Idea of the Day®
May 22, 2025
Federal Independent Contractor Rule: Back to Square One
Employee or independent contractor? A 2024 rule set conditions for being an independent contractor. The DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will no longer apply the rule respect to any matters for which no payment has been made, directly to individuals or to DOL, for back wages and/ or civil money penalties as of May 1, 2025. WHD is currently reviewing and developing the appropriate standard for determining FLSA employee versus independent contractor status. For now, it will enforce a 2008 rule, which was further explained in 2019. #IdeaoftheDay
Big Ideas for Your Business
Resources For Your Business
May 22, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
In this Small Business Month, it’s great to see that the number of sole proprietorships in the U.S. has increased. Recent IRS statistics on sole proprietorships for 2022 show that the number of these businesses is up by 5.7%. These statistics are derived from Schedule C of Form 1040 or 1040-SR and show the contrast to […]
Read More
May 20, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
If you’re launching a new business or developing a new project for an existing business, you probably need money to do it right. Instead of using conventional methods, such as getting a bank loan or finding a person willing to invest, you may be able to raise cash through crowdfunding. According to the dictionary, “crowdfunding […]
May 19, 2025
Let’s be honest. Estimating projects the old-fashioned way can feel like trying to win a race with one foot tied to the floor. You’re juggling spreadsheets, flipping through paper plans, and triple-checking numbers that somehow still go missing. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. But here’s the thing: sticking with outdated methods isn’t just […]
May 15, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Small businesses operate with a tight staff; each person counts and it’s difficult for staff to cover when an employee is out for any reason. But some employees may be reservists called to active duty to serve in war, to help FEMA during a disaster, or for other reasons. For example, my son-in-law was called […]
May 13, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
While the calendar says the official start of summer is more than a month away, it’s not too early…or too late…to be thinking about that time of the year. The nature of your business may greatly affect what you do now. For example, if your business is outdoor-focused, you’re facing your busy season and need […]
May 8, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Who knew that mom’s cliches would serve as lessons on how to be an entrepreneur? In honor of Mother’s Day, I’d like to thank my mom and all moms for their unintended wisdom when they repeatedly said those cliches most of us remember. How many times did you hear “What part of NO don’t you […]
May 6, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
It’s been estimated that nearly one in 5 people in the U.S. have a mental health issue. SAMSHA says “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.” Within a business context, mental health issues […]
May 1, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
National Small Business Week 2025 in the U.S. is May 4 through 10. There’s a free virtual summit on May 6 and 7 (register here). As the SBA says: National Small Business Week acknowledges the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners and recognizes their hard work, ingenuity, and dedication. So, let’s celebrate…and […]
April 29, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
If your business is growing, you may want or need to expand to other locations. One or more of these locations may be across state lines. The U.S. is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia, each of which has its own rules and regulations. What does expanding into another location mean […]
April 28, 2025
By John Jones
The U.S. government estimates that there are over one million warehouse and storage buildings with a total floorspace of 17.4 billion square feet. That’s a lot of space to keep clean. Waste management in warehouses isn’t just about keeping floors clean. It’s about improving operational efficiency, maintaining safety standards, and contributing to environmental goals. Warehouses, by […]
April 25, 2025
By John Jones
Maintaining clean and pleasant restrooms is essential to a productive and positive workplace. These spaces are often overlooked but can leave a lasting impression on employees, customers, and other visitors. A fresh and sanitary restroom not only contributes to hygiene but also promotes well-being, reduces absenteeism, and fosters a more professional atmosphere. In this article, […]
April 24, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
If you and/or your employees sit before a computer screen all day or a good part of it, eye problems can arise. Eye strain is the most common ailment, but there can also be dry eye and retinal damage. Eye problems can cause an inability to sleep. Taken together, vision problems may seriously impact employees’ […]
April 23, 2025
By Aaron Franks
Obtaining funding often feels like a significant milestone for small business owners. But when loan applications hit a wall, reality sets in fast. Denial letters don’t offer much comfort, and time is rarely on your side. If your loan application has been rejected, the path forward may seem uncertain—but it isn’t the end of the […]
April 22, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. It’s a good time to review your company’s driving policy to increase the safety of your staff and others, as well as to reduce your insurance costs and liability exposure. For example, driving-related injuries make up a quarter of all workers’ compensation claims and half of workers’ compensation […]
April 17, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Traditionally, Spring is the time for individuals to clean out their homes…and for businesses to do the same. But moving beyond traditional approaches to spring cleaning, GiGO Clean Technology Inc., an app offering on-demand cleaning services by connecting customers to cleaners directly, says: “The world of hygiene and cleaning is evolving rapidly, driven by technological […]
April 16, 2025
Launching a new product is a strategic event that requires meticulous planning and execution. In today’s competitive market, a simple announcement isn’t enough to capture the attention of your target market. Small business owners must build genuine anticipation to maximize impact and drive initial sales. Discover actionable strategies to ensure your next product launch’s success. […]
April 15, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
Congress is continually giving lip service to its desire to help small businesses, but rarely does something important taxwise in this regard. Much assistance goes to “large” small businesses (remember the SBA definition of a small business in most instances is up to 500 employees). With Congress currently in the midst of talks about tax […]
April 10, 2025
By Barbara Weltman
April is National Financial Literacy Month. According to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), “’Financial literacy’ describes the skills, knowledge, and tools that equip people to make individual financial decisions and actions to attain their goals; this may also be known as financial capability, especially when paired with access to financial products […]
Multimedia
Resources For Your Business
A Good Time to Review Your Company’s Driving Policy
Don’t Take Tax Advice From …
Increasing Productivity without Burning Out Your Employees
Growing Your Business with a New Business Plan
Barbara’s Books
By Barbara Weltman
COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO SMALL BUSINESS TAX WRITE-OFFS AND STRATEGIES FROM A LEADING NAME IN TAX If you own a small business, this comprehensive guide explains in easy-to-understand terms the essentials of business taxes to prepare you to work better with your CPA or other tax adviser or handle tax responsibilities on your own. Whether you’re […]
By Barbara Weltman
THE COMPREHENSIVE HANDBOOK FOR AMERICAN TAXPAYERS LOOKING FOR EVERY LEGAL TAX DEDUCTION AND CREDIT This edition of this popular book has been fully updated to reflect the latest law changes, rulings and court decisions impacting 2024 returns. It’s organized in a way that allows you to easily refer to the appropriate deductions and credits for […]
By Barbara Weltman
Ideas you’ll use everyday! With only so many hours in the day, it’s impossible to stay on top of key developments and opportunities to help you run your business better and smarter. 500+ Big Ideas for Your Small Business gives you quick access to resources and tips you can use every day. Whether you’re a […]
By Barbara Weltman
Your GPS to Get You Where You Want to Go in Your Business Do you enjoy driving and being your own boss with flexible work options? Are you looking for a part-time (or full-time) activity that earns good money? Maybe you’ve already discovered that there are great opportunities for making money with your car. Or, […]
By Barbara Weltman
A Step-By-Step Road Map–with Checklists–to Get You Started Up, Profitable, and Successful Whether you want to start up a part-time home-based business or jump in full throttle and work on it full time, you need a start-up guide. A road map! Home-Based Business Start-Up Guide will help you chart your course to work-from-home success. Written […]
What every self-employed person needs to know about their taxes! If you’re self-employed, chances are the majority of your time is spent finding new customers or clients, servicing existing ones, and handling each and every aspect of your business. Freelancers, independent contractors, gig economy participants, and other individuals working for themselves need to be aware […]
By Barbara Weltman and Harvey Bezozi
Created for Uber and Lyft drivers as their GPS — to help them get where they want to go in their business, safely and securely. Note: This e-Book has been updated with a new title and revised content (shown). Do you enjoy driving and being your own boss with flexible work options? Are you looking […]
By Barbara Weltman
Presenting a recently-launched, updated, paperback edition! Barbara Weltman takes an inspired look in Smooth Failing at the hard lessons learned when things go wrong. Through extensive interviews with entrepreneurs whose ventures failed for a variety of reasons — some stunningly unexpected, some painfully inevitable — Weltman gleans valuable insights about the small mistakes that can lead to large scale catastrophe. Smooth Failing seeks to save readers from similar disaster — while empowering those who are learning from failures and adversity to bounce back stronger and wiser on the often rocky road to success.
By Barbara Weltman and Jerry Silberman
12 surefire ways for your business to survive and thrive! Owning a small business can be a fulfilling and financially rewarding experience, but to be successful, you must know what to do while the business is up and running, and, most importantly, what to do when the business runs into trouble. This book is definitely […]
By Barbara Weltman
As Vicki Raeburn of Dun & Bradstreet notes in the forward, “…the successful creation of credit by small business has a significant effect on one of the most important business drivers, namely cash flow. … [This book has] the information needed to understand and build business credit.”
Testimonials
