There is a lot of experiential learning that supports why businesses lost $3 billion each year because of childcare-related issues. These costs, let alone your employees’ blood pressure and exhaustion level, can dramatically decrease if there is an on-site remedy available.

A security system is probably a good idea for anyone who owns any structure. But for a business’s office, a quality alarm system is a must.

A trademark is an item that helps a consumer distinguish between one company’s product and that of another. It could be a word, phrase, logo, sound, or package design — anything that identifies for the consumer that one brand is different from the next.

The era of paper bookkeeping is long gone. Keeping track of what’s coming in and what’s going out, however, is as important as it’s ever been.

For most small businesses, payroll is a recurring headache. No matter how many employees you have, payroll must be done, done accurately, and done on time.

If you sell things online—or if you’re planning to set up a Web page or blog associated with a store that does—you have to accept online payments. To ask someone to mail a check or call in a credit card number not only inconveniences your customers and denies them options that your competitors almost certainly offer, but it makes you—and your business—appear amateurish and unprofessional.

As a business owner, your online reputation precedes you wherever you may go. Your prospective employees, investors, and customers all have access to the internet, and the ability to learn more about you.

More and more businesses are leveraging social media sites in order to grow and connect with their fan bases. There are many good reasons to do this, some of which we will review here.

After a close baby boomer friend lost her job, she asked me for some advice about how to consider new opportunities.

Consulting Guru William McKnight joins the Smallbiz Brain to share his insights and preview his latest book.