It can be amazing to quit your 9-to-5 job and become your own boss. However, this huge shift also comes with a range of challenges. As a small business owner, you must be prepared to manage all aspects of your business’ operations, from the big decisions to the small details. From recruitment to account management, everything will rest on your shoulders, especially in the beginning when you’re unlikely to have a skilled and experienced team in place.
To be able to handle this, you’ll need a diverse set of skills and knowledge. You’ll need to have at least a basic understanding of marketing, accounting, human resources, recruitment, sales, and management techniques. This will likely mean building your knowledge up in on or two areas at least.
Of course, ideally you’ll do a few courses in this area. However, if you don’t have time for extensive study as a busy business owner, there are digital alternatives such as blogs.
Here are 10 blogs that all small business owners should read to build their knowledge and keep up to date with the latest trends.
1. Kabbage
Kabbage will help you focus on one of the most critical aspects of running your business: finance and accounting. Its blog covers the advantages and risks that organisations may encounter when managing their finances. It also gives plenty of useful info about starting a business, as well as concepts that will help you to manage and grow your company.
You’ll find everything you need to know about tax, accounting, and bookkeeping, which will assist you to develop strategies on how to create a budget, avoid excess tax, and increase your revenue.
2. Small Biz Survival
Becky McCray’s ‘Small Biz Survival’ blog is geared towards entrepreneurs and business owners in rural locations. The major goal of this blog was to build a connection with small business owners who are trying to grow their businesses while living in a rural area.
From finance to marketing, the blog covers everything that small-town businesses need to know in order to grow and compete with those in the big cities.
3. Big Ideas for Small Business
Big Ideas for Small Business focuses mainly on hot trends in the market which small businesses should be aware of. It also recommends some of the best business books and guidelines for entrepreneurs looking for more specific information on how to grow their company.
Barbara Weltman, who founded and still runs Big Ideas for Small Business, is an attorney, author, and public speaker, so her articles include useful financial and legal insights that can help businesses deal with difficult situations. Her primary goal in launching this blog was to make entrepreneurs smarter.
4. Small Business Trends
Small Business Trends is a business-related news company founded by Anita Campbell in 2003. The company’s major goal is to deliver daily business-related content to their 2 million audiences to assist them in running a successful small business. The company has now grown into a community of entrepreneurs who benefit from high-quality, informative articles produced by business experts and journalists.
5. Best 4 Businesses
Best 4 Businesses blogs are a comprehensive business reference for aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners. It will help you build your knowledge of everything you need to know about founding and establishing a business and guiding it to success and growth. It also has plenty of business ideas and inspiration.
6. Marie Forleo
Marie Forleo is a well-known figure in the business world who has her own narrative to tell. She an established entrepreneur with several multi-million-dollar companies, and the majority of the content offered through her platform is geared toward empowering women entrepreneurs and enabling them to be competitive in today’ business world.
7. MarketingProfs
MarketingProfs is a marketing blog that will help you to improve and refine your marketing strategy. Its weekly newsletters and regular blogs will give you all the information you need to meet your marketing goals.
8. Noobpreneur
Noobpreneur is an online business journal that covers all of the hot subjects in the business world, such as business ideas, tools, resources, and tactics. It also offers suggestions and info on how to run your small business more effectively.
9. Small Business
Small Business Blog is one of the most important resources for the UK’s 5.9 million small and medium-sized businesses. It provides the latest business news, interviews with prominent business executives and experts, and professional guidance.
10. AllBusiness
AllBusiness has all the tools and ideas you’ll need to launch and operate your company, as well as lead it to long-term success. AllBusiness blogs also offer advice from experts who have or have managed small businesses.
Final thoughts
Running a small business, whether it’s a clothing store selling the latest fashion and or a safety gear supply business that sells bright trousers and high-vis jackets, involves staying up to date with the latest news and trends. If you don’t stay informed, you’re likely to fall behind your competition. Blogs are one of the best and most cost-effective ways to keep up to date, stay inspired, and expand your knowledge base.
