Idea of the Day®
July 27, 2025
Mortgage support is the newest employee benefit?
Some companies are now offering corporate mortgage support programs. For example, Wells Fargo’s corporate mortgage benefit program that employers can use for their staff offers financial education, online homebuying webinars, and a simplified mortgage application process for employees seeking a mortgage through Wells Fargo. There’s no cost to the employer to use the program. Mortgage-as-a-benefit can help with recruitment and employee retention. #IdeaoftheDay
Big Ideas for Your Business
Resources For Your Business
July 25, 2025
By John Jones
Construction is booming and this is likely to continue. Are you ready to get in on the action? Building structures across various industries requires a careful balance of engineering expertise, materials science, planning, and project management. Ensuring the highest quality is not just about using top-notch materials; it involves a well-thought-out strategy that incorporates a […]
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July 24, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
If you have employees, pay attention to the changes made by One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) with respect to staffing. Will these changes lead you to making changes in your business practices and policies? As you read what follows, pay attention to effective dates; some changes apply to 2025 while others begin in 2026. No […]
July 22, 2025
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) aims to spur business investments in the economy by allowing for greater tax breaks for acquisitions and certain building projects. You may even be able to claim the breaks for things you did earlier in 2025, before the new law was passed. But not all the news from the […]
July 21, 2025
Equipment downtime is a fact of life in business, regardless of industry. Not even the brightest engineers could invent a machine that could operate nonstop without compromising quality, efficiency, and safety. Although you can’t skirt this reality, you can minimize your losses by reducing surprise interruptions to your operations. While unplanned downtime can be difficult […]
July 17, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
The U.S. Supreme Court is the final arbiter of the law. While Congress and the President can take actions, it’s up to the Court to decide whether they are constitutional. A previous blog covered cases of interest to small businesses that were decided earlier in the Court’s 2024-2025 term. Here are some from later in the […]
July 15, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
This is another installment of the coverage of tax changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill affecting small businesses. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (OBBBA) was passed by Congress on July 3, 2025, and signed by the President on July 4th. Some changes apply for 2025, while others go into effect in […]
July 11, 2025
By James Thompson
Promotional products such as pens, t-shirts, tote bags, calendars, and water bottles embossed with your logo are a very effective marketing strategy, with a reported 83% of consumers using branded products they receive, and 58% saying they had a positive change in their perception of a brand. Choosing the right promotional product distributor for your promotional […]
July 10, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
It’s not a religious holiday and it has no historical significance. Christmas in July is a marketing strategy that can boost sales during a summer slump and prepare you for a robust holiday season in the fourth quarter of the year. Christmas in July began to be used in department stores in the 1950s, and […]
July 9, 2025
The NFIB Jobs Report for June 2025 showed that 36% of all small business owners reported job openings they could not fill. If you’re seeking to add to your staff, recruitment, is important but does not begin with a job post. It definitely does not end with an offer letter! It is a multi-stage procedure […]
July 8, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (OBBBA)…all 887 pages…was passed by Congress on July 3, 2025, and signed by the President on July 4th. While not officially titled as OBBBA—technically it’s “An Act to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14” and it is the text of H.R. […]
July 3, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Shakespeare in Henry VI said “Let’s kill all the lawyers,” and I bet many people still agree. But you can’t escape the impact that lawyers and courts have on our businesses and our lives. The U.S. Supreme Court is, as the name implies, supreme…the final word on the legality of a matter. The Court meets […]
July 1, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Can you believe that half of 2025 is over? The first half of the year has been one of uncertainty for small businesses. Tariffs, inflation, and potential tax changes have created a period of insecurity for many, with lack of clarity about what to do and how to plan ahead. The NFIB Small Business Economic […]
June 26, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Cash flow is like the waves of the ocean…money going in and out of a business. In today’s economy, with continued high inflation and tariff uncertainty, maintaining adequate cash to pay your bills can be extremely challenging. According to a survey earlier this year by OnDeck, a small business lender, insufficient cash flow is the […]
June 24, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
The thing about insurance is that it’s expensive and you may never have to use it. But if you don’t have it, you can face financial ruin should unfortunate events unfold. Don’t put yourself into a risky situation by not having the right coverage, and/or enough of it. Here are 5 traps that small businesses […]
June 20, 2025
Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice of harmonizing individuals with the environment to optimize the flow of chi — the vital force that sustains everything. Although this concept originates in East Asia, its principles resonate with universal ideas governing space design and psychology. Many business leaders from the world’s largest companies have adopted it […]
June 19, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Social media today is an essential part of marketing your business…something you must do to grow and succeed. There’s a perception that social media is a free marketing tool. While you don’t have to pay to be on Instagram, Facebook, X, and other sites, your social media activities cost you time and, to optimize results, […]
June 18, 2025
In an increasingly digital world, physical marketing still holds unique power. Chief among them are business cards. Business cards remain one of the most effective marketing tools for creating meaningful, real-world connections and first impressions. More than a way to share contact information, they serve as tangible expressions of brand identity and professionalism, especially when […]
June 17, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
The IRS released its Data Book for fiscal year 2024. It’s the 30th anniversary of these annual data books, and it tells us a lot about tax filings, audits, and more. For example, in FY 2024, the IRS collected approximately $5.1 trillion in gross revenues, generating about 96% of the funding that supports the federal […]
June 12, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Father’s Day, the third Sunday in June, is a time to honor dads. While Mother’s Day became an official national holiday in 1914, Father’s Day wasn’t recognized until 1966 and didn’t become a permanent national holiday until 1972. Most children inherit their father’s name, traits, and behaviors. All children—natural, adopted, IVF’d—hopefully receive love. Children of […]
June 11, 2025
By Brenda Wanjiku
Many small business owners are too busy juggling inventory, customers, and payroll to worry about framing a college diploma on the wall. From the bakery owner who learned to balance the books on the fly, to the tech startup founder who dropped out to pursue an idea, there’s a lingering question: does higher education make […]
June 3, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Becoming penniless doesn’t always mean becoming poor; here it signifies operating without pennies. The Treasury announced that it had placed its last order for blank pennies and would not be minting any more one-cent pieces after the last of these blanks had been used. It costs the government 3.7¢ to produce a penny. It said that […]
May 15, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Small businesses operate with a tight staff; each person counts and it’s difficult for staff to cover when an employee is out for any reason. But some employees may be reservists called to active duty to serve in war, to help FEMA during a disaster, or for other reasons. For example, my son-in-law was called […]
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Resources For Your Business
Business Planning in a Period of Uncertainty
Let’s Celebrate Small Business!
A Good Time to Review Your Company’s Driving Policy
Don’t Take Tax Advice From …
Barbara’s Books
By Barbara Weltman
COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO SMALL BUSINESS TAX WRITE-OFFS AND STRATEGIES FROM A LEADING NAME IN TAX If you own a small business, this comprehensive guide explains in easy-to-understand terms the essentials of business taxes to prepare you to work better with your CPA or other tax adviser or handle tax responsibilities on your own. Whether you’re […]
By Barbara Weltman
THE COMPREHENSIVE HANDBOOK FOR AMERICAN TAXPAYERS LOOKING FOR EVERY LEGAL TAX DEDUCTION AND CREDIT This edition of this popular book has been fully updated to reflect the latest law changes, rulings and court decisions impacting 2024 returns. It’s organized in a way that allows you to easily refer to the appropriate deductions and credits for […]
By Barbara Weltman
Ideas you’ll use everyday! With only so many hours in the day, it’s impossible to stay on top of key developments and opportunities to help you run your business better and smarter. 500+ Big Ideas for Your Small Business gives you quick access to resources and tips you can use every day. Whether you’re a […]
By Barbara Weltman
Your GPS to Get You Where You Want to Go in Your Business Do you enjoy driving and being your own boss with flexible work options? Are you looking for a part-time (or full-time) activity that earns good money? Maybe you’ve already discovered that there are great opportunities for making money with your car. Or, […]
By Barbara Weltman
A Step-By-Step Road Map–with Checklists–to Get You Started Up, Profitable, and Successful Whether you want to start up a part-time home-based business or jump in full throttle and work on it full time, you need a start-up guide. A road map! Home-Based Business Start-Up Guide will help you chart your course to work-from-home success. Written […]
What every self-employed person needs to know about their taxes! If you’re self-employed, chances are the majority of your time is spent finding new customers or clients, servicing existing ones, and handling each and every aspect of your business. Freelancers, independent contractors, gig economy participants, and other individuals working for themselves need to be aware […]
By Barbara Weltman and Harvey Bezozi
Created for Uber and Lyft drivers as their GPS — to help them get where they want to go in their business, safely and securely. Note: This e-Book has been updated with a new title and revised content (shown). Do you enjoy driving and being your own boss with flexible work options? Are you looking […]
By Barbara Weltman
Presenting a recently-launched, updated, paperback edition! Barbara Weltman takes an inspired look in Smooth Failing at the hard lessons learned when things go wrong. Through extensive interviews with entrepreneurs whose ventures failed for a variety of reasons — some stunningly unexpected, some painfully inevitable — Weltman gleans valuable insights about the small mistakes that can lead to large scale catastrophe. Smooth Failing seeks to save readers from similar disaster — while empowering those who are learning from failures and adversity to bounce back stronger and wiser on the often rocky road to success.
By Barbara Weltman and Jerry Silberman
12 surefire ways for your business to survive and thrive! Owning a small business can be a fulfilling and financially rewarding experience, but to be successful, you must know what to do while the business is up and running, and, most importantly, what to do when the business runs into trouble. This book is definitely […]
By Barbara Weltman
As Vicki Raeburn of Dun & Bradstreet notes in the forward, “…the successful creation of credit by small business has a significant effect on one of the most important business drivers, namely cash flow. … [This book has] the information needed to understand and build business credit.”
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