Diamonds in the Rough - Finding and Keeping Star Employees

Owning a small business can be one of the most rewarding endeavors, but it can also be one of the most challenging. You could be the smartest, most charismatic CEO with fantastic ideas and a killer work ethic, but all that means nothing if the quality of your employees is lacking. Whether you own a restaurant, bridal boutique or veterinary clinic, recruiting and maintaining valuable employees is essential to success.

Here are a few simple suggestions to ensure you’re bringing in great talent:

• Provide your employees with opportunities to flex their creative muscles. No matter the industry, encouraging your employees to “think outside the box” gives them a sense of ownership and helps your business continue evolving.
• Take a chance on the nonconformist. There’s nothing wrong with the employee who puts their nose to the grindstone and executes like nobody’s business, but sometimes you need the employee who “defies the status quo” to supply a fresh perspective and/or energy.
• Reward your employees monetarily. If you pay your employees based on the market pay scale, you won’t appeal to the “shining stars” who expect (and warrant) higher pay than their peers. At the end of the day, people work because they need a livelihood – monetary incentive is one of the most obvious ways to attract desirable employees.
• Welcome diverse personalities with open arms and create a culture that allows for flexibility. Not everyone excels in the same areas – one employee may be outstanding when it comes to customer service, but not so great with thinking on her toes. Identify your employees’ strengths and provide an environment where they can flourish and, in the end, help your business flourish.
• Keep work at the workplace (to the best of your ability). Avoid interacting with your employees on social media. There are too many grey areas in today’s digital world, so maintaining professionalism where you can will benefit all parties involved.

For the article that inspired our blog post, check out TheHuffington Post. “Good employees are scarce in number but high in demand,” the author, Sanjay Sanghoee, said. So, when you find those rare gems, treat them well, cultivate their talents and your business will thank you. And, remember, if you think you might need a loan to boost your small business to the next level, be sure to check out Silver Rock Funding.

Tech to Bring Your Company to the Green Side

Happy belated Earth Day! Yesterday marked the 45^th anniversary of the largest civic observance in the world. In the spirit of Earth Day, we discovered some gadgets that will not only bring your company into the 21^st century but also conserve energy and save some trees.

Photo courtesy: PixGood

Many business owners associate energy-efficiency with cost-inefficiency, but that’s not the case anymore. There are countless ways you can help your business lessen its carbon footprint and not only go green, but also save some green. Below are our three favorite eco-friendly products:

• Invest in a “smart” thermostat. The Nest Learning Thermostat can save on your heating and cooling bills because it adjusts or turns completely off when you’re not around. Essentially, you teach the thermostat to adjust itself by altering the temperature when you leave the office and the motion sensor learns when no one is around. There’s also a mobile app that allows you to control the temperature remotely.
• Get rid of your giant printer/fax machine/scanner that’s always jamming (the above scene from Office Space comes to mind). Printers like the Canon PIXMA MX892 Office All-in-One Inkjet Printer are not only efficient but outfitted with eco-friendly features. It starts up quickly, so you can print in seconds, and includes an auto-off mode to save power. You can also replace ink cartridges one at a time, which is better for the environment.
• Replace your run-of-the-mill power strips with “smart” power strips. There are many different models of smart strips, but the idea is when you power off a major piece of office equipment, perhaps a computer, the power strip senses the shutdown and powers off everything plugged into its other outlets.

For more green gadgets, check out Inc. Magazine’s full article. Green or not, we know owning a business has its expenses, so remember there are great loans out there with the interests of small business owners in mind.

Small Businesses and the Art of Tweeting

In today’s fast-paced, media-driven society, a social media presence has never been more vital to the success of large and small businesses alike. While large companies and corporations typically employ an agency or social media “guru” to man their Twitter pages, small businesses don’t necessarily have that luxury.

We came across a great article on Huffington Post that breaks down a handful of successful strategies for small business owners taking their first leap into the somewhat confusing, and often overwhelming, “Twitter-sphere.” Be sure to read the full article, but take a look below for our favorite takeaways from the post.

• Don’t be afraid of humor. People respond well to friendly sarcasm and witty jokes. The only rule of thumb is to err on the side of political correctness; you never want to offend your customers.
• Position yourself as an industry expert. Are you a food truck owner who knows the secret to creating a perfect Panini? Or, perhaps you’re a gym owner privy to the best way to drop those last five pounds? Share your advice, facts and statistics with your followers.
• Be proactive. There’s no such thing as “enough” customers. Reach out to potential customers by utilizing Twitter’s search function and begin a dialogue about what your business has to offer. If you own a roofing company, find the Twitter user who tweeted about her leaky roof.

While social media is essential to crafting your brand, sometimes what you really need are additional finances for new restaurant appliances or gym equipment. If you’re interested in a small business loan, even with less than perfect credit, look no further than Silver Rock Funding and get pre-approved for up to $500,000 in minutes! 

The Funding Needed for a Food Truck

Check out this great info-graphic on some key facts and figures on the Food Truck industry. Don't forget to check out this write-up on the growth of the Food Truck loan industry as well.


Couple pretty good resources on the food truck growth industry and startup costs, etc:
Great breakdown one entrepreneur did on the costs of a startup: http://upended.net/post/25574021175/foodtruckstartupcosts
Entrepreneur Magazine takes on the subject:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/233385
The true economics of the venture:
http://priceonomics.com/post/45352687467/food-truck-economics

Plus, don't forget, we've helped food trucks get the funding they need to grow. Check out Silver Rock Funding for more details!

Skip Work. Watch the Masters today...(FEED & VIDEO)

A tradition unlike any other

So if you were going to play hookie today and watch the Masters instead of running your business--that would be okay. We won't tell anyone. 

As for HOW to watch the Masters:

The first group headed off this morning at 7:25 a.m. and ESPN’s TV coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET. 

If you want to get the Masters live stream beginning at 10:45 a.m. go here: http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/masters-live 

If you want to learn more about the Masters: Read this awesome piece

If you want to see a great look at the golf course, watch this: 

If you want a super awesome small business loan, even with less than perfect credit, check this out:

More on Funding Options for Bad Credit Risks

Asheesh Advani recently published an article in Entrepreneur magazine about funding options for business that are considered bad credit. The article touches on a number of great concepts for business owners that are looking for funding (grants, friends & family etc.). One quote stood out to us:

Comparison shopping for loans is vital

  

“There are several non-bank lenders on the internet that now offer microloans to entrepreneurs. These loans are typically in the $5,000 to $25,000 range. Some of these sites are excellent sources of capital for those with poor credit and will also report your payments to credit bureaus which can help raise your credit score if you make timely payments. Be sure to shop around and compare rates since each site offers a twist on how they price loans and spread risk to their lenders/investors.”

As Advani points out, it’s important to shop around because each site offers a twist on how loans are priced. What Advani might have not known was how Silver Rock Funding operates: we do the searching for you as our network of lenders competes for your business. You don’t need to spend your time hunting around: we do it all for you! Check out the site. It doesn’t take much time online to realize that there are hundreds of folks looking at this space. Just Google “small business loan for bad credit” and you will see the results. Silver Rock Funding has looked to distinguish itself from this space by leveraging its network and its acumen of the financial space.