Business Success Center

Proven programs that grow great businesses for great people who care.

BSC_Logo Bold

Business Owners Hierarchy of Needs

By Leave a Comment

What motivates business owners? It depends on where they are in the owners' hierarchy of needs.

What motivates business owners? It depends on where they are in the owners’ hierarchy of needs.

You’ve probably heard of Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”. He identified how a person’s needs dominate motivation and behavior and that there is a specific order in which they should be met.

His theory suggested that the basic needs (physiological, safety, love and belonging) had to be met before the individual will desire and pursue higher levels of needs (esteem, self actualization, and self transcendence).

If a need is not met, the individual will feel tense and anxious. Although people may have several needs at any time, one will dominate their actions. [Read more…]

IRS Tax Calendar: Protection for Small Business

By Leave a Comment

Get the IRS Tax Calendar for the safety and protection if you're a small business owner or self-employed.

Get the IRS Tax Calendar for the safety and protection if you’re a small business owner or self-employed.

Protect your small business with this year’s IRS Tax Calendar. This is also known as “The Tax Calendar for Small Businesses and Self-Employed” (Pub. 1518, Catalog Number 12350Z). It’s a scary world out there!

It’s back in print. Hurrah! We’ve missed having them. We used to give these out each year to our clients because they are really valuable. They have also been known to cause nail-biting and hair-pulling. Unfortunately, all the Spanish language wall calendar print versions are gone and will not be re-printed. Maybe next year they will print more since Hispanic businesses are one of the fastest growing startup groups. [Read more…]

Small Business Definitions Vary Historically & By Government Agency

By Leave a Comment

Small but mighty — just like a small business.

Small but mighty — just like a small business.

The small business definition by the government isn’t simple. It has changed over the years. It changes by agency or federal program. Sometimes a small business is defined as a “mouse”. Really!

Your small business definition is probably very different. If you are one, you may be surprised at who else is included.

Small business wasn’t small until Eisenhower said so

Until the creation of the Small Business Administration (SBA) in 1953 by President Eisenhower with the signing of the Small Business Act, there was no difference. A business was a business and some were smaller than others. The beginning of a small business definition starts here.

How the SBA Office of Advocacy defines small business is a matter of history

In the 1970’s, during another economic downturn, those who looked at the economy saw that there was a group of businesses doing better than others and creating jobs. The federal SBA Office of Advocacy was born at that time to identify, track, report, and make recommendations to government agencies on how to keep this momentum going. [Read more…]

Getting Real About Who’s a Small Business

By Leave a Comment

I’ve said for years there’s a problem. The issue of the Bush tax cuts just points this out in spades.

I saw Keith Olbermann’s Countdown program, “Small in Name Only” on MSNBC on September 22, 2010, about the “kooky” (their word not mine) definition of small business. It isn’t weird, it’s just flexible as the Small Business Act intended it to be. Maybe it needs work. I certainly think so.

This is what the SBA (Small Business Administration) says on the FAQs page of their website. You can check me out on this.

“Size standards define the maximum size that a firm, including all of its affiliates, may be to participate in federal government programs that are reserved for small businesses. The Small Business Act states that in determining what constitutes a small business, the definition will vary from industry to industry to reflect industry differences accurately.” [Read more…]

State of Texas Small Business Survey

By Leave a Comment

No ivory tower wanted here. Instead let’s tell them like it is!

I have been asked to testify before the Texas Senate’s Economic Development Committee about our small business climate. I have my own observations from my clients but I would like input from other business owners and hope you will make sure I have the best information to give them about what we want and need.

I have put together a 10 question survey. Click here to take survey. This is your chance to be heard.

Thank you and please respond before Sept. 15. I will post what happens at the hearing so check back.

Special thanks to Jules Says and Julie Gomoll for helping me with the technology to do this. And I want to thank Will Newton, Executive Director of National Federation of Independent Business in Texas for asking me to do this and Senator Mike Jackson (District 11) for requesting this information for his committee.

Here’s to our success!

4 Concerns about the City of Austin’s March Small Business Summit

By 1 Comment

City of Austin Seal

City of Austin Seal

I would like to congratulate Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell and the  City Council for holding its first Small Business Summit in March.

Forty of us were invited by Council Members and the Austin Independent Business Alliance to come and give our thoughts on the major ways the City could address business owners concerns. I was invited to participate by Council Member Laura Morrison, who was the former President of the Austin Neighborhoods Association among her other achievements. [Read more…]

7 Small Business Recommendations to the President & Congress

By 6 Comments

2577.presidential_2D00_sealMr. President, as a small business owner for over 25 years it was very encouraging to hear you acknowledge some of our contributions to the economy.

According to the Small Business Administration  (SBA) Office of Advocacy, small businesses have been responsible for all the net new jobs since the 1970’s. We are the ones that hire and train most first time job seekers or retrain returning workers.

We are also credited with inventing: the airplane, audio tape recorder, fiber optic examining equipment, heart valve, optical scanner, Pacemaker®, personal computer, soft contact lenses and the one thing none of us can live without, the lowly zipper. SBA research indicates that small businesses produce 13 to 14 times more patents per employee than large firms. My own father was one of those inventors. [Read more…]

Podcast: State of Texas Business Today

By Leave a Comment

The Texas Tribune talks to small businesses.

The Texas Tribune talks to small businesses.

Podcast with Jan Triplett, one of the Texans giving their perspective on the State of the State

How are we doing? Since there is no legislature in session, the Governor will not give a state of the state address this January. So Ben Philpott of KUT radio (90.5FM) and the Texas Tribune asked some of us who are living through it to give our perceptions.

The interview, entitled “Their State of the State”,  is worth a listen. You’ll hear what I, the Comptroller’s representative R J Desilva, and others have to say about how well Texas business is doing. [Read more…]