In an effort to bring you a fabulous Top Ten List, I found that there were quite a few worthy lists out there already. And so I present to you – the mother of all small business top ten lists. These resources touch on many of the skills and characteristics it takes to be an entrepreneur.
1. Top Ten Marketing Blogs
Marketing is a subject you can never learn enough about. The market’s always changing, and if you don’t sell stuff you’re out of business quick. Make your continued marketing education a daily habit at one or more of these excellent blogs identified by Michael Stelzner at Writing White Papers.
2. Top Ten Skills of Effective Operations Managers
Joanna Wyganowska at Recreation Management has put together a nice list of the skills that will make you effective in any operations. Take a look at the list and give yourself a score from 1-10 in each area. Anything less than an 8 deserves attention. Invest in yourself and watch your business grow.
3. Top Ten Small Business Payroll Solutions
If you have even one employee you know the pain of payroll. Keeping up with government reporting, taxes, and checks can be a nightmare that repeats monthly, if not more often. HRWorld has put together a nice, current list of outsourcing options. Whatever it costs, it’s worth it.
4. Top Ten Best Presentations Ever
This compilation from KnowHR highlights a diverse selection of presentations from Martin Luther King to Steve Jobs. Next time you need to get up in front of people, use these for inspiration, or just copy the good stuff. Now go out and get you some venture capital.
5. Top Ten Bookkeeping Mistakes By Small Businesses
Accounting is rarely exciting, but mistakes can end your business before it starts. SCORE has identified the top bookkeeping made my small businesses so that that you don’t have to learn from your own mistakes.
6. Top Ten Tax Deductions for Professionals
Tax attorney Stephen Fishman doesn’t want you to pay more in taxes than you need to. He’s put together this list of deductions many professionals miss. It’s not too late to create good record keeping habits for 2008.
7. Ten Tips For Time Management in a Multitasking World
We’ve all got the same 24 hours in a day. Your competitive advantage just may lie in your ability to get more done in that time than your competition. This list from Brazen Careerist Penelope Trunk is unique and thought provoking. Consider checking it every week for ten weeks and building your cache of time management skills gradually.
8. Top Ten Business Plan Mistakes
So many entrepreneurs are afraid to put their big ideas into writing. Maybe that’s because according to Entrepreneur.com, the vast majority of plans are ‘hardly worth the paper they’re printed on’. Make sure your plan’s a winner by comparing it against this list.
9. Top Ten Legal Mistakes Made by Entrepreneurs
Harvard Business School associate professor Connie Bagley shares the most common legal mistakes made by start up businesses. She says entrepreneurs have a tendency on to delegate too much to the lawyers. “Lawyers tend to be risk averse, and if you delegate to them you will usually stay out of legal trouble but can often compromise your business objectives.”
10.Top Ten Internet Home Business Ideas You Can Start and Run in Your Underwear
Wendy Piersall at eMoms at Home provides a great list of low barrier to entry work at home options along with pracitical reality checks: there’s is no such thing as instant results, you must learn the basics of SEO, and stick to your niche.
