Small Biz Ahead | Small Business | Starting a Business

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading The State Small Business Credit Initiative: Here's What You Need to Know at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading How to Cut Your Taxes By Giving More to Your Employees at .

Are you a small business owner who has struggled to qualify for traditional bank loans in the past? If so, then now might be the ideal time to consider reaching out to a CDFI (Community Development Financial Institute). In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with Dan Betancourt, the president and CEO of Community First Fund, discuss how CDFIs are stepping up to promote inclusion by offering financial assistance to business owners from historically marginalized groups and communities. Continue reading New Funding: The CDFI Offers Financial Assistance to Philly's Black and Brown Owned Businesses at .

Does your small business have a deeper purpose beyond generating profits? If not, you might be overlooking one of the most important aspects of your brand image. In this episode, Jon Aidukonis, along with Octavia Treadway and Ken Treadway from Love You Cookie, discuss the importance of building a brand with a purpose and how small business owners can make a difference in their communities. Podcast Key Highlights Strategies for Building a Brand with a Purpose If you're unsure of your small business's underlying purpose, start by identifying the core values of your brand and think of the different ways you can use your business resources to make a difference in your community. Continue reading Building a Brand With a Purpose at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading How to Use a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Application to Navigate Inflation at .

With more and more people leaving their jobs to join “the Great Resignation,” countless small business owners find themselves questioning whether they can do anything to prevent their employees from doing the same. Fortunately, the answer is a resounding “yes.” In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with Chelsey Paulson, Chief Strategy Officer of Keystone Group International, discuss how small business owners can utilize cultural strategies to not only retain their current employees, but also recruit new talent. Continue reading How to Retain Talent During the Great Resignation at .

While many small business owners had hoped that the worst was over after these challenging last two years, it turns out that there is still one more obstacle they will need to face before the end of this pandemic: inflation. So, what can you do to prevent any further financial loss in the midst of increasing prices? In this episode, Gene Marks and Rohit Arora, CEO and co-founder of Biz2Credit, advise small business owners on how to offset the damage of rising interest rates and inflation. Continue reading How to Prevent Financial Loss From Inflation at .

After two years of being forced to work remotely due to the pandemic, a lot of small business owners are experiencing significant resistance as they try to get their employees back into the office. Should we take this as a sign that it's time to forgo traditional business practices in favor of the new work from home model? If your answer is “yes,” there are a few issues you'll need to address before making this permanent shift at your business. Continue reading Is Remote Work Right for Your Business? at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Should Your Small Business Offer Dependent Care Benefits? at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Should You Join a Peer Executive Group? at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Remote Work: Should Your Small Business Offer it? at .

If you recently launched a small business, succession planning will probably be the farthest thing from your mind. After all, who wants to think about selling their business when they're just getting it off the ground? However, the process of transferring ownership is a lot more complicated and time-consuming than most business owners anticipate and by not addressing all these details in advance, they run the risk of jeopardizing their retirement plans. In today's episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with Marc Cadin, CEO of Finseca, discuss several important factors that business owners need to consider during the succession planning process, if they want to ensure the integrity of both their professional and financial legacy. Continue reading Succession Planning: Why It's Important to Consider it Early at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Mental Health Benefits: Why They're More Important Than Ever at .

In today's modern work culture, it's safe to say that supporting the physical and emotional health of your employees has become a fairly standard practice. After all, the healthier your workforce, the better their performance. However, when it comes to the general welfare of their staff, there is still one important component that business owners continue to overlook: their financial wellness. So, what can you as a business owner do to help your employees feel more secure about their finances? Continue reading How to Support Your Employees' Financial Goals and Wellness at .

From keyword stuffing to paying for ads, there's a lot of misguided information regarding how to leverage search engine optimization (SEO) for your business website and if you're not careful, following the wrong advice can result in a loss of potential customers. So, how do you ensure that your business page comes up as one of the top results during a Google search? In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with Sara Noel, Founder of Between the Lines Copywriting, discuss which SEO strategies will help you generate the most clients for your small business. Continue reading Common SEO Mistakes Your Business Should Avoid at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Tips to Help You Navigate Tax Season at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Facebook: Why It's Still Important for Small Businesses at .

Have you spoken with your CPA about the pass-through tax deduction? If not, then you might be missing out on the opportunity to write off a significant portion of your business income. In this episode, Gene Marks and special guest, Hal Rosen of Haynie & Company, discuss how small business owners who run sole proprietorships or S-corps can benefit from this substantial tax break. Podcast Key Highlights The Advantages of Hiring a Licensed CPA to Prepare YourTaxes CPAs are more familiar with business-related tax laws andpolicies. Continue reading The Pass Through Deduction: Can It Help Your Business? at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Worker Classification Rules: What You Need to Know at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading How to Navigate the Rising Cost of Oil at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading 5 Up and Coming Benefits That Can Help You Retain Employees at .

When approaching a bank for a traditional loan, it can be easy for business owners to get overwhelmed by their desire to impress a potential lender. But, while it is important to present a strong case for your small business, applying for a traditional bank loan is less about simply borrowing money and more about cultivating a relationship, especially since most banks genuinely want your business to succeed in the long run. In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with John Gambardella, Managing Director and Region Director for JPMorgan Chase's Commercial Bank in Connecticut, and Joel Nowakowski, Business Banking Manager for Chase's Connecticut region, discuss how small business owners can work more closely with their banks to not only raise capital, but also optimize their financial practices. Continue reading How to Work Closely With Your Bank to Optimize Your Finances at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading How Much Cash Does Your Business Need On Hand? at .

During times of economic uncertainty, adhering to the old “cash is king” mentality might seem like the safest choice for a small business owner. However, as we've observed throughout the course of this pandemic, the businesses that have fared best were usually the ones that were flexible enough to offer a wide variety of payment options. In today's episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with Nitin Prabhu, Vice President of Merchant Platforms, Developer Ecosystem and In-person Commerce at PayPal, discuss how small businesses can benefit from partnering with a mobile payment company. Continue reading Is Offering Flexible Payment Options the New Norm? at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Four Day Work Weeks: Why They May Become the New Norm at .

From a business owner's perspective, the decision to invest in cryptocurrency and its supporting technology can seem like a risky venture, especially when you consider the cryptomarket's volatility. But while this new financial system still has a long way to go in terms of security and efficiency, the latest trends suggest that consumer usage of Bitcoin and other digital currencies isn't going to wane anytime soon. In today's episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks along with Beth Kindig, Lead Tech Analyst at IO Fund, discuss how recent developments in cryptocurrency technology and digital assets will impact the small business world. Continue reading Cryptocurrency Updates That Could Impact Your Business at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Mobile Apps That Can Impact Your Operation at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Tax Season: Why Filing Yours Early May Be a Smart Move This Year at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading 7 Ways You Can Protect Your Business Against Rising Costs at .

Every small business owner has goals that they would like to achieve for themselves. However, in order to do so, they first need to make sure that all their finances are in order. Having an organized and clear understanding of your finances will not only help you build a plan for the future, but it will also give you the credibility you need when you approach banks or lenders for additional capital. So what can you do to get a better handle on your business's finances? Continue reading Getting Your Finances In Order to Achieve Success at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading How Accounting Systems Help Your Business Thrive at .

For a lot of small business owners who are just starting out, turning to friends and family for some initial financial assistance might seem like a safer option than applying for a traditional loan. However, raising capital through the help of loved ones is not without its own set of risks and consequences. In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with Leonardo Shapiro, discuss how small business owners can approach friends and family for financial investments without putting a strain on those personal relationships. Continue reading Financing Your Small Business: Should You Ask Your Friends and Family? at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading How Buy-Now-Pay-Later Options Can Prevent the Loss of Sales at .

Does it take your clients more than 30 days to pay an invoice? Then, perhaps it's time you looked into hiring a factoring company. Factoring companies can help small business owners maintain a steady cash flow by reducing the amount of time it takes to receive payment. In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with Kelly Nelson, VP of Business Development at TCI Capital, discuss how factoring companies can contribute to the growth of your small business. Continue reading Factoring Companies: See How They Can Help Your Business Grow at .

Throughout this pandemic, many business owners have found themselves turning to banks, online lenders, and even loved ones to raise some additional capital. However, did you know that you can also apply for financial assistance through the Small Business Administration (SBA)? In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with Julio Casiano, an SBA Deputy District Director, discuss how small business owners can take advantage of the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, as well as its other various resources. Continue reading SBA Loans: The Ins and Outs at .

While initially regarded with skepticism, online lending has become one of the leading finance options for small businesses that are unable to meet the rigid criteria for traditional bank loans. Still, before you enter any formal agreements with a potential lender, it's important to carefully examine whether your business is in a position to fully benefit from the terms of the actual loan. In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with Lendio CEO, Brock Blake, discuss several factors that small business owners need to keep in mind when navigating the online lending process. Continue reading Online Lending: See How It Can Help Your Business at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Real Estate: Should You Consider Buying? at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading How to Use Instagram as a Tool for Your Business at .

With companies all across the US struggling to fill vacant posts due to the current labor shortage, many small business owners have started offering same day pay as a way to attract new employees. However, while same day pay offers a definite competitive advantage in our current market, there are a few factors you need to consider before you adopt this new payment system, namely, your cash flow and your current payroll company. In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks provide small business owners with a detailed look at the same day pay model. Continue reading How Can Same Day Pay Help Your Small Business? at .

At a time when many businesses are desperately trying to bounce back from the financial setbacks of COVID-19, setting up a long term retirement program can seem like the least of your concerns. However, did you know that small businesses that offer 401k plans are eligible for a number of tax credits and financial reimbursements? In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks advise small business owners on how they can take advantage of all the provisions offered by Congress's SECURE (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) Act. Continue reading How Can Your Small Business Benefit from the SECURE Act? at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program at .

If there's one valuable lesson that we've learned from this pandemic, it's that a lot of the jobs that were once considered exclusively onsite positions can actually be accomplished remotely. But now as much of the world slowly prepares to resume its normal operations, many small business owners are left questioning whether they should continue to offer a work from home option as a part of their standard benefits package. In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks discuss how small business owners can implement an effective work from home policy. Continue reading Does Your Business Need a Work From Home Policy? at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: RSS Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. Continue reading How to Find Good Employees in This Employee Shortage at .

Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Our Sponsor This podcast is brought to you by The Hartford. When the unexpected strikes, The Hartford strikes back for over 1 million small business customers with property, liability, and workers compensation insurance. Continue reading Employee Ownership Options at .

Welcome to our weekly podcast segment with Gene Marks. Gene discusses healthcare options for your employees. Transcript The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are for informational purposes only, and solely those of the podcast participants, contributors, and guests, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of The Hartford or its affiliates. You're listening to the Small Biz Ahead podcast, brought to you by The Hartford. Continue reading Healthcare Benefits Options for Your Small Business Employees at .

Welcome to our weekly podcast segment with Gene Marks. Gene discusses how to navigate advertising on Google and gives helpful keyword tips. Hey everybody. This is Gene Marks and welcome to the Small Biz Ahead podcast. This week, let's talk about advertising on Google. Say you're a plumber somewhere, or you're running a pizza shop somewhere or just in some type of small business. You have to admit there's definitely a lot of upside to advertising on Google. Continue reading How to Utilize Google Advertising to Help Your Business Grow at .

Does your small business play an active role in your community? If not, you may be missing out on a valuable opportunity to connect with more clients. In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with INGroup Creative co-founder and owner Jeannette Dardenne, discuss how community engagement can help small business owners build a supportive network and increase their brand awareness. Executive Summary 0:46—Today's Topic: Why is Community Engagement Important for My Small Business? Continue reading Community Engagement: See How It Can Boost Your Business at .

They say that doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will, and for the millions of would-be entrepreneurs, no words could hold more truth. Too often, many aspiring small business owners get so preoccupied with avoiding failure that they never actually follow through with their plans. So, what can you do to avoid this trap? In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with INGroup Creative co-founder and owner Jeannette Dardenne, offer practical advice on how to move past these mental blocks so you can finally launch your small business. Continue reading See Why Overcoming a Fear of Failure Can Lead to Success at .

Welcome to our new weekly podcast segment with Gene Marks. In the first episode of this series, Gene talks about what business owners should do in case of a government shutdown. Hey everybody and welcome to The Hartford, Small Biz Ahead podcast. This is Gene Marks, and I'm here to talk about the topic of the week. And today's topic I wanted to talk to you about, is buying and selling overseas. Continue reading What You Need to Know about Buying and Selling Overseas at .

At first glance, digital marketing seems fairly simple: just post a few photos on social media and wait for the new customers to reach out. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Developing an effective digital marketing program for your small business requires time, research, and a clear understanding of your ideal target audience. In this episode, Jon Aidukonis and Gene Marks, along with INGroup Creative co-founder and owner Jeannette Dardenne, discuss how small business owners can launch a successful digital marketing campaign. Continue reading How to Develop an Effective Digital Marketing Campaign at .

Welcome to our new weekly podcast segment with Gene Marks. In the first episode of this series, Gene talks about what business owners should do in case of a government shutdown. Hey everybody. This is Gene Marks and welcome to The Hartford, Small Biz Ahead podcast this week. Guys I want to talk about email marketing. Email marketing was once declared dead and now it is really more popular than ever. And I wanted to share my thoughts with you based on some email marketing experts that I've recently been talking to about sort of the best practices for doing email. Continue reading How To Utilize Email Marketing For Your Small Business at .