How to avoid trapping your kids in the family business By Hannah Massen We’ll start by saying the first thing your kids want you to know: it’s not you, it’s them. As an entrepreneur, you’ve poured your heart, soul and years of your life into growing and sustaining your business. Yes, you’ve had many long…
What is needed to run a successful family-run business for generations? By Karen Casey, CPA, CFP, is a certified SCORE SC Lowcountry business mentor. There are over 5.5 million family businesses in the U.S., and they employ 62 percent of the U.S. workforce, according to the Family Business Alliance. Pretty impressive, but only 30 percent…
The difference between copyrights and trademarks By Hannah Massen What if you woke up tomorrow morning, poured yourself a cup of coffee, began your daily scroll through social media – and discovered something shocking: a company posted your business’s name and logo as an endorsement without your permission. Or worse, another bakery down the street…
Making time to work on your business By Scott Beebe Business owners with two to fifty employees were uniquely affected by the roller coaster of the three years since the pandemic set in and not in ways that most predicted. Forecasters promoted a simple, linear market decline. What we received instead was a cocktail that…
By Hannah Massen Rootstock Community Foundation addresses mental healthcare of restaurant employees Even if you’ve never worked in the food service industry, movies like Boiling Point and shows like Sweetbitter give an (albeit dramatic) impression of what it’s like to work in a restaurant. From the energy and focus required on the floor to the…
Should your business speak out on social causes? Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against Florida legislation after criticism of his silence began trending on social media. Microsoft stopped sales and service in Russia after releasing a sharply worded statement condemning Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. And Goldman Sachs pledged $10 million to address racial…
Get your message across, on hold By Leslie T. Snadowsky Business assistance, reduced-cost insurance options, power-hour tele-town hall meetings: You can learn about all these opportunities and more when calling the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, and being placed on hold. “In today’s tech savvy world, we’re all communicating on multiple platforms,” said Chamber…
End-of-year checklist gets a makeover By Leslie T. Snadowsky From short-term disruptions to supply-chain issues to accommodating hybrid workforces, businesses needed to continually reinvent themselves to stay in business during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, as they ready for the new normal, the end-of-year checklists most companies had used in the past will…
By Johnny Levy We are facing an unusual convergence of challenges in the workplace. Many companies are experiencing difficulties attracting and retaining employees. There are concrete reasons for this: economic, generational and cultural. What can be done to separate your company from the pack when employee prospects have thinned? One way is understanding the timeless…
Make your work environment more inviting and productive By Carol M. Olmstead Hybrid working arrangements are here to stay. Whether you work at home in a separate room, at your dining room table, or in a corner of your bedroom, and whether you visit a workplace daily, occasionally or never, feng shui changes can help…