Entrepreneur Resources Your source for small business information
When you’re first starting a business, you’re going to have a lot on your plate. In the early stages, you’re likely to be the CEO, HR manager, marketing manager, and chief financial officer all rolled into one. When you’re buried under all this responsibility, it can be easy to let certain important things fall by the wayside. Here are a few things you need to avoid forgetting at all costs when running a small business
Establishing a Work-Life Balance
One of the first things you need to do when you’re starting a business is to determine a good work-life balance. If you throw yourself too deep into running your business, it can quickly consume your whole life, and push you to neglect the things that really matter. On the other hand, if you’re not devoting enough time to running your company, you’ll neglect your core processes, and let your fledgling company fall behind the competition. Getting the balance right can be tough, but it’s one of the most important things you can do to make sure you’re fit to run the company. Make your business a central factor in your life, sure. Just don’t burn yourself out as soon as the company’s started!
Devoting Resources to Security
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A lot of small business owners get into a dangerous state of complacency when it comes to security. Many assume that hackers and cyber criminals have their sights firmly set on big businesses, as they have the most to steal. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Small businesses are known to have much poorer security measures, which makes them easy pickings for hackers. Make sure you’re not contributing to this generalization! Integrate anti-virus software as soon as possible, and restrict access privileges to the employees who really need it. If you have any remote workers, protect their devices using identity verification software and similar security measures. Furthermore, you should constantly be assessing the data you have access to, and prioritizing different pieces of information according to how much risk they carry. Your data and intellectual property may be one of the most important assets your business has, so be 110% sure you’re protecting it!
Web Design and Maintenance
The importance of a business website really can’t be understated. Your website is the first impression many consumers are going to get of your brand, and the way you design and maintain it is going to have a massive impact on your bottom line. Whether you’re having to manage the site by yourself or you’ve got someone you can assign to the task, make sure it’s being taken care of. A good website starts with the design. Make sure you’re reading up on common web design errors made by small businesses, and that whoever’s in charge of the site is avoiding these like the plague. Poor navigation, an unappealing color scheme, and sacrificing good navigation for some kind of visual gimmick, can all drive your business into the ground. Once your site is up and running, you should be keeping on top of leading design conventions, and following the ones that apply to your niche.
