffin Log onto any canvas or upholstery forum and you’ll quickly see that pricing and estimating is the most asked question by people in the marine canvas trade. Yet, it is the most debated and unresolved question, leaving the in…
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