The Grass is Always Greener

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Atlas Turf International owner John Holmes figuratively fell into his job selling turf grasses in foreign countries. He worked at Highland Country Club in LaGrange when he was 15, deciding he wanted to be a golf course superintendent. John graduated from Lake City Community College with a degree in turf grass management and began work in […]

To Use a Facebook Page or Not

I teach a workshop for small business owners on how to use social media for their business. The majority of the workshop focuses on Facebook. It is my professional opinion that every business and/or public figure should have a business page. A frequent question I am asked is, “should a personal Facebook profile be used […]

Rezoning Land for a Business

rezoning land

It isn’t every day that a business owner is faced with the prospect of changing how a piece of property is zoned.  There are a couple of situations that typically cause this type of situation to arise: You may already own some property and want to operate a business that is not consistent with its […]

Applying for a Business Loan

business loan

Whether it’s to start, operate, expand, or acquire a business, capital is required.  Just how much is available, and what it will cost, depends on each business’s unique situation and the personal financial position of its ownership. These two factors are so important that they find their way into the starting lineup of every loan […]

Is Your Business Fundable

Financing

Throughout my career, I have been able to help several businesses find funding.  I could write volumes on the topic of how to fund an early-stage business and what it takes to be fundable.  The path to funding depends greatly on the industry, the entrepreneur/inventor, the amount of capital needed, what if any governmental regulations […]

5 Ways to Plan Ahead for Success

Marketing plan

I know it can be really hard for business owners to plan for something happening six months from now. Making that sale today, the customer who is in your store right now, making payroll on Friday – these are always more urgent. But, really successful business owners keep an eye out farther than that. Get […]

Aim to Please

Customer Service

Have you ever seen the bathroom sign that says, “We aim to please.  You aim too, please”? Over the 4th of July of weekend, while traveling with the family, I had a customer service experience worth sharing. It all began, as so many road trips do, with a pre-departure oil change and tire rotation.  Trying […]

The Case for Strategic Planning

I love the saying “failing to plan is planning to fail.” I think most would agree that it is true but as a small business owner, do you actually have a plan?  Many of you started with a business plan to explain the viability and need for your business and to possibly secure funding. That […]