This year could be your small business’s best yet—and right now is the perfect time to devise new strategies to fuel growth and make changes for your business’s long-term success. Here are just a few resolutions every small business owner can make to get 2019 off to a great start:

In this digital age of getting bombarded by marketing from all angles, you may not even notice logos anymore. They’re so ingrained into our culture that some brand marks have become part of cultural aesthetic, taking on lives of their own outside of their brand’s marketing materials.

But if you’re not a huge international corporation, you may think your logo isn’t important. Don’t let it be an afterthought! Imagine the market is like a dating app and your business’ logo is your profile picture. For better or for worse, people will judge based on that first impression, regardless of how amazing your business is once you actually read its profile. A great logo will make prospective customers more likely to “swipe right”- which means more conversions and brand loyalty for your business!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions, policies, or positions of StreetShares or any of its affiliates.

For some, their professional endeavors include leading others. At one time or another, most of us who strive for this have had the image of ourselves in the corner office, floor to ceiling glass windows, marveling at where we are. Do you want to know what you have in common with the people in that image right now? They were once where you are - the first time/new manager.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions, policies, or positions of StreetShares or any of its affiliates.

Having the desire and drive to have a side business on top of a full-time job is an empowering moment. You could be at the point where you want to change your quality of life, make extra money or not have to work for anyone other than yourself. Sometimes being an entrepreneur has us stuck between the worlds of the unattainable and the whimsical. I'm here to tell you that it's not either of those things. What it is, however, is passion, dedication and a ton of work. Before you jump ship on your full-time job to become a full-time entrepreneur, there are a few things to consider to ensure the journey to your version of freedom is as smooth as possible.

Everyone knows that a personal budget is key to financial success, but getting started can feel overwhelming. If you’re tired of getting to the end of your budget before you get to the end of the month, we’re here to help.

Money management is tricky but with discipline and determination, you can make your money work for you. There are several steps to take to create a successful personal budget. Creating a successful and manageable budget will keep you in the green and help you better understand where all your money goes. A personal budget will also help you when you ask for a raise or looking to make more money in your career. You will want to look at two to three months of your spending habits to get an idea of your current spending habits versus your income. This will make it easier to understand how savings will factor into your future. Whether you want to save money for a big trip or retirement, you’ll be able to calculate what you need to save and how long it will take. There are several tools you can use or you can go old school with spreadsheets and a traditional bank account. 

Create a simple budget that you can actually stick to. Here are nine simple things to take into account:

The potential for another partial government shutdown is looming on the horizon. Is your small business prepared? Let’s take a look at a few things you should know and remember from the 17-day 2013 shutdown that may affect you during another potential government shutdown.¹ 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions, policies, or positions of StreetShares or any of its affiliates.

Perform a quick Google search and you will discover that there is no shortage of articles and ideas online clamoring to offer you tips and pointers about how to best manage your credit. You can find videos, podcasts, and even television shows from many self-proclaimed "gurus" who are quick to share their credit secrets with you. Add in the well meaning credit advice you may have received from your family, friends, and acquaintances and before long your head will be spinning with dozens of contradictory credit improvement strategies.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions, policies, or positions of StreetShares or any of its affiliates.

It's no secret e-commerce has had an impact on brick-and-mortar businesses, and you can point to its growth in annual sales as proof: a steady 17% increase in annual sales year over year. However, people often miss out on the fact that e-commerce shopping is still tiny compared to brick-and-mortar sales. Also, the health of the brick-and-mortar industry shouldn't be summed up in just one metric.

It's not to say that e-commerce hasn't affected brick-and-mortar sales. More than 6,400 brick-and-mortar stores closed down in 2017, and key brands in the industry, like Sears, have also recently closed their doors. Much of that has to do with the growing e-commerce space.

Additionally, consumers are now largely plagued by the Amazon effect, which means they expect a seamless shopping experience with instant rewards. Consumers expect to find exactly what they're looking for with little effort and want the item(s) delivered within a very short time frame. However, this is by no means the end of retail. In fact, numerous stores have taken steps to take advantage of the intersection of technology and retail shopping.

Here are four ways you can optimize your brick-and-mortar experience to best fit today's modern consumer. 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions, policies, or positions of StreetShares or any of its affiliates.

Can’t seem to gain traction marketing to the federal government?

Wondering why your federal proposals aren’t winning?

See other contractors that seem to have the inside track on upcoming procurements?

As objective as the federal procurement process is, it is still run by people and relationships still play a large role in how those people view your business.  Taking the time to build relationships with a solid foundation can help your business gain traction in the federal government, earn credibility in proposal evaluations, and gain an inside track on upcoming procurements. 

A short Google search on the subject of retirement readiness quickly results in an overarching feeling that Americans have rapidly been falling behind. In fact,, 42% of Americans currently aren’t saving for retirement at all.So what about you? Will you have enough saved in retirement? Will your retirement be sustainable? Use this post as a quick military pension calculator for guidance on how best to start saving.

Military Retirement Changes

For military members, ‘retirement’ has taken on a whole new set of complications with the updated pension system the government rolled out in 2018. We’ve provided a guide and outlined the general implications of this Blended Retirement System (BRS), such as whom it affects and when the changes will be implemented; however, there are deeper weeds to dig into about how specifically the BRS plan will truly affect military members’ retirement from a “numbers” perspective.

Let’s look at how the military’s pension planswork (old & new) and how to think about building your savings with help from our military retirement calculators.