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“The greatest lesson I have learned in business is to always provide your best service. When a client remembers you, you want them to remember that you provided them with great service, professionalism, care and attention. That memory is your calling card. They will spread that memory of you to their peers and that personal recollection that they share is stronger than any paid advertising. I have 30 years in the publicity game and it is personal referrals that have sustained me for decades now.” Makeda Smith / JazzmynePR.com

My greatest lesson learned as an entrepreneur

Ken Wilson

Music Industry Veteran  promoter that helped established J records and has worked with many artists including: Alicia Keyes, Fantasia, Eric Benet, Johnny Gill, the latest project from Janet Jackson and many other  recording artists.

The best lesson that I learned was to build relationships and treat clients and even competitors with respect as you never know who can or will speak on your behalf or write that next check. I had an experience where I met with a possible client and their money fell through after a great deal of planning  and work on my behalf but I was very understanding and let them know my services would be there when they got funded. I did not gripe about the lost time and effort and soon after that this person was so impressed by my attitude and presentation, he directed a major client my way that became a huge deal for my operation.

My greatest lesson learned as an black entrepreneur

Ken Wilson

Music Industry Veteran  promoter that helped established J records and has worked with many artists including: Alicia Keyes, Fantasia, Eric Benet, Johnny Gill, the latest project from Janet Jackson and many other  recording artists.

The best lesson that I learned was to build relationships and treat clients and even competitors with respect as you never know who can or will speak on your behalf or write that next check. I had an experience where I met with a possible client and their money fell through after a great deal of planning  and work on my behalf but I was very understanding and let them know my services would be there when they got funded. I did not gripe about the lost time and effort and soon after that this person was so impressed by my attitude and presentation, he directed a major client my way that became a huge deal for my operation.

Great insight from Steve Harvey. Very inspirational!

Features Original Editorial and Curated Content Relevant to Small Business Owners from Across Divisions of CBS Corporation

July 1, 2015 – Today, CBS announced the launch of CBS Small Business Pulse, a new digital property aimed at providing solutions for the issues and concerns small business owners face every day. The site, http://cbspulse.com, is a cross-divisional effort across CBS Corporation being spearheaded by CBS Local Digital Media and features content from across the Company’s world-class editorial organizations including CBS News, CBS Radio, CBS Local, CBS Interactive and Simon & Schuster.

“CBS Small Business Pulse brings together the best content from across many CBS divisions plus new, original editorial on the topics that matter most to small business owners,” said Ezra Kucharz, President of CBS Local Digital Media. “CBS Small Business Pulse will provide the insights and knowledge small business owners need to immediately solve the challenges they face by delivering daily, easily digestible information across myriad topics that can easily be put into action.”

CBS Small Business Pulse is structured around six major categories that small business owners must address on a daily basis regardless of their industry: Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Marketing, Sales and Technology.

Content in CBS Small Business Pulse will be fueled by many CBS divisions and include subject-matter experts and business leaders sharing their acumen through articles, interviews, video, podcasts and infographics. Examples include:

· CBS News: In addition to curated content relevant for small business owners, CBS News will also be contributing original content. Following interviews on CBS News’ broadcasts, such as CBS THIS MORNING, producers will record additional segments with business leaders discussing small business-focused issues exclusively for CBS Small Business Pulse.

· CBS Local: Daily original and curated content highlighting small business successes and key learnings from across the country.

· CBS Radio: Video highlights from Small Business Breakfasts held by News format stations around the country.

· ZDNet and TechRepublic (CBS Interactive): Stories about small business strategies as it relates to technology, products and services.

· Simon & Schuster: Contributions include excerpts and original content from Simon & Schuster authors as well as a small business “book shelf” highlighting special offers on relevant titles from their library.
“Small business owners are the backbone of America,” said Rich Lobel, Executive Vice President and CMO, CBS Altitude Group. “So many divisions across CBS offer content and expertise related to small business owner’s needs, it only made sense to harness our world-class editorial organizations to super-serve this vital segment in one single, robust destination.”

CBS Small Business Pulse is advertising supported and offers partners native advertising opportunities where they can share their voice and expertise through sponsored content within relevant content verticals. Founding partners include First Data Corporation, which provides small businesses with the innovative technology solutions they need to reach their fullest potential; Bank of America Merchant Services, a leading electronic payments company providing a host of retail and ecommerce platforms alongside the latest innovative technology; and Office Depot, Inc., a leading global provider of office products, services, and solutions and parent company of Office Depot and OfficeMax.

“First Data is thrilled to be partnering with CBS on the launch of CBS Small Business Pulse, which will provide a one-stop shop for small businesses looking for resources and information to fuel their success,” said Gretchen Garrigues, Chief Marketing Officer for First Data. “At First Data, we are committed to providing small businesses with product and technology solutions to help their businesses grow. Partnering with CBS on this initiative is a great way for us to deliver tailored content to small business owners and provide access to information customized to meet their specific needs, without all the noise.”

“We believe that CBS Small Business Pulse will be a valuable resource for insights on how to better run and grow small businesses. We look forward to sharing our thought leadership content on a variety of finance and finance related topics – including digital and mobile payments innovation, cybersecurity, fraud and EMV – the new standards for chip payment cards,” says Michael Roberts, Chief Marketing and Digital Strategy Officer of Bank of America Merchant Services. “For example, our research shows that small business owners feel their risk is low regarding credit card fraud and data breaches, where the actual risk may be much higher. Providing real world insights as an advocate for small business owners is our goal with CBS Small Business Pulse.”

CBS Small Business Pulse is available today online and on the mobile web at http://cbspulse.com.

The month of June not only sees the start of winter but its also the time of year that accountants most look forward to, tax planning time! If you’re a small business owner you don’t want to have to pay more tax than you have to. The following tips will ensure you get the most bang for your buck come tax time.

1. Take advantage of the $20,000 immediate asset write off

Unless you have had your head in the sand for the past month, you would know that the Federal Government announced in the budget released on 12 May 2015 that all eligible small businesses would be entitled to an immediate deduction for asset purchases costing less than $20,000. This measure replaces the $1,000 threshold which was in existence up to the announcement and will be in existence until 30 June 2017.

You will need to ensure that the assets are installed and ready for use by 30 June 2015 in order for the deduction to be available for the 2015 financial year. If you do not require any assets or haven’t got the cash flow to afford them before year end, it is really important to remember that you are able to write off the balance of any small business pool with a written down value of less than $20,000 and get an immediate deduction!  Read more here

Carlton Brown, Occasional Occasions by Carlton

Caterer/Chef/Owner –  Atlanta, GA

Biz Tipper: What is the greatest lesson you learned as an black entrepreneur?

Carlton: I would say that a lot of black entrepreneurs do realize that they have to market their business, but what most don’t seem to get is that imply passing out business cards is NOT marketing. It is important to find your referral partners and potential clients, but it is more important to nurture those relationships. Many go to networking events and pass out cards and sit back and wait for the phone to ring. If you don’t create and nurture your relationships (ie the people that you pass your cards out to and speak to at these networking events), then you would be just as productive simply sitting at home and watching TV. Why would someone you don’t know want to entrust their livelihood or their relationships with YOU if they don’t know anything about who YOU are. Be proactive, sincere and thoughtful in who and what those relationships should be, nurture them, and sit back and watch your business grow.

It started during his morning commute – a tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, clenched jaws and an overall sense of disorientation. So by the time Charlotte-area restaurant owner Kirk Weaver got to his shop, he knew something bad was happening. Aside from death itself, sudden and debilitating illness is one of the threats that small business owners generally fear most. Who will do all the necessary work if the owner goes down sick? But not all such stories end in despair. In the case of Weaver, majority owner of Lebowski’s Neighborhood Grill on East Boulevard in Charlotte, when a heart attack clipped his wings in late 2014, his family – especially his two daughters who own a minority stake in the business – rallied to save what they had built collectively. Read more here

It started during his morning commute – a tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, clenched jaws and an overall sense of disorientation. So by the time Charlotte-area restaurant owner Kirk Weaver got to his shop, he knew something bad was happening. Aside from death itself, sudden and debilitating illness is one of the threats that black entrepreneurs generally fear most. Who will do all the necessary work if the owner goes down sick? But not all such stories end in despair. In the case of Weaver, majority owner of Lebowski’s Neighborhood Grill on East Boulevard in Charlotte, when a heart attack clipped his wings in late 2014, his family – especially his two daughters who own a minority stake in the business – rallied to save what they had built collectively. Read more here