Thrive in 2021

Let’s face it: starting a small business these days is daunting. Where do you even start? How do you build on a business idea? Though the pandemic caused many in-person businesses to downsize or shut down, small businesses can continue to grow even in the online world we now live in. Our Spring 2021 cover story features tips from a wide variety of business professionals and owners across various industries. They will help you grow a business from the inside-out with tips on advertising, SEO, stronger business connections, outsourcing and more. These tips will help you feel more confident and motivated to start and/ or grow your small business in 2021.

Entrepreneurs Thrive with Mentorship

“ The beauty of using social media and influencer marketing to generate sales is that they can be utilized in just about every industry, whether you're selling a physical product or a service. ”

Businesses don't operate or succeed in isolation. It takes a community of people playing different roles — customer, teacher, supporter, connector, etc. — to really catapult a company to the next level. One way entrepreneurs and business owners can grow their companies in 2021 is to seek mentorship. Through a mentor’s priceless guidance, you can avoid common pitfalls, learn from their mistakes, and get on a faster path to success. Your mentor may also facilitate other useful connections with prospective customers, business partners, suppliers, service providers, etc. But the best perk of all? Your mentor or coach understands what you're going through. They can commiserate with you in a way that your non-entrepreneur friends can't. Sometimes, you just need to spend time with someone else who "gets it." When you have a mentor, you benefit from their experience, knowledge, network, and camaraderie.

– Laura Gariepy, Owner of Every

Day by the Lake, LLC, https://www.beforeyougofreelance.com/

Manage Cash Flow

Conserving revenue and managing cash flow is vital for small businesses. Today, there are a lot of great financial technology or fintech tools available that can help entrepreneurs save time, money, and energy. A trip to the bank is a bigger hassle now more than ever before as waiting in line is not only an inconvenience but a health concern. Fintech is quite a large industry with various products built