Shelbi Wescott

Nonprofits have plenty to teach small business owners about managing money and people, communicating a mission, carving out a needed niche, writing a business plan, and using social media to tell their story. Learn more about North by Northeast Community Health Center, the only free health clinic in Oregon dedicated to African American/Black health, and see how following the pattern of a successful nonprofit can change your business ethics and efficacy.

Ashley Miller took COVID-related job loss and uncertainty and turned her misfortune into opportunity, starting Ruby’s Cleaning Service just months into the worldwide pandemic. Thanks to hard work and a solid niche in the real estate market, this cleaning business looks to have a bright future. Read on as we turn our small business spotlight on Ruby’s Cleaning Service, LLC.

Located in Portland, Oregon’s Sellwood neighborhood, the Pied Piper cafe opened in 2015. The business boasted a contained play area, served fresh food, and even had a patio and on-site parking. It was also the type of desired community gathering spot dreamed about by other frazzled parents juggling work and kids in the upscale district. Owner Melissa Swan recently closed her doors. Read more about her journey here.

HR, as a department within your business, is the branch of operations that is responsible for managing a company’s human resources (or human capital; or employees). Wondering whether a Human Resources Manager, a full Human Resources Department, or an outsourced service is the best fit for your business? We can help you decide.

Wilson applied for a Payroll Protection Program loan with the bank where she has her business account. She was quickly approved and saw the loan deposit less than two weeks after approval. Per the SBA’s instructions, she understood 75% of the loan needed to go into payroll and employee retention during the next two and a half months in order to be eligible for forgiveness. There is ample trepidation about following the government’s directions.

Online reviews about anything and everything is so prevalent in today’s culture that most of us fancy ourselves not only as connoisseurs of the best goods and services out there but as consummate experts on reviews themselves. Most importantly, we can all spot a fake review a mile away, right? Turns out, it’s not as simple as we might think, and in this post, we tell you what signs to look for to determine if a review is fake.

Different lenders have different policies, some businesses may face delays, and not every loan timeline will be identical. However, we’ve looked at lender policies, SBA guidelines, and comments and complaints from business owners to help determine the timeline for PPP loans, from the time you submit your application to loan disbursal.

After Black Friday comes Small Business Saturday, followed by Giving Tuesday. Learn what Giving Tuesday is, why your company should get involved, and some fun and thoughtful ways to pay it forward.

Is this American Express holiday worth the hype? We tell you why, and, give you 10 tips that won’t break the bank to maximize your small business success this season.

A pay stub is a form of communication between an employer and an employee, and it communicates with full transparency wages earned, taxes paid, and deductions removed. Employers should understand the information on a pay stub to help explain payroll taxes and possible deductions to their employees.