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.

In 2013, Stanford University conducted a study that randomly assigned employees at a call center to work from home and others to work in the office for nine months. The result was a 13% performance increase by those working from home, of which 9% was from working more hours.
People criticize remote work because they find it difficult to measure the number of hours their employees are working. What they forget is that going into the office does not equal productive work.

Just like accounting and legal services, technology has become an essential component of all businesses today. But just like those services, the cost can leave small business owners with sticker shock. Adopting tech can also present your business with the added challenge of keeping up and staying current as technology changes, improves, and becomes obsolete. You might be ready to break out your ledger books and adding machine and go at it the old-fashioned way, but as a business owner, you first need to understand the benefits associated with adopting new technology. Here are just a few!

Are you looking for a way to expand your business? Government contracts can be very lucrative, offering exposure and the potential for future work. However, they can also be complex to navigate and it helps to know the lay of the land before you start. Let's walk through the best tips from top government contractors that you should know before submitting your first bid. 

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.

When you sit and think about some of the greatest business partnerships of all time, names like Ben & Jerry or Larry & Sergey may pop into your mind.  Ben and Jerry were, and are, best friends who launched their famous ice cream line in 1978. Larry and Sergey were both attending Stanford University in the late 90's when they started Backrub, which we now know as Google. Then there are the business partnerships that certainly have notoriety but, for various reasons, fell apart- like Steve Jobs and Stephen Wozniak from Apple. So what gives? How is it that certain business partnerships weather the inevitable storms and others part ways?

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.

Some might say that having the opportunity to own your own business is the epitome of the American Dream. Achieving the chance to be your boss indeed is an accomplishment, but sometimes, there are unforeseen bumps in the road. One of these bumps could be in the form of space or lack thereof. You and your business may want to lease the next building in the busiest part of town or snag the prime storefront location - until you see the price tag. The price to rent office space in America varies from city to city; $1.74 per square foot in Atlanta to $6.16 in New York City, for example. What happens when you need to find an alternative? Here are creative solutions to the problem of the need for space without the money.

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.

Congratulations, you're about to hire your first employee! Deciding to bring on your first employee is an exciting time. Chances are if you need to hire someone, your business has flourished to the point where you can no longer remain a one-person show, a good problem to have. But what happens now? Do you cruise over to one of the many job boards, post your opening and begin interviews? Not exactly. While there are a few boxes to check before you bring on your first employee, it gets more comfortable with each new addition. Let’s get hiring!

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.

Anyone who has decided to start their own business knows that from that moment of inception, you never really stop. The building, fine-tuning, and figuring out your proof of concept is not something that happens overnight. But the moment will finally arrive when you are ready to have your official launch event. You are prepared to show the world the culmination of your long hours and hard work. Whether your business is brick and mortar or online, you should not think of a launch party as just another event; this is YOUR time to shine!

Preparing veterans for their return to civilian life can be just as important as training them for their service in the military. Here are some important details to know about transitioning back to civilian life. Infographic provided by Veteran Car Donations.

Photo courtesy of Military Influencer Conference and  Semper Anticus Photography

A buzz of excitement passed through the crowd at the 2018 Military Influencer Conference hosted in Orlando, late last month. The StreetShares Team was about to introduce the top three finalists of the StreetShares Foundation Veteran Small Business Award – Food & Beverage Edition to a crowd of excited conference goers.

Over 100 veterans and military spouses applied for the StreetShares Foundation Veteran Small Business Award. The StreetShares team chose 14 finalists and over 11,000 online voters chose the final top three contestants. The audience at the Military Influencer Conference was about to hear the pitches of the top three finalists and their votes would determine first through third place prizes, totaling $25,000. Not only was each finalist walking away with a cash prize, but all contestants would also win a one-on-one coaching session with Jim Koch, CEO and Brewer of Samuel Adams Beer.

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.

Loans and financing come in two main flavors: secured and unsecured. For most consumers, deciding between secured and unsecured loans isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind when choosing a loan. Often consumers don’t even have a choice between choosing a secured or unsecured loan depending on how the loan is already structured.

However, it’s still important to know the differences between these two types of loans. Below is a quick guide to everything you need to know about secured and unsecured loans.