Small Business Blog

Many of my clients are still unaware of what SEO is or why it matters to their small business… so I am posting this to go back to basics....

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing the content of your webpage  so that your site is easily and readily found...

Today I was sitting with a client who is a successful business, running a successful commercial service. He told me that hiring the right...

www.inc.com article featuring what they label as 10 of the most helpful SBDC’s in America (inlcuding the IWCC SBDC in Council Bluffs...

As you know the first thing that needs to be done is a Business Plan.  But where do you start? How long does it have to be?  At what...

While the internet seems the least likely place to market locally, it is actually quickly becoming the best, most powerful place to...

by Julie Mierau We all know that physicians pledge to “first, do no harm.” But do you know Google’s company motto? “Don’t be evil.” Yep,...

by Julie Mierau Nothing — truly, nothing — is more frustrating than trying to figure out how to access the government procurement...

I am a big coupon user and have many experiences with coupons.  Some of these are bad experiences and they have determined if I will ever...

Mirror Gear USA is owned and operated by Marie Wickman. Marie invented and developed the Mirror Gear ™, a dental mirror cover for use in...

1. Hire some help! – School is out and kids are smart. Especially with computers and the internet. Hire one for the summer and have...

While the media, the public and even Congress continue to discover all the details about the recently passed health care reform bill, we...

Maybe it’s just me, but I get really annoyed when a business or organization I do business with offers special deals for new customers...

Lest we forget, small businesses only succeed if they meet the needs of their customers. Here’s a first-hand account, a cautionary tale,...

In an announcement from Governor Chet Culver, we learned today that Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa  is among 44...

Everybody’s talking about branding these days. Marketing consultants want to charge companies to create brands — and sometimes rightfully...

Remember when your mama told you there was no such thing as a free lunch? Turns out, she was right. Imagine that. Now, repeat after me:...

On my drive in to the office this morning, an NPR reporter was quoting a report, due out today, that says most Americans hate their jobs....

The one thing I noticed is that on email, texts or websites, phone numbers that are viewed on a smart phone are automatically  activated...

The Iowa Money Map has more than 800 listings, broken down by county. This comprehensive database includes Iowa’s grants, loans, equity...